• Groups of 2
• Give students access to connecting cubes and base-ten blocks.

• “Find the value of each difference and share your method and solution with your partner.”
• 7 minutes: independent work time

MLR8 Discussion Supports

• “After your partner shares their method, repeat back what they told you.”
• Display these sentence frames:
  • “I heard you say . . . .”
  • “Our methods are alike because . . . .”
  • “Our methods are different because . . . .”
• 5 minutes: partner discussion
• Monitor for students who use base-ten blocks to show decomposing a ten.

• Groups of 4
• Give each group a set of cards and access to base-ten blocks.

• “Now you are going to play a card game using base-ten blocks.”
• “First, each member of your group will choose a different player card, Diego, Lin, Jada, or Han.”
• “Write down the name you picked. Mix up the other cards and put them face down.”
• “Now you each have a player and your starting number.”
• “Use the blocks to represent your starting numbers.”
• 2 minutes: group work
• Guide students through the rest of the steps:
  • “Take turns picking a card and read the card to the group.”
  • “Listen for your player’s name and follow the directions on the card.”
  • “Share your thinking while your group members listen. Write an equation to show the new number.”
  • “Before picking a new card, make sure your group works together to agree on the new number.”
  • “You will keep playing until all of the cards have been read. Your player‘s number should change two times.”
• 15 minutes: group work time
• Monitor for students who:
  • Discuss decomposing a ten using precise language.
  • Work together to give feedback and resolve any disagreements.
  • Compose tens when adding the ending numbers.