Background:

The students have previous experience adding together two one-digit numbers and also two twodigit numbers. They have studied addition sentences. Today we will be focusing on more
complex problems.
Students will incorporate new vocabulary and previous known words, enhance their
understanding of addition sentences, and practice their oral skills.
English Proficiency levels: Beginners
Grade: 1
Standards: Michigan Grade 1: N.FL.01.14 Add three one-digit numbers.
Preparation
Content Objectives: Students will deepen their understanding of addition sentences. They will
enhance their skills of adding two numbers to adding three numbers. They will use this skill
correctly.
Language objectives: Students will use the key vocabulary to talk about solving the equation to
their peers but also explaining to the class: first, second, lastly, and finally. They will use this
vocabulary correctly.
Materials: dice, worksheet
Vocabulary: first, second, lastly, finally
Motivation
Ask Has anyone played a board game that uses dice? Yes many of us have. What do the dice
tell us to do? They tell us how many spaces to move or they tell us if we win or not.
Whatever answer they give is good. Tell them that we are also going to use dice but this time
they are going to tell us what numbers are in our equations that we are making ourselves.
Presentation
Show everyone the objectives and review them. Make sure they understand what we are going
to be working on and what we are focusing on. Go over the words that are the focus and explain
the meaning of them. These words are commonly heard so your students should know these
words but it is a good review. Explain how we are going to be creating our own equations and
solving them. Pick a student to roll the first die. When they have, say first we have ___. Then
have another student roll the die, say second we have _____. Then have another students roll
the die and say, Lastly or we can say finally we have _____. Have your students get in groups
of four with the students around them and solve the problem that we just created. Once they
solved it, have the whole class repeat out loud the equation and then the answer using the key
vocabulary. This is what the practice will be about.
Practice

Have students get in groups of three. Give each group a die and a worksheet that has blanks for
the equation and also enough work space. Each group will have an advanced, average, and
struggling. Make sure that one person is not doing all the work but they are sharing.
Each player will get the turn to roll the die. Whatever number it lands on (1-6) will be the first
number in the equation. Then the second student will go and their number will be the second in
the equation. Lastly, the third student will roll the die and they will finish up the problem
together. As a team they will solve the answer. Walk around to help your students. If they are
struggling guide them to the answer. Tell them that they can add two numbers together, because
this is something that they have a lot of practice doing, and then add the last number to the new
number. Again, this is just adding two numbers together which has been practiced in the
classroom already. Then when they are finished writing the equation have them read the
equation outloud. Write on the board how they should explain the equation that they have
created. First we have _____ second we add ______ and finally (or they can use lastly) we
add_____ to equal _____. Each student will explain this. They will do this activity at least
three times so that everyone has a chance to say this statement first. Walk around and listen to
them using the correct statement and solving correctly. Try to have them not use manipulatives
unless they need it.
Application
To tie in this activity with the previous one, each group will give me an equation that they have
created. Then as a class we will discuss this. For each problem I will ask students to come up to
the front, they will represent the number that is in the equation. When the students have made it
to the front of the room, I will have the class count how many people are present so they can
practice their one-to-one correspondence. Behind each group, on the board is the written number
for reference. We will take it part by part and first add the first two groups. Once we have all
gotten that number the groups will clump together and I check for understanding by asking for
thumbs up, we will start to add the next number. We will start with the new number and as I
place my hand on each students head, we will count as a class. To check for their understanding
I will only move ahead if they have said the right number. I want to practice their one-to-one
correspondence and make sure they are not route counting. On the board I will complete the
equation with the correct answer. We will do this activity as a class for all the groups problems.
Review
In the center of each table is a bowl of trail mix. In the trail mix are raisins, peanuts, and m &
ms. Each person has a worksheet in front of them with four blanks, three for the numbers and
one for the answer. I will put a number up on the board in the front, for example three. I will
have students write down three in the blank provided. Then they will pick out three raisins from
the middle and put it next to the number. Then I will pick a new number, 6, and write it on the
board. My students will copy this number in the next blank. They will then take 6 peanuts from
the center and put it next to the number. Finally I will write down the last number, 5, and they
will copy it in the blank and pick out 5 m & ms. Now I will have my students solve the
problem. I will have them try to answer without using the pieces of food as manipulatives but if
they need it, then it is there to count. They can talk as a group and help each other solve the

problem. I will walk around to the groups and see if they need help or more clarification. As I
walk around each group will tell me what the answer is. Once every group has let me know I will
have them all out loud repeat what the answer is. Then as a class we will count each object that
is on our worksheets. When we are done, they will get to eat the trail mix.
Teacher Notes:
Aid in students learning by talking with them in the steps that they are taking to solve the
problems. Use the key vocabulary as much in your own speech so your students get use to
hearing it. Make groups so that each students is benefitting. If peanuts are not allowed in the
school it can be replaced with chex.