Positive snake (addition) Montessori

Montessori Positive Snake - Mastering Addition through Manipulation

The positive snake, also called the addition snake, is an essential Montessori math tool for introducing memorization of addition and preparing for mental arithmetic. Made of black and white bead bars, this material allows children to concretely visualize the decompositions and exchanges necessary to transform a long chain of colored beads into a black and white snake.

The Educational Benefits of the Positive Snake

• Memorizing addition: The child gradually learns the complements to 10 and the combinations of additions.
• Preparation for mental arithmetic: Concrete manipulation that prepares for mathematical abstraction
• Understanding exchanges: Visualizing the principle of equivalence (e.g., 7 + 3 = 10)
• Mathematical autonomy: Self-correcting materials allowing verification by counting
• Sustained concentration: An activity that requires attention and precision over time.
• Transition to abstraction: Gradual shift from the concrete (beads) to the symbolic (numbers)

Technical Specifications of the Positive Snake

• Composition: Staircase of black and white beads in bars from 1 to 10
• Acrylic beads: 8 mm diameter, 1.4 mm hole for easy handling
• Handcrafted assembly: Beads hand-mounted on strong galvanized wire
• Educational colors: Black and white to facilitate counting and exchanges
• Durability: Galvanized wire ensures a long lifespan despite repeated handling.
• Made in France: Entirely handmade by ZG-jouetsbois in France

How to Use the Positive Snake?

The child first constructs a long snake using colored bead bars (supplementary material). They then transform this colored snake into a black and white snake by making exchanges: each time they find a ten, they replace it with a bar of 10 black beads. The remaining units are represented by white bars. This hands-on activity firmly establishes the understanding of addition and complements to 10.

Recommended age: From 5-6 years old, after mastering colored bead clips.

Note: This product contains only the black and white bars of the positive snake. The colored bars are sold separately.