Math-to-a-TEE Number Lines

Skills: Forming a set, counting on, ordering numerically

Materials: a large bag of golf tees - lots of color please! , 10-12 inch long strips of posterboard with 10 holes punched equal distances apart on one side, marking pens, containers to hold number lines and golf tees

Preparation:
1. Cut 10-12 inch by 4-6 inch strips from the posterboard. Fold lengthwise in halves like a longhouse tent.
2. On one side, punch ten equally spaced holes. Draw a line through to connect the holes. Then label above each hole with the numers 1-10.
3. On the opposite side, write numerical equations like 9 + 1 = 10 or 10 - 9 = 1.

Have your child count out and count on. Adapt if necessary using picture stories or rebuses for preschool (Child shows 1 tee on the line, counts out nine more and then counts on by adding the nine tees to the number line to demonstrate the equation 1 + 9 = 10) or open ended 'mental math equations' for your abstract thinkers....Mental math is just as its name implies - calling out the sentence with more than three procedures to be accomplished before displaying the sentence concretely....10 - 9 (pause in speech) + 6 (pause) - 4....now show me your answer (3 tees in sequence on the number line).