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Understanding Base Ten: Ideas for Alternative Assessments

February 28, 2016 by Frogs, Fairies, and Lesson Plans |

How well do your students understand “base ten”? 

Here are a few ideas to give them a lot of quality practice, and to give you ways to assess what they know.

1- The Number Poster Activity (Takes a couple of days.)

  • Give students a large piece of construction paper, and a paper circle. Ask them to choose a number from 11 through 50 and write it “really big” on the circle. 
  • Fold the large construction paper into 4 parts, then glue the circle in the middle.

Numbers in Different Ways: Ideas for Alternative Assessments

  • Model how to cut “tens and ones” out of yellow construction paper, and ask your kids to make their number using Base Ten paper blocks. I actually had my own example on the board to show kids exactly what to do.

Numbers in Different Ways: Ideas for Alternative Assessments

  • On day 2, model how to cut little thin strips of black construction paper to make tally marks. Model how to glue them on your example, then have kids work on their own numbers.
  • Next, distribute pieces of red paper in which kids will make groups of ten to represent their number. Show students how to cut the little white squares to make just enough to represent their number, and let them know that they might have left over white squares.

Numbers in Different Ways: Ideas for Alternative Assessments

  • Last, give out little labels and have students write the word that represents each number.

Here’s what my final product looked like.

Numbers in Different Ways: Ideas for Alternative Assessments

And one more…

Numbers in Different Ways: Ideas for Alternative Assessments

The two biggest problems I found were with the tally marks and the groups of ten. Many students couldn’t stop counting by tens after making the base ten blocks. They would point at a tally bundle and say “ten”. Some would count every single tally instead of saying “five”. That was a fabulous way for me to see the depth of knowledge of each of my students. 

Many of my students tried to glue all of their little quite squares onto the “red mats”. They did not grasp the fact that when you group ones into tens, there might be left overs. That was SO interesting to see, because they represented their numbers perfectly with the base ten blocks…

2 – Ordering Numbers Made With Base Ten Blocks

This is one of my students’ favorite things to do. When I bring out the Base Ten flashcards, they can’t wait to go to their Math Centers!

Numbers in Different Ways: Ideas for Alternative Assessments

I am usually working with a small group while my other students are working in their centers, but I can very easily look up and see how quickly and effectively a student is handling this activity. It gives me great information about how well they understand the Base Ten system.

Numbers in Different Ways: Ideas for Alternative Assessments

Another fun thing to do, is to give one student the Base Ten flashcards, and another student the Tally Marks flashcards. As one student places his flashcard on the pocket chart, the other one has to match it!

I don’t take a grade on this activity, but I use what I notice to form my small groups. 

*Resources*



I can help you with Place Value resources if you’d like! Here are some links to great packets available at Frogs, Fairies, and Lesson Plans!

  • For theBase Ten Blocks Flashcards,click here.
  • For a completePlace Value Practice Packet,click here.
  • For aFREE SAMPLEof Math Practice resources,click here!
Base Ten Blocks Flashcards
Base Ten Blocks and Tally Marks Flashcards
Place Value Packet
Place Value Packet
Free Math Practice Sample

If you want to keep this information fresh all year you can assign homework that constantly reviews learned skills. This is the homework I have in case you are interested. It’s 100% Common Core aligned! There is a FREE SAMPLE available for each packet when you check the resource pages. 

1st Grade Math Homework
2nd Grade Math Homework
3rd Grade Math Homework

Filed Under: Math, Place Value, Uncategorized

Comments

  1. Kerry Schultz says

    November 7, 2017 at 10:04 am

    Assessments are so important for any of the students and I think people should try to prepare their kids for their assessments and try to give the best. Great post!

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But today, I went to the Children’s Hospital to interpret for a Brazilian family whose little boy has cancer. I was feeling so intimidated by the experience I was about to have. I felt so little and insignificant before what that family was going through. I was afraid I’d make a mistake, or not help enough. Then I saw these signs up and down the hospital sidewalk. They spoke to me and gave me a wee more courage to do my job. So if you need these today, like I did, these are for you. You matter, you are enough!
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That connection you only have with your pet. ❤️
Georgia curled up in this tiny space in the middle Georgia curled up in this tiny space in the middle of my photo shoot and melted my heart. Work has to stop to give space to unexpected gifts sometimes. 🥰 

#Iteachfirst #firstgrade #firstgradeteacher #teachersfollowteachers #teachersofinstagram #teacherfriends #iteachtoo
Did you know my Math Puzzles are made in 3 differe Did you know my Math Puzzles are made in 3 different levels? You can get them  for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grades! 

Make fun Math Centers in February with Math Crossword Puzzles! 

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But today, I went to the Children’s Hospital to interpret for a Brazilian family whose little boy has cancer. I was feeling so intimidated by the experience I was about to have. I felt so little and insignificant before what that family was going through. I was afraid I’d make a mistake, or not help enough. Then I saw these signs up and down the hospital sidewalk. They spoke to me and gave me a wee more courage to do my job. So if you need these today, like I did, these are for you. You matter, you are enough!
#Iteachfirst #firstgrade #firstgradeteacher #teachersfollowteachers #teachersofinstagram #teacherfriends #iteachtoo
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That connection you only have with your pet. ❤️
Georgia curled up in this tiny space in the middle Georgia curled up in this tiny space in the middle of my photo shoot and melted my heart. Work has to stop to give space to unexpected gifts sometimes. 🥰 

#Iteachfirst #firstgrade #firstgradeteacher #teachersfollowteachers #teachersofinstagram #teacherfriends #iteachtoo

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