MA 5.03Small Bead Frame: Counting and Forming Numbers
The child counts and forms numbers to 9,999 on a frame of four wires, where only a bead's wire shows its value.
Presentation
- 1
Compare the frame with the golden beads: 'Each green bead on the top wire is one unit. Each blue bead is one ten.'
- 2
Count along the units wire, moving beads one at a time from left to right: one to nine.
- 3
At ten: 'We have ten units. We change them for one ten.' Move the ten units back and move one ten bead across.
- 4
Continue counting by tens to one hundred and exchange; then by hundreds to one thousand.
- 5
Form a number the guide writes, such as 3,207, starting from the thousands.
- 6
The child writes numbers the guide forms on the frame.
Extensions, easiest to hardest
- Count on from a given number on the frame.
- Form numbers with zeros in the middle.
- Add 1, 10, or 100 to a number and say the new number.
Control of error
Each wire holds exactly ten beads, so reaching the last bead shows an exchange is due. The written number is read back against the frame.
Ready to move on when the child…
- Forms and reads any number to 9,999 on the frame
- Exchanges correctly when counting across a ten or a hundred