Making Ten Worksheet

Making ten is an early addition strategy that helps form the base of many other mental strategies that students learn during their schooling.

This worksheet uses familiar counting cubes and tasks students with creating pairs of numbers that add together to make ten. Students colour the cubes two different colours, splitting the ten in two and then create a number sentence. Practising this helps students recall the ‘friends of ten’ i.e. the pairs of numbers that add together to make ten.

An alternate version with the cubes already coloured is included in the resource to help differentiate the task for students who may need some assistance creating the pairs of numbers.

Tips for Differentiation + Scaffolding  

In addition to individual student work time, use this worksheet as a:

• specific rotation or guided group
• lesson exit ticket
• fast finisher activity 
• homework assignment
• whole-class review (via smartboard).

Expand this activity for more capable students by editing the document to create a making 20 worksheet.

Encourage students who need additional help to use concrete materials similar to the counting cubes pictured in the resource.

Easily Download & Print

Use the dropdown icon on the Download button to choose between the PDF or editable PowerPoint or Google Slides version of this resource. 

To save paper, we suggest printing this 2-page worksheet double-sided. 

Turn this teaching resource into a sustainable activity by printing on cardboard and slipping it into a write-and-wipe sleeve. Students can record their answers with a whiteboard marker, then erase and reuse.

Additionally, project the worksheet onto a screen and work through it as a class by having students record their answers in their notebooks.

Get more handy worksheets here!

This resource was created by Kendall Britnell, a Teach Starter Collaborator.