Parent guide · Grade 1 Math · Unit 4
Lesson 4.1 Joining and Separating Stories
Written for the parent. Read the Say this lines aloud as they are, or in your own words. Answers for you are marked Listen for.
At a glance
- Time
- 5 sessions of 20–25 minutes
- Goal
- Solve put-together and take-away stories.
- You need
- Counters (dried beans, buttons or pebbles)
- Pencil and crayons
- A King James Bible
- Worksheet A · Worksheet B · the lesson page (it also has a short video (2:14))
Steps
Do this: Ask these out loud. Your child answers out loud; no paper needed.
- Ask: “3 + 4” Listen for: 7
- Ask: “3 + 9” Listen for: 12
- Ask: “7 + 8” Listen for: 15
- Ask: “8 + 5” Listen for: 13
- Ask: “4 + 7” Listen for: 11
Say this: “Some stories put groups together (add). Others take some away (subtract).”
Say this: “Read the story twice, act it out with counters, then write the number sentence.”
Say this: “Join: put together.”
Say this: “Separate: take apart or take away.”
Show: A blacksmith had 14 nails. He used 10 to shoe the horses. How many nails are left?
Say this: “Unknown: how many are left.”
Say this: “Bar model: the whole is 14; one part is 10; the other part is unknown.”
Say this: “Equation: 14 − 10 = ?”
Say this: “14 − 10 = 4”
Say this: “Answer: 4 nails are left.”
Answer: 4 nails. 4 nails are left.
Show: The orchard had 13 apples on a tree. The children picked 10. How many apples are left on the tree?
Say this: “Unknown: how many are left.”
Say this: “Bar model: the whole is 13; one part is 10; the other part is unknown.”
Say this: “Equation: 13 − 10 = ?”
Say this: “13 − 10 = 3”
Say this: “Answer: 3 apples are left.”
Answer: 3 apples. 3 apples are left.
Do this: Your child does these with you. Let them try first; help only after a real try.
Ask: There are 6 ducks on the pond and 4 more fly in. How many ducks are on the pond now?
Listen for: 10 ducks. There are 10 ducks now.
If stuck: Unknown: the total.
Ask: A Roman legion marched 7 miles one week and 8 miles the next. How far did it march?
Listen for: 15 miles. It marched 15 miles.
If stuck: Unknown: the total.
Ask: A carpenter cut 7 boards on Monday and 9 boards on Tuesday. How many boards did he cut?
Listen for: 16 boards. He cut 16 boards.
If stuck: Unknown: the total.
7 more practice items on the lesson page, and on Worksheet A and Worksheet B.
- Grabbing numbers before understanding the story.
You give a number sentence like 9 − 4 = 5. Your child tells a farm or Bible story that fits it. Then swap.
Say this: “Tell me what you learned today. Show me with your hands or the counters if you like.”
Listen for: Solve put-together and take-away stories.
There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?
Five loaves and two fishes make seven pieces of food, and Jesus fed thousands. Story problems help us think about real things.
Tell one story problem aloud every day at a meal: “There were 7 rolls and Father ate 2…”
Spread over the week
5 sessions of 20–25 minutes. Stop while it is still going well.
- Session 1. Warm-up, then teach the new idea (steps 1 and 2).
- Session 2. Warm-up again, then show how with the examples.
- Session 3. Practice together, then play the game.
- Session 4. More practice on the worksheet, and the daily habit.
- Session 5. Quick check: narration and a few practice items. Move on when it is mostly right.