Use this lesson to introduce the tool of base-ten blocks to your students. This scaffolded EL support lesson can be used as a stand-alone activity, or prior to teaching Three-Digit Addition with Base-Ten Models.

Let’s start building numbers! Just as building skyscrapers is a visual representation of mathematics, students will use the visual representation of base-ten blocks to add—or build—onto a two-digit number.

Students put their understanding of one and 10 more to work as they write word problems for classmates to solve. This lesson plan can be used alone or with Picture Addition.