Grade
K

Math in Our World: Taekwondo Belts

A belt rack from Taekwando class. The rack has space for 10 colors of belts. Starting at the bottom, Hayden has earned a white belt, a yellow belt, and a camouflage belt.

Do you know what Taekwondo is? It’s a sport that teaches respect and focus.

Hayden has been learning Taekwondo for a year. Every few months he takes a test to earn a new color belt. Taekwondo students earn belts as they work hard and learn more skills.

This is a picture of the belts Hayden has earned so far. One day, with a lot of hard work, he hopes to earn the highest level belt, the black belt. Then this belt rack will be full!

  1. What do you notice? What do you wonder?
  2. Use pictures, numbers, or math words to show or tell what you see.
  3. What math questions can you ask about the picture? Answer all the questions you can!
  • Use a ten-frame or the MLC Number Frames app to show how many belts Hayden has earned and how many he has left to earn.
a blank 10-frame
  • Look at the picture. How many belts are on Hayden’s rack so far? How many more spots are there for belts?
  • Show your work to someone else, and explain your thinking. Did they understand?
  • Ask whether they have any other questions you can answer!

Make up your own math problem that uses a combination of 10. Draw a picture and share it with us!


Printable Version

Google doc for printing and copying

Seesaw Version

Activity for the Seesaw platform

Reference for Educators

Sample problems and solutions