More or Less Lesson Plan Grade 2 Math • Unit 2: Place Value & Fluency 45-Minute Lesson Plan
Determining More & Less with Tens and Ones
Standard: CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.2.NBT.B.8 • Focus: 1 More/Less & 10 More/Less within 200
Lesson Objective
Scholars will mentally determine 1 more, 1 less, 10 more, and 10 less for any number within 200 by recognizing place-value patterns, connecting concrete base-ten blocks to arrow notation, and explaining why only the tens or ones digit changes.
Concrete Manipulatives & Tools
Base-Ten blocks (hundred flats, ten rods, unit cubes)
Place value mats & personal dry-erase whiteboards
Number line strips (0–120 / 100–200)
Student Practice Packets & Exit Tickets
Lesson Architecture (45 Minutes Total)
Concrete-Representational-Abstract (CRA) Framework
1. Launch & Place Value Do Now (8 min) 5 min Work + 3 min Debrief
Students complete the 3-question Do Now finding digit value and filling 4-place charts (Thousands, Hundreds, Tens, Ones).
Teacher Key Check: "In 2,421, the 4 is in the hundreds place with a value of 400. In 8,300, the 8 is worth 8,000. Today, we focus on what happens when we change the tens or ones place!"
2. Concrete Modeling: Base-Ten Block Shifts (12 min) Manipulatives to Visual
Step 1 (Build the Anchor): Have scholars place 4 tens and 5 ones (45) on their place value mat. Ask: "How many tens? How many ones?"
Step 2 (Ten More / Ten Less): "Add 1 ten-rod. What is our new number?" (55). "Which digit changed? Why didn't the ones change?" Guide scholars: "Adding 10 adds 1 ten to the tens place; the ones stay unchanged." Now remove 1 rod to model 10 less (35).
Step 3 (One More / One Less): Return to 45. "Add 1 unit cube. What is our new number?" (46). "Which digit changed?" Guide scholars: "Adding 1 changes only the ones place; the tens stay unchanged."
3. Guided Practice: Arrow Notation & Number Lines (10 min) Whiteboard Practice
Introduce arrow notation: the arrow shows the operation and amount of change without needing an equal sign.
Model A (10 More / 10 Less):
64 → +10 → 74 → -10 → 64
Highlight that only the tens digit (6 → 7 → 6) changed.
Model B (Multi-Step Combo):
38 → +10 → 48 → +1 → 49
Tens digit changes first, then the ones digit increments.
Unit 2 • Day 11: More or Less with Tens & Ones Page 1 of 2
Instructional Facilitation & Responsive Teaching Grades 2 • 45-Min Pacing
Academic Monitoring & Mathematical Discourse
Aggressive Monitoring Pathways (During Independent Work - 10 Min)
Common Misconception Diagnostic Questioning Immediate Corrective Feedback Changes the wrong place value (e.g., writes 10 more than 53 as 54 instead of 63). "Read the problem: does it ask for 10 more or 1 more? Build 53 with blocks. Add one ten rod. What changed?" Have scholar underline the tens digit in green and ones digit in blue. "When we say 10 more , only the green tens digit leaps up by 1!" Struggles with decade or century boundaries (e.g., 1 more than 99 or 10 more than 92). "How many tens are in 90? What is 9 tens plus 1 ten? What is 10 tens called?" Use bundled rods: 9 tens rods + 1 rod = 10 tens rods = 1 hundred flat (100). For 92 + 10 = 102. Confuses direction of 'more' (+) and 'less' (-). "Does 'less' make the number bigger or smaller? Are you taking away or adding?" Direct to the classroom number line: "Hop backwards to the left for less; hop forward to the right for more!"
Anchor Chart & Discourse Synthesis (5 Min)
Gather scholars at the rug or track the board. Ask: "When we add or subtract 10, why does the ones digit stay the exact same?" Turn and Talk (60 seconds).
Key Understanding 1: Ten More & Less
"Ten is made of 1 ten and 0 ones . When we add or subtract 10, we are adding 0 ones, so the ones digit stays the same. Only the tens digit changes by 1!"
Key Understanding 2: One More & Less
"One is made of 0 tens and 1 one. When we add or subtract 1, we are adding 0 tens, so the tens digit stays the same. Only the ones digit changes by 1!"
Exit Ticket Administration (5 Min) 100% Independent Mastery Check
Distribute the More or Less Exit Ticket. Students complete all 4 questions silently: (1) Identify 10 more using base-ten visuals; (2) Identify 10 less using arrow notation; (3) Multi-hop arrow chain; (4) Solve a 1 more / 10 more place value riddle.
Mastery Goal: 85%+ scoring 3/4 or 4/4 Intervention: Re-teach with tens-sticks small group
Handwriting Standard Alignment: The accompanying student materials feature standard primary triple-line handwriting bars (solid headline, dashed midline, solid baseline) for student name and date headers to reinforce proper manuscript letter formation.
Uncommon Schools Adapted Curriculum • Unit 2 Day 11 Page 2 of 2
More or Less Student Practice 2nd Grade Math • Unit 2, Day 11 More or Less with Tens & Ones
Name:
Date:
Do Now: Place Value Foundations
Independent • 5 Min
Find the place value or the digit in each question. Fill in the place value chart to help find your answer!
1) What digit is in the hundreds place in the number 2,421 ?
<table class="w-full text-center text-[10px] border border-slate-300"><tbody><tr class="bg-slate-100 text-slate-700 font-semibold"><td class="border border-slate-300 py-0.5 w-1/4">Thousands</td><td class="border border-slate-300 py-0.5 w-1/4 bg-amber-100/70 text-amber-900 font-bold">Hundreds</td><td class="border border-slate-300 py-0.5 w-1/4">Tens</td><td class="border border-slate-300 py-0.5 w-1/4">Ones</td></tr><tr class="h-6"><td class="border border-slate-300"></td><td class="border border-slate-300"></td><td class="border border-slate-300"></td><td class="border border-slate-300"></td></tr></tbody></table>
2) What is the value of the 1 in the number 2,421 ?
<table class="w-full text-center text-[10px] border border-slate-300"><tbody><tr class="bg-slate-100 text-slate-700 font-semibold"><td class="border border-slate-300 py-0.5 w-1/4">Thousands</td><td class="border border-slate-300 py-0.5 w-1/4">Hundreds</td><td class="border border-slate-300 py-0.5 w-1/4">Tens</td><td class="border border-slate-300 py-0.5 w-1/4 bg-amber-100/70 text-amber-900 font-bold">Ones</td></tr><tr class="h-6"><td class="border border-slate-300"></td><td class="border border-slate-300"></td><td class="border border-slate-300"></td><td class="border border-slate-300"></td></tr></tbody></table>
3) What is the value of the 8 in the number 8,300 ?
<table class="w-full text-center text-[10px] border border-slate-300"><tbody><tr class="bg-slate-100 text-slate-700 font-semibold"><td class="border border-slate-300 py-0.5 w-1/4 bg-amber-100/70 text-amber-900 font-bold">Thousands</td><td class="border border-slate-300 py-0.5 w-1/4">Hundreds</td><td class="border border-slate-300 py-0.5 w-1/4">Tens</td><td class="border border-slate-300 py-0.5 w-1/4">Ones</td></tr><tr class="h-6"><td class="border border-slate-300"></td><td class="border border-slate-300"></td><td class="border border-slate-300"></td><td class="border border-slate-300"></td></tr></tbody></table>
Part 1: Place-Value Visuals (Base-Ten Models)
Look at the Digit That Changes!
Place-Value Rule: Adding or subtracting 10 changes only the tens digit . Adding or subtracting
More or Less Exit Ticket Grade 2 Mathematics • Unit 2 Day 11 Quick Check (5 Minutes)
Name:
Date:
Exit Ticket: More or Less with Tens & Ones
Show what you know about 1 more, 1 less, 10 more, and 10 less with 2-digit numbers!
Score: _____ / 4
1. Use the place-value blocks to find 10 more than 43 .
Tens (4 tens + 1 more ten)
3 Ones
10 more than 43 =
2. Use the place-value blocks to find 10 less than 75 .
Tens (7 tens take away 1 ten)
×
5 Ones
10 less than 75 =
3. Complete the arrow way pathways:
58
+10 →
+1 →
84
-10 →
-1 →
4. Place Value Thinking:
a. What number is 10 more than 68 ?
b. What number is 1 less than 80 ?
c. In the number 67 , which place changes when finding 10 less ? (Tens or Ones?)
How do you feel about more and less today?
😊 I got it! 😐 Need practice 🤔 Need help
Uncommon Schools Adapted Curriculum • Unit 2 Day 11 Exit Ticket Standard: 2.NBT.B.8
More or Less Answer Key Teacher Reference & Grading Guide Answer Key
More or Less with Tens & Ones: Solutions
Alignment: CCSS 2.NBT.B.8 • Includes Do Now, Student Practice & Scoring Criteria
Do Now Answer Key (Place Value Foundations)
3 Total Points
Hundreds digit in 2,421?
Digit: 4
Chart: [2 | 4 | 2 | 1]
Watch out: Scholars writing 400 instead of digit 4.
Value of 1 in 2,421?
Value: 1 (or 1 one)
Chart: [2 | 4 | 2 | 1 ]
The 1 is located in the ones column.
Value of 8 in 8,300?
Value: 8,000 (8 thousands)
Chart: [8 | 3 | 0 | 0]
Watch out: Scholars writing 8 instead of 8,000.
Student Practice Page 1: Base-Ten Visuals
Problem 4: 10 more than 34
Answer: 44
Teacher Note: Scholar sees 3 tens rods + 1 added rod = 4 tens rods. The 4 unit cubes remain untouched.
Problem 5: 10 less than 52
Answer: 42
Teacher Note: 5 tens rods minus 1 rod crossed out = 4 tens rods. The 2 unit cubes remain untouched.
Student Practice Page 2: Arrow Way & Number Lines
Number Line Hop: Start at 48 → hop +10 → 58 → hop +1 → 59 Final: 59
Arrow a: 39 → (+1) → 40 → (+10) → 50
Arrow b: 72 → (-10) → 62 → (-1) → 61
Arrow c: 145 → (+10) → 155 → (+10) → 165
Arrow d: 99 → (+1) → 100 → (+10) → 110
Unit 2 • Day 11 Teacher Answer Key Page 1 of 2
Student Practice Solutions (Cont.) & Exit Ticket Master Page 2 Key
Patterns, Riddles & Exit Ticket Key
Pattern Detectives & Sequence Solutions
Pattern a: 53, 63, 73, 83, 93 Rule: 10 more
Pattern b: 67, 68, 69, 70, 71 Rule: 1 more
• 37, 38, 39, 40 , 41 , 42
• 9, 19, 29 , 39 , 49 , 59
• 30, 40, 50, 60, 70 , 80,
