Parent guide · Grade 1 Math · Unit 4
Lesson 4.2 Comparing 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 “how many more” and “how many fewer” stories.
- You need
- Pencil and crayons
- A King James Bible
- Worksheet A · Worksheet B · the lesson page (it also has a short video (3:22))
Steps
Do this: Ask these out loud. Your child answers out loud; no paper needed.
- Ask: “6 + 7” Listen for: 13
- Ask: “6 + 8” Listen for: 14
- Ask: “5 + 2” Listen for: 7
- Ask: “3 + 1” Listen for: 4
- Ask: “7 + 4” Listen for: 11
Say this: “‘How many more?’ means find the difference between two amounts.”
Say this: “Line the two groups up; the extra part is the difference. Subtract the smaller from the bigger.”
Say this: “Compare: find how much more or fewer.”
Show: The red hen laid 9 eggs this month and the brown hen laid 5. How many more did the red hen lay?
Say this: “Unknown: the difference.”
Say this: “Bar model: a long bar of 9 and a short bar of 5; the difference is unknown.”
Say this: “Equation: 9 − 5 = ?”
Say this: “9 − 5 = 4”
Say this: “Answer: The red hen laid 4 more eggs.”
Answer: 4 eggs. The red hen laid 4 more eggs.
Show: The red hen laid 15 eggs this month and the brown hen laid 11. How many more did the red hen lay?
Say this: “Unknown: the difference.”
Say this: “Bar model: a long bar of 15 and a short bar of 11; the difference is unknown.”
Say this: “Equation: 15 − 11 = ?”
Say this: “15 − 11 = 4”
Say this: “Answer: The red hen laid 4 more eggs.”
Answer: 4 eggs. The red hen laid 4 more eggs.
Do this: Your child does these with you. Let them try first; help only after a real try.
Ask: The red hen laid 9 eggs this month and the brown hen laid 5. How many more did the red hen lay?
Listen for: 4 eggs. The red hen laid 4 more eggs.
If stuck: Unknown: the difference.
Ask: Sarah sewed 9 stitches and Anna sewed 5. How many fewer stitches did Anna sew?
Listen for: 4 stitches. Anna sewed 4 fewer stitches.
If stuck: Unknown: the difference.
Ask: The red hen laid 7 eggs this month and the brown hen laid 2. How many more did the red hen lay?
Listen for: 5 eggs. The red hen laid 5 more eggs.
If stuck: Unknown: the difference.
7 more practice items on the lesson page, and on Worksheet A and Worksheet B.
- Adding the two numbers because the story says “more.”
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 “how many more” and “how many fewer” stories.
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.