As a teacher, one of the key foundational skills that you should develop in your students is counting up on a ten frame. This skill is especially important in early childhood education, where students are just starting to explore the world of numbers, mathematical operations, and concepts. By having solid experience with counting up on a ten frame, students can gain a better understanding of numeric values, become more confident in mathematical problem-solving, and develop better number sense.
There are several activities you can employ to help your students become better at counting up on a ten frame. Below are a few examples of these activities:
1. Count and Match
As the name suggests, count and match involves counting how many blocks are on a ten frame to determine the correct number of items. To start, give your students a ten frame with blocks on it and some corresponding cards with numbers written on them. The goal is to get your students to count the blocks on the ten frame and match them to the correct number card.
2. Fill It Up
In this activity, students use a ten frame that is empty, and depending on what number they need to learn, place the corresponding number of blocks on the board. For instance, if you are teaching students how to count up to 10 on a ten frame, have them put 10 blocks on the board, two at a time. As they complete the activity, they will learn how to group numbers in tens and get used to working with ten frames.
3. Count the Fall
Kids love playing games, so why not turn counting up on a ten frame into one. Count the fall is a game that involves rolling a dice with ten sides and a ten frame. If the dice lands on five dots, the student will count five dots out of ten and place them where they belong on the ten-frame. By encouraging kids to color code their dots, it makes counting more manageable, and they can see how many dots are left.
4. Clip It
In the clip it activity, students use pegs to identify the correct number that corresponds to the ten frame. The goal here is for students to gain better control of their fine motor skills when manipulating pegs and learn to identify each number as it corresponds to the blocks on a ten frame.
In conclusion, when students learn to count up on a ten frame, they develop many important foundational concepts in mathematics, such as combining groups of numbers to reach a total, recognizing different numbers, and understanding how to group items. With these activities, you can teach your students how to count up on a ten frame up to the number 20, giving them the basic skills they need to become confident and proficient mathematics learners.
