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Lesson Plan

Strategies to Identify What's Missing

Let your students explore different strategies to figure out the missing number in an equation. Use this lesson on its own or as a support lesson for *Missing Numbers: Math Review*.
This lesson can be used as a pre-lesson for the Missing Numbers: Math Review lesson plan.
Grade:
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This lesson can be used as a pre-lesson for the Missing Numbers: Math Review lesson plan.

Objectives

Academic

Students will be able to identify missing numbers in an equation.

Language

Students will be able to explain strategies to identify missing numbers in an equation using visual aids and sentence supports.

Introduction

(4 minutes)
  • Share a word problem with the class that has some information missing. For example, "The garden has eight plants total. There are two rows of plants. How many plants are in each row?"
  • Facilitate a think-pair-share activity by asking students to think about what information they have and what information they still need. Then, have them discuss their thoughts with a partner before sharing with the whole group.
  • Ask probing questions about what the problem is asking them to do, what information they have, and what information they still need. Note the language that students use, and paraphrase the explanations they share. However, do not acknowledge the accuracy of their answers at this time in the lesson.
  • Read aloud the student-friendly Language Objective to the class and explain that today, they'll explore strategies they can use to find missing information in an equation.