Indiana Wesleyan University

Elementary Education Lesson Plan

CAEP 2018 K-6 Elementary Teacher Preparation Standards
By Jillian Findlay

LESSON RATIONALE
In Mrs. VanPatten’s 5th grade math block, the students have been reintroduced to the concept of
subtraction. Through this lesson, it is my desire to build on their knowledge by providing a
variety of applicable/ real-world problems that students can work through small groups to solve.
This group of students often struggle with retention and need to be able to visualize and
conceptualize the practice of subtraction, and creating hands-on activities and providing them
with real-world examples of subtraction will do so.

READINESS
I. Goals/Objectives/Standard(s)
A. Goal(s): Students will be able to expand their subtraction fluency by subtracting
two-digit numbers through various activities.
B. Objective(s):
1. Through various activities, students will be able to subtract two-digit
numbers using concrete objects, pictorial representations, and written
methods.
2. Given examples of real-world subtraction problems, students will be able
to construct their own written two-digit subtraction story problem.
C. Standard(s):
1. 2.CA.2: Solve real-world problems involving subtraction within 100 in
situations of taking from, taking apart, and comparing, with unknowns in
all parts of the subtraction problem (e.g., by using drawings and equations
with a symbol for the unknown number to represent the problem).
2. Teaching in a dual 5th grade classroom.
II. Management Plan:
A. Materials:
● Book: Shark Swimathon by Stuart Murphy
● Numbered pieces of paper in a cup to draw from
● Whiteboard
● dry erase marker(s)
● 3-4 decks of playing cards (standard, uno, skip-bo)
● Flip It & Subtract It! Worksheet
● Flip It & Subtract It! Recording sheet
● Plastic paper sleeves
● Book: How Many Blue Birds Flew Away? By Paul Giganti
 ● Paper or real dimes & pennies
● A “bank”
● Set of cards numbered 10-20
● Money Be Gone Game worksheet (for visual)
● Write Your Own! worksheet
B. Time: 60 minutes
1. Anticipatory set & mini lesson: 15 minutes
2. Stations (3 x 10): 30 minutes
3. Independent practice: 10 minutes
4. Closure: 5 minutes
C. Space:
1. Anticipatory set & mini lesson: students will be seated/ gathered at the
front of the classroom.
2. Stations: students will be in their small groups at various stations for 3
rotations
3. Independent Practice & Closure: students will be seated at their desk.
D. Behavior:
1. Listening: Students are expected to be engaged in all activities, listening
with their ears and eyes, keeping their hands to themselves, and sitting
nicely.
2. Using Materials: Students will be expected use material such as playing
cards and coins correctly and responsibly.
3. Volume Level: Students are expected to engage in conversation without
interrupting others as to keep the volume down during whole group
discussions/ game. During independent work, students may talk at an
appropriate volume with their small groups.
4. Based on behavior, students will be given the opportunity to clip up on
the behavior chart, earning “owl bucks.” For misbehavior, students will be
told discretely to move their clip down on the clip chart.
E. Technology: Students will not need any source of technology for the course of
this lesson.
III. Anticipatory Set:
● Have students sit on the carpet at the front of the class.
● Say, “I want you to think of some goals you have for your life. What are some of your
goals? What are one or two things you wish to accomplish?” Allow for a few student
responses.
● “Now think to yourself again, how do we reach a goal? What has to happen between now
and the time your goal is accomplished?” Allow for a few student responses.
● “Those are some great thoughts! Yes, in order to reach a goal, we must create small steps
or a checklist, or work really hard to get where we want to be. Well, today we are going
 to read this book to see how a swim team of sharks accomplished their goal. As we read,
I want you to pay close attention to how these sharks and their coach kept themselves
accountable in order to reach their goal! This is, Shark Swimathon by Stuart J. Murphy.
● Read the story
● Follow up questions: What did you like best about the story? Did you think their goal was
difficult or easy to accomplish? What method or how did the swim team keep themselves
accountable in order to reach their goal? What did you notice about the math that they
were doing? Allow time for natural response from students.

IV. Purpose: Today we are going to continue practicing with subtracting two-digit numbers.
It is important to practice this skill because two-digit numbers can be found in real-world
problems so we must be fluent in solving them!

PLAN FOR INSTRUCTION

V. Adaption to Individual Differences and Diverse Learners
A. Remediation:
1. Each station is completed as a group or in partners with leadership from a
classroom teacher. This accommodates for students who may need
directions repeated and/ or immediate misconception relief.
2. Each station is hands-on and rich with application, which will
accommodate for students with difficulty staying on task.
3. During independent practice, have B, K, and D work with Mrs. W or Mrs.
V to orally tell their story problem, having Mrs. W or Mrs. V transcribe it
for them onto the worksheet.
B. Enrichment: Have students create/ write more than one story problem. Students
could also represent their story problem using drawings.

VI. Lesson Presentation (Input/ Output)

Musical Chairs (whole group/ mini lesson/ guided practice)
● To begin, we are going to start with a whole class game of musical chairs! Although, this
is not going to be your average musical chairs game. Let’s work together to get your
chairs in a large circle, and then I am going to hand you a number and I want you to put
it around your neck. Allow for time to set up chairs.
● Write the number “320” on the whiteboard.
● So, what number is this written on the whiteboard? Yes, 320! So, our goal is to subtract
from this number, to get the lowest number we can using the numbers you will draw from
this special cup! The way this is going to work is, as one person gets out, that person is
going to be put up to the challenge of subtracting the number they draw from this cup
from the number on the whiteboard! Before we begin, let’s make an estimate on once
 everyone is out and has subtracted a two digit number from the number on the board,
what number do you think we will end up with? Allow for a few estimations/ guesses.
● Play until there is only one student left.
● Awesome subtracting 5th graders! What number did we reach? Yes! Now, we are going
to move into our stations, but they might look a little different today.
● Transition into stations.
Stations (Active Learning)
● Station #1: Flip it & Subtract it! (run by Mrs. VanPatten)
○ Using playing cards, students will create two-digit subtraction problems,
solving them together and writing their answers on the provided recording
sheet.
○ Students will work in pairs.
○ Each pair needs one deck of playing cards, one copy of the directions/
worksheet, one dry erase marker, and one recording sheet.
○ Directions are explained below on worksheet.
● Station #2: How Many Blue Birds Flew Away? By Paul Giganti (run by Mrs.
Weinman)
○ As a small group, the students will read through this interactive picture
book, solving the real-world subtraction problems illustrated on each page.
● Station #3: Money Be Gone Game (run by Ms. Findlay)
○ Game is played as a group
○ 10 dimes for each player, about 40 pennies in the bank, and a set of cards
numbered 10 through 20.
○ Each player starts with 10 dimes. Mix up the cards and place them face
down in a pile.
○ Taking turns, each player draws a card and gives the amount shown to the
bank.
○ If the player does not have exact change, he or she must exchange a dime
for 10 pennies.
○ The first player to get rid of all his or her money wins.

VII. Check for Understanding (Independent Practice)

Creating a two-digit Subtraction Story Problem
● Wrap up stations and ask students to return to their seats. Pass out the “Write
Your Own!” worksheet.
● In our stations, we have come into contact with several real life examples of two-
digit subtraction problems. What are some examples you remember from your
stations? Allow for a few student responses.
● Those are great examples! Now, I have another challenge for you! We are going
to use what we have learned from today and write our own story problems! But,
 there are a few guidelines your story must follow. The story must include
subtraction of two, two-digit numbers. Do you think you are up for the challenge?
● Provide students with about 10 minutes to write their story problem. Walk around
the room, providing guidance when needed.
● Have B, K, and D work with Mrs. Weinman to orally tell their story problem,
having Mrs. W transcribe it for them on the worksheet.
● If students finish early, ask them to either write another story or represent their
first story through drawings.

VIII. Review Learning Outcomes/ Closure: Students will share their written subtraction story
problem to the class.

PLAN FOR ASSESSMENT

● Formative:
○ During the lesson I will ask questions depending on the content or student actions
○ I will listen to students’ responses, both verbal and nonverbal to determine if the
student(s) are understanding the material.
○ Observing students writing their story problem.
● Summative:
○ Collect students’ “Flip It & Subtract It” worksheet.
○ Each student will reflect their understanding of subtracting two-digit numbers by
creating their own story problem then presenting their story to the class.

REFLECTION AND POST-LESSON ANALYSIS

1. How many students achieved the lesson objective(s)? For those who did not, why not?
2. What were my strengths and weaknesses?
3. How should I alter this lesson?
4. How would I pace it differently?
5. Were all my students actively participating? If not, why not?
6. What adjustments did I make to reach varied learning styles and ability levels?
7. Could each student create a real-world example of two-digit subtraction in their written
story problems?
8. Did each station deliver a rich experience of learning that kept the students’ interest and
motivation?

REFLECTION QS ANSWERED BELOW AFTER WORKSHEETS 

 Name: __________________

Flip it & Subtract it!

Directions:
1. Flip 2 cards. Form a 2-digit number. Write it in the top two boxes below, placing 1 digit
in each box.
2. Flip 2 new cards. Form another 2-digit number. Write it in the bottom two boxes below,
placing 1 digit in each box.
3. Subtract the numbers!
 Money Be Gone!

Dimes: 10 cents Pennies: 1 cent

 Write Your Own! Name: __________________

My Subtraction Story Problem:

Picture Key Words

Did you have to regroup? Number Sentence

___ yes
___ no ___ ___ - ___ ___ = _______
REFLECTION AND POST-LESSON ANALYSIS
1. How many students achieved the lesson objective(s)? For those who did not, why
not?
A majority of my students were able to achieve the lesson objectives. I would say at least 15 of
the 18 wrote an age appropriate 2-digit story problem. Those who did not meet my objectives
were the ones who struggle with written communication. For example, I was able to scribe for
one student. She orally told me a story problem and I wrote it down for her, and she was able to
express her level of understanding.
2. What were my strengths and weaknesses?
One of my strengths was my read aloud. I sparked my students’ interest by posing thought-
provoking questions about their goals, read the story with enthusiasm, and then connected the
story through a discussion that led to my purpose statement. Another strength of this lesson was
my math stations. Each station provided access and/or moved my students towards meeting my
goal and objectives of this lesson. I was impressed with the feedback I received from both Mrs.
VanPatten and Mrs. Weinmann in how much engagement the students were expressing.
As for my weaknesses, I believe I could have used more narrative in my mini lesson while
playing musical chairs. I think if I were to have used a few of the students’ “magical” numbers to
create story problems aloud, there would have been more of an alignment with the closing
activity of the students writing their own subtraction story problems. I also recognized during my
individual station that I was somewhat overwhelmed and wished that I could have slowed things
down in order to emphasize more on the conceptualization of trading in the coins to be able to
subtract the correct amount and using more dialogue with the students. I felt I was more focused
on ensuring the students were doing it correctly or “managing” them than anything else.
3. How should I alter this lesson?
If I were to alter this lesson, I would have created my own math groups rather than using Mrs.
VanPatten’s math groups that were already in place. Rather than only have 3 large group of
students, it would have been more beneficial to have 4. With less students at a time I feel I would
have been able to better accommodate for certain students, add more narrative, and better gage
student understanding during the game.
4. How would I pace it differently?
I enjoyed the pacing of this lesson. 15 minutes seemed to be enough time for each group to
interact at each station.
5. Were all my students actively participating? If not, why not?
Yes! Mrs. V and Mrs. W said that all of the students were actively participating throughout the
entire lesson. My math stations were created intentionally to not feel “mathish” but rather as
interactive games with their peers while still proving representations of real-world subtraction.
6. What adjustments did I make to reach varied learning styles and ability levels?
Each stations was completed as a group or in partners with leadership from a classroom teacher.
This accommodated for students who needed directions repeated and/ or immediate
misconception relief. Each station was also hands-on and rich with application, which
accommodated for students with difficulty staying on task. Lastly, during independent practice, I
had one student orally tell me their story problem, scribing it for her onto the worksheet.
 7. Could each student create a real-world example of two-digit subtraction in their
written story problems?
A great majority of the students were able to create a story problem based on a real-world
examples. Some stories included subjects as purchasing items, school busses, and video game
characters.
8. Did each station deliver a rich experience of learning that kept the students’ interest
and motivation?
YES