STEP 1
Teach children to recognize and combine groups of physical objects up to 16 (without counting). Use a variety of objects that interest children such as coins, books, dinosaurs, action figures, cars, and stuffed animals.
- Show children groups of 1-16 physical objects and have them call out the corresponding number.
- Have children show you a specified number of objects without counting.
- Combine objects per the table above and then immediately separate these groups again into their component parts. For example, 1 pencil and 6 pencils, 2 coins and 6 coins, and 6 cars and 9 cars, etc.
- When children are ready, call out problems from the table and have children combine and separate the object groups themselves.
- Children must perfectly master the operations listed in the table before proceeding to the next step of the lesson.
STEP 2
Children add objects they can't see, but can imagine (bears, mountains, trees).
- Using the table above as a guide, ask children to call out the answer to questions such as, 'How many are two shoes and six shoes?' and 'How many are six frogs and seven frogs?'
- Continue to practice until children can recite each operation in the table with great accuracy and rapidity.
STEP 3
In this step, do not mention objects. Children add numbers directly.
- Using the table above as a guide, ask children to call out the answer to questions such as, 'How many are six and five?' and 'How many are nine and six?'
- Continue to practice until children can recite each operation in the table with great accuracy and rapidity.
STEP 4
Direct children to write and recite the addition problems in the table above. For example, children write and recite:
- 6 and 10 are 16
- 6 plus 10 is 16
- 6 + 10 = 16
Repeat for each combination in the table until the children master the tasks.
STEP 5
Begin to teach place value.
- Tie a group of 10 objects together (sticks, pencils, paperclips etc.).
- Say - this is a group of 10.
- Ask - 'How many objects are in this bunch?'
- When children answer '10', write the number '10' on a whiteboard or paper.
- Hold up one bunch and six objects and ask - 'How many objects am I holding now?'
- When they answer '16', say - 'Yes, sixteen is made up of one 10 and six 1s.
- Write the number '16.' Point at the '1' in the 10s place and say 'one 10.' Point at the '6' in the 1s place and say 'six 1s.'
STEP 6
Assess mastery by reading aloud the word problems listed below and having the children mentally compute and recite the solutions.
If children have difficulties, repeat the prior steps and then reassess.