My students and children are always able to remember math concepts when they are able to manipulate concrete objects. This block building activity combines engineering and math addition towers in one easy to prepare lesson for classroom or home addition practice.
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Learning Objective: The child will demonstrate an understanding of basic addition facts through 10.
Materials for Math Addition Towers:
- Wood Blocks Set
- Number Cards (optional)
Directions for the Math Addition Towers:
1. Have the child build two towers and count the blocks in each tower.
2. Explain that you will be adding the blocks in the two towers together to find out how many blocks there are in all.
3. Say the number sentence out loud. For this picture, I would say 2 + 2 =, two plus two equals. I would then explain the addition means we will count all the blocks together.
4. The child can stack the blocks then into one bigger tower and count those.
5. After counting ask them, “How many blocks are there all together?” Many times, children new to addition will have to re-count the blocks.
6. Repeat the activity several times with different numbered towers.
* For a twist on this math addition tower activity, print or write numbers 0-10 on small square cards. Have the child draw two numbers, build the towers, and complete the activity with the numbers selected.
For MORE STEM Activity Ideas: Check out my book
Benefits of using Math Addition Towers to Teach Addition:
- The math addition towers use concrete objects (blocks) and really help children visually “SEE” what addition is,
- The movement of combining the two towers into one may help kinesthetic learners.
- Block play and learning helps develop spacial reasoning.
- It is a FUN and quick way to reinforce academic concepts without needed paper and pencil.
This article is part in the A to Z of STEM series hosted at Little Bins for Little Hands.
If you’re not familiar with STEM this stands for Science Technology Engineering and Math. The series will host a variety of hands-on, minds-on activities for encouraging more STEM!
For more STEM Articles here at The Educators’ Spin On It, I recommend:
- STEM Books for Children
- Raise a Scientist: Making Opportunities for STEM Everyday
- 40+ Science and Math Activities
- Preschool Engineering Challenge
- 3 Must Read Parenting Tips for Raising Engineers
- Build an Inventor’s Box
- Simple and FUN Stem Activities with FREE Printable
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| Our favorite set of wood blocks! |
More STEM Activities for kids here at The Educators’ Spin On It:
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