EL Support Lesson
Nature Counting
Objectives
Academic
Students will be able to represent addition facts up to 10. Students will be able to explain addition within 10 using sentence frames.
Introduction
- Gather the class together and display a handful of items (e.g., buttons) to the students.
- Model thinking aloud to guess how many buttons you have by saying something like, "I started with two buttons and then I found five more buttons in my desk. I wonder how many I have altogether?"
- Ask students if they can think of a way for you to figure out the total number of buttons you have.
Explicit Instruction/Teacher modeling
- Have students turn and talk to share their ideas, then ask several pairs to share ideas aloud. Provide a sentence frame or sentence starter for students to use in their conversation. For example, "I could ____ to find the total number of buttons."
- Record student ideas on chart paper (e.g., count all buttons together, draw a picture, write an equation, etc.).
- Model writing an equation and using pictures, while thinking aloud.
- As you think aloud, introduce or review the target mathematical vocabulary (using the Glossary) as needed.
Guided Practice
- Explain that now you will pair students together to practice finding the sum of two groups.
- Pass out a group of items to each student pair (e.g., five bears to one student and two bears to another student in the same pair), along with whiteboards and dry erase markers.
- Take note of student conversations and record ideas and discussions on the chart paper. For example, "I think we should each count our items first, then count them altogether."
- Gather students back together after 5-7 minutes and allow pairs to share their process with the group.
- Provide sentence frames as neeeded such as "We first ____, then we ____ to find the total."
Additional EL adaptations
Beginning
- Gather together a small group of students to practice finding the sum using additional problems (using math counters).
- Provide sentence frames for students to use as they share their thinking with the small group.
Advanced
- Have students create their own addition equations with sums between 2-10.
- Have students practice writing their own equations and checking their answers by counting.
Assessment
- Circulate around the room during pair and independent work time to note any challenges or misconceptions.
- Take note of student conversations and comments and record them for sharing with the class during the closing.
- Collect work samples to assess if students are able to accurately solve addition equations.
Review and closing
- Ask students to share with a partner their work. Provide sentence frames as needed. For example, "I used ____to find the sum."
- Share out with the group some ideas for keeping track while counting (number line, moving objects, drawing pics) using observations and notes from the group work session.