standard_description: Compare two two-digit numbers based on meanings of the tens and ones digits, recording the results of comparisons with the symbols >, =, and <.
problem_activity: Narrative
The purpose of this Number Talk is to elicit strategies and understandings students have for making 10 when adding. These understandings help students develop fluency with operations within 20.
When students look for ways to rearrange and decompose numbers to make 10, they notice and make use of structure of expressions and whole numbers (MP7).
Launch
Display one expression.
“Give me a signal when you have an answer and can explain how you got it.”
1 minute: think time
Activity
Record answers and strategies.
Keep expressions and work displayed.
Repeat for each expression.
Student Facing
Find the value of each sum mentally.
\(4 + 8 + 2\)
\(4 + 5 + 3 + 2\)
\(9 + 3 + 1\)
\(9 + 5\)
Student Response
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Activity Synthesis
“How did making a ten help when finding the sums?”


aligns: no