Are you looking for some ways how to teach addition to students? Ten frames are a common teaching tool for early elementary students and are often used to develop children’s number sense within the context of ten. Ten-frames can also help students get comfortable performing additions and subtractions up to 10. Performing calculations with a ten-frame and physically adding and taking away counters can help young learners to grasp these basic operations.
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Ten-frames are very useful in pre-kindergarten through second-grade classrooms when children are still grasping how to count fluently and recall number facts up to 10. Once students are introduced to ten frames, they can use them for various skills. It is an excellent tool with so many uses that I teach my students how to use them at the beginning of the school year.
What is a Ten Frame in Math?
A ten frame is a rectangle with ten equal spaces. It has five spaces on top and five on the bottom. It is used to support the development of the important landmark numbers five and ten. You often find ten frames positioned horizontally and filled with counters placed from left to right and top to bottom.
Ten frames are a fantastic tool used in preschool to 2nd grade to help build an understanding of counting, place value, adding, subtracting, and more. You use counters or math manipulatives to represent numbers less than or equal to ten on the frame. Check out this link to find a free Ten Frames Template. Ten Frames Free Printable.
What are Five Frames?
It has five equal spaces in a row. For children in pre-kindergarten or kindergarten who have yet to explore a ten frame, it is a good idea to begin with a five frame. The five frame focuses on the relationship to 5 as an anchor for numbers. These are often used before introducing a ten frame. Check out this link for a free five frame printable or digital version. Five Frames Template
Double Ten Frames For Math
A double ten frame is two ten frames used to support the landmark numbers ten and twenty development. It is also designed to help addition strategies (such as making a ten) and place-value ideas (such as teen numbers made up of one ten frame and then some more). Check out this link for a double ten frame printable or digital version. Double Ten Frames Printable
Using Ten Frames to Teach Number Sense
Number sense refers to understanding number concepts, operations, and applications of numbers and operations. Number sense is flexible thinking and intuition about numbers.
It is the ability to be flexible with numbers and have a variety of strategies to use. Students know how to use and adapt the strategy to meet different situations.
Ten frames help with developing number sense. First, number sense is having a good understanding of numbers and their relationships. Number sense develops gradually as children explore numbers and have experiences with them.
Subitizing With Ten Frames
Quickly show students a ten frame with some counters and have them say how many counters they see. Increase how fast you flash the card. In addition, you can begin to ask, “How many more counters do you need to make 10?” This is a great activity to build number sense.
How Do Ten Frames Help Students?
The number 10 is the building block of our Base 10 Number System. Young learners who have a solid understanding of this number can relate that understanding to all different areas of math. For example, a child who can understand 10 as being made up of a 7 and a 3 can then start to see 100 as a 70 and a 30.
Why Are Ten Frames Important?
Ten frames help kids develop number sense and are an effective strategy for developing a conceptual understanding of concepts. You can use them in your primary classroom in many different ways, from counting and representing numbers to solving addition and subtracting word problems. Once you introduce this model to students, they will be able to use it for various math problems, and it will help them develop an understanding of many concepts.
Teaching with Ten Frames Lesson Plan
- Display the addition problem 5 + 3.
- Use a ten frame to show the 5 first.
- Explain that it is easier to begin adding with the greater number.
- Explain that if we fill the top row of the ten frame, then we have 5. Just like we have 5 fingers on our hand, the top row of the ten frame has 5. We do not need to count out the 5, but we know it’s 5 when the top row of the ten frame is filled.
- Explain that, to solve the problem, we start at 5 and count on.
- Ask, “What are we starting with?” “Yes, 5.”
- Say, “Now we can count on from 5 … 6, 7, 8.”
- “Yes, 5 + 3 = 8.”
How to Use a Ten Frame in Preschool
For children in pre-kindergarten or kindergarten who have not yet explored a ten frame, it is a good idea, to begin with, a five frame. The five frame focuses on the relationship to 5 as an anchor for numbers. Check out this link for a free five frame printable or digital version. Five Frames Template
Have students begin to represent numbers on a ten frame. Start with numbers to 5, and then increase over time. Check out: Representing a Number.
How to Use a Ten Frame in Kindergarten
How do ten frames work in kindergarten? Ten frames can be used to represent a number, compose and decompose numbers, compare numbers, or a variety of other skills. Check out these resources:
- More or Less in 5 and 10 Frames
- Decompose and Compose Numbers
- Teen Numbers
- Ten Frames Interactive Activities
Teaching Ten Frames First Graders
Continue using ten frames from Kindergarten by using larger numbers. Ten frames can be used to represent a number, compose and decompose numbers, add and subtract, or various other skills. Check out these resources:
- More or Less in 5 and 10 Frames
- Decompose and Compose Numbers
- Teen Numbers
- Ten Frames Interactive Activities
Teaching Addition with Ten Frames
Students place counters on the ten frames to represent the addends. The total counters are the sum of the addition problem. Have students begin with the larger number on the ten frames. In the beginning, use two color counters or two different counters so students can see each addend represented.
Using a Ten Frame To Add
Students place counters on the ten frame to represent the addends. The total counters are the sum of the addition problem. You can use ten frames to solve basic addition problems, create a 10, and then add and solve 3 addend addition problems.
Use Ten Frames to Subtract
Students place counters on a ten frame to represent the minuend. Then, remove the counters that are the subtrahend. Finally, the remaining counters represent the difference. Students will eventually be able to subitize (tell how many without counting).
Word Problem with Subtraction.
Subtraction with Ten Frames
Students place counters on the ten frames to represent the first number. Then, take away the counters. Finally, the remaining counters are the difference. When drawing a subtraction problem on a ten frame, students cross off the counters that are subtracted.
Ten Frame Activities
There are a variety of activities that can be done with ten frames, from representing numbers to solving addition and subtraction basic facts and word problems.
- Subitize with Ten Frames
- Decomposing in Math
- Word Problems to 20 with Ten Frames
- 2 Step Word Problems with Ten Frames
How to Use the Ten Frames Free Printable?
This resource has 5, 10, and double ten frames that can be printed and used with students. I like to print them on cardstock and laminate them or place them into a plastic sleeve to be reused. I especially like to put them in plastic sleeves because the students can also write equations on them, which are easier to wipe off. Counters, erasers, cubes, and many other materials can be used as counters. This makes ten frames for math easy to adapt to go along with seasonal lessons.
The digital versions of the five, ten, and double ten frames have digital red and yellow counters. Students can move the counters to solve problems or these digital frames and be used whole class. They also work great on interactive whiteboards.
In addition, you can use tape on the floor to create larger versions of the frames.
Additional Resources
- Why Using Ten Frames For Math to Develop Understanding is Effective?
- Top 3 Proven Activities to Use Ten Frames to Represent the Number
Ten Frames in Math
Ten Frames are a simple, effective strategy to use in your early elementary math classroom.
Check out The Free Ultimate Guide for Creating a Growth Mindset Classroom and Students Who Love Math for ideas, lessons, and mindset surveys to use in your classroom. You can also sign up to receive other freebies from me Here at Easternshoremathteacher.com.
Once you learn how to teach addition easily with ten frames, it will be your favorite strategy in your math class. How else do you use ten frames in your classroom?
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