📖

Choose Your Operation: What Should I Do?

Problem Solving: Multi-Step Thinking

Day 168of 180
Week 34of 36
30Minutes
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🖨️ Download Worksheet (PDF)🧮 Download Math Practice (PDF)
🎯 What You'll Learn

Learning Objectives

1

Identify when to use addition or subtraction in word problems

2

Solve two-step word problems by choosing the correct operation

3

Develop problem-solving confidence and perseverance

📖 Scripture Connection

Proverbs 2:2

“So that you incline your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding;”

— Proverbs 2:2 (WEB)

Just as we carefully choose the right mathematical operation, we must carefully choose wisdom in solving life's problems

📦 Materials Needed

  • BibleMouse Grade 1 Math worksheet
  • Pencil
  • Colored markers
  • Base-ten blocks
  • Drawing paper
📚 Step-by-Step

Lesson Plan

1Opening (3 min)

Recap yesterday's lesson about identifying problem-solving steps

💭 Review Question: Can you remember how we broke down a problem into smaller parts yesterday?
2Teaching (10 min)

Introduce choosing between addition and subtraction

📌 Key Talking Points:
  • Some problems need adding, some need taking away
  • Look for key words like 'more', 'total', or 'left'
  • Use base-ten blocks to model problem-solving
💬 Discussion Questions:
  • What does 'more' usually mean in a math problem?
  • How can we tell if we need to add or subtract?
3Activity: Operation Detective (12 min)
worksheet

Complete BibleMouse worksheet identifying correct operations

📝 Instructions:
  1. Read each word problem carefully
  2. Circle the operation (+ or -) that solves the problem
  3. Solve the problem step by step
🔄 Variations:

Simpler: Use manipulatives to model each problem

Challenge: Create your own two-step word problems

4Closing (3 min)

Review worksheet answers together

📝 Review Questions:
  • What helped you choose the right operation?
  • What was challenging about today's problems?

Coming up: Tomorrow we'll explore different ways to solve the same problem

👨‍👩‍👧 For Parents

Teaching Notes

📚 Background:

First graders are learning to distinguish between addition and subtraction contexts

💡 Teaching Tips:
  • Use real-world examples from daily life
  • Encourage thinking out loud
  • Praise effort over perfect answers
🤔 Common Struggles:

Distinguishing when to add versus subtract

👀 Signs of Understanding:

Consistent reasoning about mathematical operations

🚀 Want More?

Extension Activities

  • Create a math word problem poster
  • Play 'Operation Guess' with family members

Ready for Tomorrow?

Great job completing today's lesson!

Continue to Day 169 →Back to Math