Friends of Ten Booklet
In our number system, ten holds a special place. And ten-frames are a wonderful tool for exploring combinations for ten. But we don’t want students to think that there is only one way to show ten on a ten-frame.
This little booklet has three types of pages: (1) dots starting in the upper left corner, (2) dots in random placements, and (3) empty ten-frames students can use to show their own combinations.

Click here to grab your copy. Enjoy!

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This is exactly what I have been looking for! Today I introduced a ten wand and I was looking for something to do with them tomorrow to get them thinking in number sentences. Thank you!!
You’re welcome, Charlotte! Glad it came at just the right time. 🙂
Thanks, Donna 🙂 My class started using this today. We will complete 1 column each day, as a quick quiz, and note the time taken at the bottom of the column (my kids ranged from 1-4 minutes). My cover only had the border, so I got the kids to write the numbers 1-10 across the bottom, and then joined up the ‘friends’ (4and 6, 3 and 7 etc)-one by one- each in a different colour. That gave us the look of a rainbow. It was amazing to watch some kids have an ‘aha’ moment!-from a simple rainbow! It was also an opportunity to focus on the tricky spelling of ‘friends’. One thing I found was that a couple of students were confused by the “3 + = 10” prompts (even though the intention was that the prompts would help the strugglers. It would be interesting to know what other teachers find. Hope some of you find the booklet useful! Thanks again, Donna 🙂
Hey, Vivian! Thanks for the extra information about how you’re using the book. I really appreciate that you shared it with me!
Thanks a lot for this booklet! Perfect for next week.
Ylva from Sweden
Great booklet! Thanks to both of you for sharing!
Glad you like it, Patty!
Meeting you was one of the best experiences EVER!!!! Love that we have a virtual and real life friendship. Hope we get together again soon. You are even more amazing in real life!! Thank you for all you do to help so many of use grow as educators!!
Hey, sweet friend! I would love to come visit again. Maybe springtime in Florida? 🙂
Thank you. I needed more ways for my kiddos to practice making ten and this activity is perfect!
You are SO right! You can never have enough activities for making ten!
Thank you Donna and Vivien! This is perfect for me to share with my teachers1
Thanks for passing it on, Genie! 🙂
Hi!
Thanks for sharing!
I noticed that there are not directions on the booklet. I know I am supposed to already know what to do with it, but am I guessing right if I assume that the children are supposed to fill in the missing parts of the equations?
Heidi
Hi Heidi
Students write the short date at the top of the column. Then we do a timed quiz. They write the whole sum below each ten frame.( Initially, some of my kids found the prompt confusing, but this was OK after we completed a bunch of examples together. ) I use my phone’s timer, and write the times on the board as each child finishes. They write their time at the bottom of the column. We do this quiz at the beginning of each lesson, daily.
Yes, they write the missing parts, or the entire sum if there is nothing written as a prompt.
Donna,
You always seem to post the things I need the most at just the right time! I was thrilled to see this tonight!! I will be using it tomorrow! Thank you SO much!!
Kim Schoeler
Glad it’s something that will be useful to you, Kim!
I have some students who need help developing fluency with their facts to ten. This will help so much! Thanks for sharing!
This will come in handy! I teach grade one and have a few students struggling with the ‘power of ten’ concept!
Thanks for sharing this:)
Looks like you reposted this from an earlier time. Thanks! I love the support for the struggling learners and the review for the others. Can’t wait to use it. Thanks for sharing!
Yes, Beth, because I have new Facebook followers all the time, I regularly repost earlier blog posts. Glad you like this one!
Thank you very much….as an intern without funds, I’m always looking for freebies. Thank You.!!!!
Спасибо вам!Отличное пособие!
Thanks to Google translator, I found out this means, “Thank you ! Great benefits !”. 🙂
I hope this is right…Вы очень приветствуем!
Thanks for sharing!
Thanks Donna and Vivian. This looks so great. Can’t wait to use it with my kiddos. We are working so hard to master the new standards and I am always looking for new ways outside my tired old Saxon!
Thanks Donna. A great resource to add to my “Make Ten” folder. Thanks for sharing .It’s free as well. What a bonus!
Free is always good, right Deme! Glad it’s “folder” worthy. 🙂
Thank you so much for this fun activity of making tens. We are doing some end of the reviewing and this is perfect. Thank you again.
So glad it’s something you find useful!
This is fabulous!
Good to hear from you, Amy!!
My teachers are going to love this, you rock!!!!!
Thanks, Rebecca! Hope the kiddos enjoy it!
Fantastic just what I need!
Thank you for sharing! Great timing!
Thanks for sharing! I have a small intervention group that are reviewing combinations of ten with ten frames. This will be a fun way to assess and they can monitor their progress!
Thank you for sharing this wonderful tool from your toolbox.
Thanks so much!!!
Hello from Finland. I try this with my students. Thanks.
Laura
Finland? How awesome is that? Thanks for leaving a note. 🙂
O loved the booklet! Students will surely love it! Thanks for sharing it!
Thanks from Mexico, 🙂 Yamin
Thanks from Switzerland !
Mara
Awesome!
I’ll let my kids use this such wonderull material. Reale usufull and easy to use.
Thanks for sharing
Simona
Thank you
Hello from Austria,
thank you very much for your work.
Elisa
Always so cool to hear from teachers in other countries! 🙂
Thank you so much! I am a first time First Grade teacher, and this will help me a lot. More power to you!
Thank you so very much for doing the hard work that makes parents’s lives easier! I love all your printables.
Thankyou. Am going to use as subitising cards as well.
Thank you so much for a great math activity using ten frames! Missing addends is always challenging! LOVE!
thanks for creating this document! It is wonderful!
Thank you so much for sharing this maths resources.
It’s been so helpful.
Very precisely done.
Fantastic resource! Thank you 🙂
This was a perfect wy to review ten frames for my 2nd graders. Then we can move on to adding 2 digit #’s to 20 🙂 Thanks for sharing!!
Great material, thansk for sharing!
What a great book – I Love it!
Thank you so much for sharing this resource Donna! It’s just what I have been looking for. This is such a useful resource in helping kids understand number facts to make 10.
What a great resource – Thank you…..Love it!
I was so excited to find this resource on line, as I had one last paper copy and misplaced it! It’s such a great resource. Thanks!
Thanks for this very helpful booklet. I am working with a child who has so much anxiety around “getting it wrong” that he cannot answer a question and freezes when given work to do in the classroom. This will be fabulous for building confidence.
Thank you for sharing the Friends of Ten booklet. 🙂
Thank you for providing resources for our students!!! Your dedication and love of teaching has impacted many kids! Much love from our keiki in Hawaii 🙂
Thank you for sharing your resource. This will be great for my students!
This is exactly what I was looking for. Thank you so much for sharing this!
Thank you so much!
Hi!! How do I get a copy of the friends of 10 booklet!! Thank you!!
There is a link to download it at the bottom of the post. Right below the picture of the booklet.