The Exchange Tray

The Exchange Tray
Math - Introduction to the Decimal System
Level	Primary
Age	4 - 5
Prerequisites	Association of Beads and Cards
Materials	Golden Beads: 10 unit beads 9 ten bars 9 hundred squares tray

This activity teaches the child that 10 units are the same as 1 ten, that 10 tens are the same as 1 hundred, and that 10 hundreds are the same as 1 thousand.

Presentation

1. Prepare a tray with 10 unit beads, 9 ten bars, and 9 hundred squares.

   

2. Lay the beads out on a mat as shown.

   

3. Count the unit beads, moving them down as you do (or moving them into a small bowl). "1 unit, 2 units, 3 units..."

   

4. "10 units is the same as 1 ten." Have the child go to the bank and exchange the 10 unit beads for 1 ten.

   

5. Bring the ten bar to the mat.

   

6. Place it with the other ten bars.

   

7. Count the ten bars: "1 ten, 2 tens, 3 tens..."

   

8. "10 tens is the same as 1 hundred." Have the child go to the bank and exchange the 10 ten bars for 1 hundred square.

   

9. Bring the hundred square to the mat. Place it with the other hundred squares.

   

10. Count the hundred squares: "1 hundred, 2 hundreds, 3 hundreds..."

    

11. "10 hundreds is the same as 1 thousand." Have the child go to the bank and exchange the 10 hundred squares for 1 thousand.

    

12. Bring the thousand cube to the mat. "One thousand. Did you know that we had one thousand beads on the tray?"