Shortcuts You Can Count on

Subject: Mathematics
Grade Level: 2nd/3rd Grade
Name of Literature Book: "The Grapes of Math" by Greg Tang, Publisher: Scholastic, June
2004.

Summary of book: This book its written with simple riddles that encourage the reader (of any
age) to count in different ways. It teaches us the skills needed to make counting faster and easier
even when we are looking at things of different patterns, mixed together, instead of just by
grouping them like we normally do in math classes. The answers at the end explain the
lesson/teaching aspect of the book, and help both the teacher/parent, and the student understand
the math problem solving skills in detail.
Indiana Academic Standards being covered with this lesson:
Represent and solve problems involving addition and subtraction.
2.OA.1 Use addition and subtraction within 100 to solve one- and two-step word problems
involving situations of adding to, taking from, putting together, taking apart, and comparing,
with unknowns in all positions, e.g., by using drawings and equations with a symbol for the
unknown number to represent the problem
Represent and solve problems involving addition and subtraction.
3.OA.4 Determine the unknown whole number in a multiplication or division equation relating
three whole numbers. For example, determine the unknown number that makes the equation true
in each of the equations 8 ? = 48, 5 = 3, 6 6 = ?
EXPECTED OUTCOMES/OBJECTIVES - The learner will:
1. Read about the different ways to sum, subtract, and sometimes multiply.
2. Learn how to count or problem solve faster.
3. Practice the learned skills throughout the lesson for memorization.
Teaching/Learning Strategy

RESOURCES NEEDED:
Overhead projector, Copies of the last five pages of the book (to give one pack per student),
pencils, paper, and erasers.
DIRECTIONS:
Step 1: I will team up the students in pairs. With the help of the overhead projector, I will show
the students each one of the riddles in the book, and for each riddle, I will have a pair of students
read part of them out loud to the rest of the class.
Step 2: After reading the riddle, the students will try to figure out (in pairs) the best way to
come up with the answers for each riddle without counting each item one-by-one. We will
discuss it as a class by participating
Step 3: After exchanging comments about the subject, I will pass along copies of the different
ways the book explains how to solve each riddle from the back of the book. I will have the
students answer the following questions for each riddle in a piece of paper:

What is the most convenient way to add riddle #1...., (through #16)?

What is the strategy you used to help you solve these large amounts?

Are there other ways to add large groups?

Are there other ways to group items?

Did your partner solve it in a different way other than what you did? why?

Each pair of students will turn in the paper for grading.

PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT:
Participation (10 points)
Paper with questions (15 points)