Christmas Teen Number Puzzles
Tackle those tricky teens with a festive batch of holiday teen number puzzles!
Snag your set below and then hop over to grab our Place Value Cover Up in our shop!
Getting the Number Puzzles Ready
To prep this activity, I printed the cards on cardstock and laminated them for extra durability.
Then I cut along the lines to separate the teen number puzzle pieces.
I was using the activity as a way to review teen numbers, so I chose only a few number puzzles. I placed the rest in a ziplock bag for easy storage.
(As students build confidence, I can add more numbers or swap out the puzzles to continue challenging them.)
Teen Number Puzzles
To start, I introduced the activity during our small group rotation time so I could easily check for student understanding.
We’ve been working with teen numbers, but I wanted to work with the students who still needed some review and consolidation with the concept.
Before they started, I reminded children about “trusting the count.” This strategy says we don’t have to count the base ten each time we get one of those pieces.
We practiced the counting on from ten strategy. Then I showed them the Santa and reindeer pieces and asked if they could use ‘trust the count’ with these pieces as well.
It was a great way for them to practice this strategy and grow confidence!
Together, we looked at what the finished teen number puzzle would look like. By doing this, we knew that we were looking for four pieces: the number, the word, the number of objects and the base ten and ones.
The children loved working through the puzzles as a group so much that they begged to try more numbers!
One student even noticed that the even numbers were Santa and the odd numbers were Rudolph.
This teen number puzzle activity was a great addition to math rotations and morning tub activities. All through the holiday season, this will be great practice for my students!
Grab Your Download
Click the blue download button below to grab your counting freebie.
Then, snag our Place Value Cover Up activity that your kiddos are sure to enjoy!
I can’t find where to download the teen Christmas Puzzles. I would love to have this resource.
Hi Jennifer!
You’ll be able to download the puzzles by using the teal “Download Here!” button at the bottom of the page.
Warmly,
Sarah // Playdough to Plato Team
“Download Here” link may need troubleshooting.
Hi Nicole,
When you click the teal “Download Here” button, a pop-up should open. You can try checking to make sure your browser isn’t blocking pop-ups from the site or try using a different browser. It’s also possible that if you’re trying to download at school, your district’s web filter is blocking it. Please let me know if you’re not able to get the puzzles!
Warmly,
Sarah // The STEM Laboratory Team