Count With Unit Blocks

Lesson Plan - Get It!

Audio:

What Are Unit Blocks?

Unit blocks help you see and count numbers.

These are small, colorful blocks. Each block stands for one number.

If you have one unit block, that's the number 1. If you have 2 unit blocks, you have the number 2.

This is similar to how you would count the colored pencils.

Keep adding one block, or pencil, at a time. As you add, count out loud.

One, two, three, four, five … Keep going until you reach ten.

Grouping Ten Unit Blocks

Counting one colored pencil at a time can be a lot of work, especially if counting to 100.

You can use unit blocks to help!

After you count to 10, put those 10 unit blocks together to make a group of 10.

A group of 10 unit blocks stacked together is called a unit bar.

Now, try it with your pencils. Count 10 pencils and wrap a rubber band around them. That’s a group of 10 pencils!

Keep Going With Groups of Ten

Once you have one group of ten, make another. Now you have two groups of ten, which is 20.

Keep making groups of ten until you have ten groups. Ten groups of ten make 100!

Use Unit Blocks and Bars to Count

Now, count the colored pencils in the box! They are organized into groups of ten and ones.

Use unit blocks and bars to help you count.

Count the unit bars by 10.

10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70

You have 7 tens. This is 70.

Next, count the single blocks.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

You have 6 ones. This is 6.

Put the numbers together.

7 tens and 6 ones equal 76

70 + 6 = 76

There are 76 colored pencils in the box!

• Did the unit blocks make counting easier?
• Is it easier to see the number 76 when the pencils are thrown in the box or organized in groups of ten?

Head to the Got It? section to practice using unit blocks!