Using Ten Frames to Add

The Hamtrack Express is almost ready for its first passengers. Conductor Squeaks just has to figure out how many carriages to add. We can help him by "Using a Tens Frame to Add". A tens frame is a chart with two equal rows of five with ten spaces in total. When we place counters in those spaces, we can see different numbers within ten. For example, the number six looks like THIS in a tens frame. Each box has one marker, and there are six in total. If we fill up the entire tens frame, it means we have a set of ten! When we see a FULL tens frame, we know the amount is ten right away without having to count! We can use a tens frame like this or like this. It works the same both ways because the amount of spaces does not change. Now, let's help Mr. squeaks add his train carriages together!' His first choice is to add three carriages plus two more. He can use a tens frame to solve this problem. Start by showing the first number, three, in counters on the tens frame. Then, show the second number, two, on the tens frame using counters again. Now, count ALL the filled spaces on the tens frame. There are five counters in all, so three train carriages plus two train carriages equals five train carriages. Conductor Squeaks could add five train carriages to the track! Next, he wants to try adding seven carriages plus three more. Let's show the FIRST number, seven, in counters on the tens frame. Then, let's show the second number, three, in counters next to the ones already there. Now, count ALL the filled spaces on the tens frame. WAIT! We don't have to count this time! The tens frame is FULL, which means there are ten in all. So seven train carriages plus three train carriages equals ten! Conductor Squeaks could add ten train carriages to the tracks! Finally, he wants to try adding nine carriages plus four more. What do we do first?

First, we show nine counters on the tens frame. What comes next?

Next, show four more counters on the tens frame. Uh-oh! It's full, but we have three counters left. What can we do? We can use ANOTHER tens frame and put the rest of the counters there! NOW, we count ALL the filled spaces on BOTH tens frames. Since we have a full tens frame, we can start counting at the number ten and continue with the second frame. Eleven, twelve, thirteen! Nine train carriages plus four train carriages equals thirteen train carriages! Conductor Squeaks could add thirteen train carriages to the track! Before we see how many carriages he decided to add, let's remember. Today we learned to add using a tens frame! Tens frames are charts with ten spaces that help us see numbers within ten. To use them to add, look at the first number in the problem and put that many counters on the tens frame. Then, look at the second number and put that many more counters on. Finally, count ALL the filled spaces on the tens frame and write the answer. If a tens frame is full, you know you have ten without needing to count. If you fill up one tens frame, and still have more counters left, use another tens frame. Look there goes Conductor Squeaks! He decided to add ten carriages, but where has Imani been?