T. Hester rev. 2014
MECR/2014
Nine Tray (Overview and Function of the Decimal System, Crisis of Nine)
Materials:
Tray containing:
Nine of each: Unit beads, ten bars, hundred squares and thousand cubes or just one
thousand cube.
Set of large numeral cards: 1-9 (green), 10-90 (blue), 100-900 (red), 1000-9000 (green).
A rug.
Optional: 4 felt mats sectioned into 9 equal sections each. 2 green, 1 blue, and 1 red.
Preparations:
One Tray.
Check that the materials are complete.
Age: 4-5 years.
Direct Aims:
To develop an overall view of the decimal system.
To understand the fact that in the base ten there may be no more than nine in any one
position.
To understand the idea of 0 as a placeholder.
Indirect Aims:
To prepare for the use of large numbers.
To prepare for algebra and geometry.
To develop order, concentration, coordination, and independence.
Presentation I – Quantity
Presentation II – Symbol
Presentation III – Association the Quantity and Symbol)
Vocabulary:
Nine Tray.
One unit to nine unit, one ten to nine ten, one hundred to nine hundred, one thousand.
Points of Interest:
The golden beads,1 – 1000.
The numeral cards, 1 – 9000.
The colors used for the different place values.
Moving the bead material down the rug.
Finding the numeral to match the quantities.
There may be no more than nine in any one position in this base system.
It’s a big work.
Seeing lots of 0s.
Control of Error:
Proper amount of material is provided.
The size of the numeral cards matches the size of the quantities.
Variations:
1. Reading the numerals in order and out of order.
2. Building and reading numerals.
Extensions:
1. Writing the numerals on prepared paper.
2. Colored mats.
3. Go to 9 thousands.
4. Put all numerals on the table, 1 – 9000, in random order.
Notes: