A Learning Activity is a strategy a teacher chooses to actively
engage students in learning a concept or skill using a digital tool/resource.
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Phase:
Before/Engage
Activity:
This task is an introduction to addition problems with three addends.
Students may work individually, with partners, or in table groups to represent the problem using counters.
As students are sharing their answers, ask them to explain how they got the total. Did they count all of the counters? Did they start with the biggest number and then count on? (If students are struggling with adding all three addends, encourage them to count all instead of counting up.)
Have students help you write the equation to represent the problem.
As you go to the next slide, tell students that Peg was really thirsty so she actually bought the slushie before she bought the unicorn and candy bar. Does that change how much money she spent? Have students use the counters to show their thinking. (Students should be able to rearrange the groups of counters to show an understanding of the commutative property of addition.) Have students write a new equation to represent the problem.
Students are also asked if a particular order makes it easier to add. Students should see that adding the unicorn and the slushie (7 + 3) is a "friend of 10" which makes the addition easier (associative property).
Assessment Strategies:
Observe students as they are using their counters to see if they are representing each addend from the problem. Check to see if they are able to combine all three addends successfully.
Observe students to see if they are developing an understanding of the properties of addition. They should be able to rearrange the counters and write new equations while the sum stays the same.
Advanced Preparation:
The teacher will need to display the slideshow.
Each student or student group will need at least 14 counters (or cubes, bears, etc.).
Variation Tips (optional):
The prices and items in the problem can be adjusted as needed.
Notes or Recommendations (optional):
This activity can be used as a stand-alone activity or together with the following activities as a complete lesson: