LEARN NC

K–12 teaching and learning · from the UNC School of Education

Friendship addition

This lesson introduces students to the concept of basic single digit addition.

A lesson plan for grade K Mathematics

By Jennifer Barbee

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Learning outcomes

This lesson is an introduction to addition. Students will gain an understanding of how to add two sets together.

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

45 minutes

Materials/resources

  • 10 real apples
  • felt board or magnetic board divided into three equal vertical sections
  • counters that will stick to the board
  • two figures that can represent two friends that will also stick to board (example: I used a girl and boy cut-out that would attach to felt board and apple counters that also attached.)
  • friendship addition mats. (I made these by using copying paper divided into three equal vertical sections with a marker. Across the top I typed the words Friendship Addition. On the first two sections I used two different animal stamps, one on each side to represent two friends. In the last section I stamped the two friends side by side. You will need some type of small manipulative counters to use with the mats.)

Pre-activities

Students should have an understanding of number value. They should be able to match numbers with the appropriate set.

Activities

  1. Begin by telling addition stories. You should ask two students to be volunteers. Give one student three apples and the other student two. Have students stand on opposite ends of the room. Tell an addition story similar to this: “Sarah” has 2 apples. “Johnny” has 3. They are friends. How many apples do they have together? At this point, Sarah and Johnny move to stand beside each other and class counts total number of apples. Change the number of apples each “friend” has and repeat this activity several times.
  2. Direct students’ attention to felt board. Place one of the friend cut-outs on one side, and the other in the middle. Place 2 apples under one friend and 3 under the other. Tell an addition story such as: One friend has 2 apples and the other has 3. How many do they have together? Then move the two friends and their apples to the last section of the felt board. Count the total number of apples together. Do this several times changing the number of apples.
  3. Divide students into pairs. Give each pair 10 counters and a friendship addition mat. One side of the mat will belong to one friend, and the other to the other friend (represented by the “stamped animals” on the mats). Then read several addition story problems to the class. Example: One friend has two apples (the first friend will place two counters on their section of the mat). The other friend has three apples (the second friend will place 3 apples in their section.) How many apples do they have together? (students will slide their counters to the last section of the mat and count the total number.) Repeat this using different combinations of numbers.
  4. Explain to students that today they have learned how to add two sets of things together. This is called addition.
  5. Follow-up lessons can teach students how to write addition problems and how to use appropriate vocabulary such as plus, sum, etc. I laminated my friendship addition mats so that students can use wipe-off markers to write the numbers and symbols that make up the problem (5+2=7) underneath the counters. They can write the problem after they have solved it using counters, or they can write problems for each other and then use the counters to find the answer.
  6. You can integrate Language Arts by having students give problems and answers in complete sentences.

Assessment

Teacher monitors students working in pairs with addition mats to assess individual understanding of concept. Anecdotal records provide concrete assessment data.

North Carolina curriculum alignment

Mathematics (2004)

Grade 1

  • Goal 1: Number and Operations - The learner will read, write, and model whole numbers through 99 and compute with whole numbers.
    • Objective 1.01: Develop number sense for whole numbers through 99.
      • Connect the model, number word, and number using a variety of representations.
      • Use efficient strategies to count the number of objects in a set.
      • Read and write numbers.
      • Compare and order sets and numbers.
      • Build understanding of place value (ones, tens).
      • Estimate quantities fewer than or equal to 100.
      • Recognize equivalence in sets and numbers 1-99.
    • Objective 1.04: Create, model, and solve problems that use addition, subtraction, and fair shares (between two or three).

  • Common Core State Standards

    • Mathematics (2010)

      • Kindergarten

        • Counting & Cardinality
          • K.CC.5Count to answer “how many?” questions about as many as 20 things arranged in a line, a rectangular array, or a circle, or as many as 10 things in a scattered configuration; given a number from 1–20, count out that many objects.
        • Operations & Algebraic Thinking
          • K.OAT.1Represent addition and subtraction with objects, fingers, mental images, drawings1, sounds (e.g., claps), acting out situations, verbal explanations, expressions, or equations.
          • K.OAT.2Solve addition and subtraction word problems, and add and subtract within 10, e.g., by using objects or drawings to represent the problem.