Sara Harp Minter Elementary 1st graders linked up with partners to make a teen number paper chain and better understand how big numbers work.
While the whole grade studied teen numbers, Olivia Baldwin’s class teamed up to study them with handmade paper chains. Students were paired up and assigned a teen number (13 through 19). They broke down their assigned number into tens and ones and used paper links to visually represent them. For instance, with the number 13, students counted out 10 black links to represent the 1 ten and 3 pink links for the ones.
Once the chains were complete, students wrote a number sentence to represent their teen number, such as 10 + 3 = 13. Finally, they presented their chains to the class, explaining their process and reinforcing their understanding of place value.
The activity helps establish a solid understanding of place value, recognizing that two-digit numbers are composed of tens and ones in a hands-on, visual, and interactive manner.
Baldwin’s goal is for her students to connect the concepts to real-world applications and build a positive attitude towards math.
“I aim for them to improve their counting skills, number formation abilities, and visualize numbers through hands-on activities,” she said. “I hope they developed confidence in their mathematical abilities, enjoyed the collaborative process, and learned to communicate their mathematical understandings effectively.”
Posted 9/9/2024
