Lesson 3.1 Adding with Blocks

Steps

1. Warm-up

   Do this: Ask these out loud. Your child answers out loud; no paper needed.

   • Ask: “36 + 20” Listen for: 56
   • Ask: “49 + 40” Listen for: 89
   • Ask: “57 + 10” Listen for: 67
   • Ask: “33 + 10” Listen for: 43
   • Ask: “19 + 70” Listen for: 89
2. Teach the new idea

   Say this: “Show each number with tens rods and ones cubes. Put the ones together, then the tens.”

   Say this: “If there are 10 or more ones, trade 10 ones for a ten rod.”

   Say this: “Base-ten blocks: ones cubes, tens rods and hundreds flats.”

3. Show how

   Show: 33 + 28 = ___

   Say this: “Ones: 3 + 8 = 11. Write 1 and regroup 1 to the tens.”

   Say this: “Tens: 1 + 3 + 2 = 6. Write 6.”

   Say this: “33 + 28 = 61”

   Answer: 61

   Show: The baker made 14 rolls and 28 loaves. How many pieces of bread did she make?

   

   Say this: “Unknown: the total.”

   Say this: “Bar model: two parts, 14 and 28; the whole is unknown.”

   Say this: “Equation: 14 + 28 = ?”

   Say this: “14 + 28 = 42”

   Say this: “Answer: She made 42 pieces of bread.”

   Answer: 42 pieces. She made 42 pieces of bread.

4. Practice together

   Do this: Your child does these with you. Let them try first; help only after a real try.

   Ask: 50 + 20 = ___

   Listen for: 70

   If stuck: Add the tens: 50 + 20 = 70

   Ask: 49 + 30 = ___

   Listen for: 79

   If stuck: Add the tens: 49 + 30 = 79

   Ask: 25 + 30 = ___

   Listen for: 55

   If stuck: Add the tens: 25 + 30 = 55

   7 more practice items on the lesson page, and on Worksheet A and Worksheet B.

5. Watch for
   • Forgetting to trade 10 ones for a ten.
6. Game: Race to 100

   Roll two dice, make a two-digit number (like 3 and 5 make 35 or 53), and add it to your total. First to reach exactly 100 or more wins.

7. Narration

   Say this: “Tell me what you learned today. Show me with your hands or the counters if you like.”

   Listen for: Add two-digit numbers with base-ten blocks.

8. Scripture

   So built we the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof: for the people had a mind to work.

   Nehemiah’s builders added stone to stone. Careful, steady work gets the job done.

9. Daily habit

   One-minute addition drill on Fridays. Mental math: add 10 or 20 to any two-digit number.

Spread over the week

5 sessions of 20–25 minutes. Stop while it is still going well.

1. Session 1. Warm-up, then teach the new idea (steps 1 and 2).
2. Session 2. Warm-up again, then show how with the examples.
3. Session 3. Practice together, then play the game.
4. Session 4. More practice on the worksheet, and the daily habit.
5. Session 5. Quick check: narration and a few practice items. Move on when it is mostly right.