Count with Base 10 Blocks!

Count with base 10 blocks, it makes learning to count easy, which will make math easy...Because all we do with numbers is count.

Here we see a 3 x 12 matrix. The youngest started by counting out three. Then we skip counted as we added macaroni. The oldest did most of the work and the youngest just listened to the patterns without any understanding of the meaning...3 twelves, 12 threes...we counted to 10 several times as we built up...

You don't have to use Mortensen math blocks to count with base ten blocks. In fact you don't even need to use  base ten blocks to start...don't have money for expensive manipulatives? Bet you have some macaroni.

Concept #1: Mathematics is the study of numbers and all we can do with numbers is COUNT.

Mathematics may be defined as the economy of counting. There is no problem in the whole of mathematics which cannot be solved by direct counting. ~Ernst Mach

All math is. is counting. Every math problem counts something. Believe me, I've had this argument in seminars with professors and teachers across the USA. If you aren't counting something you aren't doing math. Period. So one of the most basic concepts I teach ANY student is to ask "what are we counting?" when confronted with a math problem.  If you learn to count with base 10 blocks, you will have a much easier time teaching all the math later.

There are many games and activities that make counting with base ten blocks fun and easy.  We're just playing but playing IS learning when you use base ten blocks.

This page gives specific, time tested yet cutting edge techniques on how to teach counting with base ten blocks to your preschoolers or to your toddler.

This is where it all starts: Learning to count. Sesame Street can help.

Here is another page that shows you even more "how to's:" 

HOW TO TEACH COUNTING. 

Learning to count is the beginning of a long journey it's the first of the five basic concepts.

First hurdle: counting to 5.

Use a three period lesson to develop the vocabulary and names of the first five blocks. The names of the base 10 blocks are just vocabulary. The same way, for example, this is a "pen", this is a "one"...simple.

Start with one two and three...

...and then add four and five. 

THEN count to 9 by adding the other four blocks.

Start with just three base 10 blocks, then five when they know those names add three more and at last all nine. Small steps keep it easy and FUN.

This process will take several lessons over several days. Unless the student is older these lessons should be short and will take a couple of weeks depending on many factors but mostly on the age of the child. Younger is better and will take more time.

Then count to 20...first you count the nine blocks make a big deal out of it when you get to ten. Then show ten and one is 11, ten and two is 12 and count to 20...the student will see the pattern. 

Once you can count to nine you can begin playing games...like what's under the cup or what's in the box:

PDF Shows How to Use Base 10 blocks.

The Completely Cool Curious Counters Compendium will help immensely.
Get this book and read it as a bedtime story.

I have several PDFs now that help you use base 10 blocks for learning math. They are colorful and bright, chock full of graphics and math concepts. Children love them and so do parents. Check out all the testimonials. 

You will need passwords to go here for even more fun pre-school math activities. Go here for more on cross teaching multiple concepts, with counting that includes addition, multiplication and fractions.

Before we can learn to count, the child must develop a one to one correspondence with numbers. That is, if there are three things on the table...like three pieces of macaroni...they need to see it's three and stop at three. Young students will count after the pattern they have heard. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and may keep going even though there are only three things there. This is common and "NORMAL."  This PDF will make learning to count and develop that correspondence, using base ten blocks makes it easy and fun. Don't want to spend any of your homeschool math budget just yet? 

More FREE fun stuff for counting.

Here is a FREE base ten block app that will help them master the names of the blocks and build nines and tens.

Another fun way to learn to count is to find the base 10 blocks. This page is designed for toddlers with a simple preschool math activity that you can do with pre-schoolers without even leaving your keyboard. Maybe you like to play "find it" games. It's a "find the base 10 blocks" game. 

Eventually, they will learn that each number goes with the thing you are counting in a one to one correspondence and in a certain order. It happens one day...and once it happens they don't go backwards. They wake up and suddenly they count 5 fingers and stop at 5.

Once they master counting to nine we can really begin teaching math, including division and algebra right alongside more advanced counting (like 10 through 20) and addition, subtraction, and multiplication. You'll see. You can start with my free subtraction book right alongside learning to count...again all math is, is counting. 

I know this can be overwhelming because it's so completely different from the abject failure that is mathematics teaching in public schools currently. So here is a page that gives you an idea of how EZ PZ it can be. I give you a PDF and over view of what to do and how to do it.  Emphasis on fun, singing, and playing. 

If you have very young children get them to repeat after you and count to 20. Do this often. You don't have to do this during "math time", I mean often in the car out of the blue, or during dinner or bath time or bed time: any time is math time. Then count backwards sometimes from 20 to 1. Let them hear the pattern. Just like ABC's except you don't go backwards with ABC's, although you should.

You count and have them repeat after you one at a time. Then in strings of three, then five then ten.

We don't need symbols or deeper understanding we just want to start off with hearing the numbers in order from one to twenty and back again. This will make things easier when they are introduced to base 10 blocks and the symbols.

Even before we learn to count we can still learn the names of the blocks and symbols (my addends app will help) and then add more meaning from there. It's basically boils down to learning vocabulary when the child is in the pre-counting stage. This will very quickly go from naming things to naming things in a certain order, which is what we grown-ups like to call counting. Here are some Pre-School Math Activites Once we can count to nine, we can start doing "math." 

There are plenty of activities that can help you start the ball rolling.

There are several Products from Motensen Math to help start the process. Ebay is a great place to find stuff. Maybe one day I'll have a store there. Meantime, I will show you were to get things either free or on the cheap. If you want brand new, I'll have links to that too. Crewton Ramone's House of math will eventually be your one stop site for math 'resources', to sound all academic-like.

A great book is "Ten Apples Up On Top" By Dr. Suess.  I have a video that shows you how to maximize this simple book for learning to count and add and do problem solving. Just reading it is good but you can use it to greater effect if you count apples, compare apples, add apples and have the child do it with you and for you. Great just before bedtime. Eat. Sleep. Math.

Math is everywhere all the time. Make it a fun part of their lives not drudgery. Remember put them in a math rich environment and they will learn math.

Best stuff for counting is often free or low cost...like raisins, Macaroni or simple playing cards.

Incorporate counting around the house: doing dishes, cooking, hanging clothes, folding laundry (count socks two by two) etc.

Go from this counting page back home. 

EZ PZ Overview

Place value with base ten blocks

Place value and more. 

FREE Fun Software App

FREE Preschool Math game

Sesame Street Counting Videos

The essence of mathematics is not to make simple things complicated, but to make complicated things simple. ~S. Gudder

Although I am almost illiterate mathematically, I grasped very early in life that any one who can count to ten can count upward indefinitely if he is fool enough to do so. ~Robertson Davies, "Of the Conservation of Youth," The Table Talk of Samuel Marchbanks