Term 3, Week 7
31 Aug – 6 Sep 2026
This week’s topic
Number, Operations and Relationships: counting to 180, comparing and ordering numbers to 75, addition and subtraction to 75, number bonds to 20, and multiplying by 2 and 5
Your Week Ahead
This is a busy week, but it’s also a good one. Your learners have been building number sense all year, and this week pulls a lot of those threads together. Counting forwards and backwards in 1s from any starting point between 0 and 180 pushes their range further than before, and it’s worth pausing on backwards counting specifically. Learners often manage forwards counting easily but stumble when they have to count down, especially across a decade boundary like 60 to 59.
Comparing and ordering numbers to 75 builds directly on the counting work. Once learners can count confidently in that range, comparing two numbers and saying which is smaller or greater becomes much easier because they can picture where each number sits on the number line. Ordering numbers from smallest to greatest is the next logical step, and it’s a skill that will keep coming back all the way through the Intermediate Phase, so it’s worth giving it proper time now rather than rushing through it.
The addition, subtraction, number bonds, and multiplication work this week all rest on the same foundation: learners need to be comfortable using their fingers, counters, or a number line as a bridge while they build mental strategies. Number bonds to 20 in particular deserve daily practice in short bursts rather than one long session. And multiplying by 2 and 5 is often learners’ first real taste of repeated addition as a pattern, so keep drawing their attention back to what multiplication actually means, not just the answer.
This Week’s Lesson Plan
Day 1: Count forwards and backwards in 1s from any given number between 0 and 180, using a number line and number chart to support learners who need visual scaffolding.
Day 2: Compare numbers to 75 using smaller than and greater than language, then order sets of numbers from smallest to greatest with concrete apparatus and number cards.
Day 3: Solve addition and subtraction problems to 75 in context, working through word problems that ask learners to choose the right operation.
Day 4: Practise number bonds to 20 through games and quick mental maths routines, aiming for speed and confidence rather than just correct answers.
Day 5: Multiply numbers 1 to 10 by 2 and 5, linking the multiplication facts to repeated addition and skip counting learners already know.
Download Your Lesson Plan
Download the full 5-day lesson plan as a Word document. Includes detailed activities, differentiation notes, and assessment guidance.