Read a frame by its rows, tens first. For a full row, look at the gap.
Counting every bead is too slow for a flash, so read the rows instead.
Look at the top row first, then the row below: say the tens, then the ones.
For a nearly full row, look at the gap: eight across leaves a gap of two.
A third row on top holds the hundreds. An empty row is a zero, but it still holds its place.
These are some of the questions on the sets. The printable sheets have more, with the bead frame drawn for each, and an answer key.
One. Ten take away nine is one.
73. Say the tens, then the ones.
250. The empty ones row is a zero at the end.
306. The empty tens row is a zero that holds its place.
Ask a grown-up to set out buttons or coins in tens and ones, with a few loose ones beside. Cover them with a cloth, lift it for a blink and say how many, taking as long as you like. Then swap!
Set out buttons or coins in tens and a few loose ones, cover them with a cloth, lift it for a blink and ask how many. When the cloth is off, your child can take as long as they like. Swap turns.
