Making Ten

In the Common Core edition of the Everyday Mathematics curriculum that the district in which I work uses, there is an emphasis on deeply understanding number combinations to 10.  To help first grade kinesthetic, visual, and oral learners, I created the model for this Making Ten supplemental tool.  Each students used 110 stickers to make their own tool.  First graders use them when asked to verbalize number combinations to 10.  They have been laminated and students store them in their math binders and read them during independent reading to reinforce their understanding.  

Students can read across the first line and understand that 0 and 10 more equals 10.  They can read across the sixth line and see that 5 and 5 equals 10.  Holistically,  they understand that there are exactly 11 ways to make 10.  Using the tool, I can ask them if 7 and 4 make 10 and they resoundingly answer, "No!" because they can reference the tool and see that 7 and 3 equals 10.  Using the tool, many are able to extrapolate that 7 and 4 equals 11. 

The Making Ten tool can also be used in the future when the expectation is that students be skilled in writing number combinations to 10. Because the tool is laminated, they will be using white board markers to write the number sentence that corresponds with each line.

Further, when the curriculum exposes children to "Turnaround Facts," they will be able to compare the first line to the eleventh line. The Making Ten tool will help them understand that 0 plus 10 equals 10 and that 10 plus 0 also equals 10.