McNeese State University

Department of Education Professions

Lesson Plan Template
Name Jessica Koonce Email msu-jarnold@student.mcneese.edu Phone 337-304-0760
Primary Subject Area Math Grade Level First Grade
Title of Lesson Addition and Subtraction Approximate duration 45 minutes

Overview of Lesson
The objective of this lesson is for students to represent addition and subtraction with objects and actions in order to understand the concepts of
adding to and taking from. The key vocabulary words in this lesson are addition, subtraction, together, and apart.
Essential Question(s)
What is the difference between addition and subtraction?
Prior Knowledge Expected of Students
Counting sets of objects consistently with accuracy. (within 5)
Common Core Learning Standards
This lesson plan satisfies the following Common Core standard in the Operations and Algebraic thinking category and understanding addition as
putting together, adding to, and understand subtraction as taking apart and taking from sub-category.

This lesson meets standard K.OA.1: Represent addition and subtraction with objects, fingers, mental images, drawings, sounds, acting out situations,
verbal explanations, expressions, or equations.
Educational Technology Standards

Additional Standards

Interdisciplinary Connections
Math and Reading
Student Outcomes

Lesson Procedures
Pre-Planned Seed
Time Step-by-Step Lesson Procedures with Embedded Coding
Questions
1. Write 1 + 1 on the blackboard. Ask students if they know what this means. Put one pencil in one
hand, and one pencil in your other hand. Show students that this means one (pencil) and one
(pencil) together equal two pencils. Bring your hands together to reinforce the concept.

2. Draw two flowers on the board. Write down a plus sign followed by three more flowers. Say
aloud, “Two flowers together with three flowers makes what?” The students should be able to
count and answer five flowers. Then, write down 2 + 3 = 5 to show how to record equations like
this.

3. Give each student a bag of cereal and a piece of paper. Together, do the following problems and
say them like this (adjust as you see fit, depending on other vocabulary words you use in the math
classroom). Allow the students to eat some of their cereal as soon as they write down the correct
equation. Continue with problems such as these until the students feel comfortable with addition.
 Say "4 pieces together with 1 piece is 5." Write 4 + 1 = 5 and ask the students to write it
down too.
 Say "6 pieces together with 2 pieces is 8." Write 6 + 2 = 8 or the board and ask the
students to write it down.
 Say "3 pieces together with 6 pieces is 9." Write 3 + 6 = 9 and ask the students to write it
down.

4. The practice with addition should make the subtraction concept a bit easier. Pull out five pieces
of cereal from your bag and put them on the overhead projector. Ask students, “How many do I
have?” After they answer, eat two of the pieces of cereal. Ask “Now how many do I have?”
Discuss that if you start with five pieces and then take away two, you have three pieces left over.
Repeat this with the students several times. Have them take out three pieces of cereal from their
bags, eat one and tell you how many are left over. Tell them that there is a way to record this on
paper.
 Together, do the following problems and say them like this (adjust as you see fit):
 Say "6 pieces, take away 2 pieces, is 4 left over." Write 6 - 2 = 4 and ask the students to
write it as well.
 Say "8 pieces, take away 1 piece, is 7 left over." Write 8 - 1 = 7 and ask the students to
write it.
 Say "3 pieces, take away 2 pieces, is 1 left over." Write 3 - 2 = 1 and ask the students to
write it.
 Teacher Materials Student Materials Technology Resources References
Pencils
Cereal in small bags for
Paper Overhead Projector
each child
Sticky Notes
Relevance/Rationale

Exploration, Extensions, and Supplemental

Ask students to go home and describe to their family what putting together and taking away means and what it looks like on paper. Have a family
member sign off that this discussion took place.
Assessment Criteria for Success
Repeat steps six through eight together as a class at the end of math class for a week or so. Then, have groups demonstrate a problem and do not
discuss it as a class. Use this as an assessment for their portfolio or to discuss with parents.
Accommodations and Access for All

Post-Lesson Reflection