Counting Beads

There might be some other name for these beads, but I guess calling them "counting beads" will work. These are beads that I put on a pipe cleaner to help students with beginning addition. It works for subtraction as well, but it is a little trickier for students to get.

I actually made this set years ago, so I can't remember where I got the beads from. I'm sure it was a craft store like Michael's. I like these larger beads though. It makes the counting beads easier for younger students to manipulate.

To make the counting beads, I simply place ten beads a  pipe cleaner (Oops! I don't know what happened to the pink one in the picture). Then I kind of loop/twist the ends. This is suppose to keep the beads from falling off or prevent students from removing them. As you can see, this isn't full proof.

These counting beads are a really good way for students to practice making ten. Initially, I will have students do equations together with me. We might start off by having all of the beads on one side and then relate it to the equation 0 + 10 = 10. We then continue by moving one bead over and showing how we now have the equation 1 + 9 = 10. Then we move another bead over and continue creating equations, while always relating it back to ten. As student begin to understand how to use the counting beads they begin to use them more independently to explore ways to make ten or to complete simple practice sheets.

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