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Column subtraction: Lesson 2: elephants

1 - Learning Objective

Learning Objective

We are learning how to subtract a 2-digit or a 3-digit number from a 3-digit number using column subtraction (with one or more exchanges, but not exchanging across more than one place value)

Context: elephants

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01cjyxr/player

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Credit: BBC Two - Wonders of Nature

Clip Description

African elephants are the largest land animals on the planet. Some males can be 4 metres high and weigh as much as 7,000 kilograms. To feed an animal of such gigantic proportions takes a lot of food! They spend much of their day eating grasses, herbs, fruit, plants and trees. This vegetarian diet is obviously good for them as they can live for around 70 years.

In this fascinating clip, a super herd of African elephants are on the move. They have gathered in huge numbers in their quest to find water. When they finally find it, we discover that they are surprisingly good at swimming!

Quick Number Challenge

We have learnt that the average lifespan of an African elephant is 70 years. How many number sentences can you write down that equal 70?

e.g. 35 + 35 = 70    50 + 20 = 30 + 40