Reception Maths: Adding with a ten frame

Method. Put the counters in the ten frame. Count the red and yellow counters together.

1. Count the red counters: 4. Start from the top left.
   4
2. Count the yellow counters: 2. They go after the red counters.
   4 + 2
3. Count them all. Count from 1 to the total.
   1 to 6
4. Write the answer.
   6

Check. Count the counters once more. There are 6. ✓

Watch out. Count the counters in order, one at a time.

Method. Put the counters in the ten frame. Count the red and yellow counters together.

1. Count the red counters: 5. Start from the top left.
   5
2. Count the yellow counters: 5. They go after the red counters.
   5 + 5
3. Count them all. Count from 1 to the total.
   1 to 10
4. Write the answer.
   10

Check. Count the counters once more. There are 10. ✓

Watch out. Count the counters in order, one at a time.

Method. Put the counters in the ten frame. Count the red and yellow counters together.

1. Count the red counters: 3. Start from the top left.
   3
2. Count the yellow counters: 4. They go after the red counters.
   3 + 4
3. Count them all. Count from 1 to the total.
   1 to 7
4. Write the answer.
   7

Check. Count the counters once more. There are 7. ✓

Watch out. Count the counters in order, one at a time.

Method. Put the counters in the ten frame. Count the red and yellow counters together.

1. Count the red counters: 2. Start from the top left.
   2
2. Count the yellow counters: 6. They go after the red counters.
   2 + 6
3. Count them all. Count from 1 to the total.
   1 to 8
4. Write the answer.
   8

Check. Count the counters once more. There are 8. ✓

Watch out. Count the counters in order, one at a time.

Method. Put the counters in the ten frame. Count the red and yellow counters together.

1. Count the red counters: 7. Start from the top left.
   7
2. Count the yellow counters: 3. They go after the red counters.
   7 + 3
3. Count them all. Count from 1 to the total.
   1 to 10
4. Write the answer.
   10

Check. Count the counters once more. There are 10. ✓

Watch out. Count the counters in order, one at a time.

Method. Start at 6. Count on until you reach 10. The number of steps is the missing number.

1. Start at 6. That is the first group.
   6
2. Count on to 10. Say each number as you count on.
   7, 8, 9, 10
3. Count the steps. The number of steps is the missing part.
   4 steps
4. Write the answer.
   4

Check. Count on 4 from 6: you reach 10. ✓

Watch out. Count the steps, not the numbers you start with.

Method. Start at 8. Count on until you reach 10. The number of steps is the missing number.

1. Start at 8. That is the first group.
   8
2. Count on to 10. Say each number as you count on.
   9, 10
3. Count the steps. The number of steps is the missing part.
   2 steps
4. Write the answer.
   2

Check. Count on 2 from 8: you reach 10. ✓

Watch out. Count the steps, not the numbers you start with.

Method. Add two numbers first. Then add the third number to the total.

1. Add 2 and 3. Put the first two together.
   2 + 3 = 5
2. Add 1 more. Count on from the total.
   5 + 1 = 6
3. Write the answer.
   6

Check. Check by adding in a different order: 1 + 2 + 3 = 6. ✓

Watch out. Keep the total small. Three numbers must still make 10 or less here.

Method. Put the counters in the ten frame. Count the red and yellow counters together.

1. Count the red counters: 4. Start from the top left.
   4
2. Count the yellow counters: 3. They go after the red counters.
   4 + 3
3. Count them all. Count from 1 to the total.
   1 to 7
4. Write the answer.
   7

Check. Count the counters once more. There are 7. ✓

Watch out. Count the counters in order, one at a time.

Method. Add two numbers first. Then add the third number to the total.

1. Add 3 and 5. Put the first two together.
   3 + 5 = 8
2. Add 2 more. Count on from the total.
   8 + 2 = 10
3. Write the answer.
   10

Check. Check by adding in a different order: 2 + 3 + 5 = 10. ✓

Watch out. Keep the total small. Three numbers must still make 10 or less here.

Method. Start at 6. Count on until you reach 10. The number of steps is the missing number.

1. Start at 6. That is the first group.
   6
2. Count on to 10. Say each number as you count on.
   7, 8, 9, 10
3. Count the steps. The number of steps is the missing part.
   4 steps
4. Write the answer.
   4

Check. Count on 4 from 6: you reach 10. ✓

Watch out. Count the steps, not the numbers you start with.

Method. Fill the ten frame with each group, one row at a time.

1. Fill the top row with 5. The top row has five boxes.
   5
2. Put 4 more in the second row. Four counters go in the second row.
   4
3. Count all of them. Five and four make nine.
   5 + 4 = 9
4. Write the answer.
   Accept any answer: fill one row with 5, put 4 more in the other row, so 5 + 4 = 9.

Check. Count the counters: 9 in all. ✓

Watch out. The ten frame shows the whole sum at a glance.