Make 10 Strategy

What is the Make 10 Strategy many of you must be wondering.   Please take a few moments to watch this video about the strategy.  

Now I am sure many of you must be thinking...oh boy Common Core math strikes again!  To be totally honest with you, I felt the same way when I first learned this way of teaching.  However, since teaching it, I have come to love it! 

At first glance this appears to be a ridiculous way to add two numbers together by making students do a bunch of unnecessary steps to get the answer.  However, this strategy is actually preparing students to mentally manipulate and add numbers.  I bet many of you do this and don't even realize it! 

We want students to start thinking strategically and move away from counting on and using their fingers.  SO, we teach students make a 10.  It is super easy to add a number to 10!  At this stage, most first graders are not ready to mentally decompose numbers to make a 10 in order to add.  So, we have students write each step of the process down.  This will prepare students to mentally add numbers when they are ready. 

This week we moved counters around.  We were able to see the originally equation and the 10 fact on our work mats.  The kiddos really seemed to like doing this in group because it made sense and they were able to physically manipulate the "number."

Once students get really good at making 10 and showing signs that they can mentally manipulate the numbers, we move to apply this strategy to larger equations.  For example, 7+5=  (10+2=12)  moving toward the equation 27+13= (30+10=40)