Bunny addition

This lesson integrates language arts, music, and math. The children will listen to the story Count on Bunnies. They will be given the opportunity to act out the story and solve bunny equations. After listening to the song "Five Young Rabbits," the children will take turns being rabbits and pantomiming the actions as the class sings. The children will combine the rabbits at the end of each verse to see how many rabbits have been added. Then they will work in pairs to create their own rabbit equations.

A lesson plan for grades K–1 English Language Arts and Mathematics

By Becky Smith

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Related topics

• Learn more about addition, counting, hands-on, language arts, mathematics, and read-alouds.

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Learning outcomes

Students will:

• to combine objects to form a new set.
• learn to write equations.
• learn to work cooperatively with a partner.
• learn to follow simple oral directions.
• learn to communicate effectively with his/her partner.

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

45 minutes

Materials/resources

• Big book Count on Bunnies by Barbara Shook Hazen
• Song “Five Young Rabbits” from the book
• Rhymes for Learning Times by Louise Binder Scott
• Die for every two children
• Container of 12 marshmallow bunnies for every two children
• Paper and pencils for writing their equation
• Set of number cards (1,2) for each set of partners
• Bunny equation sheet

Pre-activities

• Write song “Five Young Rabbits” on chart paper.
• Prepare small plastic baskets or ziploc bags with 12 marshmallow bunnies for every two students.
• Collect die for every two students in the classroom.
• Prepare paper for students to write addition equations on (one sheet per child).
• Collect pencils and erasers for every child
• Prepare teacher modeling kit (marshmallow bunnies, die, pencil, paper for writing equations).

Activities

1. In a whole group, read and discuss the big book Count on Bunnies. Let different children be the bunnies and act out the story. Write addition equations for what is happening in each part of the story. Example - two bunnies plus one bunny equals three bunnies. Model the first equation in the story. Then let the children help write and solve the equations as the story progresses.
2. Next, introduce the song “Five Young Rabbits.” After singing the song several times, let the children take turns being rabbits and pantomiming the actions to the song. At the end of each verse discuss how many rabbits have joined the set. Write the new equation on the chalkboard at the end of each verse for the children to see. Discuss how the equation changes as the rabbits are added.
3. In preparation for the game, introduce edible marshmallow bunnies and game die. “Today we are going to make our own equations using our marshmallow bunnies and a die. We will work with a partner to write our equations.”
4. Model the procedure.
• Show the number cards (1 and 2) to the class. If you have the number 1 you will roll the die first. If you have the number 2 you will roll second.
• The first child rolls the die, and counts out that many marshmallow bunnies. Each child writes the number on his/her equation sheet. Then the second child rolls the die and counts out that many bunnies.
• Each child writes that number on his/her equation sheet. The plus sign and equal sign are already on the sheet for the children. Then they combine their marshmallow bunnies to see how many they have in all. Last, they record their answer.
• After putting the bunnies back in their basket or ziploc bag they follow the same procedure to write their next equation. Each pair of students needs to do five equations. If a group finishes early they can turn their paper over on the back and add more equations.
5. At the end of the lesson each child can have half of the edible bunnies to eat for a treat.

Assessment

• Teacher observation
• Student participation
• Written equation sheets

Supplemental information

Rhymes for Learning Times: Let’s Pretend Activities for Early Childhood by Louise Binder Scott

Comments

This lesson can also be divided into two days. The story could be read the first day and the children could all take part in acting out the story. Equations could be written and solved as a group. Then a simple bunny addition sheet could be given as a follow up to this lesson.

Then the second day the song could be introduced. The children could act out the different verses and write the equations to represent what happened in each verse. This would be followed by the edible bunny and partner equation activity.