The Montessori Bead Frames are used to do addition, subtraction, and multiplication; but not division. The Small Bead Frame allows operations into the units of thousands, while The Large Bead Frame allows operations into the units of millions. Place value is reinforced through colored beads on wires. The Bead Frames are one of my Top Ten materials for home, school, and homeschool use.
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To purchase the Small Bead Frame click HERE.
To purchase the Large Bead Frame click HERE.
Preceding Materials
The Stamp Game immediately precedes the Bead Frames in the Montessori math sequence. The Golden Beads precedes both the Stamp Game and The Bead Frames with the Golden Beads being the most concrete and the Bead Frames being the most abstract. The Bead Frames lead the child toward complete abstraction of addition, multiplication, and subtraction. After this, children begin to do equations mentally with paper and pencil.
The Lessons
Introduction to the Small Bead Frame
Building and Reading Numbers
Addition
Multiplication
Subtraction
Introduction to the Large Bead Frame
Introduction to the Small Montessori Bead Frame
Always introduce a new concept by starting with the known and moving into the unknown. If your child or student has used the Stamp Game material, compare it to the Small Bead Frame.
Each of the four wires on the Small Montessori Bead Frame contains ten beads colored according to their place value: green units, blue tens, red hundreds, and green units of thousands.
The left side of the frame shows the hierarchy of the simple family (a white strip), and the thousand’s family (a grey strip).
Note that the stamp’s color and place value correlate to the beads’ color and place value on each of the four wires.
Note that there are ten beads on each wire. All ten beads can be exchanged for one bead of a higher place value category.
Building and Reading Numbers
Explore the Bead Frame by building and reading numbers before working on equations. Take turns building numbers for each other to read. Practice making exchanges from one place value to the next.
Addition with the Small Bead Frame
Addition lessons aim to teach children to combine two numbers (addends) to get a larger sum. To introduce the vocabulary “addend” and “sum.” To introduce the addition symbol “+”. It is suitable for ages 5-9.
The child builds a number into the thousand just as in the building and reading numbers lesson. He then combines the second addend with beads in each place value category exchanging when necessary.
The child writes the equation on a special paper with vertical lines.
Separate lessons are given for equations with regrouping, without regrouping, and zeros in the addends.
Multiplication with the Small Bead Frame
Multiplication lessons aim to teach the process of multiplication as repeated addition of the same number a set number of times. To introduce the vocabulary “multiplicand”, “multiplier”, and “product”. To introduce the multiplication symbol “x”. They are suitable for ages 5-9.
The child begins in the unit’s place and builds the given number the appropriate number of times exchanging when necessary. He does the same in the other place value categories. He records the product on paper.
Separate lessons are given for equations without regrouping, with regrouping, and zero in the multiplicand.
Subtraction with the Small Bead Frame
Subtraction lessons aim to teach the child to subtract an amount from a given number to determine what is left, to introduce the vocabulary “minuend”, “subtrahend”, and “difference”, and to introduce the subtraction symbol “-“. It is suitable for ages 5-9.
The child builds the minuend (the top number) in the equation. Next, he subtracts from each place value category exchanging as necessary. He records the difference on paper.
Separate lessons are given for regrouping and zeroes in the equation.
Check with Addition
Once a child is doing subtraction on the Bead Frame, he can check his equations using addition. He has already done lots of dynamic (exchanging/regrouping) addition equations with the Bead Frame and is most likely doing addition abstractly, without materials. A great way to have a child continue practicing addition is to check his subtraction equations using addition. This also reinforces the relationship between addition and subtraction.
Introduction to the Large Montessori Bead Frame
The Large Montessori Bead Frame is an extension of the Small Bead Frame. The child will already be familiar with the material and how to use it to work equations. The difference is in the continuation of the thousand’s family to include two more wires with ten blue and red beads each to represent the tens of thousands and the hundreds of thousands.
The grey strip along the side of the frame shows this inclusion of the thousand’s family.
Additionally, there is a seventh added wire at the bottom of the frame with ten green beads to represent the units of millions. An added black strip along the left side of the frame shows the million’s family with a black strip.
The Large Bead Frame allows children to do addition, subtraction, and multi-digit multiplication equations into the millions place value category.
To purchase the Small Bead Frame click HERE.
To purchase the Large Bead Frame click HERE.