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Lesson Plan
Lesson Plan Title: Math at the Farm
Concept / Topic to teach: 1st Grade Math - Addition and Subtraction
Standards Addressed (TEKS):
Mathematics
Standard (1) Mathematical process standards. The student uses mathematical processes to
acquire and demonstrate mathematical understanding.
1:1C Select tools, including real objects, manipulatives, paper and pencil, and technology as
appropriate, and techniques, including mental math, estimation, and number sense as
appropriate, to solve problems.
1:1D Communicate mathematical ideas, reasoning, and their implications using multiple
representations, including symbols, diagrams, graphs, and language as appropriate.
1:1E Create and use representations to organize, record, and communicate mathematical ideas.
1:1F Analyze mathematical relationships to connect and communicate mathematical ideas.
Standard (3) Number and operations. The student applies mathematical process standards to
develop and use strategies for whole number addition and subtraction computations in order to
solve problems.
1:3B Use objects and pictorial models to solve word problems involving joining, separating, and
comparing sets within 20 and unknowns as any one of the terms in the problem such as 2 + 4 = [
]; 3 + [ ] = 7; and 5 = [ ] - 3.
1:3C Compose 10 with two or more addends with and without concrete objects.
1:3E Explain strategies used to solve addition and subtraction problems up to 20 using spoken
words, objects, pictorial models, and number sentences.
Learning Objectives: Students will activate prior knowledge about number recognition and
unit counting by creating visuals as graphs. The students will build new knowledge on the two
basic operations (addition and subtraction) by applying new approaches and algorithms with the
support of technology.
Essential Questions:
1. Do you think that there is another way to solve this addition/subtraction problem?
If so, show me how.
2. Is it better to count one by one or to count by (fives, twos, or tens)? Why?
3. How would you read this addition/subtraction equation? (e.g., three plus four
equals seven)

4. Why did you choose subtraction instead of addition or addition instead of

subtraction?
5. How do you know that this is the answer or total number?

Prerequisite Knowledge/Skills: Vocabulary, number recognition, and unit counting.

Key Vocabulary:
Hay
Cow
Add
Subtract
Count
Farm
Units
Graph
Tractor
Plus
Minus
Result
Total
Chickens
Numbers
Addition sign
Subtraction sign
Increase
Combine
Join
Decrease
Take away
Required Materials:
Activity#1
Book: Literature book about the farm
Pencils
Dry markers
Small dry erase board
Worksheet
One spinning toy (Subtraction/Addition)
Math-manipulatives numbers
Four sponge balls
Manipulatives (animals on the farm)
Twelve baskets with numbers from 1 to 12.
A math drawing table (1m. x .70m)

Activity #2
Pencils
Worksheet #1
Activity #3
Computer/tablet
internet connection

Step-By-Step Procedures:
Activity#1
1. The first step indicates to welcome all children to the lesson plan. This step should
take no more than two minutes; the teacher is responsible of getting everyones attention
in order to tell them the objectives of the content area, the name of the play and how
students will be working.
Now that the teacher is ready to start, he or she has to conduct a mini-lesson in
which the teacher will refresh the prior knowledge about subtraction and addition.
2.

3. The teacher will utilize a small erase board to explain the alternative algorithm
that is going to be used in the whole activity. The teacher has to create precise questions
about the new algorithm in order to find doubts and misunderstandings. Students will be
taking notes on the back of the worksheet that can be used during the activity. (1-C)
(COMPREHENSION)
Now the fun part comes; the teacher will introduce to students the game
Bouncing Apples. The explanation is the following: Listen students, we will be
playing this game so play close attention to my instructions. We are going to be practicing
what we learned in the mini-lesson provided just some minutes ago. Every student will
have the opportunity to participate so be patient and watch carefully. The teacher should
perform a demonstration in order to clarify any doubt.
4.

Now it is time to explain the steps of the play. The first step is to make a line
where students will wait for their turn to play. It is good to mention that every student
should be carrying their worksheet to keep records of their individual operations.
5.

The student located in front of the line will take the spinning toy and he or she
will roll this spinning toy and this student will wait until the toy stops completely. This
toy will tell the student the type of operation that is going to be used (Subtraction or
addition).
6.

Once the students know the operation; this student will get two sponge balls in
order to know the two numbers that will be added or subtracted. This step should be the
most interesting moment in terms of enjoyment. The student has to throw the balls and
try to put them inside of two baskets that will be on the floor. There will be a total of
twelve baskets on the floor.
7.

8. The student will throw the two balls (one at a time), it is good to say that the the
throw will be in the following manner: the student will throw the ball directly to the
floor trying to make a bounce before it enters into one of the baskets. All the throws
should be performed with the same technique.
Once the student has thrown the two balls, he or she will get two numbers. Lets
suppose that one ball is inside of basket number 2 and the other ball is inside of basket
number 3, this means that the student got two numbers, and they are 2 and 3.
9.

10. The two numbers will help to complete the operation. If the student got addition

so the operation will be 2 + 3, if it is subtraction it will be 3 2; placing the biggest

number on the left of the equation in order to avoid negative numbers. (1-F) (ANALYSIS)
11. The operation will be completed in a separate table where the student will be

using a big math drawing table in order to show to the teacher what he or she is doing.
In this table the student will use manipulatives as numbers and chess figures to present
the units. (1-D) (APPLICATION); (3-C) (APPLICATION)
12. The teacher has to check the work of the students on the big math drawing table,
once the teacher says that the operation is correct the student has to copy this process to
his or her own worksheet. The worksheet will provide the math drawing table so
students will only fill with the correct numbers and units. (1-E) (SYNTHESIS)
13. Now this student has finished his or her first math drawing table now he or she

has to go and wait for other turn. Each student has to complete four math drawing tables
in order to finish the worksheet.
14. Each individual student has to complete from procedure number five to procedure
number twelve in order to complete one drawing table. (3-B) (APPLICATION)
15. It will take probably 25 minutes to complete the students worksheet. Once they

finished the teacher will close the activity with a discussion. In this particular discussion
the students will describe how they got their answers, it is good to say that everyone will
have different equations. (3-E) (EVALUATION)

16. Thank you, you have finished this game that involved play and mathematics.
Activity #2
1. The activities would reinforce one each other, no matter the order they are used,
since children would be in centers both activities have the same topic and theme.
2. Students need to choose a partner they would like to work with.
3. Once the students are paired up, the teacher would give the 3 handouts 1 image
and 2 worksheets. ( even do the activity is in pairs, for them to work together and share
their thoughts, the work would be evaluated individually.)
4. Students should read instructions out loud to their buddy, students should notice
that they need to graph their results. Students need to look at the image handout we
provided and count the number of different animals they have in.
5. Students need to graph their results by coloring each square according to the
number of animals they counted on their image.

Hook/Anticipatory Set: In Language Arts section of the day we read a book about The Farm
and now that students are familiarized with the vocabulary they are going to implement it in
other content areas too. The Farm themed would be the used all day in several different activities
and topics.
1. Activity#1: Play is an essential tool in childhood education. The game called
Bouncing Balls will encourage students to cover four thinking skills from the Blooms
Taxonomy Pyramid. Addition and Subtraction will be the two operations that children
will master by the end of the lesson. This is a game with rules that will permit to have
students to get full concentration; it will help to practice their prior knowledge, it help
them to build new knowledge supported by different levels of thinking skills and it will
involve the magic of play which is joy and amusement. As any game with rules, the
teacher will be there ready to guide play and ready to scaffold the students knowledge.
2. Activity #2: The goal of the activity number 2 is for children to identify the
different ways they can use to add and subtract different numbers, also a powerful tool is
introduced, graphing, by using images children will graph their results even do the
activity is in pairs, the work of each student will be graded individually , as a teacher we

need to identify is the individual needs more work in area or we can move on to the next
topic. The order in which the activity is worked in does not matter, because they reinforce
each other, and the introduction of both is the same.
3. Supplementary Activity : When students are done with both activities while
waiting for other students they can play at this page and keep practicing their addition/
subtraction abilities, we also want our students to practice addition/subtraction as much
as possible so they . http://www.fun4thebrain.com/addition/pumpkinadd.html
Assessments: This lesson plan only includes informal assessments. In order to take a formal
assessment the teacher has to cover more objectives from the curriculum. A formal assessment
will be a test covering the whole theme of number operations. This particular lesson will require
a teacher taking the role of an observer and note taker. Those two roles will assess the students
weaknesses and strengths and will help to make modifications in the short term.
Possible Connections to Other Subjects (Please elaborate): We taught about the lesson as it
would be a thematic unit where, the same theme will be linked to all content, language arts, math
and science, In this case the theme is Farm.
Blooms Taxonomy (Identify each level that will be covered in your learning activities):
Thinking Skills:
1. Application- Students will be using objects (manipulatives) in order to form number
sentences about subtraction and addition.
2. Comprehension- Students will know how to identify different techniques by using
worksheets, mental math, and manipulatives.
3. Synthesis- Students will record their numbers sentences by drawing a math drawing table
and they will communicate their mathematical ideas.
4. Analysis- Students will analyze subtraction and addition and they will make the relationships
of basic equations in order to contrast and compare the two operations. Finally they will
communicate their mathematical ideas.
5. Evaluation- Students will explain strategies about how to solve addition and subtraction
problems. They will communicate their ideas orally, by using models, and by using number
sentences.
Bibliography:
Farmer Fred's Pumpkin Patch- Addition Game. (n.d.). Retrieved January 31, 2016, from

http://www.fun4thebrain.com/addition/pumpkinadd.html
Pinterest. (n.d.). Retrieved January 31, 2016, from https://www.pinterest.com/
Cook, B., & Winterbotham, A. L. (1989). All about farm animals. New York: Doubleday.
Pohl, K. (2007). What happens at a dairy farm? Milwaukee, WI: Weekly Reader Early Learning
Library.