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Emily Harvey
Subtraction Lesson Plan
Subtraction Lesson Plan Outline

Introduction

 Lesson topic: Subtraction

 Length of Lesson : 45mins-1 hour

 VA Standards of Learning:

 1.5 - The student will recall basic subtraction facts with differences to 18 or less

 1.6 - The student will create and solve one-step story and picture problems using

basic subtraction facts with differences to 18 or less

Cognitive Objectives

The students will:

 Identify the term word problem

 Interpret and solve written story and picture problems involving one-step solutions, using

basic subtraction facts

 Identify a correct number sentence to solve a written story and picture problem, selecting

from among basic subtraction facts

 Create word problems in a group setting

Materials/Technology and Advanced Preparation

 I Can Lick 30 Tigers Today by Dr. Seuss

 Paper for groups to write word problems

 Unifix cubes for word problem creation assistance

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Emily Harvey
Subtraction Lesson Plan

 Blank word problem worksheets

Teaching and Learning Sequence

Introduction/Anticipatory Set –

 Ask students to join the teacher on the rug

 Ask students how many have been practicing their subtraction flashcards at home

 Explain that we will now read I Can Lick 30 Tigers Today by Dr. Seuss

 Ask students to look for how many tigers are subtracted from each previous page

 Read I Can Lick 30 Tigers Today

 Encourage the students to ask questions about the story

 After finishing the story, answer any student questions about the content and then model

how each page was a word problem

 29 tigers - ? = 22 tigers

 Ask students if anyone knows what is a word problem

 Define word problem as math using a story instead of numerals and number sentences.

 Instruct the students to return to their group seats (4 students per group)

Lesson Development –

 Show the result unknown format of the word problem they will learn today

 Show examples to solve on the whiteboard

 Ex 1: The Harvey Zoo had 10 elephants. It sent 4 elephants to the Manny Zoo. How

many elephants does Harvey Zoo have now?

 Demonstrate how to bring the numbers into a number sentence to write 10 - 4 = ?

 Tell students to solve 10-4 without using pen and paper (finger counting is ok).
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Emily Harvey
Subtraction Lesson Plan

 Ask the students for another animal. Use the next animal in another word problem

demonstrating the result unknown format.

 Explain that to write this word problem, you must have a total starting number and then

subtract a number from it to get the final number.

 Explain to the students that they will now construct their own animal word problems in

their groups

 Each group will create one animal word problem

 The word problem must be no more than 2-3 sentences and must be about subtraction.

They may use numbers from 18-1. Classmates should be able to solve them.

 Have students write word problem on paper.

 Each group must also provide an answer key to give to teacher

Closure

 Collect answer keys

 Have students trade word problems with another group to solve

 Remind each group to write a number sentence from the word problem and then solve

 Have students turn in completed group work

Assessment

 Formative –

o Walk around during group work and answer questions related to the word

problems

o Listen for subtraction stories and correct numbers and answers being formulated
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Emily Harvey
Subtraction Lesson Plan

 Summative –

o Check each original group’s work for correct format of word problem, appropriate

numbers, and correct answers

o Check solving group work for correct number sentence structure and answer

References

Literature/Math Crossover Word Problems (2009) http://www.halcyon.com/marcs/litmath.html

Appended Materials

 Instructional Content and Strategies Organizer

 Curriculum Framework Document

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Emily Harvey
Subtraction Lesson Plan

Instructional Content and Strategies Organizer

Instructional Content
 The problem solving process is enhanced when students
– create their own story problems; and
– model word problems, using manipulatives, representations, or number sentences/equations.
 Students should experience a variety of problem types related to subtraction

Instructional Modifications to ASSIST Instructional Modifications to CHALLENGE

Major Instructional Strategies
Weakest Students Strongest Students
 Read I can Lick 30 Tigers Today

 Add Unifex cubes to these groups to assist
with word problem creations
 Have these students solve the class word
problems with partners using Unifex
cubes if needed. Assist with setting up
number sentences and pictures
 Create word problems in group  Ask students if they can think of other
different subtraction stories to write
setting such as part unknown in Part-Part-
Whole
 Solve class problems  Ex: Harvey Zoo has 12 bears. Five are
polar bears and the rest are brown
bears. How many brown bears does
Harvey Zoo have?
 Number sentence 5+? = 12 or 12-5 = ?