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The Brown Bag Teacher

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Transforming a 120s Chart into a Number Line

Happy August, friends! I hope this post finds you well and you feel like a teaching champion. We just ended our first full week of 1st grade, and I’m a *tad* tired. Thank goodness for Saturdays. 🙂 Today I am joining with dozens of amazing teacher-bloggers to bring you simple and promotion-free ideas for your classroom.

I’m sharing about an easy way to create a simple, cost-free 120s-lightbulb moment! We’ve been working hard to earn our “Writing to 120” gold medal this week, and knowing our 120s will become a foundation skill as we learn throughout the year. My friends are rocking the 120s charts and my teammate shared an awesome way to forge a connection between the 120s number grid and a number line (a-soon-to-be-introduced learning tool).
Place value becomes the foundation for base ten thinking that students return to across grade levels, using 10 as a benchmark to break numbers apart and combine units as numbers become more complex.
Earlier in the week, students highlighted patterns in their 120s chart. (Note – This is the first time we used highlighters. SO cool.) We used these highlighted number grids to create our number lines. First, have students cut around the top and bottom edge of the chart, and then, 1 side. On the fourth side, you want to leave a little tab. This will allow students to glue the number strips together without overlapping the numbers. We walked through every.single.step. as a class. Still, there were number-grid casualties…so keep tape or extra grids on hand!
Next up – Teacher: *Mirror, Words* Cut across. (students repeat) Side to side. (students repeat)  1 to 10.  (students repeat) 11 to 20.  (students repeat)  Across, across, across.  (students repeat)
Then, students received a glue stick and began connecting the tabs. (Again, the first time we used glue sticks. SO COOL.) Remind students that the numbers should be in order – “Just like we count.”

At this point, stand by and watch their eyes grow. It is so, so cute and kind of magical. Soon students are moving to the floor and stretching across multiple tables. Expect it to get fairly loud as students realize how large the number line is, “It’s getting SO big!” “When is it going to stop?” “It’s taller than I am!?!”

As students are laying their number grids/lines on the floor, the lightbulb moment happens – “It’s just like the number line on our wall!”

After creating our own number lines, enjoying their length, measuring ourselves, trying to jump rope, attempting to make a pinwheel, lassoing, and all other first-grade antics, we met on the carpet to talk about our learning. We asked and talked about questions like – “So, what is a number line?” “How is it possible that a small number grid can be so long?” “How can this help you when we’re working in math?” It was so interesting to hear my beginning mathematics make so many connections and begin to ‘see’ our number continuum.

Well, that’s it, friends! A super simple, cost-free way to make the 120s grid a little more real for our small friends. It’s a fun, hands-on lesson that leads itself. Plus, it’s ridiculously exciting for our sweet firsties, and really brings ‘home’ the reason why we are learning all about the 120s grid!

If you enjoyed this idea, I’d love for you to connect with me on Teachers Pay Teachers, Facebook, Instagram where I share loads of pictures each week! Now, to read about dozens of other ready-to-use classroom ideas, check the link-up below! Happy reading, friends. 🙂

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  4. Michelle D. Green says

    Transforming a 120s chart into a number line is a great way to visualize numerical relationships. It helps students grasp concepts like sequencing and intervals more effectively. For those seeking advanced academic support, such as MBA Thesis Help Germany, understanding such foundational methods can enhance analytical skills crucial for higher studies.

  6. Unknown says

    Do you work with the number chart to 120 before you start having them write to 120? Is there a number line up that they look at or are they doing this on their own?

  7. Sally says

    I love this idea! My kiddos will be doing this soon! I love your ideas on what to do after the number line is put together. I'm thinking I might use different color highlighters for tens, fives, and 2s for skip counting.

    Sally from Elementary Matters