Your next great Lessn starts here.

Welcome to Addition: Math Detectives – Become math detectives today – Solve number mysteries up to 10 – Use clues to figure out unknown addends – Find the missing number piece – If 7 + ? = 10, what number is missing? – Practice with fun puzzles – We’ll work through puzzles to find answers | This slide introduces the concept of solving addition problems with one addend unknown, aimed at first graders. The goal is to make learning interactive and fun by framing it as a detective game. Encourage the students to look for ‘clues’ in the problems to find the missing numbers. Use simple examples like ‘If we have 7 apples and we need 10, how many more do we need?’ to illustrate the concept. Provide a variety of puzzles and examples for the students to practice. Remember to praise their efforts as they ‘solve’ each math mystery, reinforcing their confidence and understanding of addition.

Understanding Word Problems – Word problems are number stories – Read the story carefully – Find clues to solve the problem – Look for words like ‘altogether’, ‘left’, ‘more’ to find clues – Practice with an example – If Sam has 3 apples and gets 2 more, how many does he have now? | This slide introduces first graders to the concept of word problems as stories that involve numbers. Emphasize the importance of reading the problem carefully to understand what is being asked. Teach students to identify keywords or phrases that indicate the operation needed to solve the problem, such as ‘altogether’ for addition or ‘left’ for subtraction. Use simple, relatable examples to illustrate the concept. Encourage students to visualize the problem and use objects or drawings to help them find the solution. The example provided should be worked through as a class, with the teacher guiding the students through the process of identifying the unknown addend and solving the problem.

Finding the Missing Number in Word Problems – Understanding missing numbers – Sometimes in math, one number isn’t shown. – Using addition to solve – Add what we know to find what we don’t. – Knowing one part and the total – If we have one part and the whole, the other part is our goal! – Finding the hidden addend – Use clues from the problem to discover the unknown number. | This slide introduces the concept of finding a missing number in an addition problem, which is a fundamental skill in first-grade math. Start by explaining that sometimes problems are like puzzles with a piece missing, and it’s their job to find it. Use simple examples like ‘If we have 3 apples and we need 5 in total, how many more do we need?’ to illustrate the concept. Encourage students to think of the total as a ‘full box’ and the known number as ‘what’s already in the box’ to find ‘what’s missing’. Provide several examples and use manipulatives if possible to visually demonstrate the concept. Prepare to guide them through practice problems where they apply this skill.

Let’s Practice Together: Finding the Unknown Addend – Understand the total count – Identify the known part – Subtract to find the unknown – If we have 5 apples and 3 are red, subtract 3 from 5 to find the green apples. – Solve the example together – Use the apple example to practice subtraction. | This slide is designed to engage first-grade students in a practical exercise to understand the concept of finding an unknown addend in addition and subtraction word problems. Start by explaining the total number of items in a group. Then, help them identify the number of items they already know about. The next step is to teach them how to subtract the known number from the total to find the unknown number. Use the apple example to demonstrate this process: If there are 5 apples and 3 are red, we subtract 3 from 5 to find out that there are 2 green apples. Encourage the students to visualize the problem with actual objects or illustrations to enhance understanding. This hands-on activity will help solidify their comprehension of basic subtraction as a means to solve for an unknown addend.

Your Turn to Solve: Colorful Crayons – Start with 7 crayons in total – 4 crayons are yellow – Find how many are blue – Subtract the yellow crayons from total – Use fingers or drawings to solve – Visual aids can help understand subtraction | This slide presents a simple word problem for first graders to practice subtraction with one addend unknown. The problem uses a relatable context of crayons to engage students. Encourage them to visualize the problem by using their fingers to represent crayons or by drawing the crayons on paper. This will help them understand that to find the unknown number of blue crayons, they need to subtract the number of yellow crayons from the total. During the activity, walk around the classroom to assist students who may struggle with the concept of subtraction or who have difficulty with counting. Be prepared with additional similar examples in case some students finish early and need more practice.

Class Activity: Math Detectives – Pair up with a buddy – Solve mystery word problems – Use tools to find the unknown – Drawings, number lines, or counters can be used – Be ready to explain your answers – Share how you solved the problem with the class | In this engaging class activity, students will work in pairs to tackle word problems with one addend unknown. Provide them with worksheets containing various problems where they have to find the missing number. Encourage them to use visual aids like drawings to represent the problem, number lines to count up or down, or physical objects like counters to help them understand the concept of addition and subtraction within 10. After solving the problems, each pair will have the opportunity to explain their thought process and how they arrived at the solution. This activity promotes collaboration, problem-solving, and communication skills. Possible variations of the activity could include a math scavenger hunt, role-playing where one student is the ‘shopkeeper’ and the other the ‘customer’, or a ‘math puzzle’ day where each pair receives a different puzzle to solve.

Show and Tell: Solving Math Mysteries – Share your answers with the class – Explain finding the missing number – Use words like ‘first’, ‘then’, and ‘last’ to describe steps – Discuss our math mystery solutions – Celebrate our problem-solving skills | This slide is designed for a class activity where students will engage in a ‘Show and Tell’ session after they have completed their word problems. Each student will have the opportunity to present their answers and explain the process they used to find the missing addend. Encourage them to use sequential words to describe their method. This activity aims to reinforce their understanding of solving word problems and to build their confidence in explaining mathematical concepts. As a teacher, prepare to guide the discussion, celebrate correct answers, and provide constructive feedback. Have a list of different word problems ready for students who may finish early or need additional practice.

Great Job, Detectives! – Celebrating your hard work – The mystery of missing numbers – Finding unknown addends in problems like ‘2 + ? = 10’ – Practice is key to perfection – Keep solving to be a math master – More word problems will make you a super math detective! | This slide is a congratulatory message to the students for their efforts in solving word problems with an unknown addend. It’s important to reinforce the idea that practice is essential for mastering math skills. Encourage the students to continue practicing with different word problems to become proficient. As a teacher, you can provide additional word problems for them to solve at home or in class. Remember to praise their progress and remind them that every math problem they solve makes them better at understanding and working with numbers.