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SDAIE Lesson #2: More Fish in the Sea

Grade: Kindergarten
ELD Level: Beginning
Topic: The Ocean Biome

Objective:
Students will demonstrate understanding of more than/less than by using sea creature
manipulatives to model problems.

CA Content Standard:
K.1.1 Compare two or more sets of objects (up to ten objects in each group) and identify which
set is equal to, more than, or less than the other.

Modified Standard (specific part to be covered in this lesson):

Compare two sets of objects and identify which set is more than or less than the other.

Culturally Responsive Instruction:

Cooperative learning partners, use of students’ background knowledge in naming and describing
the sea creatures, opportunities to talk in L1 and L2 amongst each other

SDAIE Strategies:
Manipulatives, teacher speech adjustment, frequent comprehension checks, repetition and
paraphrase, cooperative partners, visuals of subject (ocean/sealife), audio accompaniment during
introductory activity, opportunities for students to ask questions,

CALLA
a) Content: It is important for students to understand comparison with more than/less than, which
is stated in the California Content Standards.
b) Academic Language: more than, less than, sea creature, fish, sea lion, seal, crab, lobster, turtle,
whale, shark, squid, describe
c) Learning Strategies: students are given access to and validated for prior knowledge by naming
and describing the sea creatures, students are provided manipulatives to model problems,
students collaborate to arrive at the answer

Teaching Script:

T I am going to pass out one animal to every student. Keep it hidden! When you hear the
waves crashing, you are going to do two things: (1) walk around the room, (2) find one friend
with the matching animal. Ask a student to repeat the given directions to check for
understanding. Play audio of waves crashing while students complete the task.
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T Great job! It looks like everyone has found their pair. Now, I have a tricky question. Can
anyone name the place in which you would find that animal? The pictures around the room
might give you a hint.

S The ocean!

T That’s right! All of the animals that you have are found in the ocean. We call them sea
creatures. With your partner, can you name the animal? Some of the animals may be tricky, so
we will figure them out together.

S Fishy! Shark! Crab!

T Fantastic scientists! For those of you who could not name the animal, do not fret! A lot of
times, scientists have to describe what they do not know. May I have a pair of volunteers that fit
this description? Great. Now, we will talk about the animal by using our observation skills. Tell
me about it.

S It is red. It has claws. It has a tail.

T Great observing! Does anyone know what this animal is called?

S A lobster!

T Wow. That’s right! By talking about how it looks, we figured it out. Repeat process for
remaining pairs who could not name their animal.

T Now, we are going to play a game using all these sea creatures! Please return them to the
bucket. I need one volunteer to help me play this game. Don’t worry! Everyone will get a chance
to play. First, I close my eyes and pick up a group of sea creatures out of the bucket. I place them
on the floor. Then, my partner does the same. Now, we have two groups. I need to know which
group has more. How do we find out?

S Count them!

T That’s a great idea! Let’s count my group first.

S 1, 2, 3, 4.

T I picked up four sea creatures! Now, we need to find out how many my partner picked up.
Let’s count them together.

S 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.
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T My partner picked up seven sea creatures! Which number is bigger? Which number is
more?

S Seven!

T Great mathematics, my friends! This card says M-O-R-E. The easy way to remember is
by its beginning sound. Can someone help me set it next to the pile that has more? This card says
L-E-S-S. The easy way to remember is by its beginning sound. Can someone help me set it next
to the pile that has less? Repeat this process two more times or until students understand.

T It looks like we having mastered it together! Now, I am going to put you in partners to
practice on your own. I will give each group a baggy with several sea creatures in it. Also, you
will have MORE and LESS cards to place next to the piles, just like we did as a class. Ask a
student to repeat the given directions to check for understanding. Separate into pairs, pass our
materials, and allow approximately 10 minutes for this activity. Walk around the room to to
clarify concepts and help any students who may be struggling.

T Boys and girls, I am so proud at how nicely you worked together! Now, it is time for you
to practice on your own. I am going to dismiss you to get your materials: (1) pencil, (2) eraser,
(3) worksheet. Please return to your seats quickly and quietly. See worksheet on page 5.

T Let’s do the first problem together to make sure we all understand. Get your “magic
reading fingers” out to scan the directions as I read them aloud. Circle the group that has MORE.
I did not remove the sea creatures from earlier because I want you to use them to solve the
problem. What sea creature is depicted in problem number one?

S Fish!

T That’s right. We need to draw a circle around the group of fish that has more. Let’s count
the group of orange fish together.

S One, two.

T Alright, there are two orange fish. We need to remember that. Let’s count the group of
purple fish together.

S One, two, three, four.

T There are four purple fish! Can someone show me which group of fish has more? We
need to circle it.

S The purple fish!

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T Perfect! I think you are ready to try it on your own. Are there any questions? When you
get to the second part, pay close attention to the directions. Remember, do your best work. Take
your time. Use the sea creatures in front of you to help.

Assessment:
Students’ background knowledge is assessed informally as they name and describe the sea
creatures. Student understanding of more than/less than is assessed informally as the teacher
walks around during the cooperative pairs activity. For formal assessment, student worksheets
are assessed for ability to translate understanding onto paper.

Independent Practice Worksheet:

See page 5.
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