Celia MacDougall

January 12, 2014

GRADE 3 MATHEMATICS
NTCM Standards:
Represent and analyze mathematical situations and structures using algebraic symbols
1) represent the idea of a variable as an unknown quantity using a letter or a symbol;
2) express mathematical relationships using equations.
NB Mathematics Curriculum Outcome:
PR 3 (Variables and Equations): Solve one-step addition and subtraction equations involving
symbols representing an unknown number.
Overview:
Teaching algebra and equations can be difficult for students to grasp. Many students have a difficult time understanding what the equal sign means in an equation. It is important that this is
made clear to students. Many students have the misconception that whenever they see the equal
sign they automatically put the answer. Thus, many students would answer 6 + 7 = __ + 3 with
13. This lesson builds on students previous knowledge of the meaning of the equal sign and fact
families and begins to explore solving equations. This is an introductory lesson to algebra, and
will act as a foundation for later more complicated algebra problems. Students will learn and
practice various strategies for solving equations such as make 10, using doubles and thinking of
fact families.
Purpose:
This lesson will help students to think algebraically, problem solve and develop strategies for
solving equations. Students will connect the previously learned material of the meaning of the
equal sign to solving equations.
Objective(s):
As a result of this lesson students will be able to:
Further develop their problem solving and reasoning skills
Solve one-step addition and subtraction equations involving symbols to represent an unknown number
Materials:
SmartBoard & NoteBook File
Mini White boards and Markers
Bingo Chips (18 per 2 people)
Playing Cards with the face cards removed
Procedure:
The lesson will begin with a warm up. The idea of a warm up is to review concepts that have
previously been introduced. The warm up will be a review of the meaning of the equal sign. Stu-

Celia MacDougall
January 12, 2014
dents will work on their mini whiteboards and this will be used as a formative check to see that
students are ready to move on and build on this concept. This will be a simple true/ false activity.
The teacher will write an equation on the board and the students will simply mark true or false.
Here are the equations:
1)
2)
3)
4)

4+7=3+5
3+2=4+1
5 + 5 = 10 + 0
7+7=6+8

If the students are able to recognize whether these are equalities or not they are ready to move on
to how to solve for an unknown in such an equation.
Students will now be divided into groups of 2. Each group will be given 18 bingo chips. The students will take turns, the first person will put a certain number of bingo chips in their hand and
show their partner and say how many there are. Their partner then has to determine how many
bingo chips are in their other hand (the one they cant see). The students are encouraged to discuss their strategies.
While the students are working, the teacher circulates and asks questions such as:
How many bingo chips did you use?
How many did you have in one hand?
How were you able to find out how many bingo chips were still hidden?
If students are counting by 1, the teacher should encourage them to use previously introduced
strategies such as make 10, doubles, fact families etc.
After the students each had a turn the class can return to their place and the teacher will ask for
volunteers to describe their strategies.
Since that was an Explore activity with little instruction some students will have struggled with
it. At this point the teacher will open the Smartboard file about equations. At this point in the lesson the teacher will walk through with students different strategies they could have used to figure
out the missing number. There will be three different examples to show three different strategies.
See the attached Smartboard file. The strategy for question one is make 10, the strategy for question 2 is using doubles and the final strategy is to use the corresponding fact families. See attached print out of Smartboard pages.
As a final activity students will be divided into groups of 3 to play a game. Each group will be
given a deck of cards with the face cards removed. One player (the dealer) will give the other
two players a card. The other players cannot look at the number on their card and will hold it in

Celia MacDougall
January 12, 2014
front of their forehead, so that the other players can see the card. The dealer will say the sum of
the two numbers and then the other players have to determine what number they have on their
forehead by knowing the sum and what the other player has. Students will take turns with being
the dealer.
Assessment:
The assessment will be formative, the teacher will make notes on students and classify them into
one of three categories theyve got it, theyre on target or not yet there. Notes will be made based
on answers they are able to provide during class discussions, what they answer/ strategies they
provide during their partner work and finally when they are playing the game.

Date:

Name:

Comments:

Theyve got it!

Student demonstrates a clear
understanding.
Theyre on target!
Student demonstrates
understanding with a few
prompts
Not yet there!
Student does not demonstrate
understanding.

References
Department of Education. (2010). New Brunswick Mathematics Grade 3 Curriculum Guide. Re
trieved from: http://www.gnb.ca/0000/publications/curric/Mathematics_NB_Curricu
lum_Grade_3.pdf
Van de Walle, J., Folk, S., Karp, K., Bay-Williams, J., McGarvey, L.M., & Folk, S. (2015). (4th
Canadian ed.). Elementary and middle school mathematics: Teaching Developmentally.
Toronto, ON: Pearson.