Lesson one: Introduction to the Decimal

Before starting these lessons, be sure

that the child understands the symbols
and quantities from 0-10, and can easily
associate the symbols (numerals) with
their quantities.

Materials:
• Golden Bead Material or equivalent
• The Introduction to the Decimal Mat
• Small tray and bowl for units

Presentation One: Three-Part Lesson

The first step is to introduce the concept to the child with a three period lesson.

Gather your materials, and place the beads on the mat on from left to right: one thousand
cube, one hundred square, one ten bar, one unit (see photo above).

Ask your child to come and sit next to you to see these beautiful new golden beads! Use
your tone, body language, and facial expressions to make it seem like they are very pre-
cious and amazing. (It’s important that the place values are facing the child correctly as
pictured above.)

Period One: Naming/Introducing the concept

• Point to the unit and tell your child that this is a unit. Encourage them to pick it up and
to say the word unit before placing it back on the mat in its square.

• Next pick up the ten bar and tell them “this is ten.”
• Pick up the unit and place it next to each of the beads in the ten bar to count how many
units there are in ten.
• Say, “one unit, two units, three units...,” while you count. When you get to ten say, “there
are 10 units in one ten.”

• Place the beads on the mat again and repeat with the hundred square, this time counting
how many tens there are in one hundred. “One ten, two tens, three tens...,” and then say,
“There are 10, tens in one hundred!”

• Place the hundred and the ten back on the mat, and repeat the sequence with the thou-
sand cube, this time counting how many hundred squares are in one thousand.
• Hold the hundred square vertically while you count from left to right, think of it as slicing
the thousand cube into its 10 squares. Count this way, “One hundred, two hundreds, three
hundreds....”
• Then say, “So there are 10 hundreds in one thousand!” Replace the hundred square and
thousand cubes on the mat.
Period Two: Testing Recognition

• Ask your child to perform various tasks with the Golden Bead Material to give them a chance to
feel the beads and experience the beads while hearing their correct names.

Here is a list of suggested tasks:

• Please place the unit in my hand.
• Will you please put the thousand cube on your head?
• Would you please put your left hand on top of the hundred square?
• If you hand me the unit bead, I will give you the thousand cube!
• Please place the hundred beside the thousand.
• Hold the ten bar in your right hand and jump ten times!

• Have your child complete as many tasks as it takes for them to either lose interest or have com-
pleted them correctly.

• Repeat the names of each place value while placing the beads back on the mat, and putting it
back on the shelf.

Period Three: Testing Recall

• Pick up the thousand, hundred, ten and unit one at a time, each time asking your child “what
is this?” Ask in order first, and then out of order. If the child can tell you what each item is, you’re
ready to move on to presentation two!

Presentation Two: Fetching Games

Now you’re going to help your child become familiar with the names of the different categories
and with the actual difference on a larger scale. One way to do this is by introducing the fetching
or “get me” game.

• First, show your child the Golden Bead Material that you have on your shelf.
• Move to the workspace with your child and give him a small tray and a container of some kind to
hold units.
• Ask the child to take the tray to the shelf and to bring you a certain number (fewer than 9) of a
particular category. At this point, you don’t want to ask for more than one category at a time.
• When he returns with the supply you asked for, count it with him. If he was correct, tell him so
and if he was incorrect he will discover this while counting and you can encourage him to correct
the mistake.
• Continue practicing with contrasting quantities and categories (one at a time) until you are con-
fident that he understands.