P How do we use measurement to help us make decisions?
P What are the different ways to measure amount?
P How do we measure if something is more or less than something else?
Facts and Definitions&P We use addition in real life on a regular basis.
8 Skills
P Create sets of ten using objects (M)
P Read and write numbers 0-99 (M)
P Connect model, number, and word (M)
P Build an understanding of place value (M)
P Connect experiences and ideas with those of others through speaking and listening (LA)
P Extend skills in written language by producing written products (LA)
" Materials
"How Many Tickets? (Option 1)"
"How Many Tickets? (Option 2)"
"Balloon Pop (Option 1)"
"Balloon Pop (Option 2)"
"Numbers for Toss the Bag"
2 beanbags or small stuffed animalsPbase-ten blocksPmasking tapePmaterials for a carnival gamePvariety of bowls, boxes, and other containersP
Introduction
Ask your child if he can think of a time when he has used addition to help him measure an amount, not including schoolwork. Give him examples of times when you use addition, such as at the grocery store, when cooking, or when planning an event. Explain to him that knowing how to add helps in making decisions.
Tell your child that he is going to a pretend fair. Ask if he has ever been to a fair. If so, ask him what kind of things he saw and did there. If he has never been to a fair, tell him about fairs and what people do there.
Activities
Activity 1: How Many Tickets?
At a fair, rides and games cost a specified number of tickets. When you go to the fair, you have to decide how many tickets you need to buy in order to do the things that you want to do. You also have to think about how much money you have.
Option 1
On the top of the page, "How Many Tickets?" (Option 1), are six games, rides, and food. Ask your child to answer the questions about the number of tickets he will need. He can use cubes and rods to help him with the addition. Encourage him to write the addition sentence for each problem (such as 4 + 3 = 7).
On the top of the page, "How Many Tickets?" (Option 2), are six games, rides, and food. Ask your child to answer the questions about the number of tickets he will need. He can use cubes and rods to help him with the addition.
*If your child is advanced at math and has mastered single-digit addition, you can make this activity more challenging by adding 10 to each number.
Activity 2: Balloon Pop
Balloon Pop is a game where you throw darts at balloons and win prizes for the balloons you pop. Give your child one of the "Balloon Pop" pages. (Option 2 has more advanced problems.) On this page, your child will find ten balloons with addition problems inside. Tell your child that he will win a prize if he pops the balloons that have the largest numbers. Ask him how he could decide which balloons to pop. Tell him he can use his base-ten blocks to add the numbers, or he can add on a number line. He can put an X over each balloon he chooses to pop (the three with the largest amounts). As he works through the problems, explain that sometimes it is easiest to take the largest number and find the blocks and rods for it, and then put the smaller number with those and finally count the total amount. For example, 10 + 3 could be solved getting a rod and putting three cubes with it. Then your child can start with the tens rod and say, "10," and then count the three cubes saying "11, 12, 13."
Activity 3: Beanbag Toss
For the beanbag toss, your child will toss beanbags (or very small stuffed animals) into bowls that represent the answers to addition problems. First, cut out the number squares from the "Numbers for Toss the Bag" sheet and tape them to six bowls, boxes, or containers (or label the containers with the numbers 10, 12, 15, 17, 14, and 18). Set the bowls in a large space and put a line of masking tape on the floor for your child to stand behind. You will read aloud the following addition problems for your child to solve on paper:
P 5 + 9 =
P 6 + 6 =
P 13 + 4 =
P 12 + 6 =
P 10 + 5 =
P 7 + 3 =
He can use his base-ten blocks to help him get the correct answers. When he gets the answer, he will stand behind the tape and toss the beanbag into the container with the correct answer. Give him three chances to toss the beanbag into the correct container. You can give him a prize if he gets all the answers correct.
Note: To make this game more challenging, give him two different beanbags and tell him that one is for odd numbers and the other is for even numbers.
Activity 4: Create a Carnival Game
For this activity, your child is going to create a game that could be played at a carnival. The only trick is that the game must involve addition. If your child needs help, look at a variety of carnival games on the Internet for ideas. Help your child collect or create the materials he will need to design the game. After he creates his game, let him play it with friends and/or family.
Activity 5: My Day at the Fair
Ask your child to write a paragraph that describes what he did and enjoyed the last time he went to a carnival or fair. If your child has never been to a carnival or fair, he can write a paragraph that describes what he would like to do if he spent a day at the fair. Remind your child that a paragraph begins with an opening sentence that tells the reader the main idea of the paragraph. The next sentences contain examples that relate to the main idea of the paragraph. The main idea of this paragraph is a day at the fair. Finally, a paragraph ends with a sentence that closes, or finishes, the paragraph. Often, the final sentence will tell something that the writer learned from the experience or a feeling the writer had as a result of the experience. Examples:
P "I was tired after my day at the fair, but I couldn't wait to come back next year."
P "After spending a day at the fair, I couldn't believe how much money I had spent."
Provide assistance as he writes his paragraph. If your child is struggling with spelling, you can provide assistance with the
more challenging words. Remember that inventive spelling is beneficial at this stage. Encourage your child to experiment with challenging words and ideas without getting bogged down in spelling every word correctly. When your child finishes the paragraph, he can draw and color a picture to illustrate his day at the fair.
Wrapping Up
Ask your child what he learned about addition today.
