Benchmarks of 5 and 10

A resource to support number knowledge development, providing opportunities for students to develop a strong understanding of combinations to 5 and 10, and the parts that make these quantities.


This resource was developed in partnership with the NSW Mathematics Strategy Professional Learning team, Curriculum Early Years and Primary Learners, and Literacy and Numeracy.

Using the resource

This resource is the fourth section of a 6 part resource supporting number knowledge. Use in conjunction with other resources in this series to support a connected network of critical mathematical concepts, skills and understanding.

Supporting tasks

Refer to the resource (available for download via the Universal Resources Hub) for full instructions on how to use each of these tasks and includes materials, related tasks and learning intentions.

Partitioning numbers

Students need to understand any given whole number can be partitioned (broken) into smaller parts. This flexibility in thinking about numbers, and using that flexibility, is an important foundation for flexible strategies.

Task 1: 10 or bust

Students watch ‘10 or bust’ to learn how to play.

  • Variation 1: Adapt this task to focus on combinations to 5.
  • Variation 2: Adapt the game to focus on combinations to 20. How do what we know about combinations to 10 help us with solving the combinations to 20?

Task 2: Let’s talk

Students watch ‘Let’s talk’ and investigate the strategies to solve 8 + 6.

Number combinations

Memorising basic facts is not the same as working with them. Facts learnt by rote are more easily forgotten. Provide rich and varied experiences for students so they internalise number combinations with conceptual understanding. Student and teacher modifications to games can be a powerful strategy. Make careful decisions when adjusting games to ensure the task still meets the original mathematical goal.

Task 3: Making ten

Student make various combinations of 10 using ten frames.

  • Variation 1: Adapt this activity to focus on combinations to five.

  • Variation 2: Play ‘shake and drop’ and explore combinations to ten without the ten-frame.

Task 4: Six piles

Students using playing cards 0-5 (PDF 393KB) (staff only) to make 2 or more cards equalling 5.

  • Variation 1: Adapt the game to compose any quantity up to and including 10

  • Variation 2: Use any operation

  • Variation 3: Use the ace to represent 11 and adapt to game to find combinations to 20.

Contact

For more information, contact literacy.numeracy@det.nsw.edu.au

Category:

  • Numeracy

Business Unit:

  • Teaching and Learning Support
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