4A - Differentiating Content, Delivery and Assessment

I designed a lesson for the Common Core Standard 1.NBT.C.5: Given a two-digit number, mentally find 10 more or 10 less than the number, without having to count; explain the reasoning used.  This can be a challenging standard for little first graders to understand.  Therefore, it is important that children get as much concrete, hands-on experiences with this skill.

The first thing I do before teaching this standard is PRE-ASSESS!  I need to know what my learners know about this standard.  I flashed up a number on my Elmo and ask the students what is one more, one less, ten more, or ten less than this number?  I did this with a couple more numbers and then collected their formative assessments.  This data showed me who knows what and will enable me to group my students accordingly.  I will make 3 leveled groups based on skill level.

I got my students excited about this lesson by giving them an activity that is fun and engaging.  The students put together a 100’s chart puzzle with a partner!  I was able to differentiate the puzzles by cutting up the puzzle in pieces of 4 - 15.  This activity helped my lower skilled students understand the patterning of the 100’s chart by working with a higher skilled student.

After the warm up, the students played a game. The children had a number chart and a place value mat with a one’s side and a ten’s side.  We used a random number generator to give the class a random number between 10 - 100.  The students worked with a partner to find the number on their 100’s chart and then show the number on the place value board using base 10 blocks. Then they rolled a +1, -1, +10, -10 die and showed the number they rolled on the number chart and with the base 10 blocks.

The students will now be split up into their leveled groups: 

Group 1 - The lower skilled students continued to play the warm up game with me at the front table using base ten blocks/place value mat and marker boards to show their work. We focus on -1 and +1 first and then practice -10 and +10.

Group 2 - These students are progressing towards grade level standards but needed more practice in order to master it.  I noticed this group of students had mastered identifying what was -1 and +1 than a number, but they had some difficulty with -10 and +10. They played a game called 10 more and 10 less roll. You can play this game with number cards & dice labeled -10 and +10.