Large Bead Frame, Alison’s Montessori

• Mathematics, 6+

• The Large Bead Frame is introduced in the early elementary years, around age 6. The use of the Large Bead Frame requires ample practice with the Stamp Game. The Large Bead Frame, despite its size, allows children to work with large numbers.

• The left side of the frame contains 3 different colors white, grey, and black. The white part represents the simple hierarchy, the grey part represents the thousand hierarchy, and the black part represent the million hierarchy.
• Each hierarchy hosts 3 categories: green for units, blue for tens, and red for hundreds.

• The children are familiar with this color-coding pattern, which is used throughout the Montessori math materials to represent place values. For example, a green bead located in the white hierarchy is worth 1, while placed in the grey hierarchy is worth 1,000.
• There are many exchanges involved in this work. A child must have mastered exchanging 10 beads from a category for 1 bead from the next category. That is why this small material allows for work with large numbers.

• The Large Bead Frame Complete Set from Alison’s Montessori is particularly useful because it comes with a series of Activity Cards.
• The cards are organized in this manner:
• –Set A: Practicing large additions (+) with or without exchanging
• –Set B: Practicing large subtractions (-) with or without exchanging
• –Set C: Practicing large multiplications (x) with or without exchanging

Materials

• a Large Bead Frame
• a wooden box
• activity cards

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How it works

• Previously, children would have practiced on the Small Bead Frame and paper to learn the value of the beads in each category and hierarchy.
• Children will first practice with static addition, which means they won’t have to exchange 10 beads for 1 bead from the next category. Both addends will equal to 9 or less. Children will add the units first, then tens, then hundreds…
• Other sets of cards provide different incremental challenges with additions, subtractions, and multiplications.
• The visual control for errors on the back allows autonomous work, and can help boost self-confidence in math!

• In conclusion, children can be provided with equations to solve as they go. However, following an intentionally design material such as the activity cards will ensure that the children have exposure to a variety of situations. It also contributes to eliminate anxiety associated with math by boosting their self-confidence, and by working independently and seeing progress.

This post has been made possible thanks to Alison’s Montessori for providing this selected material, at no cost, with no obligation. I write unbiased review on materials that I have been effective for us, and that I believe would make a difference in a child’s learning experience!

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