More or less

This lesson contains a series of activities on more or less. These activities can be used over several days or combined into a one-day lesson.

A lesson plan for grade K Mathematics

By Sarah Owens

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Related topics

• Learn more about arithmetic, hands-on, mathematics, and number sense.

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Learning outcomes

Students will:

• show one more/one less.
• compare sets and tell which set has more/less.

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

75 minutes

Materials/resources

• 4 circles cut from construction paper
• Unifix cubes - 10 for each student
• Note card labeled “more” on one side, “less” on the other
• Hundreds boards - one for each student
• Chips for Hundreds boards - ten for each student

Pre-activities

• Act out a short skit with two students: Pretend it’s snack time, and you give one student 3 cookies (circles cut from construction paper) and the other only gets one.
• Ask the rest of the class, “If this were you (point to student with less), what would you say to me?” Elicit the response, “He has more than me!”
• Explain to the students that they are about to play a game using more and less.

Activities

Activity 1

More or Less Game

(15 minutes)

• Students are in pairs and have 10 unifix cubes each. Teacher has a note card with “MORE” written on one side and “LESS” written on the other.

• Teacher instructs the students to hold any amount of cubes in their hands. “Look and see if your partner has more or less than you. If I hold up the card that says “MORE” the person that has more wins. If I hold up the card that says “less” the person that has less wins.”
• The student that wins gives a silent cheer, or stands up. Students get a new handful of cubes and play again. This is a very simple game, but the students enjoy the quick pace and the anticipation of which word is shown.

Activity 2

One More

(20 minutes)

• Students have 10 unifix cubes each. Teacher says, “Show me 4 cubes.” Write 4 on board. Students hold up cubes. “Now, add one more cube and show me ‘one more than 4.’” “How many cubes do you have?”
• Write 5 next to the 4. Repeat this 4 times creating a chart on the board. Have the children notice the pattern of “counting on” in the chart.

Activity 3

One Less

(20 minutes)

Repeat activity 2 using one less instead of one more.

Activity 4

(10 minutes)

• Use hundreds boards. Tell students to cover with a chip “one more than 12.” “Cover one more than ___”
• Continue with several numbers. Walk around the room to give individual help as needed.

Assessment

• Activity 1: Observe students’ silent cheers. Look at both students in pairs giving silent cheers. If both are cheering, then watch closely; one student is not understanding more and less concept.
• Activities 2 and 3: Do this quickly — the students will notice the pattern. Assess the children by asking, “Tell me one more (one less) than ____.” If a student answers incorrectly give him/her the correct answer and go back to that student after other students have responded. The student should start to realize the pattern from the other responses and be able to give a correct response.
• Activity 4: Repeat activity having students color in hundreds board. Use numbers that when colored in form a picture. Collect boards. Assess by looking at pictures. Correct picture = concept learned.