Meeting the Number Bond — Ways to Make 5 (Shake-Spill-Tell)

Math Detective introduction: 'Today we are going to be number detectives — looking for the hidden parts inside whole numbers. The first number we will investigate is 5.' Read aloud Greg Tang's 'Math for All Seasons' pages featuring the number 5 (one spring scene).

• Show the Math Detective mascot poster (MG-10) and put on a 'detective hat' to set the persona
• Hold up 5 fingers and ask 'How many?' — affirm cardinality from K-Fall
• Pose: 'But did you know 5 can be made in DIFFERENT ways? Let's find them.'

Today we meet a new mathematical drawing — a NUMBER BOND. Look at this chart (point to MG-2). The big circle on top holds the WHOLE — that's the whole number we are working with. The two smaller circles below hold the two PARTS — the pieces that go together to make the whole. The lines connecting the circles show that the parts belong to the whole. Now watch: I have 5 two-color counters. (Hold up.) I am going to shake them in my hand, spill them on the tray, and TELL the parts. (Demonstrate. Suppose 3 red and 2 yellow come up.) Three red — that's one part. Two yellow — that's the other part. Three and two make five. I write the 5 on top of my number bond, the 3 in one part-circle, and the 2 in the other. (Write.)

• Four and one make five. Let's say it together: 'Five is four and one.'

  model Whole = 5. Part = 4 red. Part = 1 yellow. Number bond: 5 on top, 4 and 1 below.

  prompt Teacher shakes 5 counters and spills them; 4 red and 1 yellow appear.
• Two and three also make five. So 5 can be made TWO different ways — and we'll find more.

  model Whole = 5. Parts = 2 and 3.

  prompt Teacher shakes again; 2 red and 3 yellow appear.

• Show me with your fingers — what are two parts that make 5? (Listen for varied responses.)
• If I shake and 5 red counters come up with 0 yellow, is that still a way to make 5? (Yes — 5 and 0 is a valid decomposition.)

M-K-S-AT-01-A Illustration

Clean math-textbook illustration of a number bond: a large circle on top labeled '5' (red marker), two smaller circles below labeled '3' (yellow) and '2' (red), with lines connecting top to each bottom circle. Labels 'WHOLE' above and 'PART' / 'PART' below each. Style: thick black outlines, primary colors only, white background, no shadows. Caption: 'Five is three and two.'

• In pairs, take turns shaking-spilling 5 counters. Each time, fill in a new row on your number-bond mat.

  scaffold Teacher circulates; for children stuck on one decomposition, prompt 'Can you make 5 a different way? Try moving one counter to the other side.'
• Find all the ways to make 5: (0,5), (1,4), (2,3), (3,2), (4,1), (5,0). Record each on a class chart at the vertical whiteboard.

  scaffold Use linking cubes (1 red + 4 yellow, etc.) for children who need fixed positions.

• Write or draw two different ways to make 5 on this number-bond template.
• Say the sentence: 'Five is ___ and ___.'

• Math Detective close: 'Today we found that 5 has many hidden parts. Tomorrow we will look for hidden parts of bigger numbers.'
• Ask one student to share their favorite decomposition of 5.

• Home Shake-Spill-Tell: with a grown-up, find 5 small things at home (coins, beans, blocks). Shake in cupped hands, spill on the table, count each part. Find at least 2 different ways to make 5. Draw a number bond for one way and bring it tomorrow.