This learning center features two ways for students to find the missing addends.

In the first activity, students:

* Choose either the blank addend to 10 card or the blank addend to 20 card.

* Choose a blank 10 frame or double 10 frame strip with an accompanying equation that matches the card chosen.

* Fill in the 10 frame with a dry-erase marker according to the equation shown.

* Place the mini erasers on the card.

* Fill the missing number in the equation.

For example, if students pull a 10 frame strip that shows 9 + ___ = 10, they color 9 squares on the 10 frame, place 9 erasers on one side of the card, place 1 eraser on the other side of the card, and fill 1 in the blank.

For the next activity, students choose an addend card to 10 or 20 from the pile. The addend card features 10 frames that are already filled in. Students put mini erasers on the card that match the equation and then fill in the blank. For example, the equation might be 15 + ___ = 20. One ten frame is filled with 10 snowflakes and the second 10 frame is filled with 5 snowflakes. Students put a group of 15 and 5 erasers on the card, then they fill 5 in the blank.

Each activity has its own example card that students can reference. Materials are also color-coded, so teachers can easily match up the materials needed, depending on which version of the activity you include in the learning center.

The flexibility of the activities in this learning center enables you to differentiate instruction so students can practice addition skills and get exposure to beginning algebraic concepts.