Tens frames to twenty

Tens frames to twenty

Pencil and paperOnline interactive
Overview
Using this Resource
Connecting to the Curriculum
Marking Student Responses
Working with Students
Further Resources
This task is about using tens frames to add and take away numbers to 20.

Question 1Change answer

a)  Write the number that is shown by the number of shaded dots on these tens frames.
i)
tens frames
  
ii)
tens frames
  
iii)
tens frames
 

Question Change answer

camping tent
b)  Ruma Whitu is going on a trip. All students need to pay $20.
 
     i) Rawiri has paid $9. Use the tens frames to show how much he has paid.

Question 1Change answer

     ii)  How much does Rawiri still have to pay?

Question Change answer

c)  i)  Filemu has paid $13. Use the tens frames to show how much she has paid.

Question 1Change answer

     ii) How much does Filemu still have to pay?
Task administration: 
This task is completed with pencil and paper or online.
Level:
2
Curriculum info: 
Maths, Number and Algebra, Equations and expressions
Keywords: 
addition, subtraction, tens frames
Description of task: 
Students use tens frames to show how to add and take away numbers to 20.
Learning Progression Frameworks
This resource can provide evidence of learning associated with
Using symbols and expressions to think mathematically, set 3
within the Mathematics Learning Progressions Frameworks.
Read more about the Learning Progressions Frameworks.
Answers/responses: 
 

Y5 (04/1997)
a) i)
ii)
iii)

7
11
15

very easy
very easy
very easy
b)

i)


ii)

 Working involving showing 9 marked on the tens frames,
e.g.,
7

Both representation and answer correct

easy


easy
moderate
c)

i)


ii)

 Working involving showing 13 marked on the tens frames,
e.g., 13.gif
7

Both representation and answer correct

easy


easy
moderate


NOTE:
The convention of using tens frames is to fill the first tens frame before starting to "fill" the next.  A derivation of this is that students also fill up a complete five within the tens frame before moving on to the second five.

Teaching and learning: 

This assessment item involves students representing numbers on a diagram of a tens frame to illustrate their understanding of how they are used, and using the tens frames to solve subtraction (or complementary addition/reversibility) problems. Tens frames are a practical tool that can support students to develop understanding of addition, subtraction, place value, and grouping.  They can also be used as diagrams (as with this resource) for students to illustrate situations with numbers.  Representing additive strategies using diagrams is a part of Algebra (Equations and expressions) at level two.

Prior knowledge

  • Students should have used tens frames to show numbers, and addition and subtraction equations;
  • Early additive stage (for addition facts to 20, knowledge) and advanced additive stage (for addition and subtraction facts to 20, knowledge).
Diagnostic and formative information: 
     
a)   i)
      ii)
      iii)		 13
9
5		 Students interpret the number from the unshaded part of the tens frame rather than the shaded part.
b)   i)
c)   i)		 Students shade the Tens frames but do not "fill up" one frame before starting on the next. Most of these students wrote the correct answer suggesting that it is a representation error.
b)   i)
c)   i)		 Students shade the amount to be paid rather than the amount paid. Most of these students wrote the correct answer suggesting that it is a representation error.
b)   ii)
c)   ii)		 20
20		 Students write the total ($20) instead of the difference to $20.
b)   ii)
c)   ii)		 9
13		 Students repeat the amount given rather than the difference to $20.
Next steps: 
Many of the errors above involve understanding how Tens frames are used to represent situations involving numbers.  Students who gave the number of unshaded counters or shaded the "opposite" number could be asked to use Tens frames to show or explain how they were interpreting the diagram.  Here the convention of how to use Tens frames can be explored.  However students may also have a rationale for adapting the use of Tens frames (e.g., treating them as sticks of ten rather than two sets of five).

Students who repeated the amount paid in their answer or wrote the total amount as their answer could be asked to identify what the question was asking and explain how they worked out their answer.  They could also identify whether they see the question as a subtraction or addition problem, and then how they could show the problem using Tens frames.

For students who shaded some other number, get them to use Ten frames and become familiar with using them to represent and solve addition and subtraction problems.  Initially they may need to address the problem by using an appropriate counting strategy (e.g., counting on or counting back) before using simple additive strategies.