Presentation of the Decimal System - Exercise 2

Passing 9 Game

MATERIAL:

PURPOSE:

To help the child understand the decimal system, by giving the idea that every time you pass "nine" you go to one of the next hierarchy.

AGE:

4 to 5 years

EXERCISE:

The teacher takes the materials to the child's table and spreads the mat on the table.  The teacher takes the units and places them one by one in a line in front of the child, as though she were building a ten bar:

 

The child counts the units as she does so. "1, 2, 3, 4....to 9."  When 9 is reached, the teacher says,  "We have 9.  If we had one more there would be 10."  She removes the 9 beads and puts a ten bar in front of the child.
 
She takes the box of 10 bars and places the 10 bars side by side on the mat while the child counts,  "1 ten, 2 tens, 3 tens, etc.  When 9 tens have been counted the teacher says, "We have 9 tens.  If we had one more ten, there would be 10 tens.  Ten tens make one hundred."  She removes the ten bars and puts a hundred square in front of the child.
 
The teacher puts out the hundreds, one at a time, on top of each other as though building a cube, while the child counts, "1 hundred, 2 hundred, 3 hundred..." to 9 hundred.  The teacher then says, "9 hundred.  If we had one more hundred, we would have 10 hundred.  Ten hundred make one thousand."  The teacher puts the thousand cube in front of the child.
 
This exercise should be repeated as long as the child is enjoying the lesson.  It should be repeated on subsequent days.  The material must be kept available for the child to use on his own.