Building Tens: Base Ten Blast!

Selena Hudson

Tier 1

Lesson Plan

Building Tens: Base Ten Blast!

Students will subtract numbers to identify 'how many less' (OA.1) and build multiples of 10 to 90 using base ten blocks (NBT.2).

Understanding 'how many less' strengthens foundational subtraction skills, while building multiples of ten is crucial for developing a strong sense of place value and preparing for multi-digit addition and subtraction.

Audience

1st Grade Students

Time

50 minutes (5 min warm-up, 15 min lesson, 30 min small group)

Approach

This lesson uses a spiral review, direct instruction, guided practice, and independent practice.

Materials

Whiteboard or projector, Spiral Review Warm-Up, Building Tens Slide Deck, Base ten blocks (tens rods and unit cubes) for each student or pair, Multiples of Ten Worksheet, Building Tens Quiz, and Teacher Script

Prep

Preparation

15 minutes

Review the Building Tens: Base Ten Blast! Lesson Plan, Teacher Script, and Building Tens Slide Deck to familiarize yourself with the content.
- Prepare whiteboard or projector for the Building Tens Slide Deck.
- Print copies of the Spiral Review Warm-Up, Multiples of Ten Worksheet, and Building Tens Quiz for each student.
- Gather enough base ten blocks (tens rods and unit cubes) for each student or pair to build numbers up to 90.
- Set up small group stations with additional practice materials if desired for the small group time.

Step 1

Warm-Up: How Many Less?

5 minutes

Begin with the Spiral Review Warm-Up displayed on the board.
- Guide students through 1-2 problems, modeling how to identify 'how many less'.
- Have students complete the remaining problems independently or with a partner.
- Briefly review answers as a class, focusing on the subtraction concept.

Step 2

I Do: Introducing Multiples of Ten

5 minutes

Use the first few slides of the Building Tens Slide Deck to introduce tens rods.
- Explain that a tens rod represents 10 units. Model how to count by tens (10, 20, 30...).
- Demonstrate building 10, 20, and 30 using base ten rods on a document camera or visible surface, verbalizing the process clearly (e.g., 'One tens rod is 10, two tens rods are 20, three tens rods are 30').

Step 3

We Do: Guided Practice with Multiples of Ten

5 minutes

Display a number like 40 or 60 on the Building Tens Slide Deck.
- Ask students to build the number using their base ten blocks, working in pairs or individually.
- Circulate to provide support and check for understanding. Have a few students share how they built the number and explain their reasoning.
- Repeat with another number (e.g., 50 or 80).

Step 4

You Do: Independent Practice & Small Group Rotation

30 minutes

Students will complete the Multiples of Ten Worksheet independently, applying what they've learned about building and counting tens rods.
- As students work on the worksheet, facilitate small group rotations. During small group time, provide differentiated support:
- Intervention: For students struggling, offer direct instruction and hands-on practice building numbers with base ten blocks.
- On-Level: Provide additional practice problems or a game where students build numbers based on cards.
- Extension: Challenge advanced students to build numbers beyond 90 or explore how many tens are in a given two-digit number (e.g., 'How many tens in 45?').
- Conclude the lesson with the Building Tens Quiz as an exit ticket or quick assessment.

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Slide Deck

Welcome! Let's Warm Up!

Today we're going to practice thinking about 'how many less' and then explore building numbers with tens!

Welcome students and prepare them for the spiral review. Explain the goal of today's warm-up.

Spiral Review: How Many Less?

Look at these pictures. How many less are there?

Problem 1: 7 apples, 3 bananas. How many less bananas than apples?
Problem 2: 9 stars, 5 moons. How many less moons than stars?

Display the spiral review warm-up. Guide students through the first one or two problems, emphasizing the language 'how many less'.

Meet the Tens Rod!

This is a tens rod.

It is made of 10 small cubes all stuck together.

It helps us count by 10s!

Transition to the new lesson. Introduce the tens rod and its value. Emphasize that it's a 'stick of ten'.

I Do: Building by Tens

Let's build 10, 20, and 30 together!

1 tens rod = 10
2 tens rods = 20
3 tens rods = 30

Model building 10, 20, 30. Use a document camera or hold up the blocks clearly. Count out loud.

We Do: Build 40!

Now it's your turn! Can you build the number 40 using your tens rods?

How many tens rods did you use? Why?

Display 40 or 60. Ask students to build it with their blocks. Circulate and observe. Have students share.

We Do: Build 70!

Great job! Now try building the number 70.

How many tens rods did it take? What did you notice?

Display another number like 70 or 90. Repeat the guided practice.

You Do: Worksheet Time!

Now you'll work independently on your Multiples of Ten Worksheet.

Count the tens rods and write the number.
Draw the tens rods to match the number.

Explain the worksheet activity. Remind students to count carefully. This is the 'You Do' portion.

Small Group Work

We will now break into small groups for more practice!

Some of you will work with me.
Others will continue practicing building tens.

Keep working hard!

Explain the small group rotation for differentiated practice.

Time to Show What You Know!

Please complete the Building Tens Quiz quietly.

Do your best and show me what you've learned about tens!

Conclude the lesson with the quiz. Remind students this is to show what they learned.

Script

Teacher Script: Building Tens: Base Ten Blast!

Part 1: Warm-Up - How Many Less? (5 minutes)

Teacher: Good morning, mathematicians! Let's get our brains warmed up with some subtraction. Look at the Spiral Review Warm-Up on the screen (or your paper). Today, we're going to think about 'how many less'. Remember, when we ask 'how many less,' we're finding the difference between two numbers, just like regular subtraction.

Transition to Slide 2: Spiral Review: How Many Less?

Teacher: Let's look at the first problem together. We have 8 stars and 3 moons. If I want to know 'how many less moons than stars,' what should I do? Yes, I can subtract! 8 minus 3 equals 5. There are 5 less moons than stars.

Teacher: Now, try problem #2 with a partner. You have 6 apples and 2 oranges. How many less oranges than apples are there? Discuss it with your partner and be ready to share your answer.

(Allow students a minute to work and discuss.)

Teacher: What did you get? How many less oranges than apples? (Call on students) Great! 6 minus 2 is 4. There are 4 less oranges.

Teacher: Take a few more minutes to finish the rest of the warm-up problems on your own or with your partner. When you're done, we'll quickly review.

(Circulate and provide support. After a few minutes, bring the class back together.)

Teacher: Let's quickly check our answers for problems 3 and 4. For the bugs and flowers, how many less flowers? (Pause for answers) One less! And for the hats and gloves? (Pause) Two less! Excellent work reviewing 'how many less,' everyone!

Part 2: I Do: Introducing Multiples of Ten (5 minutes)

Transition to Slide 3: Meet the Tens Rod! and then Slide 4: I Do: Building by Tens

Teacher: Alright, friends! We're going to switch gears and learn something new and exciting about numbers. Today, we're going to talk about something called a tens rod. Look at this block I'm holding. (Hold up a tens rod for all to see, use a document camera if possible.)

Teacher: This isn't just one tiny cube, is it? Can anyone tell me how many small cubes are stuck together to make this one long rod? (Pause for answers) That's right! There are 10 small cubes! So, we call this a tens rod because it represents the number 10.

Teacher: We use tens rods to help us count by 10s. It makes counting big numbers much faster! Let me show you.

(Model with actual tens rods or by drawing on the board, pointing to Slide 4.)

Teacher: If I have one tens rod, I have 10. Can everyone say

Warm Up

Spiral Review Warm-Up: How Many Less?

Directions: Look at each picture. Count the objects and figure out how many less of the second item there are compared to the first. Write your answer.

Stars and Moons
- Stars: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (8 stars)
- Moons: 🌙🌙🌙 (3 moons)
  How many less moons than stars?
Apples and Oranges
- Apples: 🍎🍎🍎🍎🍎🍎 (6 apples)
- Oranges: 🍊🍊 (2 oranges)
  How many less oranges than apples?
Bugs and Flowers
- Bugs: 🐛🐛🐛🐛🐛 (5 bugs)
- Flowers: 🌸🌸🌸🌸 (4 flowers)
  How many less flowers than bugs?
Hats and Gloves
- Hats: 🎩🎩🎩🎩🎩🎩🎩 (7 hats)
- Gloves: 🧤🧤🧤🧤🧤 (5 gloves)
  How many less gloves than hats?

Worksheet

Multiples of Ten Worksheet

Directions: Count the tens rods and write the number. Then, draw the tens rods to match the number.

Part 1: Count and Write

||||| (5 tens rods)
Number: _________
|||||||| (8 tens rods)
Number: _________
|| (2 tens rods)
Number: _________
|||||| (6 tens rods)
Number: _________

Part 2: Draw the Tens Rods

Draw the correct number of tens rods for each number.