Addition Snake Game

The Snake Game transforms a colorful 'snake' of bead bars into golden ten-bars plus remainders — enacting addition through grouping. If the count doesn't match the ten-bars, the snake exposes the error.

• Framework: Montessori
• Unit: Mathematics
• Learning area: Addition
• Level: Ages 5-6

Objectives

• Transform a chain of colored bead bars into golden ten-bars and a remainder
• Memorize addition facts through sensorial practice
• Experience grouping of 10 as the core of base-10 addition
• Prepare for abstract addition

Materials

• Snake Game set: colored bead bars 1-9, ten golden ten-bars, black-and-white counting bars, felt mat
• Bead bar box for source material

Instructions

1. Lay a snake of colored bead bars end to end on the mat: e.g., 3, 7, 4, 5, 2. 2. Starting at the head, count beads: 1, 2, 3... 3. At 10, replace those beads with a golden ten-bar. 4. Continue counting from the next bead, replacing at each 10. 5. The remainder (< 10) becomes a colored bar. 6. Verify: count the ten-bars × 10 + remainder. 7. Record the sum. 8. Compare with direct addition: 3 + 7 + 4 + 5 + 2 = 21. 9. The snake becomes two ten-bars and a one-bar.

Educator tip

The snake makes regrouping physical. Let children swallow the colored bars and emit golden tens — the language is delightful and memorable.

Assessment

Note accurate replacement of ten's worth of beads, and correct final count.

More from Mathematics

• Subtraction Snake Game
• Multiplication Snake Game
• Decanomial Bead Bar Layout (Short Form)
• Introduction to Negative Numbers
• Area of a Rectangle — Formula from Counting
• Area of a Triangle — Half the Rectangle
• Circumference and Pi — Measuring the Circle
• Percent Cards — Hundredths as Percentages