Fizzing It Up

Tens frames are particularly good aids to help students see patterns that connect the basic addition and subtraction facts. Students should have enough prior experience with tens frames to be able to instantly recognise patterns of numbers up to 10 when they are quickly shown to them and then hidden. (This is known as “subitising”.) An interesting result of this is that students develop a “subtract from ten” view of the numbers six to nine, that is:

This facilitates the development of an “up over ten” strategy for the more difficult addition facts. For example, consider 8 + 7:

You could ask students to draw a picture in the air of how they worked out solutions. Another possible strategy for 8 + 7 is a comparison with doubles patterns:

The activity on page 5 suggests a growing series of tens frames. It is also a useful method for learning basic facts through pattern. For example:

Answers to Activity

Activity
1. 4 + 4
2. 4 + 5 = 9 4 + 6 = 10 4 + 7 = 11

4 + 8 = 12 4 + 9 = 13 4 + 10 = 14
3. 6 + 6, as shown on the page
4.

5.