Learning Activity

Handful of Cubes

Subject Area

Mathematics

Grade(s)

1

Overview

This engaging learning activity will help students understand that the two digits in two-digit numbers represent the number of ones and tens. It will give the students opportunities to have hands-on experience making two-digit numbers using snap cubes. The students will visually see the numbers to begin comparing two-digit numbers.

This activity results from ALEX Resource Development Summit.

Mathematics (2019) Grade(s): 1

MA19.1.11

Explain that the two digits of a two-digit number represent amounts of tens and ones.

Unpacked Content

UP:MA19.1.11

Vocabulary

  • Base ten
  • Decompose

Knowledge

Students know:
  • how to decompose numbers 11-19.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Use place value models or mental strategies to decompose numbers.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • a two-digit number represents amounts of tens and ones.
  • Ten things can be represented as one ten or as ten ones.

Phase

Before/Engage
Learning Objectives

Learning Objectives

  • The student will understand that the two digits in a two-digit number represent the number of ones and tens.
  • The student will unitize a collection of 10 objects.
  • The student will represent a numeral with objects in groups of tens and ones.

Activity Details

  1. Gather students on the floor.
  2. Tell students they will find baskets of cubes at their tables. The teacher should say, "The task will be for you and your partner to take turns grabbing a handful of cubes and to determine how many cubes you grabbed. Tell your partner how many cubes you have. Next, group your cubes into groups of tens and ones on the ten frame mat or into ten towers. Tell your partner what you find out (for e\xample:  I have 23 cubes, I have 2 groups of tens and 3 ones). Record the number of cubes and the number of groups of tens and ones in your math journal. Then play again for several rounds."
  3. After the instructions for the activity, the teacher will send students to tables to work at their assigned tables.
  4. The teacher should now distribute the workmat and instruct the students to begin working.
  5. As students work, the teacher should circulate and make notes about how students solve the task.
  6. After most students complete the task, bring the group back together.
  7. Based on your observations, call students to share their strategies. Remember to call on students with correct but simple solution strategies to share first before calling on students who demonstrated an understanding of unitizing tens and the value of the digits. (Example explanation might be:  "I have 12 cubes.  I know I have 12 because I filled up this ten frame on the work mat and I have 2 more on this ten frame. I grouped ten cubes into one ten and then counted 10, 11, 12")
  8. If time allows, the students can complete the activity again or on other occasions.
Assessment Strategies

Assessment Strategies

Questions to ask while circulating during the activity to assess student progress:

  • Does the student count the cubes one by one? If so, notice how they group them for counting. Does the student organize the cubes for the count in some kind of order (in a linear arrangement or random)?
  • Do they organize in groups of tens using ten frames?
  • Do students snap cubes together into groups of tens (unitize)?
  • Can students correctly record the number of cubes on the recording sheet, recognizing the number of tens and the number of ones in their collections?
  • Do they understand the value of each number? What does each number represent?

Variation Tips

  • Give students a larger amount of cubes.
  • Give students cards where they have to add to the number or take away from the given number.
  • For strugglers, use smaller numbers and model with them while asking questions to check for understanding.

Background and Preparation

Background / Preparation

Prior to the lesson the teacher should:

  • prepare baskets of cubes with at least ten cubes that have tens and ones values.
  • prepare copies of the ten frames workmat.
  • determine partner pairings and create a table assignment list.

Digital Tools / Resources

http://lces.wpusd.org/subsites/First-Grade/documents/double%2010%20frame.jpg

Approved Date

Owner (Author)

kimhenderson
ALSDE LOGO

This site may contain links to other websites or content belonging to or originating from third parties or links to websites and features in banners or other advertising. Such external links are not investigated, monitored, or checked for accuracy, adequacy, validity, reliability, availability, or completeness by us. WE DO NOT WARRANT, ENDORSE, GUARANTEE, OR ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ACCURACY OR RELIABILITY OF ANY INFORMATION OFFERED BY THIRD-PARTY WEBSITES LINKED THROUGH THIS SITE.
Alabama Learning Exchange © 2002-2023 by Alabama State Department of Education is licensed under Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International

Design by Adaptive Theme