Number Rods: Addition and Subtraction

Presentation

1
Lay out the rods as a stair. Place rod 3 and rod 2 end to end: 'three and two'.
2
Ask the child to find the one rod that is the same length. Place rod 5 alongside and count its sections: 'Three and two make five.'
3
Lay card 3, the + card, card 2, the = card, and card 5 beside the rods. Read: 'three plus two equals five'. Explain: 'Plus means we put together. Equals means the same as.'
4
Have the child do two or three more with totals of 10 or less.
5
Subtraction: take rod 7 and say 'We will take away three.' Lay rod 3 on top of rod 7, lined up at the red end. Find the rod that matches the uncovered part: rod 4.
6
Lay cards 7 − 3 = 4 and read 'seven minus three equals four'. 'Minus means we take away.'
7
Once the child reads the cards, have them record each equation on paper.

Find every pair of rods that makes ten (9 + 1, 8 + 2 …).
Add three rods (2 + 3 + 4) and find the single rod that matches.
Guide writes an equation; the child solves it with the rods and records the answer.
The child writes their own equations and solves them.

The joined rods must match the length of a single rod exactly; any gap or overhang shows a wrong answer. Counting sections checks the result.

Keep totals to 10 or less; there is no rod for 11. Write the minus sign clearly shorter than the equals sign so the two are not confused.