Alien addition
This is a level 3 number activity from the Figure It Out series. It relates to Stage 6 of the Number Framework. A PDF of the student activity is included.
About this resource
Figure It Out is a series of 80 books published between 1999 and 2009 to support teaching and learning in New Zealand classrooms.
This resource provides the teachers' notes and answers for one activity from the Figure It Out series. A printable PDF of the student activity can be downloaded from the materials that come with this resource.
Specific learning outcomes:
- Solve addition problems involving single and multi-digit numbers.
Alien addition
Achievement objectives
NA3-1: Use a range of additive and simple multiplicative strategies with whole numbers, fractions, decimals, and percentages.
Required materials
- Figure It Out, Level 2-3, Theme: Number, "Alien addition", page 11
- a calculator
- a classmate
See Materials that come with this resource to download:
- Alien addition activity (.pdf)
Activity
This activity is designed to provide students with practice adding single-, two-, and three-digit whole numbers. Students should try to do the calculations mentally or on paper. Calculators may be used to check calculations.
Some students will need help interpreting the problems, particularly with vocabulary such as “total”, “two-digit”, and “double”. Encourage students to identify the relevant information in each task. For example, the important information in question 2 is “two aliens” and “the numbers … add up to 157”.
Other contextual information needs to be discarded.
Help students develop estimation strategies involving sensible rounding by discussing the different methods they have used. For example, you could ask students to estimate the answer to question 1b: 210 + 332 + 95 + 62. By rounding, the problem solution might be estimated by 210 + 330 + 100 + 60 = 700.
1.
a. 492
b. 289
c. 1459
d. 29 e. 349 f. 2762
2.
95 and 62
3.
212 + 210 = 422
4.
Answers will vary.
5.
3140
6.
The aliens not working would add up to 870. One option would be aliens with the numbers 652, 212, and 6 on their tummies.
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