Blog #3- Place Value & Bundling

Grade Level: 1st

Standard: NY-1.NBT.2

This standard states, 

2. Understand that the two digits of a two-digit number represent amounts of tens and ones. 

a. Understand 10 can be thought of as a bundle of ten ones, called a "ten". 

b. Understand the numbers from 11 to 19 are composed of a ten and one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, or nine ones. 

c. Understand the numbers 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90 refer to one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, or nine tens (and 0 ones).

For this standard, students need to understand three components to fully grasp that in 2-digit numbers, there is a tens place and a ones place. For instance, even when explaining an answer or solving one, students need to say "2 tens and 5 ones" if they want to say 25. The place value topic is a vital foundation to instill into students as young as to first graders.  Even now with my third grade while doing student teaching, they are recalling the base ten numbers and relearning what is a "bundle". My cooperating teacher related bundling to money exchanges which was great for the 3rd graders. I think money is easy to discuss for all ages once shown visually. Teachers can also use base ten blocks which is accessible to all classrooms and also available virtually. If not, this can also work with hundred square charts, virtual manipulatives or physically drawing the question out on paper or on a dry-erase board. 

                

Credit: Utah Core Academy Lesson

This here shows 14 separate cubes that needed to be bundled. After reviewing what's a bundle, it can be determined that there will be one tens and four ones. This adds up to 14. I would then allow students to Think-Pair-Share about the comparisons of image 2 and image 3 and would look for whether students understand how they two are the same even though the second image is in different colors but is bundled together. 

This topic can be explained to students in various formats. I would include a fun sing-along for first graders such as this video that is a two-minute song explanation using images like base ten blocks. For this first day, students would work on familiarizing themselves with base ten blocks and completing a worksheet that would have 4-5 questions like this worksheet below. I would follow the method of I do-We do-You do to complete it.  

Source

For the second day, I would revisit the lesson from yesterday. I would tell students we're going to be creating a Number Museum. This part of the lesson would require students to be assigned a two-digit number from 11-29 and create a drawing of two different ways to show that number. Students can either partner up or have the option of doing it independently. At the end of the class session, the students' work will be displayed to promote confidence in the product of their work while looking at their peers work as well. This gives them an opportunity to see other ways to represent a two-digit number and a strategy they may adopt as well.