B. Number · Adding and Subtracting

Addition Facts to 10

B2.2About 30 minutes

Learning goals

I can find all the ways to make 5 and to make 10.
I can use a ten frame to add.
I can remember addition facts up to 10 quickly.

Words to know

fact
A short number sentence we know by heart, like 4 + 1 = 5.

ten frame
A box with 2 rows of 5 spaces. It helps us see numbers up to 10.

number partners
Two numbers that go together to make a number. 6 and 4 are partners of 10.

recall
To remember something quickly without counting.

Why learn facts?

Hockey players practise skating every day so they can skate without thinking. Math facts are the same! When you know that 6 + 4 = 10 right away, you can solve bigger problems faster.

Today we learn the addition facts up to 10.

Meet the ten frame

A ten frame has 2 rows of 5. We fill the top row first, from left to right. Then the bottom row.

This ten frame shows 7. The top row has 5. The bottom row has 2. So 7 is 5 and 2 more. There are 3 empty spaces, so 7 + 3 = 10.

Ten frame trick

Look at the empty spaces in a ten frame. They tell you how many more you need to make 10!

Ways to make 5

Hold up one hand. You have 5 fingers. Fold some down. How many are up? How many are down? Up + down always makes 5!

Fingers up	Fingers down	Fact
5	0	5 + 0 = 5
4	1	4 + 1 = 5
3	2	3 + 2 = 5
2	3	2 + 3 = 5
1	4	1 + 4 = 5
0	5	0 + 5 = 5

All the ways to make 5

Ways to make 10

The partners of 10 are super important. We will use them again and again.

Number	Partner	Fact
10	0	10 + 0 = 10
9	1	9 + 1 = 10
8	2	8 + 2 = 10
7	3	7 + 3 = 10
6	4	6 + 4 = 10
5	5	5 + 5 = 10
4	6	4 + 6 = 10
3	7	3 + 7 = 10
2	8	2 + 8 = 10
1	9	1 + 9 = 10
0	10	0 + 10 = 10

All the ways to make 10. See the pattern? One number goes down by 1 as the other goes up by 1.

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6 dots and 4 empty spaces. 6 + 4 = 10.

Worked example

Example 1: Using a ten frame

What is 6 + 3?

Put 6 counters in the ten frame. The top row is full (5) and there is 1 on the bottom.
Add 3 more counters on the bottom row.
The top row has 5. The bottom row has 4. 5 and 4 make 9.
Check: there is 1 empty space. 10 − 1 = 9. Yes!

6 + 3 = 9

6 + 3 = 9. One space is empty.

Worked example

Example 2: Adding 1 and adding 2

What is 7 + 1? What is 7 + 2?

Adding 1 means the next number when we count. After 7 comes 8.
Adding 2 means count 2 more: 8, 9. We land on 9.

7 + 1 = 8 and 7 + 2 = 9

Doubles to 10

A double is when you add a number to itself. Doubles are easy to remember because they come in pairs, like your hands or your feet!

Double	Sum	Think of...
1 + 1	2	two eyes
2 + 2	4	a car's 4 wheels
3 + 3	6	an insect's 6 legs
4 + 4	8	a spider's 8 legs
5 + 5	10	two hands of fingers

Doubles up to 10

Learn these first

Facts to know by heart first: +0 (the number stays the same), +1 (the next number), +2 (count 2 more), doubles, and partners of 10. These cover most of the facts to 10!

Just for fun

Many people think we count in tens because we have 10 fingers. So you carry your very own ten frame everywhere you go, and you never forget it at home!

Hands-on activity

Shake and spill

You need: 10 coins (any kind) and a cup.

Put all 10 coins in the cup. Shake it and spill them on the table.
Count how many show heads and how many show tails.
Say the fact, like "6 heads plus 4 tails equals 10."
Write it down. Play 8 times. Did you get any facts more than once?

Make it harder: Use 7 coins, then 8, then 9.

Math talk: "Which ways to make 10 did we find? Which ones are still missing?"

Hands-on activity

Make 10 Go Fish

Use a deck of cards with only the Ace (1) to 9 cards. Deal 5 cards each. Instead of finding matching pairs, look for two cards that make 10, like 3 and 7. Ask: "Do you have a 7?" If not, say "Go fish!" The player with the most pairs wins.

Your turn

4 + 4 = ?

5 + 2 = ?

8 + 2 = ?

3 + 6 = ?

9 + 0 = ?

7 + ? = 10

1 + 5 = ?

Find two different ways to make 8.

More practice: warm-up

2 + 2 = ?

6 + 1 = ?

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How many dots are in this ten frame? How many empty spaces?

0 + 7 = ?

Fill in the blank: 5 + __ = 10

More practice: on your own

🍎🍎🍎 + 🍎🍎🍎🍎

How many apples? Write the addition fact.

Which pairs are partners of 10? 2 and 8, 4 and 5, 9 and 1

Hold up one hand. Fold down 2 fingers. How many fingers are up? Write the fact that makes 5.

Lily has 4 red beads and 6 blue beads. How many beads does she have?

True or false: 3 + 4 = 8. How do you know?

Challenge

Find the mistake. Sam says 6 + 3 = 10 because "6 and 3 are partners of 10". Is he right?

Find all the ways to make 6 with two numbers.

Jo has 3 stickers. She gets 2 more. Then she gets 4 more. How many stickers does she have now?

Check your understanding

Quiz

Which numbers are partners of 10?

A ten frame shows 8 dots. How many empty spaces are there?

What is 3 + 3?

What is 4 + 5?

Which fact is not a way to make 5?

What is 7 + 2?

Which is a double?

For parents and teachers

Big idea: The Ontario curriculum asks Grade 1 students to recall addition facts to 10, which means knowing them quickly without counting on fingers every time. This takes many weeks of short, fun practice.

Common mistakes:

Counting the first number again. For 6 + 3 a child may count "6, 7, 8" and stop on 8 by mistake. Show them to say 6 in their head and count 3 more: "7, 8, 9."
Mixing up 3 + 3 = 6 and "33". Remind them the plus sign means put together.
Not knowing partners of 10. These are the most useful facts. Practise with a ten frame drawn on paper or an egg carton with 2 cups cut off.

How to help: Practise 5 minutes a day, not a long time once a week. Use games (Shake and Spill, Make 10 Go Fish, finger flashes: show some fingers and ask "how many more to make 10?"). Praise effort and strategies, not only speed.