Ideas and Activities
Hundred boards can be used to aid with early counting, skip counting, factors for multiplication, exploring number patterns, adding and subtracting tens and ones, and more.
You can remove numbers from a hundred board pocket chart (or cover numbers on an overhead/interactive whiteboard version); students fill in missing numbers by figuring out what number is before or after. This helps to develop number sense.
For younger children, you may start with 1-10 and work up to higher numbers. Gradually remove more numbers as students are ready for a challenge. Remove several numbers in a column to explore adding/counting by tens on the hundred board. Spend time discussing number patterns with students.
The hundred board is often used with skip counting and multiplication. Choose a number pattern and choral count with students. Then have students color the pattern you counted. Be sure to discuss the pattern with students, eliciting their responses about the number patterns and the spatial designs they make on the board.
Math Center Ideas
Mystery Number
After playing this game whole group (there is more info under Classroom Activities), students can pair up and play this game.
One student chooses a mystery number and the other student asks clues to figure out the mystery number. The student asking questions will need a laminated hundred board to mark off eliminated numbers.
Sequencing Numbers
Have students fill in the missing numbers on hundred boards. Check out the hundred number board from the list below. You can tell a great deal about a child's number development by observing them fill in the missing numbers.
Do they have to count from one or can they count on from any number? Can they count by tens? Do they use different counting patterns?
One side of the board is blank and one side of the board has numbers printed. This is a great way to differentiate for students.?
When you put several students in this center, they work together filling in the numbers1-100 like a puzzle.
You could have students follow-up by answering questions like, "What number comes between 24 and 26? What number comes after 50?"
Race to 100
Materials: two laminated hundred boards, wipe off markers, and a dice
Students take turns rolling the dice and moving forward that many spaces on their hundred board. The first student to reach 100 wins!
Hundred Board Puzzles
Students can create their own hundred board puzzles by cutting up a hundred board. They can race with other students to put the pieces together.
Number Scrolls
After students have concretely filled in missing numbers, students can fill in blank or partially-filled hundred boards. For students who are ready to explore numbers beyond 100, they can continue filling out hundreds boards for 101-200, ..... These are typically called number scrolls because you can scroll the long hundreds board you have created. In my classroom, we use empty Pringles cans to store these number scrolls.
Classroom Activities with the Hundred Board
Whole group game: Mystery Number on the Hundred Board
The teacher (and later students) pick a mystery number on the hundred board. The class asks questions, "Is your number an even number? Is the mystery number a multiple of five (or "Do I say the number if I count by fives?) Does the number have a 0 in the ones place?" The questions continue until someone can name the mystery number.
After this game has been played whole group several times, it can be put in a math center. You will want to provide hundred boards and list of example questions. Students love this game and it really gets them thinking about numbers and properties of numbers.
Many teachers love to give hundred board designs. It's a great activity for the beginning of school when you are just getting to know what your students can do. They call out clues such as "Cover the number that has 2 tens and 6 ones. Cover the number that is one more than 30." Students cover the numbers of their hundred board with transparent counters.
*It is important that you use transparent counters because you want students to still be able to see the number to solve other clues. There are clues for hundred board designs listed under Related links. There is an interactive version of this activity also.
Check out the customizable interactive hundred board! You can enter the range of numbers for your student. There are different picture puzzles that students can create by solving addition and subtraction problems. There is another link that will create hundred board puzzles for the range of numbers you specify.
