Base Ten Canvas

Base Ten Canvas is an infinite canvas for demonstrating grouping, splitting, and counting with base ten shapes. Use the select tool to reveal totals, combine or split shapes, and move or delete multiple blocks at once.

How do I access Base Ten Canvas?

You can access Base Ten Canvas in three ways:

• Through Teach Mode - open Base Ten Canvas directly from the bottom bar of Teach Mode.

• From the Apps library - browse or search for Base Ten Canvas in the Apps library.

How do I use Base Ten Canvas?

Tap the unit buttons along the bottom of the screen to place blocks - choose from ones, tens, hundreds, or thousands. Once placed, blocks can be dragged anywhere on the canvas.

Selecting shapes

Tap Select to select one or more blocks. Once selected, a toolbar appears above the shapes with the following options:

• Eye icon - reveals the total value of the selected shapes.

• ? icon - hides the value again (shown as a question mark), useful for asking students to predict a total before revealing it.

• Combine shapes - combines selected shapes into the next place value block. For example, 10 ones combine into a ten, or 10 hundreds combine into a thousand.

• Split shapes - breaks a shape down into the smaller unit below it. For example, a hundred splits into tens, or a ten splits into ones.

• Delete - removes the selected shapes from the canvas.

Combining and splitting

Select the shapes you want to group, then tap Combine shapes to merge them into a larger block. To break a block back down, select it and tap Split shapes.

Random blocks

Tap the dice icon to insert a random set of blocks onto the canvas. You can set the minimum and maximum number of blocks before inserting.

Drawing on the canvas

Tap Draw to switch to the drawing tool. You can annotate directly on the canvas — useful for labelling, circling groups, or showing working. Tap the colour circles to change your pen colour.

Erasing

Tap Erase to remove drawings or blocks from the canvas.

Zooming and other controls

Use the zoom controls at the top right to zoom in and out. You also have access to Undo, Redo, and Reset to manage your canvas at any point.

Tips

• Tap the star icon to add Base Ten Canvas to your favourite apps.

• Tap the timetable icon to connect Base Ten Canvas to your timetable. (Read more about timetable connections here)