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Make a 10

Addition and subtraction are fun when children use this calculating technique.

Lesson Plan

Supplies Needed

Gather all the supplies needed to bring your craft ideas to life! From paints and markers to glue and scissors, our crafts section has everything to spark creativity and make every project truly special.

  • Dry Erase Board

Steps

  • Step 1

    Calculating  8 + 5 or 6 + 7 can be a challenge for young math students.  Finding the ten in a math problem can make it easier to add or subtract. Demonstrate the "make a 10" strategy on a white board by writing an equation such as "8 + 5." Draw a row of eight solid objects, let's say circles, in one color and five circles in another color underneath them. Then turn the eight circles into 10 by drawing an outline of two more circles in the top row and then inserting arrows from two of the five circles in the bottom row leading to the outlined circles in the top row. 

  • Step 2

    Now have students come up to the board and create their own "make a 10" expressions in this manner using other numerals that go around 10.

  • Step 3

    Have students explain how they arrived at their answer by reconfiguring the objects. Ask them to state the sentence in two ways; for example: "8 + 5 = 10 + 3."

Standards

Math:  Analyze, compare, create, and compose math ideas using written, oral, and drawn lines, shapes, forms, and patterns.  

MATH: Apply mathematical operations to solve real-world problems. 

Adaptations

Use blocks or buttons for a hands-on "Make a 10" learning games, especially for students who are struggling with abstract concepts. Physical objects they can move around on a table help make the math more concrete.

Play a "Make 10" card came for two people. The pair of students will design the faces of their cards and number them 1-9. Have the first player pull a random card and find household or classroom objects that could be added to that number to  equal 10. For example, if the player pulled a card that said 6, they would need to find 4 items, paper clips or crayons for example, to "make it 10."