CCSS.Math.Content.K.OA.A
The standard
Understand addition as putting together and adding to, and understand subtraction as taking apart and taking from.
Common Core State Standards for Mathematics
What this standard means
Students need to see addition and subtraction as actions, not symbols first. They put groups together, add more to a group, take objects away, and break a group into parts. They should use counters, fingers, drawings, sounds, movements, and simple stories to show what is happening.
Mastery looks like a child acting out a story problem, explaining the action, and matching it to a drawing or equation when ready. Common trouble spots are mixing up add and subtract, counting the starting group again, and writing numbers without understanding the story.
Ways to teach it
- Give pairs 10 counters and story cards like 3 frogs sit, 2 more hop in, then have them act and count the result.
- Ask students, How do you know this story is about adding or taking away, and have them point to the action words.
- Show five cubes, hide two in your hand, and ask students to draw what happened and say how many are left.
- Use snack time with crackers to model eating some, getting more, and telling number stories from what actually happens.
Plan a lesson for CCSS.Math.Content.K.OA.A
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Related standards
- CCSS.Math.Content.1.OA.B.4
Understand subtraction as an unknown-addend problem.
- CCSS.Math.Content.1.NBT.C
Use place value understanding and properties of operations to add and subtract.
- CCSS.Math.Content.1.OA.B
Understand and apply properties of operations and the relationship between addition and subtraction.
- CCSS.Math.Content.4.NF.B.3a
Understand addition and subtraction of fractions as joining and separating parts referring to the same whole.