Number Bonds

We have recently begun to learn about number bonds in the Duck Class. What is a number bond you say? I thought this description from letsplaymath.net says it well..."A number bond is a mental picture of the relationship between a number and the parts that combine to make it. The concept of number bonds is very basic, an important foundation for understanding how numbers work. A whole thing is made up of parts. If you know the parts, you can put them together (add) to find the whole. If you know the whole and one of the parts, you take away the part you know (subtract) to find the other part.

Number bonds let children see the inverse relationship between addition and subtraction. Subtraction is not a totally different thing from addition; they are mirror images. To subtract means to figure out how much more you would have to add to get the whole thing."

The accompanying pictures show us using "number bond bracelets" to make the number bond of 3. Children explored different ways to make 3 by manipulating the 3 beads on their bracelet, such as 1 and 2; 2 and 1; 3 and 0, etc. We will do this and many more similar experiences with number bonds through 10 this year.