Lesson Overview

Subject: Mathematics (Place Value)

Target Age: 6 Years Old (Kindergarten/1st Grade)

Group Size: 3–6 Students

Duration: 10–15 Minutes

Theme: Hungry Numbers Monsters

Materials Needed

• Base Ten Blocks (Rods/Tens and Units/Ones)
• "Monster Belly" Mats (A piece of paper divided into two columns: "Tens" and "Ones," decorated with monster teeth)
• Number Cards (11–30)
• Small "Monster Eye" stickers or googly eyes (optional)

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

• Identify a "Rod" as a group of ten and a "Unit" as a single one.
• Represent numbers 11–20 (and up to 30) using Base Ten blocks.
• Understand that the first digit in a two-digit number represents the number of tens.

The Lesson Plan

1. Introduction: The Hungry Monster Hook (2 Minutes)

The Hook: "Oh no! Barnaby the Number Monster is FAMISHED! But Barnaby is a very picky eater. He only eats 'Crunchy Ten-Sticks' and 'Sweet Little Ones.' If we don't give him exactly the right number of snacks, his tummy will grumble!"

The Goal: "Today, we are going to be Monster Chefs. We will use our Base Ten blocks to build the perfect snacks for Barnaby so he stays happy and full."

2. Body: I Do, We Do, You Do (10 Minutes)

I Do (Modeling): Show the students a number card (e.g., 13). "Barnaby wants 13 snacks. I see a '1' at the front of the number. That means he wants 1 Crunchy Ten-Stick. I see a '3' at the end. That means he wants 3 Sweet Little Ones." Place one rod in the "Tens" column of the mat and three units in the "Ones" column. Count them out loud: "Ten... eleven, twelve, thirteen! Perfect!"

We Do (Guided Practice): Hand out the "Monster Belly" mats. "Let’s make a snack for Barnaby’s brother, Benny! Benny wants 15 snacks. Everyone find 15 on your number cards." Ask the group: "How many Ten-Sticks does he need?" (Wait for response). "Place them in the Tens column!" Ask: "How many Little Ones does he need?" (Wait for response). "Place them in the Ones column!" Walk around and tap each block with the students to count: "10... 11, 12, 13, 14, 15!"

You Do (Independent Practice): "Now, the monsters are coming to the restaurant! Each chef gets a different order." Hand each student a different number card (between 11 and 20). Students must build the number on their mat. Once they finish, they have to "serve" the monster by explaining: "My monster is eating [Number]. He has [X] tens and [Y] ones!"

3. Conclusion: The Great Monster Burp (2 Minutes)

Recap: "You were amazing chefs! What do we call the long, skinny block?" (Wait for 'Ten' or 'Rod'). "And what about the tiny cube?" (Wait for 'One').

Closure: "Barnaby is so full he's about to... BURP! On the count of three, let's all do a tiny monster burp and clear our mats back into the bins!"

Assessment

• Formative: During the "We Do" phase, observe which students are picking up multiple tens or miscounting units.
• Summative: During the "You Do" phase, the student successfully builds their assigned number and correctly identifies the tens/ones verbally.

Success Criteria

• The student can explain that 10 units equal 1 rod.
• The student places the rod in the left column and units in the right column.
• The student counts on from 10 (e.g., "10, 11, 12...") rather than counting every individual cube on the rod.

Differentiation

• For Struggling Learners: Use a 10-frame mat so they can see the units "filling up" the ten-frame before swapping for a rod. Focus only on numbers 11–15.
• For Advanced Learners: Give them numbers between 30–50. Ask them, "If Barnaby eats one more Ten-Stick, what number would he have now?"
• Sensory Option: Use playdough to "stick" the units onto the monster mat for better fine motor control.