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The teen numbers

CONCEPTUAL
MathematicsNumber Representation & Place Value|Ages 5—7|ID: mt_xmmgAzxe5j

Understand that the teen numbers (11–19) are composed of ten ones and some further ones (early place value)

Mastery Evidence

  • Compose 14 as a group of ten and four ones using objects
  • Decompose 17 into 10 + 7 and record as an equation
  • Explain that 13 is 'one ten and three ones'

Assessment Prompt

“If [child] has 14 building blocks, can they see it as one full tower of 10 and 4 left over — understanding 'teen' numbers as ten-and-some-more?”

Curriculum Standards2 alignments

1.NBT.2.bCommon Core State Standards for Mathematics
Composition of numbers 11 to 19

The numbers from 11 to 19 are composed of a ten and one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, or nine ones.

NBT
K.NBT.1Common Core State Standards for Mathematics
Compose and Decompose Numbers 11-19

Compose and decompose numbers from 11 to 19 into ten ones and some further ones, e.g., by using objects or drawings, and record each composition or decomposition by a drawing or equation (e.g., 18 = 10 + 8); understand that these numbers are composed of ten ones and one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, or nine ones.

Number and Operations in Base Ten

Prerequisites2

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  • How Many in Total? hard

    Understanding tens-and-ones composition requires cardinality — knowing numbers represent quantities

    • One-to-one counting hard

      Cardinality principle builds on one-to-one correspondence — you must count correctly to know the last number tells 'how many'

  • Reading and writing numbers to 20 hard

    Composing/decomposing teen numbers requires reading and writing those numerals

    • How Many in Total? hard

      Reading/writing numerals 0–20 requires understanding that numerals represent quantities (cardinality)

      • One-to-one counting hard

        Cardinality principle builds on one-to-one correspondence — you must count correctly to know the last number tells 'how many'

    • Writing digits 0-9 hard

      Writing numerals requires the motor skill of forming digits 0-9 (taught in English handwriting)