Preschool · Math · week 31

Count out 20 with tens-frames of toys

Use tens-frames to organize and count out 20 objects.

A tens-frame is a box with 10 spots, arranged in two rows of 5. It helps you see a number without recounting every time.

Filling one tens-frame gives you 10. Filling a second tens-frame gives you 20 in all.

📋 For the teacher
Teach it (10–15 min):
  • A simple egg carton with 10 spots (or two 5-spot ice cube trays) works perfectly as a homemade tens-frame.
  • Emphasize that a FULL tens-frame is always 10 - your child should recognize "10" by the filled shape, not just by recounting.
  • Build up to 20 by filling one frame completely before starting the second, keeping the tens organized and visual.
  • This sets the stage for understanding bigger numbers as "groups of ten" later on.
Talk about it:
  • How many spots are in one tens-frame?
  • If both tens-frames are full, how many toys do you have?
  • How does a tens-frame help you count faster?

Mastery looks like: Child fills tens-frames accurately and states that a full frame equals 10, using two frames to reach 20.

Common stumbles: Child recounts every single spot from one each time instead of trusting that a full frame already means 10.

See it visually

Interactive, spoken-aloud tools that show this idea in motion.

Counting & Ten-FramesCount objects in ten-frames and base-ten blocks, one tap at a time.try →
Homework for this lessonType it, write it with a stylus, or print it for pencil & paper.open →
Records attendance + 15 min of Math for this learner.
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