Topic

Addition
within 10 and
Place Value

LEARNING OUTCOMES
By the end of this topic, you should be able to:
1.

Identify the major mathematical skills related to addition within 10

and place value;

2.

Determine the pedagogical content knowledge related to addition

within 10 and place value; and

3.

Plan teaching and learning activities for addition within 10 and

introduction to the place value concept.

X INTRODUCTION
Adding is a quick and efficient way of counting. Sometimes, we notice that
adding and counting are alike, but adding is faster than counting. You will also
see that addition is more powerful than mere counting. It has its own special
vocabulary or words, and is easy to learn because only a few simple rules are
used in the addition of whole numbers. When teaching addition to young pupils,
it is important that you recognise the meaningful learning processes which can be
acquired through real life experiences. The activities in this topic are designed as
an introduction to addition. It provides the kind of practice that most young
children need. What do children need to know in addition? Children do not gain
understanding of addition just by working with symbols such as + and =.
You have to present the concept of addition through real-world experiences
because symbols will only be meaningful when they are associated with these
experiences. Young children must be able to see the connection between the
process of addition and the world they live in. They need to learn that certain
symbols and words such as add, sum, total and equal are used as tools
in everyday life.

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This topic is divided into two main sections. The first section deals with
pedagogical skills pertaining to addition within 10 and includes an introduction
to the concept of place-value. The second section provides some samples of
teaching and learning activities for addition within 10. You will find that by
reading the input in this topic, you will be able to teach addition to young pupils
more effectively and meaningfully.

2.1

PEDAGOGICAL SKILLS OF ADDITION

WITHIN 10

In this section, we will discuss further the pedagogical skills of addition within
10. This section will look into the concept of more than, teaching and learning
addition through addition stories, acting out stories to go with equations, number
bonds up to 10, reading and writing addition equations and finally reinforcement
activities.

2.1.1

The Concept of More Than

It is important for pupils to understand and use the vocabulary of comparing and
arranging numbers or quantities before learning about addition. We can start by
comparing two numbers. For example, a teacher gives four oranges (or any other
concrete object) each to two pupils. The teacher then gives another orange to one
of the pupils and asks them to count the number of oranges each of them has.
Teacher: How many oranges do you have? Who has more oranges?
Teacher introduces the concept of more than, and one more as well as add
one more for addition by referring to the example above. The pupils are guided
to say the following sentences to reinforce their understanding of addition with
respect to the above concept.
e.g.: Five oranges are more than four oranges. Five is more than four.
Four and one more is five.
Four add one more is five.
Teacher repeats with other numbers using different picture cards or counters and
pupils practise using the sentence structures given above.

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Teaching and Learning Addition Through

Addition Stories

Initially, addition can be introduced through story problems that children can act
out. Early story situations should be simple and straightforward. Here is an
example of a simple story problem for teaching addition with two addends:
Salmah has three balls. Her mother bought two more balls for her. How many
balls does Salmah have altogether?
At this stage, children have to make connections between the real world and the
process of addition by interpreting the addition stories. Children must read and
write the equations that describe the process they are working with. The concept
of addition should be introduced using real things or concrete objects. At the
same time, they have to read and write the equations using common words, such
as and, make, as well as equals as shown in Figure 2.1:

Figure 2.1: Acting out addition stories

However, you have to study effective ways in which your pupils can act out the
stories. Based on the situations given, pupils can act out the stories in different
ways as follows:
(a)

Act out stories using real things as counters such as marbles, ice-cream
sticks, top-up cards, etc.;

(b)

Act out stories using counters and counting boards (e.g. trees, oceans.
roads, beaches, etc.);

(c)

Act out stories using models such as counting blocks; and

(d)

Act out stories using imagination (without real things).

Figure 2.2 shows some appropriate teaching aids for teaching and learning
addition.

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Figure 2.2: Acting out addition stories using appropriate teaching aids

2.1.3

Acting Out Stories to go with Equations

Figure 2.3 suggests a way for acting out stories to go with equations using the
plus and equal signs:

Figure 2.3: Flowchart for Acting out stories to go with equations

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After pupils are able to write equations according to teacher-directed stories, they
can begin writing equations independently using suitable materials (refer to
Figure 2.2). Here are some examples of how to use the materials.
Example 1: Counting Board (e.g. Aquarium)
I have two clown fish in my aquarium. My mother bought three goldfish
yesterday. How many fish do I have altogether? See Figure 2.4.

2 clown fish and 3 gold fish make 5 fish altogether.

2+3=5

Figure 2.4: Story problem

ACTIVITY 2.1
Use the above example to show that 2 + 3 = 3 + 2 = 5.

2.1.4

Number Bonds Up to 10

Activity 1: Count On and Count Back in Ones, from 1 to 10

There are three boys playing football. Then, another

boy joins them. How many boys are playing football
altogether? See Figure 2.5.
3+1=4

Figure 2.5: Count on: Using an Abacus

Teachers can also use number cards as a number line. The teacher reads or writes
the story problem and then begins a discussion with pupils on how to use the
number line to answer the question as in the example shown in Figure 2.6:

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Four pupils and three pupils are seven pupils

Four plus three equals seven
4+3=7
Figure 2.6: Count on: Aligning number cards to form a number line

Teachers are encouraged to teach the addition of two addends within 5 first,
followed by addition within 6 until 10. Pupils need to be immersed in the
activities and go through the experience several times. By repeating the tasks,
pupils will learn the different number combinations for bonds up to 10 efficiently.
Activity 2: Count On and Count Back in Ones, from 1 to 10
The activities on number bonds provide opportunities for teachers to apply a
variety of addition strategies. The objective of these activities is to recognise the
addition of pairs of numbers up to 10. You can start by asking your pupils to
build a tower of 10 cubes and then break it into two towers, for example, a tower
of four cubes and a tower of six cubes, (refer Figure 2.7) or any pairs of numbers
adding up to 10.
Example:

Figure 2.7: Number towers

Guide pupils to produce addition pairs up to 10, e.g. 4 + 6 = 10 or 6 + 4 = 10.

Repeat with other pairs of numbers. Ask pupils what patterns they can see before
getting them to produce all the possible pairs that add up to 10. Record each
addition pair in a table as shown in Table 2.1:

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Table 2.1: Sample Table for Addition Activity: Addition Pairs Up to 10

Height of Tower Before
Breaking into Two Towers

After Breaking into Two Towers

(Cubes)

Height of First
Tower (Cubes)

Height of Second
Tower (Cubes)

10

10

10

10

10

10

10

10

10

10

10

10

10

Discuss the results with pupils and ask them to practise saying the number bonds
repeatedly to facilitate instant and spontaneous recall in order to master the basic
facts of addition up to 10.
To develop the skill, the teacher should first break the tower of 10 cubes into two
parts. Show one part of the tower and hide the other. Then, ask pupils to state the
height of the hidden tower. To extend the skill, you may progressively ask the
pupils to learn how to add other pairs of numbers, such as 9, 8, 7 and so on.

ACTIVITY 2.2
What is the commutative law in addition? How do you introduce this
concept to your pupils? Explain clearly the strategy used for the teaching
and learning of the commutative law in addition.

2.1.5

Reading and Writing Addition Equations

There are two common methods of writing the addition of numbers, either
horizontally or vertically, as shown below:

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(a)

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Adding horizontally, in row form (i.e. Writing and counting numbers from
left to right).
Example: 4 + 5 = 9
The activities discussed above are mostly based on this method, which are
suitable for adding two single numbers.

(b)

Adding vertically, in column form (i.e. Writing and counting numbers from
top to bottom).
Example:

3
+4
7

This method is suitable for finding a sum of two or more large numbers
because putting large numbers in columns makes the process of adding
easier compared to putting them in a row.

ACTIVITY 2.3
Numbers are most easily added by placing them in columns. Describe
how you can create suitable teaching aids to enhance the addition of two
addends using this method.

2.1.6

Reinforcement Activities

To be an effective mathematics teacher, you are encouraged to plan small group

or individual activities as reinforcement activities for addition within 10. Here are
some examples of learning activities that you can do with your pupils.
(a)

Number Shapes
Have pupils take turns rolling a number cube to see how many counters
they have to place on their number shapes. Then, they fill in the remaining
spaces with counters of different colours. Finally, they describe the number
combinations formed, as illustrated in Figure 2.8. Repeat with different
number shapes.

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Figure 2.8: Number shapes

(b)

Number Trains
Let pupils fill their number-train outlines (e.g. 7, 8 or 9) with connecting
cubes of two different colours. Ask them to describe the number
combinations formed. See Figure 2.9.

Figure 2.9: Number train

In addition, pupils can also describe the number combination formed as tthree
plus three plus two equals eight, that is (33 + 3 + 2 = 8).

2.2

PLACE VALUE

This section teaches you how to introduce the place-value concept to your pupils.

2.2.1

Counting from 11 to 20

Pupils will be able to read, write and count numbers up to 20 through the same
activities as for learning numbers up to 10 covered in Topic 1. Similar teaching
aids and methods can be used. The only difference is that we should now have
more counters, say, at least 20. In this section, we will not be focusing on counting
numbers from 11 to 20 because it would just be repeating the process of counting
numbers from 1 to 10. You are, however, encouraged to have some references on
the strategies of teaching and learning numbers from 11 to 20.

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ACTIVITY 2.4
Describe a strategy you would use for the teaching and learning of
counting from 11 to 20.

2.2.2

Teaching and Learning about Place Value

The concept of place value is not easily understood by pupils. Although they can
read and write numbers up to 20 or beyond, it does not mean that they know
about the different values for each numeral in two-digit numbers. We are lucky
because our number system requires us to learn only 10 different numerals.
Pupils can easily learn how to write any number, no matter how large it is. Once
pupils have discovered the patterns in the number system, the task of writing
two-digit numbers and beyond is simplified enormously. They will encounter the
same sequence of numerals, 0 to 9 over and over again. However, many pupils
do not understand that numbers are constructed by organising quantities into
groups of tens and ones, and the numerals change in value depending on their
position in a number.
In this section, you will be introduced to the concept of place value by forming
and counting groups, recognising patterns in the number system and organising
groups into tens and ones. The place-value concept can be taught in kindergarten
in order to help pupils count large numbers in a meaningful way.
You can start teaching place value by asking pupils to form and count
manipulative materials, such as counting cubes, ice-cream sticks, beans and cups,
etc. For example, ask pupils to count and group the connected cubes from 1 to 10
placed either in a row or horizontally as shown in Figure 2.10.

Figure 2.10: Connected cubes placed horizontally

You can now introduce the concept of place value of ones and tens (10 ones) to
your pupils. The following steps can be used to demonstrate the relationship
between the numbers (11 to 19), tens and ones. The cubes can also be arranged in
a column or vertically as shown below. Here, you are encouraged to use the
enquiry method to help pupils familiarise themselves with the place-value of tens
and ones illustrated as follows:

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Example:
Teacher asks: What number is 10 and one more? See Figure 2.11 (Pupils should
respond with 11).
Can you show me using the connecting cubes?
The above step is repeated for numbers 12, 13, , 20.

Figure 2.11: Connected cubes placed vertically

In order to make your lesson more effective, you should use place-value boards
or charts to help pupils organise their counters into tens and ones. A place-value
board is a piece of thick paper or soft-board that is divided into two parts of
different colours. The size of the board depends on the size of the counters used.
An example of the place-value board is given in Figure 2.12:

Figure 2.12: Place value board

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The repetition of the pattern for numbers 12 to 19 and 20 will make your pupils
understand better and be more familiar with the concept of place value. They will
be able to learn about counting numbers from 11 to 20 or beyond more
meaningfully. At the same time, you can also relate the place-value concept to the
addition process. For example, 1 tens and 2 ones make 12, which means 10 and
two more make 12.

ACTIVITY 2.5
In groups of four, create some reinforcement activities for teaching
numbers 11 to 20 using the place-value method. Describe clearly how you
will conduct the activities using suitable hands-on teaching aids.

2.3

SAMPLES OF TEACHING AND LEARNING

ACTIVITIES

This section provides some samples of teaching and learning activities you can
carry out with your pupils to enhance their knowledge of addition within 10 and
the place-value concept.
Activity 1: Adding Using Patterns
Learning Outcomes:
By the end of this activity, pupils should be able to:
(a)

Add two numbers up to 10 using patterns;

(b)

Read and write equations for addition of numbers using common words;
and

(c)

Read and write equations for addition of numbers using symbols and signs.

Materials:
x

Picture cards; and

PowerPoint slides.

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Procedure:
(a)

Adding Using Patterns (in Rows)

(i)

Teacher divides the class into 5 groups of 6 pupils, and gives 10

oranges to each group. Teacher then asks each group to count the
oranges, see Figure 2.13.
Teacher says: Can you arrange the oranges so that you can count
more easily? Discuss with your friends.
Teacher says: Now, take a look at this picture card.

Figure 2.13: Picture card: Addition using patterns

(ii)

Teacher says: Can you see the pattern? Let us count in groups of
fives instead of counting on in ones.
For example: Five and five equals ten, or 5 + 5 = 10

(iii)

Teacher says: Now, let us look at another pattern. How many eggs
are there in the picture given below (see Figure 2.14)?

Figure 2.14: Picture card: Addition using patterns (in rows)

(iv)

Teacher says: Did you count every egg to find out how many there
are altogether? Or did you manage to see the pattern and count along
one row first to get 4, and then add with another row of 4 to make 8
eggs altogether?
Well done, if you have done so!

Let your pupils add using different patterns of different numbers of objects
with the help of PowerPoint slides. Guide your pupils to read and write
equations of addition of numbers in words, symbols and signs. (You may

discuss how to write the story-board of your PowerPoint presentation.)

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Adding Using Patterns (in Columns)

(i)

Teacher says: Let us look at the pictures and try to recognise the
patterns (see Figure 2.15). Discuss with your friends.

Figure 2.15: Picture cards

(ii)

Teacher discusses the patterns with pupils. For example, teacher

shows the third picture [Picture (c)] and tells that it can be divided
into two parts, namely, the top and bottom parts as shown in Figure
2.16:

Figure 2.16: Picture card: Addition using patterns (in columns)

(iii)

(c)

This is a way of showing how to teach addition using columns by the

inquiry-discovery method. As a conclusion, the teacher explains to
the pupils that arranging the objects in patterns will make it easier to
add them. Using columns to add also makes the addition of large
numbers easier and faster.

Teacher distributes a worksheet on addition using patterns (in rows or in

columns).

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Activity 2: Addition within the Highest Total of 10

Learning Outcomes:
By the end of this activity, pupils should be able to:
(a)

Add using fingers;

(b)

Add by combining two groups of objects; and

(c)

Solve simple problems involving addition within 10.

Materials:
x

Fingers;

Counting board (tree);

Picture cards;

Number cards;

Counters;

Storybooks;

Apples; and

Other concrete objects, etc.

Procedure:
(a)

Addition Using Fingers

(i)

Initially, use fingers to practise adding two numbers as a method of

working out the addition of two groups of objects. See Figure 2.17.
E.g.:

Figure 2.17: Finger addition

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(b) Addition of Two Groups of Objects

(i)

Teacher puts three green apples on the right side of the tree and
another four red apples on the left side. Teacher asks pupils to count
the number of green apples and red apples respectively.

(ii)

Teacher asks: How many green apples are there? How many red
apples are there?

(iii)

Teacher tells and asks: Put all the apples at the centre of the tree.
Count on in ones together. How many apples are there altogether?

(iv)

Teacher guides them to say and write the mathematical sentence as

shown: Three apples and four apples make seven apples.

(v)

Repeat with different numbers of apples or objects. Introduce the

concept of plus and equals in a mathematical sentence.
e.g. There are two green apples and three red apples in Box A.
There are five apples altogether.
Two plus three equals five.

(vi)

Teacher sticks the picture cards on the whiteboard. Encourage pupils

to add by counting on in ones (e.g. 4 ... 5, 6, 7) and guide them to say
that Four plus three equals seven (see Figure 2.18).

Figure 2.18: Picture card: Addition of two groups of objects

(vii) Introduce the symbols for representing plus and equals in a

number sentence. Ask them to stick the correct number cards below
the picture cards to form an addition equation as above. Repeat this
step using different numbers.
(c)

Problem Solving in Addition

(i)

Teacher shows three balls in the box and asks pupils to put in some
more balls to make it 10 balls altogether.

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(ii)

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Teacher asks: How many balls do you need to make up 10? How did
you get the answer?
Let them discuss in groups using some counters. Ask them to explain
how they came up with their answers.

(iii) Repeat the above steps with different pairs of numbers.

(iv) Teacher discusses the following problem with the pupils.
Sarah has to read six story books this semester. If she has finished
reading four books, how many more story books has she got to
read?
(v)

Teacher asks them to discuss the answer in groups. Encourage them

to work with models or counters and let them come up with their own
ideas for solving the problem. For example:

(Note: They can also use mental calculation to solve the problem.)
Activity 3: Reinforcement Activity (Game)
Learning Outcomes:
By the end of this activity, your pupils should be able to:
(a)

Complete the addition table given; and

(b)

Add two numbers shown at the toss of two dices up to a highest total of 10.

Materials:
x

Laminated Chart (Addition Table  Table 1.2);

Two dices for each group; and

Crayons or colour pencils.

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Procedure:
(i) Teacher guides pupils to complete the addition table given. (Print out the
table in A4 size paper and laminate it). You can also use the table to explain
the additive identity (i.e. A + 0 = 0 + A = A).
Table 2.2: Adding Squares
+

0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9

Instructions for Game:

(i)

Toss two dices at one go. Add the numbers obtained and check your answer
from the table.

(ii)

Colour the numbers 10 in green (Table 2.2). List out all the pairs adding up
to 10.

(iii) Colour the numbers totalling 9 in red. List out all pairs adding up to 9.
(iv) Continue with other pairs of numbers using different colours for different
sums.

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Activity 4: Place Value and Ordering

Learning Outcomes:
By the end of this activity, pupils should be able to:
(a)

Read and write numerals from 0 to 20;

(b)

Explain the value represented by each digit in a two-digit number; and

(c)

Use vocabulary for comparing and ordering numbers up to 20.

Materials:
x

Connecting cubes;

Counting board;

Place-value block/frame; and

Counters.

Procedure:
(a)

Groups of Tens
(i)

Teacher divides the class into 6 groups of 5 pupils each. Teacher

distributes some connecting cubes (say, at least 40 cubes) to each
group.

(ii)

Teacher asks the following questions and pupils are required to

answer them using the connecting cubes:
x

What number is one more than 6?, 8?, and 9? 11?, 17? and 19?

What number comes after 5?, 7?, and 9? 12?, 16? and 19?

Which number is more, 7 or 9?, 3 or 7?, 14 or 11? etc.

E.g.: 14 is more than 11 as shown in Figure 2.19.

Figure 2.19: Representing numbers using connecting cubes

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ADDITION WITHIN 10 AND PLACE VALUE

16 is one more than a number. What is that number?

Repeat the above steps with different numbers.

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Place Value and Ordering

(i)

Teacher introduces a place-value block and asks pupils to count

beginning with number 1 by putting a counter into the first column.
See Figure 2.20 (a). Teacher asks them to put one more counter on the
board in that order. Repeat until number 9 is obtained. Teacher then
introduces the concept of ones.
1 ones represents 1
2 ones represent 2, ..., 9 ones represent 9

Figure 2.20 (a): Representing numbers with place-value block and counters

(ii)

Teacher asks: What is the number after 10? How do you represent
number 11 on the place-value block?
Teacher introduces the concept of tens and ones as follows. See
Figure 2.20 (b):

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Figure 2.20 (b): Representing numbers with place-value block and counters

(iii) Teacher asks pupils to put the correct number of counters into the
correct column to represent the numbers 11, 12, etc until 20.
(iv) Teacher asks pupils to complete Table 2.3.
Table 2.3: Place Value
Number

Tens

Ones

Number

11
12

13

17

16

14

19
20

(v)

Tens

Ones

4
1

15

Teacher distributes a worksheet to reinforce the concept of place value

learnt.

A teacher should know his or her pupils levels of proficiency when applying
strategies to solve problems related to addition.

Problem solving related to addition depends on pupils ability to work based

on their counting skills.

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At an early stage, it is enough if they could work using counting all or

counting on.

However, you have to guide and encourage them to work by looking at the
relationship or answer by mastering the number combinations or number
bonds.

Adding

Place value

Addition

Sum

Equation

Plus

1.

An effective way to teach addition is to ask pupils to act out the stories in
real life using their imagination (without real things) and their own ideas.
Elaborate using one example.

2.

Describe clearly how you would teach addition up to 10 involving zero

using real materials.

3.

Counting numbers from 11 to 20 should be taught after pupils are

introduced to the concept of place value. Give your comments on this.

Based on the following learning outcome, By the end of the lesson, pupils
should be able to count numbers from 11 to 20 using place-value blocks, suggest
the best strategy or method that can be used in the teaching and learning process
to achieve this learning outcome.

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APPENDIX
WORKSHEET
(a)

Count and add.

(i)

(ii)

(b)

Count and add.

(c)

Draw the correct number of fish on each plate and complete the equation.

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(d)

Match the following.

(e)

Match the following (Read and add).

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