Take two or three hands-up answers, not open call-outs. Don't confirm which step comes first yet — that is the discovery of the lesson. Listen for a pupil who says 'take the 3 away first' and hold that thought for Watch and Notice.

Work each one live on the beam; do not read the steps aloud like a script. For 2x + 3 = 11, take the three unit cubes off both pans first, then ask how many are in one x-block if two together match eight?

The order is the whole lesson. Hold out for pupils to notice the addition comes off before the multiplication is split — don't announce it. The third example (4x + 1 = 21) is the one to slow down on: the added number is small and easy to forget.

Talk this one through together — pupils take turns at the board and the class agrees or corrects out loud.

Take five off both pans (2x = 8) before anyone touches the slider. Ask the class to work out x by sharing, then slide only to confirm the beam balances — the slider checks the answer, it is not how we find it. Listen for anyone splitting before removing the number; revoice: so we tidy the pan first, then share the x-blocks.

If you have a physical beam to hand, you can repeat the same routine with 3x + 1 = 13 and then 5x − 3 = 12 (add 3 first for the subtraction case). The on-screen beam holds one equation, so treat these as optional extra turns, not part of the timing.

This is the practice round — pupils take turns at the board, check each answer, and the class confirms before moving on. Keep the board work brisk rather than over-explaining.

Each pupil tidies the pan first (take off or add on), then works out x, then slides to check and presses Check. The order builds: 2x + 3 = 11 gives x = 4, 4x + 2 = 14 gives x = 3, 3x − 1 = 8 gives x = 3 (add 1 first), and 2x − 5 = 7 gives x = 6, the largest answer. If a slide lands on the wrong value, ask did we tidy the pan before splitting? rather than giving the answer.