Addition Strategies Lesson Plan for Teachers
Lesson Title:Addition Strategies
Grade Level: 1st
Lesson Objective: Students will be able to understand and use different strategies for solving addition problems, including counting on, making a ten, and using a number line.
Materials:
Introduction (5 minutes): Start the lesson by reviewing the concept of addition and the numbers 1-10 with the students. Remind them of the symbols for addition (+) and equality (=). Then, introduce the idea that there are different strategies for solving addition problems.
Direct Instruction (10 minutes): Introduce the first strategy, counting on. Show the students how to use this strategy by counting on from the larger number in an addition problem. For example, if the problem is 5+3, start counting at 5 and say “5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.” Explain that the answer is 10 because you counted on 3 numbers from 5.
Next, introduce the strategy of making a ten. Show the students how to use this strategy by using manipulatives or number cards to make a ten and then counting how many more are needed to solve the problem. For example, if the problem is 7+5, show the students that by combining 3 and 7, they make 10. Then, they can count how many more are needed to make 5, which is 2. The answer is 12.
Lastly, introduce the strategy of using a number line. Show the students how to use this strategy by using a number line to count how many spaces they need to move to get to the answer. For example, if the problem is 4+6, point to 4 on the number line and move up 6 spaces to reach the answer of 10.
Guided Practice (15 minutes): Distribute the addition worksheets to the students and have them complete the problems independently. Provide assistance as needed. Ask them to use different strategies for different problems, and also have them explain their thinking process.
Independent Practice (20 minutes): Give the students additional addition problems to solve on their own, using the different strategies. Monitor their progress and provide feedback as needed.
Closure (5 minutes): Ask the students to share their answers and explain which strategy they used to solve each problem. Review any misconceptions and provide additional instruction as needed.
Assessment: Observe the students as they complete the independent practice problems and the worksheets. Use this as an informal assessment to determine their understanding of the different addition strategies. Additionally, you can use a formal assessment by administering a quiz or a test on addition.
Note: As students become more comfortable with these strategies, you can also introduce more complex problems, such as 2-digit addition. Also, encourage students to use the strategy that they feel comfortable with, and avoid forcing them to use a specific strategy.
