Grade: 1st Grade

Subject Area:  Math

Goals of the Lesson: 

Students will begin to improve their computational fluency with combinations of ten.  They will develop strategies for combining numbers as they solve problems and play games.  They will be able to apply their knowledge of these basic facts to word problems and more complicated computational problems. They will begin to use the commutative property and realize that in an addition problem the order of the numbers does not matter.

Content Objectives:

- The students will be able to solve computation problems and basic word problems using pictures, manipulatives, and/or known facts.  

- The students will be able to explain their thinking and the strategies they are using.

Language Objectives:

- The students will be able to solve combinations of ten and discuss their answers and strategies with their peers.

- The students will be able to write equations to record their results and thinking.

Long-term Language Objective:

- The students will be able to solve related story problems and more complicated computation problems using their combinations of ten.

Background: 

We have recently started a unit focusing on number sense and operations.  We have reviewed various strategies for adding numbers together. Now we would like the students to have more ownership of the combinations of 10 and eventually have a working knowledge of combinations up to 20.  We would like the students to build upon the solid conceptual understanding of these combinations and be able to apply these skills when doing more challenging word problems and computations.

* I will raise the question:  Why is it important to learn the combinations of 10?    

Materials:

- dot cards

- connecting cubes

- crayons

- “Three Towers” recording sheet

- Challenge “Three Towers” recording sheet

- dice (number and dot)

- pencils

Vocabulary (We will add these to the math wall.):

- plus

- equals

- equation

- combinations of 10

- word problem/ story problem

Lesson Content:

The class will start out by working together on a dot card activity.  The students will be shown a card that is divided into two sections. One section will be filled with dots. Through observation and questioning, the students will identify what the other section should be in order for the total to equal ten.  I will review the first four vocabulary words (plus, equals, equation, combinations of ten) before the students participate in this interactive activity. Then I will model how to play “Three Towers.” In this game, players work together to build three towers of ten connecting cubes.  Players each choose one color of cubes. They take turns rolling a dot cube or a number cube (depending on ability levels and needs). Then they form towers by snapping together connecting cubes in their chosen colors for the total number rolled. Players continue taking turns until they have three complete towers of ten, and then work together to record their work.  The students will write equations to illustrate the combinations of ten, and they will write equations to show the total number of cubes for each color (for higher level students). Students will be partnered up according to academic, language, and behavioral needs. I will circulate around as the students play the game. I will clarify the directions as needed and ask the students questions about the numbers rolled and the totals.  (How do you know the total? What strategy did you use to write the equation? Why is it important to know your combinations of ten? Etc.) This will serve as an informal assessment. Some students will finish the game and move on to a challenge activity. They will play “Three Towers- Up To 15” or “Three Towers- Up to 20.” This will allow students, who are ready, to start gaining ownership of addition facts up to 15 and 20. The students will come back together and we will have a quick discussion.  (How could knowing the combinations of ten help you?) This will lead into an example of two similar word problems that include combinations of ten and the commutative property. (I will review what a word problem is.) Students will hopefully realize that you can switch the numbers around in an addition problem and the answer will remain the same. If there is time, we will start to look at how we can use the combinations of ten to help us solve more complicated problems like 9+8=. This activity will be one of the stations taking place in the classroom.

Lesson Structure:

How will you use the time?

1. We will start the class by doing a dot card activity and introduction of vocabulary.

2. Class Model:  I will model how to play the game “Three Towers” and how to record their results and thinking in mathematical terms.

3. Class Activity:  The students will play “Three Towers” in partnerships.  I will circulate around the room monitoring, assessing, and questioning kids.

4. Discussion: We will have a quick discussion about the strategies people used and the importance of knowing the combinations of ten.  How could knowing the combinations of ten help you?

5. Application and future applications: I will present two similar word problems that deal with combinations of ten and an illustration of the commutative property.  

6. Wrap-up: Share their observations and thought process about what they notice about the two word problems and how they relate to each other.  I will make sure that the idea of the commutative property comes through during the discussion (changing the order of the addends results in the same answer).

7. Extension/ Future Applications: If there is a time, we will try a couple problems that include more complicated computations that would allow the students to use their combinations of ten to figure them out.  This will be a long-term objective that we will continue to work on for the next few weeks.

* Formative Assessment (“Exit Card”)

Scaffolding/ Differentiation:

The class is divided into three groups for station teaching.  They are heterogeneously divided by behavior, language, and learning needs.  This allows me to help and challenge students in each group. The students will be systematically paired up within their subgroups.  The students will be using manipulatives to aid them during the game and during the word problems (if needed). Different dice will be available to differentiate the difficulty of the task.  The model chart will be posted as a reminder. There will be challenge boards available for students who demonstrate a solid understanding of their combinations of ten. The questions that will be asked during the partner work and group discussions will be at varying levels.  Visuals, manipulatives, and demonstrations will be available for the visual and kinesthetic learners. Certain students will have adult assistance to aid them throughout the lesson. The “Get Ready, Do, Done” chart will be up as a reminder for students so they know the next steps.  After performing formative assessments (exit card during morning work) over the next few days, some of the students will receive additional support and practice during extended day and small group work during community notebook.

*All of these scaffolds will make the content and language accessible to all of the students and it promotes interactions between the students and the teacher throughout the entire lesson (the small group work, the motivational activity with the dot cards- every person can participate in some aspect of it, the partner work, the variations with the dice and the game boards, the charts that support the students during the activities).

Integration of 4 Skills:

- Listening- dot activity, mini-lesson of “Three Towers,” partner work playing the game, discussion, word problems in a circle

- Speaking- dot activity, mini-lesson of “Three Towers,” partner work playing the game, discussion, word problems in a circle

- Reading- word problems in a circle

- Writing- partner work playing the game- recording the equations

Assessment:

How will you know what the students understood?

The students will be assessed in a variety of ways.  The students will be monitored for their understanding during the work period.  I will be checking in with all of my students at my center to ensure that they understand how to find combinations of ten and how to record their results and thought process. I will be able to perform informal assessments by asking them questions and listening to their conversations and mathematical explanations.  (How are students finding the total rolled? Are the students successfully using a counting on strategy? How do students determine when a tower is complete? Do they keep recounting from one? Do they count on from the last total? How do students figure out and record the total number of each color in each tower?  How accurately are they using addition notation? I will also be looking at their classwork, formative assessments (exit card completed for morning work on Monday), and formal summative assessments they will be doing over the next couple of days and weeks.

Since math continues to build upon previous skills and concepts, I will be able to see the depth of their understanding as we begin to work on more difficult concepts involving larger numbers with combinations up to 15 and 20 and word problems.  The students will be asked to figure out more complex, open-ended word problems (crayon problems) next week. The students will also complete formal benchmark and end of the unit assessments.

Reflection:

It is vital that when I am planning lessons for my students, I take into account every individual’s needs.  I need to make sure that every child has an entry point and has the ability to access the language and information to develop the skills and concepts being addressed in the lesson.  Students need to be engaged in the activities in order to take ownership of the concepts. Visuals, kinesthetic activities, songs, partner work, charts, etc. help foster active engagement.  It is also important to realize that constant assessments need to be taking place in order to alter and drive the instruction for future lessons.