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Monday, June 27, 2011

Don't Spill the Beans: Beginning Place Value Work for Kinders


I posted about these ten sticks a few months ago but I thought it was worth bringing back when talking about Chapter 6 of MWS. Once the kids understand the teen numbers and have worked on building them with manipulatives this can be a great activity for teaching place value. I glued them down with Elmers on colored tongue depressors and had some moms make me tons of them to use in small group work. Now I realize these would make a great math work station.



Each student had their own laminated mat to work on. Our students need to be able to build tens and ones up to 30 and this mat provided the practice many of them needed. They each got their own baggie of numbers from 1-30. Each set was a different color to avoid having children mix them up. This was super successful and the kids looked forward to our bean activities. Would you like the mat?  Download it here. You can run these off in a variety of colors too!


Some teachers allow students to count out 10 beans and glue them on a stick themselves but I was not loving that idea too much. If you have a small class... go for it. 

Eventually I decided to make a recording sheet to see if they could do this on a more independent level and it looked something like this:


What do you think of this strategy? Maybe you can try it next year. 
If you want this record sheet  Pick it up here! Don't forget to leave a comment and follow me if you want to be friends!


Now you are all set to go....hummmm maybe we need a little book for more practice. What do you think?

42 comments:

billi said...

When you first posted this I wasn't sure how well I would use it as Math is not my strong point, but now with this book I feel like the little engine that could. Thanx for reposting.

Precious Perks (Leigh) said...

Thanks for this. Some second graders could still use this. Place value is hard for some. I'm filing this away for my place value unit. Thanks again!! If you haven't already, check out my blog. I'm new.....If you like, please follow and spread my name through the blogging world :)

Stephanie said...

Thanks! I love all of your ideas!

creich said...

This is a great activity! It's a great intro to place value! Thanks so much for all your great work!

Elyse Doerflinger said...

This is such a great idea! I'm definitely saving this.

Laurie said...

This is EXCELLENT! I will def. use this! Thanks for making something practical but very creative!

Anonymous said...

Thanks Fran! I would love to take a class from you and learn how to make all of these wonderful printables! Thanks for sharing!

Debbie said...

Fantastic. I like the individual boxes - maybe it will help those who are zealous about sticking stickers be aware of how many they have used. And for the observant children they will see the connection to a ten frame....thanks for sharing.

Barbara said...

This is wonderful for my tactile learners..did the beans "Pop" off at all?? I haven't had good luck keeping things glued to tongue depressors..but I am sure going to try this one. THe mat is perfect and simple..love that.
B.

Fran Kramer said...

Use elmer's glue and give it plenty of time to dry. I have been told that a line of elmer's on top of the beans will seal them but none of mine popped off! It worked like a charm.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for all of your wonderful activities. The students will love this.
Dawn

Comptonhouse said...

Love this idea! A little book would be super. Maybe using stamps to build the numbers on the tens and ones. I will definitely use this in my class. Thanks!

Actually Kristen said...

What a simple yet effective idea!

Cindy Hutter and Tanya Wildman said...

Fran,
I wish I could be your student teacher for an entire school year!! I think I would learn so much! You inspire me!! Thank you for sharing all your wonderful ideas!
Cindy

Mrs. Larremore said...

Thanks Fran for all of these great downloads!!

g-girl said...

i love this mat!!! i absolutely love all the freebies you create and wish that i could be in your class! EDM actually has something a bit similar to this idea (called the raft game) but this mat extends what they learn from the raft game. thanks!!

amulder said...

Love the recording mat. Thank you Fran! I plan on using this for the next school year. Angie

lizziepink1 said...

Fran you are awesome!!! I wish I could teach next door to you!!

Kelly said...

Fran, YOU ROCK!! Thanks again for sharing an awesome idea!
-Kelly @allinafirstgradeday.blogspot.com

Mel said...

Love, love, love all your ideas and printables! Thank you for sharing with fellow teachers. Won't have K again next year, but am sure to use much of this at the beginning of first grade!

laura said...

hi fran,
i agree with jana....i would love to learn how to make my own printables. your ideas are great...and i will use them...
laura

laura said...

hi again fran....
i was thinking...since mrs. diller says to make a big deal out of 1's, 5's and 10's counting and we typically do the 10's with zero the hero....i was thinking....since we always do the 100th day stuff....what about the 50th day?...do you have any ideas for a fifties day? i think i saw on some website?..maybe kcrew?....they have a 50's party....i think ms. sheehan had them too....but nothing on the scale of what the math stations book is teaching us.
you are so creative...and thoughtful....i am sure you can wow us with some 50's type things. you know....count the poodles on the skirt....sock hop?...records (we will have to explain those to kindergarteners!;-)....hot rods?...something 50ish.
just a thought before i turn in the laptop.
laura hardin
lhardin@lcisd.org

Kindergarten Whale Tales said...

Thanks for stopping by my blog, Fran! I have really enjoyed the things that you have been posting and will be using many of your ideas when we do Math workshop this year. Thanks for sharing!

Breeana
Kindergarten Whale Tales

jeanzdreamz said...

Fran, first of all, thank you, thank you, thank you for all the printables! I teach K4 and plan to implement math work stations in my classroom this fall. I'm very grateful for all the freebies you are providing. Is it at all possible for you to make a mat for kids that are just counting to 20? Just like your 30's mat, but a 20's version instead for the pre-kinders? I'd be willing to pay you for this! Seriously! Thanks so much for all you do and share. You are truly an inspiration!

Noelia said...

this is so good! thanks for sharing

Jennifer Gorham said...

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you! Your ideas and mats are the bomb!
Where did you find the images for the bean stick recording sheet?

Jennifer
gorham_2@yahoo.com

Miss Megan said...

I posted this on my blog in response to your comment, but I wanted to make sure you saw it! :)

Fran, I did not see the dotted number stamps!! Do you have a picture of them so I can keep my eye out?! Thanks for offering help, I love your blog! I will for sure keep in contact with you!

April said...

HI Fran - Thanks for your comment on my blog post- for some reason I can't respond there but can here!

Anyhow, my son would love a bean mat for bigger numbers. His comment was, "Well isn't this silly it only goes to 30!"

Feel free to use the picture from my post! Thanks so much for all your wonderful posts and freebies!

~April
www.primarylearninglogs.blogspot.com

Mrs. Garrant said...

I REALLY like these bean mats and recording sheets! I haven't yet used beans in my classroom, but just purchased some earlier this week and was delighted to stumble across this post. Keep up the great work!

livelaughteachrepeat.blogspot.com

Mrs. Krouskop-Smith said...

Thank you for sharing these!

Kool Kinders

phillips said...

This will be great for my special education students. YEA!

Desiree said...

Thanks Fran for this. I've been slowly making my way through the MWS book... I know I need to hurry, but I love being able to catch your work. I especially love it when it fits with what chapter I am reading. I can't wait to get this started for my kinders.:) Thanks
Kinders on the Block

Lisa said...

Found you on pinterest...I LOVE these place value bean sticks! I spent 8 years teaching third grade and now that I'm a stay at home I love finding new ways to teach math and literacy to my little ones! I had my preschooler make a set of these bean sticks to help her practice skip counting by 10s. I also wrote a post about these and linked back to you! Thanks for sharing! I'm a new follower here!

Lisa
Criss-Cross Applesauce

Me said...

Fran, I love the place value bean sticks! The 1st post I found on it had a link to print the number cards 1-30 to go with the blue mat but, the blue mat wasn't available. Then after some more searching I found the blue mat to print but, then I couldn't find the number cards again. Any chance you could email me the link to print the number cards? I would greatly appreciate it and thanks so much for all the great ideas! Tawnya and my email address is tataluco@yahoo.com Thanks again!

Tammy said...

Such a great idea. I used unifix blocks and had my kindergartener make sticks of 10 and had her put them in a "tens" box. She had fun and really picked up on place value. This would be a great spin on it. Thanks for the idea.

MrsKacz said...

I just wanted to say thank you for the fabulous idea! I used it with my first graders and it has really helped them understand the concept of place value. I was so excited about it that I gave your blog, and this activity in particular, a shout out on my blog today. Head on over to:

http://krazyfunteaching.blogspot.com/2012/09/teaching-place-value-in-first-quarter.html

If you like what you see, I would love for you to be my newest follower!

Thanks,
Holly

Jan said...

I have several firsties that are stuggling with place value- which is in the district pacing guide for the first month. (Ugh!) These mats should help- and I'll be using them in small group to reteach. Thanks for sharing!

Erin said...

Thank you so much for sharing this idea. I've added it to my lesson plans for this coming week. We are just now heading into our study of tens and ones. My kiddos are really struggling with number sense and math in general this year, so I have been moving along at a much slower pace. I love though how this activity will let them visualize the concept.

Erin
It's "OWL" Good in Kindergarten

KeAndra said...

Fran,the link appears to broken!
keandrad@ymail.com

teech92 said...

Love your ideas! So glad I found this great resource:)
Kinder Teacher
ssisson

Unknown said...

You know, I teach first grade and some of my kiddos still don't know their teen numbers. This is perfect to teach the whole class and then provide extra practice for those who are still falling behind. Thank you!

Unknown said...

lOVE THE VERY VISUAL, AND TACTILE HANDS ON OF THE BEANS AND BEANS TRADE!