Mississippi Math K.OA.1

MathKindergartenOperations and Algebraic Thinking (OA) Understand Addition as Putting Together and Adding To, and Understand Subtraction as Taking Apart and Taking From

The Standard

Represent addition and subtraction, in which all parts and whole of the problem are within 10, with objects, fingers, mental images, drawings, sounds (e.g., claps), acting out situations, verbal explanations, expressions, or equations.

2025 Mississippi College- and Career-Readiness Standards for Mathematics · Compare Numbers

Teacher's field guide

What This Standard Means

What Students Need to Do: Children show what happens when two groups join, a group splits, or some objects leave. They use counters, fingers, drawings, claps, or words to show stories with no more than 10 objects.
What Mastery Looks Like: Given 4 buttons and 3 more, a child shows 7 with counters or a drawing. Given 7 buttons with 2 taken away, they show 5 left and explain what changed.
Common Misconceptions: Children may count only the objects added instead of counting the whole new group. In a take-away story, they may add the numbers or remove the wrong number of objects.
How to Assess It: Give each child 10 counters: 'Start with 5 ducks, add 2, then take away 3; show each step and draw the last group.' Look for groups of 5, 7, then 4.

Lesson moves

Ways to Teach It

Give pairs 10 cubes to model four dogs joined by two, then six dogs with two leaving.
Draw seven apples, cross out three, and ask children to tell a partner what changed and show it with fingers.
Play clap detective: clap three times, then two more; children draw five marks, then cross out one to show a clap taken away.
At snack time, place five crackers on a plate, add two, then remove three; have children sketch each change.

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