Mississippi Math K.OA.2

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

The Standard

Solve addition and subtraction word problems within 10 involving situations of adding to, taking from, putting together and taking apart with unknowns in all positions by using objects or drawings to represent the problem.

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 use counters or drawings to show stories with up to 10 objects. They find a missing starting amount, change, part, or total and explain what their model shows.
What Mastery Looks Like: A student can draw 7 birds to show that 2 flew away and 5 stayed. They can also find how many birds were there before more arrived and check their answer with counters.
Common Misconceptions: Children may add every number they hear, even when objects leave. They may think the missing number always comes at the end, or count only the objects left when asked how many there were at first.
How to Assess It: Ask: 'Some frogs sat on a log. Three more hopped on. Now there are 8. How many were there at first?' Have children draw frogs or use counters and tell how they know.

Lesson moves

Ways to Teach It

Place 7 counters on a mat, cover some with a cup, and show 4; ask partners to draw and name the hidden group.
Ask, 'Six apples were in a basket. Some were eaten. Two remain. How many were eaten?' Have children explain their drawings to a partner.
Give pairs cards such as 'Some bears played; 2 more came; now 6 play'; partners race to model and name the missing number.
At snack, put 8 crackers on a plate and move 3 to a napkin; children draw how many remain on the plate.

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