1st Grade Math: How to Teach Making 10 Using Ten Frames and Number Bonds

Ten‑frames and number bonds give students two powerful ways to understand number combinations that make 10. Together, they help children in Grade 1 see how numbers are built, how they can be taken apart, and how they relate to the number 10. This strategy strengthens early number sense by pairing a visual model with a part–whole model, allowing students to move naturally from concrete understanding to more abstract thinking.

🧩 What Students Will Do in This Strategy

• Count counters into a ten‑frame
• Identify how many are filled and how many are empty
• Build number bonds that match the ten‑frame
• Explain how the parts make the whole
• Practice with both models until the connection feels natural and automatic

🟦 How Ten‑Frames Support Counting to 10

Ten‑frames help students see numbers. By filling squares one at a time, students develop a sense of quantity, structure, and the idea of “how many more to make 10.” The consistent layout supports subitizing, pattern recognition, and early addition.

Students learn to:

• Recognize numbers instantly by their visual pattern
• Connect counting to a structured visual model

🔗 How Number Bonds Support Making 10

Number bonds help students name the parts that make a whole. When paired with ten‑frames, they reinforce the idea that every number can be broken apart and put back together in different ways.

Students learn to:

• Represent a number as two parts
• Understand part–whole relationships
• Build fluency with combinations that make 10

🎯 Why This Strategy Matters

Making 10 helps students see structure in numbers, notice patterns, and build efficient addition strategies. By pairing a visual model with a part–whole model, students develop a deeper understanding of how numbers can be composed and decomposed, a foundation that supports fluency well beyond this unit.