The Importance of 10

Written by Donna Boucher

Donna has been a teacher, math instructional coach, interventionist, and curriculum coordinator. A frequent speaker at state and national conferences, she shares her love for math with a worldwide audience through her website, Math Coach’s Corner. Donna is also the co-author of Guided Math Workshop.

Yesterday, I posted about effective fact practice. Developing automaticity with addition and subtraction facts begins with subitizing, which is why it’s so important that our Kinder babies get a lot of practice with that skill. The next building block is knowing combinations for 5 and 10. If a student has instant recall of 3 + 7, it sets the stage for knowing 4 + 7. That’s the idea behind teaching facts with a strategy-based approach. Here’s a quick and easy little workstation using ordinary playing cards (remove the face cards) to practice combinations for 10. Notice that by using the playing cards and ten-frames, it is a representational (from CRA) activity, which is better for conceptual understanding than abstract flash cards.

Download yours here.  You might also like this subtraction version.

29 Comments

  1. Amy B

    The Friends of 10 are so fun to teach! I love how they use 2 different colors…such a great visual!!! Thanks so much Donna!!!!

    Amy

    Reply
    • Donna Boucher

      Friends of 10–I love that! It sounds so…friendly. Ha ha.

      Donna

      Reply
  2. Amy B

    LOL! We actually have names for each friend. 1,9 straight backs,
    2,8 curvy heads,
    3,7 swingers and when we write it on the board we hang the 7 off the 3,
    4 and 6 connectors… We make a 4 and go straight into a 6,
    5,5 twins
    0,10 the zero heroes
    Kids love the names and love drawing them, and it’s amazing how something so simple helps them remember this skill!!!!

    Reply
    • Trish

      What a super idea to come up with names!!!!

      Reply
    • Donna Boucher

      Thanks, Lisa! It’s a pleasure for me, and I’m glad it’s useful to others. I hope you’ve linked up your blog on my Blog Hop page!

      Donna

      Reply
  3. Suzanne

    This is a great activity. Thank you for sharing. I posted a link to your blog from mine.

    guiidedmathstudygroup.blogspot.com

    Reply
    • Donna Boucher

      Thanks, Suzanne! Be sure to link up your blog on my Blog Hop page. 🙂

      Donna

      Reply
    • Donna Boucher

      You’re welcome, Jenny!

      Reply
  4. Anonymous

    I have stumbled upon your blog…. I WOULD BUY A BOOK with all your ideas in it! Thank you for getting my creative summer mind working! Your math activities blend beautifully with Number Literacy! Thank you!

    Reply
    • Donna Boucher

      Hold that thought, because I’m working on it! Ha ha.

      Reply
    • Tanisha

      I can’t wait!!!!

      Reply
  5. Chrissy

    Love your game ideas! Just found your blog from a post at Room Mom 101. I’m glad to be your newest follower.
    _Chrissy
    First Grade Found Me

    Reply
    • Donna Boucher

      Welcome, Chrissy!!

      Reply
  6. Jan

    Thanks for sharing this great activity. Lots of my firsties had trouble with this concept last fall, and this will be very helpful.

    Reply
  7. Ashlee Engel

    What a fantastic blog. I am addicted to visiting. Each time I visit I find something I plan on using. Thanks for sharing!!!

    Reply
    • Donna Boucher

      What a sweet compliment! Thanks! 🙂

      Reply
  8. Elizabeth Pruyn

    Hi there, I love the new ideas from your page. I can’t get the Deal out a 10 sheet to come up. Is it on a TpT page? Thanks! Elizabeth

    Reply
    • Donna Boucher

      No, that ones is only in Google Docs. Sorry you’re having trouble with it. You clicked on the picture and it didn’t open? Do you get an error message or something?

      Reply
  9. Beth Korda

    Love this!! Any chance that you’ll create a second version where you turn over two cards, color that number with one color, and use another color to complete the two ten-frames? This would be a good fit for my higher math students.

    Reply
    • Donna Boucher

      Awesome idea, Beth! I think that’s definitely doable!! Be on the look-out… 🙂

      Reply
  10. Kinderaffe

    I taught 2nd grade for 5 years. So many started 2nd with me not fluid with 10! This will help me get these Kinders on the right road.

    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Donna Boucher

      I taught FIFTH grade and many still were not fluent with 10! So much more emphasis on number sense I think now.

      Reply
  11. nurul ishak

    Awesome..brilliant…I like those Math ideas that you share in your blog and I keep on practice it in my classroom. Smart, easy and very effective.Thank you for sharing.

    Reply
  12. Leslie Hamlin

    Thanks so much! My kiddos struggled with making 10 and this will be a great reinforcer! Love your ideas!

    Leslie
    First Grade and Flip Flops

    Reply
  13. Christine

    This great! Thank you! I know you focus on k-5 but do you have any resources as far as manipulatively for sixth grade concepts?

    Reply
    • Donna Boucher

      Christine, many of the same manipulatives used for upper elementary work well for sixth graders. I also wanted to share this blog post on middle school manipulatives.

      Reply
  14. Lori Morse Winslow

    Looks perfect!

    Reply

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