Building Number Sense with Decomposing Turkey

Hi, friends! I’m here today to quickly share an interactive, easy, and thematic way to help build number sense! Right now, we are working on decomposing numbers, specifically the numbers five and ten. Here’s how we learned all about decomposing numbers… turkey style! My kiddos had so much fun with Decomposing Turkey!

Build number sense with these interactive and thematic Decomposing Turkey activities! Gather the correct number of red and yellow feathers and place them around the turkey craft. Don’t forget to sing the fun chant!

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On the first day, we sat in a circle around the rug. I laid my large Decomposing Turkey and feathers in the center of the circle, and chose a student to spill the cup of ten double sided counters. After spilling the cup, they placed the counters on the ten frame. Then, they gathered enough yellow and red feathers and placed them around the turkey.

While that student was building the number 10 with Decomposing Turkey, we modeled it on our ten frames and chanted:

Turkey, Turkey,
In the pen.
7 and 3,
Make the number 10.

They absolutely loved this chant! We were signing it for days!

On the second day, each student made their very own Decomposing Turkey! First, they spilled a cup of ten double sided counters. I had them represent this on their ten frames using a bingo dauber. We also extended our learning during center time with this Ten Turkeys activity.

Then, they got to work gathering the correct number of yellow and red feathers. After finishing our Decomposing Turkey craftivity, we sang our Turkey, Turkey chant to a friend.

I couldn’t help but display them in the hall! I just adore them, and the kiddos are so excited about all of the different ways we can make 10!

We also played a fun Ten Turkey Feathers game with a partner! Each kiddo began with 10 counters yellow side up on their ten frame. Then, they took turns shaking the die. If they rolled +1, they flipped one chip over to red. If they rolled -1, they flipped one chip back to yellow. After each turn, they completed this statement: ___ and ___ make the number 10. The first student to get all 10 counters flipped to red won! They could have played this game all day!

Some of my teammates completed the same activities using the number 5. The number 5 chant was a little different:

Turkey, Turkey,
Do the jive.
3 and 2,
Make the number 5.

Decomposing Turkey was such a hit! I have no doubt that he’ll be making another appearance before Thanksgiving! And in case you all were wondering, you can find him in my TpT store!