Introduction to the Beads

Introduction to the Beads
Math - Introduction to the Decimal System
Level	Primary
Age	4+
Prerequisites	Cards and Counters
Materials	1 unit bead 1 ten bar 1 hundred square 1 thousand cube tray

This activity is the child's introduction to the Golden Bead material. This material is a concrete representation of the decimal system.

Presentation

1. Take the tray to a table or mat. Be sure that the thousand cube is on the left and the unit bead is on the right.

   

2. Take out the unit bead. "This is one. We also call it a unit."

   

3. Take out the ten bar. "This is ten."

   

4. "Let's see how many unit beads there are in a ten. One, two, three..."

   

5. Take out the hundred square. "This is a hundred."

   

6. "Let's see how many tens there are in a hundred. One ten, two tens, three tens..."

   

7. Take out the thousand cube. "This is a thousand."

   

8. "Let's see how many hundreds there are in a thousand. One hundred, two hundreds, three hundreds..."

   

9. Lay out all of the beads and name them one more time.
10. Do a three period lesson.

Points of Interest

• The large place values can be exciting to children.
• Seeing how heavy the thousand is.

Control of Error

• The directress' and the child’s own knowledge

Material

- A tray containing 1 golden bead unit, 1 golden ten-bar, 1 golden hundred square and 1 thousand cube. - A small mat for the table.

Where to Buy

Last checked: 24 April 2020

Adena $27.21
Affordable Montessori $49.00
Albanesi $69.00
Alison's $89.25
Bruins $130.00
E & O $69.00
IFIT $40.00
Kid Advance $35.99
Materials Company of Boston $78.00
Montessori Concepts $53.00
Montessori N' Such $31.95
Montessori Outlet $54.95
Nienhuis $142.20 (nylon beads)
Nienhuis $168.20 (glass beads)
Thinkamajigs $84.95

Tray only
Alison's $30.00

Further Reading

• The Discovery of the Child by Maria Montessori, chapter 19, page 276 (Random House 1967 edition)
• Basic Montessori: Learning Activities for Under-fives by David Gettman, pages 169-171
• Teaching Montessori in the Home: The School Years by Elizabeth G. Hainstock, pages 35-36