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Use Make-a-Ten Strategy to Add

Students will decompose one addend to complete a group of ten, then add the remainder. For example, 8 + 5 becomes 8 + 2 + 3 = 10 + 3 = 13. This strategy builds number sense and bridges to adding within 20.

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Use Make-a-Ten Strategy to Add

Grade 1 · Counting, Fluency, and Fact Strategies · question 1 of 3

0 of 12

12 rungs. A star at the top.

8 + 6 =

How it is taught

0:00 of 2:43

Break a number to make ten.

Then add what is left.

Read it: Make 10 to add past 10

8 + 5: 8 needs 2 more to make 10. Take 2 from the 5, and 3 are left: 10 + 3 = 13.

  1. Start with the bigger number: 8.
  2. Move 2 over to make 10.
  3. Add what is left: 10 + 3 = 13.

10 is easy to add to: 10 and 3 is 13 without counting.

The 5 splits into 2 and 3, so no counters are lost or added.

So 8 + 5 is the same as 10 + 3, and both are 13.

Make 10 first, then add what is left.

Counting on 5 from 8 and losing count: 9, 10, 11, 12.

Make 10 with 2 of the 5. 3 are left: 13.

8 + 7 = ___ — 15. 8 and 2 make 10, and 5 more is 15.

8 + 5

Maya has eight stickers. Her friend gives her five more. How many stickers does she have now?

We need to add eight plus five. Let's use a ten frame to help us.

First, fill in eight dots. See? Two empty boxes are still left in the ten frame.

If we had just two more dots, we'd have a full ten. But we're adding five!

Here's the trick. Let's break the five apart into two and three.

Now move the two into the empty boxes. Eight plus two makes ten!

8 stickers + 5 more = ?8+5=?13Ten FrameNeed 2 more to make 10Break apart the 55238 + 2 = 1010 + 3 = 13ANSWER13stickers
Grade 1 · Break apart a number to make a ten

We still have three left over. Ten plus three is much easier to count.

Ten plus three is thirteen. So eight plus five equals thirteen. Nice work!

What you see

While they climb, your page writes one true line to ask about tonight, and a short note each Sunday.

MayaGrade 3 · Mathematics
Did you know?

A chessboard has 64 squares — share them out between the 8 rows and each row holds exactly 8.

Today’s goal
1 star — one skill mastered, every rung of its ladder climbed
Climbing now
Divide within 100

An example student.

MayaGrade 3 · Mathematics

Maya earned 2 stars this week — Interpret multiplication as equal groups, which took 6 answers over 3 days before its star landed 3 days ago and Multiply by 6, 7, 8 and 9. Next up: Divide within 100.

An example week.

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