Module 5:  
Mathematical Exercises (Part 1)  
Assignment 
 
 

By Maryam Tariq 

Roll# D14263 

 
  

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Question 1: How would you teach numbers 0 to 10 to a child according to 

Montessori Method? Explain all the exercises in this group briefly in your 
own words. 

Number Rods: ​These are ten wooden rods similar to the Red Rods. Their lengths vary from 
1 decimetre to 1 meter. Each decimetre is painted in red and blue sections. The shortest rod that 
is 1 decimetre is red. The second is 2 decimetre long, with one-half painted red and the other 
half blue. All the other rods are divided in a similar manner. 

Exercise 1: Introduction to rods 

Material:​ Ten number rods and a floor mat 

Presentation:​ The directress starts by reminding children the use of the long rods. She then 
informs them that there are rods similar to long rods save for the fact that they are red and blue 
in colour. She then encourages the kids to arrange the rods in similar fashion to how they did 
with the long rods, with the red ends on the left and evenly lined. 

Exercise 2: Learning to count from 1 to 10  

Material:​ Ten number rods and a floor mat 

Presentation:​ The directress takes the first three rods and points to the 1st rod and says, “This 
is one.” She repeats for emphasis and does the same for the other two rods as well by calling 
them by their respective numerical names. She proceeds by carrying out Period 2 and 3 of the 
Three Period Lesson to familiarise children with the numbers, after which she carries on by 
progressing to rods 4 and so on until all 10 numbers are attempted. 

 
  

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Exercise 3: Sandpaper numbers 

Materials: ​Numbers from 0 to 9, cut out of sandpaper and mounted on wooden or acrylic green 
cards. (The 0 is presented after the Spindle Boxes) 

Presentation: ​The teachers begins by sensitising fingers and introducing the children to the 
material. She then takes out Number 1, traces it with her fingers and pronounces it as being 
“One”, asking the child to repeat after her. She repeats this exercise for Number 2 and 3, 
moving on to doing Three Period Lessons for them before progressing towards the rest of the 
numbers. 

Exercise 4: The number rods and the numerals  

Materials:​ The numbers rods, a set of white wooden or acrylic cards with numbers from 1 to 10 
and a floor mat 

Presentation 1: ​The directress starts off by placing the Number Rods as well as the cards onto 
the mat. She then points at a rod and asks the child to pronounce its’ numerical name as well as 
bring over the relevant number card and place it next to it. She repeats until the exercise has 
been repeated for all the rods and numbers. 

Exercise 5: The spindle box  

Materials:​ A wooden box with ten compartments. At the back of each compartment is painted a 
number in black, starting from 0 up to 9, as well as 45 wooden spindles 

Presentation: ​The teacher Introduces the materials to the child. She points at the 
compartments as well as the numbers each and asks the child to name the numbers. She 
explains to the child that these numbers will tell us how many spindles to put into the box. She 
starts this part of the exercise by pointing to the number ‘1’ and having the child read it out 
loud and then ask him to put ‘1’ spindle in the box. She repeats for all the numbers, at the end 
of which, she points at compartment ‘0’ and says, “This is Zero. Zero means nothing, which is 
why there is nothing in this compartment.” 

 
  

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Exercise 6: Number cards and counters 

Materials:​ Number cards with numbers from 1 to 10 and 55 counters of same colour and size 

Presentation: ​The teacher shows different cards to the children and has them say the numbers 
aloud. She places the number 1 card to the left side and the number 10 card to the right side of 
the table. She asks the child to put the other cards in order. She tell the child that he is going to 
put the number of counters under the corresponding card. She then points to card 1 and asks 
the child to gently slide one counter under this card. For card 2, she asks to place the counters 
next to each other. For card 3, she ask to put two counter next to each other but place the last 
counter under and to the middle of the two counters. She makes sure that the child places the 
rest of the counters in a similar way as she has shown. The exercise continues until all of the 
counters have been placed. She then runs her finger through the counters that are laid, places 
her index finger above the first counter (under card 1) and tries to run it down. When the finger 
hits the counter she says “odd”. She Repeat for counters 2 and after running her finger through 
the two counters, she says “even”. She repeats it for the rest of the numbers.  

After finishing the first period, she asks the child to show her the odd and even numbers. Lastly, 
using the third period she points to a number and asks the child what number it is. 

The exercises above help reinforce the concept that each number is made up of different 
quantities. It also helps teach their sequence as well as their property as being either odd or 
even. Eventually as children progress, all this learning will serve as a base for further 
mathematics in their academia. 

 
  

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Question 2: What do Know about the decimal system? How would you 
enable children to count any quantity and identify numerals till 9999? 

The Decimal System:​ The decimal system is a numeral system which organises and classifies 
numerical quantities into different hierarchies of units and lays a strong foundation for all 
future math. It is introduced to the children when they have mastered counting from 1 to 10, 
and can recognise the properties of zero as well as the numbers 1 to 9. The child is given the 
total decimal system in a clear and simple manner with real materials that illustrates the 
difference between one unit and one thousand etc. The Montessori approach uses the Decimal 
System materials to introduce addition, multiplication, division and subtraction as well. The 
children learn the operations using numbers in the thousands, but it is easy for them because of 
the concrete objects and order of the lessons. They are learning place value from a very early 
age, but it is in simple intervals that makes it approachable.  

Geometrical entities are used by Montessori as Material Abstractions for the decimal system of 
numeration. 

Material: 

- A single golden bead 

- A ten bar 

- A hundred square 

- A thousand cube 

- Table mat 

1 'golden bead' is a 'unit'/'point'  

10 'golden beads' make a 'bar of ten' 

10 'bars of ten' make a 'hundred square'  

10 'hundred squares' make a 'thousand cube' 

Exercise:​ This should preferably be done as a group exercise. The directress should bring the 
material to a pre-set table or mat with the assistance of a child and lay it out it in the correct 
order. The children are made to stand in front of the table so the material is facing them while 
  

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the directress stands in the back. She should begin with only one hierarchy until the children 
are comfortable with it and can do it with ease. She puts a quantity on the tray, for example, 
four hundred squares, shows it to the group and asks, "Who can count how much this is?" Once 
a child has answered correctly, put the material back onto the table, and continue by putting 
another quantity in the same way as earlier. When the children can count quantities from one 
hierarchy easily, use quantities from two hierarchies, for example, put 4 thousands and 7 
hundreds in the tray ask a child to count it. Continue the exercise until the children can count 
any quantity up to 9999. 

Question 3: Explain addition and multiplication exercises in your own 

words? 

ADDITION: ​Addition is a mathematical operation in which smaller quantities (addends) are put 
together to make a larger quantities (the sum). There are two types as explained below: 

Addition Without Exchanging:  

First the directress gathers the material required for the exercise as presented below: 

- 3 boxes with sets of small cards, including 9 units, 9 tens, 9 hundreds and 3 thousands 

- 1 box with a set of large cards from 1 to 9000 

- An ample quantity of loose unit beads, ten-bars, hundred squares and thousand cubes 

- 3 trays and 3 little bowls for the loose beads 

- 1 larger tray with one extra bowl 

Exercise: ​First the directress invites around three children to come and work with her, starting 
with laying down a mat and gathering the material on it. One child lays out the large cards 
while another lays out the beads. The children place three small mats between the two large 
mats and set up their set of small cards similar to how they setup the large cards, but only 
containing 1000 to 3000.  
  

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Tell the first child to get cards for the following: 2 units, 3 tens, 2 hundreds and 3 thousand and 
have them place each on the tray. Tell another to get cards for the following: 2 units, 1 ten, 3 
hundreds and 2 thousands. Finally, have the third student bring over cards for: 1 unit, 2 tens, 5 
hundreds and 3 thousands. Review with each student how many units, tens, hundreds, and 
thousands are on his cards before sending them one by one to get corresponding beads on their 
trays. Once they have, confirm that they brought the right number of beads. After the first child 
has checked, have him lay his cards on top of each other such that they are all visible and 
together read out loud to everyone that he has 2 units, 3 tens, 2 hundreds and 3 thousands. 
Then announce, "Therefore, he has 3232 beads." Repeat for the remaining two kids as well. 

Then she tells the children that they are now going to count how many beads they have 
altogether. Ask the first child to take out all of the units and to place it in the directress’ dish. 
Have each child take out the tens, hundreds, and thousands and place them to the side of the 
directress tray. Have the first child count the units and then go to the large mat to get the 
appropriate number card. Have him place the card below the unit dish. Have the second child 
count the tens. Have him get the appropriate number card from the large mat and place it below 
the ten-bar pile. Repeat for the hundreds and thousands. Have a child superimpose the cards 
together. 

Tell the the children that when we put all of the beads together we had, “7 units, 9 tens, 7 
hundreds, 6 thousands.” Then say, "So altogether we have: six thousand, seven hundred, and 
ninety-seven beads." As you tell the children, collect their small cards, keeping them 
superimposed and place them in the top right corner of the mat. "So we put 3232, and 2312, and 
1253 all together and when we did this we got (move 6797 below the small cards), 6797." 

Addition With Exchanging: The presentation begins exactly as in Addition Without Exchanging 
but have the children take cards for a problem where they will have to carry over. These 
numbers could be: 3323, 2456, 1345. 

Exercise:​ Repeat all the steps unto the point of placement of tens, hundreds, and thousands to 
the side of the directress tray. When the first child counts the units and reaches 10, point this 
out and have him exchange ten units for a ten-bar. Have him count the rest of the units and 
then go get the card for that amount. Repeat for the tens, hundreds, and thousands, changing 
when needed. Finish the exercise as for Addition Without Exchanging. 

 
  

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MULTIPLICATION: ​Multiplication means adding the same number again and again. It can be 
introduced at any time after children have learned addition. 

Exercise:​ This exercise should ideally be done in a group format. Gather the children and 
arrange all the relevant material just as done for addition exercise. Select any numbers/quantity 
to multiply and write it down on a piece of paper as many times as we want to multiply the 
respective number. The quantity selected should be such that the sum of their product does not 
exceed 9999 and does not involve exchanging, for example 2121 three times. Pass one slip to 
each student and instruct them to place it on the tray upside down and not to show their 
number with small number cards. 

Once they have built their numbers with small number cards, retrieve the slips from them and 
ask the kids to go and bring the quantity of beads that corresponds to their respective numbers. 
After making sure the children have brought the correct number of beads, take the small 
number cards of the first child and place on the mat. Then ask that child to take the bead 
material and place correctly under the numbers, repeating the same with the other two 
quantities. 

Place the small number cards aside, place the addition sign “+” beside and place a ruler 
underneath to make all the numbers look like an equation. The material is then added into each 
other, making sure that units, tens, hundreds and thousands stay in their respective hierarchies. 

Invite one of the children to start counting the beads beginning with the units. When the units 
are added together (and if more than 10), the children are reminded that they can exchange the 
10 units with a ten bead bar at the bank. This ten bead bar is placed on top of the “ten” column. 
When there are less than 10 units left, the child is asked to bring the corresponding large 
number card and place it under the equation.  

Ask the same or another child to proceed with counting the ten bars. He should be reminded to 
include the ten bead bar that was changed earlier if any as he continues counting. When the 
child reaches ten tens, he may change them with a hundred sheets. When there are less than 
ten tens left, the child is asked to bring the corresponding large number card and place under 
the equation. 

The same goes for the hundreds. Whenever there are ten hundred available, he should change 
them with a 1 thousand cube. When there are less than ten hundreds left, the child is asked to 
bring the corresponding large number card and place under the equation.  
  

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Finally, ask any child to count the thousands and bring the respective thousand card. Tell the 
children "2121 three time is equal to 6363. When we add the same number over and over again, 
this is called multiplication." You can also say that you have multiplied a smaller number and 
made one larger number. At the end, show the children how to record the answer. 

Question 4: Explain How would you give the concepts of subtraction and 
division? 

SUBTRACTION:​ Subtraction means taking away smaller quantities from a larger quantity. 
Large quantities are referred to as ‘minuend’ and smaller quantities as ‘subtrahends’. The 
subtrahends are smaller than minuend and finding the difference between them is called 
subtraction.  

Exercise 1: Subtraction without Exchanging  

Material:​ First the directress gathers the material required for the exercise as presented below: 

- 3 boxes with sets of small cards, including 9 units, 9 tens, 9 hundreds and 3 thousands 

- 1 box with a set of large cards from 1 to 9000 

- An ample quantity of loose unit beads, ten-bars, hundred squares and thousand cubes 

- 3 trays and 3 little bowls for the loose beads 

- 1 larger tray with one extra bowl 

Presentation: ​This is a group presentation. The teacher writes the minuend and the 
subtrahend on two separate paper slips. She gives the minuend to the children and asks them to 
build it using large cards and bring the beads for the quantity. She places the beads with their 
corresponding numbers on the mat. Then she gives them the subtrahend slip, asking them to 
build the number with small number card and then to take the beads quantity equal to the 
subtrahend away from the minuend beads and place them in their tray. She places the 
subtrahend number cards under the minuend, places a ruler underneath, introduces the 
subtraction sign and places it beside the number cards. She starts counting the remaining bead 
  

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quantity starting from units and placing a small number card under the corresponding numeral. 
She explains that they started with a large number, took away a small number, that is, 
‘subtracted’ to get our answer.  

Exercise 2: Subtracting with Exchanging  

Material: ​First the directress gathers the material required for the exercise as presented below: 

- 3 boxes with sets of small cards, including 9 units, 9 tens, 9 hundreds and 3 thousands 

- 1 box with a set of large cards from 1 to 9000 

- An ample quantity of loose unit beads, ten-bars, hundred squares and thousand cubes 

- 3 trays and 3 little bowls for the loose beads 

- 1 larger tray with one extra bowl 

Presentation: ​Material is arranged in the same way as in the exercise above. The directress 
writes the minuend and subtrahend on two slips, that is: 5832 and 4543. Minuend slip is given 
to one child, small number cards are built and beads are placed with the numbers. Subtrahend 
number slip is given to the other child and number cards are built. The teacher asks the second 
child to take away the beads quantity equivalent to the subtrahend from the minuend beads. 
The child will realise that the subtrahend unit number is larger than the minuend. The teacher 
will suggest exchanging ten unit beads with a bar of ten; he will have twelve beads from which 
he can take away three. It will go with tens where available beads are two as he has already 
exchanged while he needs four. The teacher will again suggest exchanging ten bars of ten with a 
square of hundred whereby he will be left with twelve from which he will take way 4 and so on. 
Finally, all the beads are counted and children place the corresponding number card as answers. 

 
  

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DIVISION: ​Division is spitting a quantity into equal parts or groups. There are two values in 
a division sum: 

a. Quantity to be divided, i.e. the dividend.  

b. The number by which another number is to be divided, i.e the divisor. 

Exercise 1: Division without Exchanging  

Material:​ The following material is required: 

- Golden beads bank 

- 2 to 3 sets of small number cards 

- A set of large number cards 

- 3 trays and containers 

- A floor mat  

Presentation:​ It is a group exercise. The teacher will work with as many children to do the 
division as the divisor (for example, two children if the divisor is 2, three if the divisor is 3, etc.). 
She will write a dividend on a paper slip e.g. 4862, hand it over to a child and ask him to build 
the number with large number cards and bring the corresponding beads quantity. She tells the 
children that she will divide the quantity between them. She places an equal amount of beads 
starting from thousand cubes, then hundred squares, bars of ten, and unit beads into their trays. 
She asks them to build their numbers with small number cards. They both write 2431. She takes 
the small cards from one tray and places them over the large number cards, as she tells the 
children that by dividing 4862 between 2 children, each get 2431 and nothing is left over.  

Exercise 2: Division without Exchanging  

Material: ​The following material is required: 

- Golden beads bank 

- 2 to 3 sets of small number cards 

  

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- A set of large number cards 

- 3 trays and containers 

- A floor mat 

Presentation:​ The directress will two children for the exercise. She will think of a dividend and 
a divisor, so that the sum involves exchanging. e.g. 5672 ÷ 2. She will write the dividend on a 
paper slip, give it to the child and ask him to build the number using large number cards and 
bring the beads quantity. She will then place the bead material and the large number cards on 
the floor mat, as she tells the children that she has 5672 and divide it between both children. 
She will start the division from a thousand cubes, giving two cubes to each child making the 
children realise that one thousand is left. She will ask them about what they should do next and 
wait for their reply. Occasionally a child will suggest exchanging it with ten hundred squares. By 
doing so, she gets 16 hundred squares which she will equally divide between them. She repeats 
it with the tens and units. When the quantity is equally divided, she will ask the children to 
build their numbers using small number cards. Each child has 2836. She takes the small cards 
from one tray and puts them above the large number cards and says that when she divided 5672 
between two children, each got 2836 and nothing is left. 

Exercise 3: Division with Remainder  

Material:​ The following material is required: 

- Golden beads bank 

- 2 to 3 sets of small number cards 

- A set of large number cards 

- 3 trays and containers 

- A floor mat 

Presentation:​ The teacher thinks of a division sum that will leave a remainder, e.g. 457 ÷ 3. She 
writes the dividend on a paper slip and hands it over to a child, asking him to build the number 
using large number cards and to bring the quantity. She then arranges it onto the mat. She tells 
the children that she is going to divide 457 equally among three children. She starts with the 
hundred squares where 1 hundred is left. She exchanges it for 10 ten bars and then divides 15 
  

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tens among the children. Each child gets 5 bars of ten and finally, she starts dividing the seven 
beads unit. Each child gets 2 units whereas one unit is left. She explains that she does not have 
enough units for everyone; and this will be called a ‘remainder’. She then asks each child to 
build their amounts using small number cards and each will have 152. She takes the small 
number cards from one tray, puts them above the dividend and says that she had 457, which she 
divided equally among three children so each child got 152, while one was a remainder. The 
teacher can reinforce the terms, dividend, divisor, quotient and remainder as many times as she 
deems appropriate.  

Question 5: What are teens and tens boards? Explain their purpose and 
usage. 

Teens and tens boards teach the child the number names, symbols and sequence from 10 to 99. 
They are ideal for use with Montessori beads. Teens Boards have two wooden boards with 9 
number slots each labelled with 10 and the child counts up sliding the wooden digit cards 1 to 9 
into these slots. The numbers 11 to 19 are particularly difficult for a child to learn as their 
names are more complicated than those of the rest of the number system. The teens board 
helps to develop a true understanding of how these numbers are formed from a ten and a unit, 
and thus teaches the foundations of the decimal system. Tens wooden boards have 9 number 
slots 10 to 90 and the child counts up sliding the wooden digit cards 1 to 9 into these slots. 

The names of the numbers are introduced in Group 1 with the 'Formation of Numbers' when the 
directress checks the correspondence of the quantities with the card, she uses the conventional 
names for the tens and combinations of tens and units. As the child works with the decimal 
system, he may shown an interest in the names and the Group 3 activities can then be 
introduced, otherwise the directress gives the conventional names to the children before they 
leave the house of children at five to six years of age. 

There are three groups of names: 

1. Names for a combination of a ten and units one to nine, these are 'teens'. 

2. Names for a group of ten; ten, twenty, thirty etc.  

  

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3. Names for figures from the tens category and a unit, these help with linear counting 11-19 
Teens (beads only). 

Coloured Bead Stair 

Material Description:  

• A small felt cloth on a working mat  

• 9 bars of ten Golden Beads, representing the units 1-9 and a box for each of these. Each 
quantity is distinguished by a different colour: 

1. red  

2. green  

3. pink  

4. yellow  

5. light blue  

6. grey or violet  

7. white  

8. violet or brown  

9. dark blue  

Presentation:​ Show the material to the child, removing one bead bar at a time ask the child to 
identify the number of beads in each bar at random, make reference to the colour and provide a 
three period lesson if necessary. Sort the bead bars into an isosceles triangle, known as a Bead 
Stair. 

Three Period Lesson: 

First Period:​ Take the bar of ten and place the unit to the right of it, adjacent to the first bead. 
Count the beads and say, "One ten and one are also called 'eleven'". Repeat the sequence for 
'twelve' and 'thirteen'. 
  

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Second Period:​ Mix all the previously introduced bead bars and invite the child to make the 
numbers, continue mixing to maintain the child's interest. 

Third Period: ​Make a quantity and ask the child to name it. Begin each subsequent three 
Period Lesson counting up from eleven. 

​Control of Error:​ The child's own sound knowledge of the numbers 1 to 10 and their numerical 
order acts as a guide. 

Direct Aim:  

• The coloured bead bars show clearly the separate entities from 1 to 9, in combination with the 
tens they show the child that numbers 11 to 19 are made of ten AND a number 1 to 9. 

• To learn the names of the quantities 11-19.  

• To learn the sequence of the numbers 11-19. 

Age at Presentation:​ Four and a half years onwards, when the child knows the numbers 1 to 10 
well, after the 'Formation of Numbers', parallel to, or after the 'Decimal System' and before the 
child leaves the house of children.  

11-19 Teens Board (cards only) 

Material Description:  

• Two wooden slated boards with five partitions each, on nine of the partitions a large 10 is 
written in black, the last partition is empty.  

• Loose wooden cards with the digits 1 to 9 which slide into the boards from the right, covering 
the '0'.  

• Working Mat.  

Presentation:​ Place the boards on the Working Mat, and the cards at random nearby and give 
the symbols in a Three Period Lesson. 

First Period:​ Slip the '1' over the 0' of the first ten, saying, "This is eleven", do the same with 
'twelve' and 'thirteen'. 
  

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Second Period:​ Ask the child to identify previously introduced numbers by moving the cards 
and mixing them, ask the child to make a number using the cards and boards.  

Third Period:​ Make a number with the cards and ask the child to identify it. Continue till 19 on 
the same day or later, depending on the child. When complete ask the child to count forwards 
and backwards.  

Control of Error:​ The child's own knowledge of the numbers from 1 to 10 and their numerical 
order acts as a guide.  

Direct Aim: ​To introduce the child to the symbols for the numbers 11 to 19 and to continue to 
associate their names.  

Age at Presentation:​ Four and a half years of age, after presenting the quantities.  

Boards and Beads  

Material Description:  

• Short Bead Stair  

• 9 bars of ten in a box  

• Teen boards  

• Working Mat  

• For the exercises have one ten card in blue and 1 to 9 unit cards in green  

Presentation: ​Lay out the boards on the mat, with the cards placed at random to the right, and 
the beads, in a Bead Stair, to the left, the tens in their box. Place a 'bar of ten' and a bead to 
form eleven to the left of the top section of the board and slip the card of '1' over the '0' to form 
the figure '11'. Place a 'bar of ten' and two beads to form twelve to the left of the top section of 
the board and slip the card of '2' over the '0' to form the figure '12'. Let the child continue till 
she reaches 19. When she completes ask her to count forwards and backwards. 

Exercises:​ Let the child make the numbers with the beads and cards in order and randomly. Use 
the large cards instead of the boards. Also use the loose golden beads instead of the bars. 
  

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Control of Error: ​The child's own knowledge of the numbers from 1 to 10 and their numerical 
order acts as a guide.  

Direct Aim: ​Continued association of the quantity, name and symbol for 11 to 19; to reinforce 
the sequence 11 to 19.  

Age at Presentation:​ Four and a half years of age, after presenting the quantities and their 
symbols.  

11-99 Tens Boards and Beads  

Material Description:  

• Two wooden slated boards with five partitions each, on nine of the partitions are the tens 
numbers, 10, 20, 30 etc, the last partition is empty, later use Large cards  

• Loose wooden cards with the digits 1 to 9 which slide into the boards from the right, covering 
the '0'  

• 45 bars of ten in a box  

• Working Mat  

Presentation: ​Layout the boards on the working mat, place the boxes with the beads to the left. 
Place one bar of ten by the first ten. Indicate '20' beneath and the child names however she 
likes, say, "Twenty also means two tens", continue this till you reach '90'. Give a Three Period 
Lesson for any of the names the child is unfamiliar with. 

Control of Error:​ The child's own knowledge of the numbers and their order will guide her. 

Direct Aim:  

• To learn the conventional names of the tens from 10 to 90 and to realise that 20 is the same as 
two tens etc.  

• To realise how the numbers progress from one ten to the next and to see the pattern in 
making and counting numbers up to 99. 

Age at Presentation: ​Four and a half onwards, after the presentation of teens. 
  

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Second Activity for Tens Boards and Beads  

Material Description:  

• Two wooden slated boards with five partitions each, on nine of the partitions are the tens 
numbers, 10, 20, 30 etc, the last partition is empty, later use Large cards  

• Loose wooden cards with the digits 1 to 9 which slide into the boards from the right, covering 
the '0'  

• 45 bars of ten in a box and box with nine Golden Bead units  

• Working Mat  

Presentation:​ This activity helps the child to count from 11 to 99. Keep the sets of cards in a 
stack and the beads together to the left of the boards. To write '11', place a 'bar of ten' and a unit 
to the left of the boards and slot in the card of '1' over the '0', then add another bead to make 
'12' and replace the '1' card with the '2' card. Continue to 19, say, "If we had one more bead we 
would get a ten (indicate the loose beads) so we would have two tens, two tens are also called 
'twenty'". Put two 'bars of ten' together by the second partition and change the cards of the one 
above. Continue to 99, composing the words verbally, in beads and symbols.  

Exercises: ​The child's own exercises with the material. The child forms her own numbers using 
the bead material and the Large Cards. 

Control of Error: ​The child's own knowledge of the numbers and their order will guide her.  

Direct Aim:  

• To learn the conventional names of the tens from 10 to 90 and to realise that 20 is the same as 
two tens etc.  

• To realise how the numbers progress from one ten to the next and to see the pattern in 
making and counting numbers up to 99.  

Age at Presentation: ​Four and a half onwards, after the presentation of teens.