Math: Understanding Addition

In Math we are beginning to learn how addition and subtraction work. We do a lot of lessons using manipulatives (snap cubes, pattern blocks, and we have even used cotton balls). To help the students understand that there are different ways to add numbers together to get the same sum I have used several trade books in our lessons to show different ways that numbers can be represented on two pages of a story.

























For example, In Sheep Take a Hike there are 6 sheep in the story. On the different two page spreads throughout the book, the sheep are represented in different ways. On one spread there may be three sheep on one page and three on the other, and all together there is six (3 + 3 = 6). And on another page there may be two sheep on one page, and four on the other, still making six altogether (2 + 4 = 6)! This was a fun way for the students to see that there are many different ways group one number into two different parts.

In Sheep Take a Hike here are the different ways that we found we could make 6:

0 + 6 = 6
1 + 5 = 6
2 + 4 = 6
3 + 3 = 6
4 + 2 = 6
5 + 1 = 6
6 + 0 = 6

We also used this same concept for understanding different ways to make 8. For this, we used the famous picture book Make Way for Ducklings.

In Make Way for Ducklings here are the different ways that we found we could make 8:

0 + 8 = 8
1 + 7 = 8
2 + 6 = 8
3 + 5 = 8
4 + 4 = 8
5 + 3 = 8
6 + 2 = 8
7 + 1 = 8
8 + 0 = 8

What a fun way to learn math!