Hello there, new teacher! It's fantastic that you're seeking well-structured resources to make learning fun and effective for your students. Subtraction is a crucial foundational skill, and teaching it with clarity and engaging activities will set your young learners up for success. Here's a professional lesson plan designed to help you introduce 'What is Subtraction?' to kids in a simple, hands-on way.
Lesson Plan: What is Subtraction? Simple Explanation for Kids
Grade Level:
Time Allotment:
Learning Objectives:
- Students will be able to define subtraction as "taking away" or "finding how many are left."
- Students will be able to solve simple subtraction problems within 10 using manipulatives.
- Students will be able to understand and use the minus sign ($-$ ) in a subtraction number sentence.
Materials:
- Counting bears, blocks, unifix cubes, or other small manipulatives (e.g., 10-20 per student or group).
- Whiteboard or large chart paper.
- Markers or crayons.
- Optional: Subtraction flashcards, simple worksheets.
- Optional: Storybook involving 'taking away' (e.g., "Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed").
Warm-up (5 minutes): "Counting Backwards Fun!"
- Gather students and lead them in counting backwards from 10 to 0 (or 5 to 0 for younger students). Make it a game! "Let's count down like a rocket before blast off! 10, 9, 8..."
- Ask simple questions that imply 'less than' without using the word subtraction: "If you have 4 fingers up and put 1 down, how many are left?"
Main Instruction (20-30 minutes): "Taking Away Adventures"
1. Introduction to "Taking Away" (5-7 mins)
- Start with a relatable story or scenario: "Imagine you have 5 delicious cookies. Your friend comes over and eats 2 of them! Oh no! How many cookies do you have left?"
- Demonstrate this scenario with large manipulatives on the whiteboard or a central display area. Start with 5, physically remove 2, and count what remains.
- Introduce the concept: "When we 'take away' some things and want to know how many are left, we are doing something called subtraction!"
2. Hands-on Exploration with Manipulatives (10-12 mins)
- Distribute manipulatives to each student or group.
- Model several examples, having students follow along with their own manipulatives:
- "Everyone, put out 7 bears. Now, take away 3 bears. How many do you have left?" (Count the remaining bears together).
- Repeat with different numbers within 10 (e.g., start with 9, take away 4; start with 6, take away 1).
- Circulate and observe students as they practice, offering help and guidance.
3. Introducing the Minus Sign ($-$ ) and Number Sentence (5-7 mins)
- "Mathematicians have a special sign for 'taking away' – it's called the minus sign ($ - $). It tells us to subtract!"
- Write the previous examples as number sentences on the board:
- ``"You had 5 cookies. You took away 2 cookies. You have 3 cookies left."``
- `$5 - 2 = 3$`
- Explain each part: The first number is how many you started with, the minus sign means 'take away', the second number is how many you took away, and the last number (after the equals sign) is how many are left.
- Practice writing a few simple subtraction sentences on the board with student input for numbers and answers. For example, if you start with 8 and take away 3, what is the number sentence? ($8 - 3 = 5$)
Guided Practice/Activity (5-7 minutes): "Subtraction Story Time"
- Create simple word problems (oral or written on the board) for students to solve using their manipulatives and then write the corresponding number sentence.
- Examples:
- "There were 6 frogs on a log. 2 frogs jumped into the water. How many frogs are left on the log?" (Students use manipulatives, then write: `$6 - 2 = 4$`)
- "You picked 10 flowers. You gave 4 flowers to your mom. How many flowers do you have now?" (Students use manipulatives, then write: `$10 - 4 = 6$`)
- Encourage students to share their answers and explain how they used their manipulatives to find the solution.
Assessment (5 minutes): "Show What You Know!"
Informal Observation:
- Observe students' active participation and ability to correctly use manipulatives to solve 'taking away' problems throughout the lesson.
- Note their understanding when introducing the minus sign and number sentences.
Quick Check:
- Ask students to solve 1-2 simple problems independently on a mini-whiteboard, a small piece of paper, or verbally.
- Example 1: "If you have 7 blocks and take away 2, how many are left? Write the number sentence." ($7 - 2 = 5$)
- Example 2: "What is $9 - 5 = ?$ "
- Have them show their answer or explain their thinking. This provides immediate feedback on their comprehension.
Extension Activities (Optional):
- Use subtraction flashcards for quick recall.
- Have students create their own 'take away' stories for classmates to solve.
- Introduce a number line for visual subtraction (counting back).
- Sing a song like "Five Little Ducks" and act out the subtraction.
Key Takeaways for Teachers:
- Always start with concrete manipulatives before moving to abstract symbols.
- Use relatable scenarios to make the concept meaningful.
- Emphasize the concept of "taking away" or "how many are left" as the core meaning of subtraction.
- Encourage students to explain their thinking – this deepens understanding.
You've got this! By breaking subtraction down into these simple, engaging steps, your students will build a strong foundation for future math success. Good luck!
