Browse lesson plans

An apple a day: Understanding halves and simple addition

This is a hands-on lesson which uses apples to introduce the concept of "half" and to teach simple addition. This lesson was taught to a group of 1st grade EC students.

Format: lesson plan (grade K–1 Mathematics)

By Janet Acorn.

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.

Format: lesson plan (grade K–1 English Language Arts and Mathematics)

By Becky Smith.

Candy math

Unit on reviewing Math skills. The unit will take 20 minutes per day for 6 days. A good activity for late spring.

Format: lesson plan (grade K–1 Mathematics)

By Tammy Sharpe.

Domino fractions

This is a review activity on the lesson of adding and simplifying fractions. This activity will provide a new approach to seeing a fraction and simplifying it, and the activity will allow students to set up and solve equations. This activity also works for subtraction of fractions.

Format: lesson plan (grade 5 Mathematics)

By Angelica Young.

Domino fun!

Students will use a domino turned vertically and count the dots in the top section and the dots in the bottom section and add the 2 numbers together and write an equation. Students can make a domino to eat.

Format: lesson plan (grade 1 Mathematics)

By Lydia Wilson.

Everyday, ordinary Olympics

Students will use a stopwatch to time themselves performing in various events, record data, and then compare and order decimals to determine bronze, silver and gold medal winners.

Format: lesson plan (grade 4–5 Mathematics)

By Linda Hill-Wise.

Football math

Students will calculate team yardage in a football game using sign numbers.

Format: lesson plan (grade 7–12 Mathematics)

By John Keith.

Friendship addition

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

Format: lesson plan (grade K Mathematics)

By Jennifer Barbee.

Grocery store technology

Students will identify how technology has changed in an occupation over time. This is also an introductory rounding/estimation lesson using addition of money.

Format: lesson plan (grade 2–3 Computer/Technology Skills and Mathematics)

By Barbara Crouch.

Introduction to fact families: Addition (commutative property)

Students will "invent" their own examples that demonstrate the commutative property of addition through hands-on activities.

Format: lesson plan (grade K–1 Mathematics)

By William Krupicka.

Join them together/Take them away

The teacher will introduce beginning addition concepts of joining two sets together. The teacher will introduce beginning subtraction concepts of taking away from a set.

Format: lesson plan (grade K Mathematics)

By Vickie Hedrick.

M&M math

Rotating to each station using M&M's, this lesson will allow students to add, graph, sort, and estimate.

Format: lesson plan (grade K–1 Mathematics)

By Karen Walker.

Make math "bear"-able

The students will use teddy bear counters to explore addition and subtraction facts (1-10). Students will demonstrate an understanding of ordinal numbers by locating the position of their counters on their workmats.

Format: lesson plan (grade K–1 Mathematics)

By Nikki Gilmore.

Making change

Students will use plastic coins and paper bills to practice making change with a partner.

Format: lesson plan (grade 2 and 4–5 Mathematics)

By Carol Livingston.

Number combinations

Students will use green and blue craft pom-poms to explore number combinations to five.

Format: lesson plan (grade K Mathematics)

By Beth Deyton.

Pattern block addition

Students will practice addition, problem solving, and writing equations in the context of a fun and challenging pattern game.

Format: lesson plan (grade 1 Mathematics)

By Dawn Potter.

Piggies

This activity is a fun, interactive lesson that integrates children's literature with math (a great way to integrate author studies). This activity allows students to be involved in four learning styles (visual, auditory, tactile and kinesthetic).

Format: lesson plan (grade K–1 English Language Arts and Mathematics)

By Stephanie Hatcher.

Stockbrokers: Adding and subtracting integers

In CareerStart lessons: Grade seven, page 2.8

In this lesson for grade seven, students will learn about the careers of stockbrokers, and will attempt to quickly solve the kinds of problems stockbrokers must solve every day.

Format: lesson plan (grade 7 Mathematics)

By Peggy Dickey and Barbara Turner.Adapted by Sharon Abell.

Supermarket sweep: Day 2

Students will participate in a supermarket game and follow a shopping list. Students will compare the quantity of items “purchased” and graph results. Students will also learn a song about shopping in a supermarket.

Format: lesson plan (grade K–1 English Language Development and Mathematics)

By Angela Hunt and Melody Holmes.

Resources on the web

Addend pairs to 12

In this lesson, one of a five-part unit from Illuminations titled “Let's Learn Those Facts,” students explore pairs of numbers that add to 12 or less by playing a game. They then add to their personal addition chart and prepare a new chart that... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 1–2 Mathematics)

Provided by: Illuminations