Materials Needed

• Pre-cut colorful paper circles or ovals (Monster Bodies)
• Yellow paper strips (Ten-Rods / Monster Hair)
• White paper squares (One-Units / Monster Teeth)
• Glue sticks
• Markers or crayons
• "Secret Number" cards (Numbers 11–50)
• Googly eyes (optional)

Learning Objectives

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

• Identify a "Ten-Rod" as representing ten and a "One-Unit" as representing one.
• Compose a number using tens and ones in a creative context.
• Explain how many tens and ones make up their specific monster’s "number."

1. Introduction: The Hungry Monster (2 Minutes)

The Hook: "Class, I want you to meet my friend Digit the Monster! Digit is very special because he is made of numbers. But Digit is feeling a little bald and toothless today. He needs us to help him grow hair and teeth using our Base Ten blocks!"

The Concept: Show a Ten-Rod and a One-Unit.
"Remember: This tall rod is a Ten. It’s like 10 friends standing on each other's shoulders! This tiny square is a One. It’s just one person by themselves."

2. Instruction: "I Do, We Do" (3 Minutes)

I Do: Hold up a monster body. "If my monster’s secret number is 23, he needs 2 tens for hair (count: 10, 20) and 3 ones for teeth (count: 21, 22, 23). Watch me glue them on!"

We Do: Hold up a "Secret Number" card (e.g., 14).
"If our monster is number 14, how many 'Ten' hairs does he need?" (Wait for response: 1).
"And how many 'One' teeth does he need?" (Wait for response: 4).
"Let’s count together: 10... 11, 12, 13, 14!"

3. Activity: Build Your Monster (8 Minutes)

The "You Do" Task:

1. Give each student a monster body and a random "Secret Number" card (or let them choose a number between 10 and 50).
2. Students must glue the correct number of Ten-Rod hairs on top of the head.
3. Students glue the correct number of One-Unit teeth in the mouth area.
4. Students add eyes and give their monster a name.

Teacher Tip: Walk around and ask, "How many tens are in your monster's hair?" to check for understanding.

4. Conclusion & Success Criteria (2 Minutes)

Recap: "Let’s look at our monsters! If your monster has 3 hairs and 5 teeth, what is his number?" (35).

Success Criteria: Students have met the goal if their monster's physical parts (hair and teeth) match the digits of their chosen number.

Closing: "You all helped the Place Value Monsters get their groove back! Now they are ready to go home and count everything they see."

Differentiation & Adaptability

• For Students Needing Support: Use "Number Templates" where the tens and ones are already drawn in faint lines, and the student simply glues their paper pieces on top like a puzzle. Keep numbers below 20.
• For Advanced Learners: Ask them to create two monsters and tell you which monster is "greater than" the other by comparing the number of tens.
• Context Adaptability:
  • Homeschool: Use real Base Ten blocks first, then transition to the paper version for a permanent craft.
  • Classroom: Have students "introduce" their monster to a neighbor and have the neighbor guess the monster's number.

Assessment

• Formative: Observation during the gluing phase. Are they putting "ones" on the head and "tens" in the mouth? (Redirect if needed).
• Summative: At the end, ask the student to point to their monster and say: "My monster has [X] tens and [Y] ones. That makes [XY]!"