More Decomposing Work!

I have a confession to make, but please promise to be nice....

Ok......so I totally need my hand slapped.....I've been such a bad blogger lately. Gosh - is anyone else really pressed to the nines this time of year? Uugghhh - everything since Thanksgiving is such a blur...

I've been lazy...ok that's not exactly fair. I mean - I do have my 6 kids that keep me busy -- not counting the 20 at school. And have you ever tried Christmas shopping for 6 kids? Well, just think Santa's workshop - that pretty much describes my house right now!

Then, the day I went back to work from Thanksgiving I came down sick within 3 hours --- 3 HOURS!! What did I have? Strep throat AND bronchitis... GEEZ! Leave it to me....when I get sick -- I GET SICK!! 3 rounds of antibiotics later I believe I am actually getting better.....

Ok - way more than you probably wanted to know about me.....but......

So, here is the point to this blog post. I was going through photos and found a few I took back at the end of Halloween. Then they got stashed and I just found them. But since they are really good activities for composing/decomposing numbers - I thought I'd share!

My teammate Sara shared a couple activities she does for this difficult concept:

 These 2 pictures show the "Composing Cups" - - haha -- that's my name.... Isn't it funny how, as kinder teachers, we insist on having a cute name for everything?! Anyways, she and her class made these using styrofoam cups, pipe cleaners, and beads. The kids will love making and using this cool math tool.

ACTIVITY #1:
1. Each child needs a styrofoam cup.
2. Poke 2 hole in the bottom of the cup.
3. Run a pipe cleaner through the bottom (which will actually be the top) and place 10 beads on the pipe cleaner. (She used clear beads because that's what she had -- but a bright color would work best).
4. Twist the ends of the pipe cleaner together inside the cup.

Isn't Sara a great model? Oh, she is totally going to kill me! :0)

After they are made - these cups become a learning tool for the kiddos. I would place 10 beads on the pipe cleaner and demonstrate the number sentences that make 10.....for example -- 1 bead and 9 beads make 10 beads or 2 beads and 8 beads make 10 beads. You could have kids practice making all the combinations!


On to ACTIVITY #2:

This was another super easy, yet effective way for kiddos to look at decomposing numbers. Simply place 10 (or whatever number you're are focusing on inside a plastic baggie and seal.) Then "divide" the baggie with a strip of duct tape in the middle of the baggie on both sides.

Kids can grab a baggie and squeeze it back and forth - then spread them out and name the number sentence it represents. Use seasonal erasers from Oriental Trading for more fun! I smell Math Tub!! Can't you see cute little Christmas tree or snowflake erasers for this activity?

These are both wonderful activities your kids will love AND they provide quality learning opportunities just like the post I did with 5 Little Speckled Frogs....Did you see that one? If not click HERE!

What fun activities do you do for composing/decomposing numbers?