Initial Lesson Plan

Goals/Objectives:
The goal is for students to understand that there are multiple methods for
achieving a sum less than or equal to twenty. An objective is for students to use tangible
materials as tools for modeling these combinations, and to further develop comfort with
discussing and articulating their mathematical thought processes and comprehension.
Standards:
Represent and solve problems involving addition and subtraction
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.1.OA.A.1
Use addition and subtraction within 20 to solve word problems involving situations of
adding to, taking from, putting together, taking apart, and comparing, with unknowns in
all positions, e.g., by using objects, drawings, and equations with a symbol for the
unknown number to represent the problem.
Add and subtract within 20.
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.1.OA.C.5
Relate counting to addition and subtraction (e.g., by counting on 2 to add 2).
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.1.OA.C.6
Add and subtract within 20, demonstrating fluency for addition and subtraction within 10.
Use strategies such as counting on; making ten (e.g., 8 + 6 = 8 + 2 + 4 = 10 + 4 = 14);
decomposing a number leading to a ten (e.g., 13 - 4 = 13 - 3 - 1 = 10 - 1 = 9); using the
relationship between addition and subtraction (e.g., knowing that 8 + 4 = 12, one knows
12 - 8 = 4); and creating equivalent but easier or known sums (e.g., adding 6 + 7 by
creating the known equivalent 6 + 6 + 1 = 12 + 1 = 13).
Investigations Curriculum:
Ten and fifteen are landmark numbers
Materials and preparation:
Laminated pictures with prices on the back
Graphic organizers (price sheet and backup sheet)
Construction paper
Bowls
Paper Plates
Glue sticks
Poster/Dry Erase easel
Chart paper
Tape
Pencils
Fake money
Post-it notes
Classroom arrangement and management issues:

The small room I plan to hold the lesson in has wheelie chairs which could act as
temptations for children to roll around in during the lesson. Also, I have to accommodate
the space for writing since there is no black or white board. I will use chart paper with
tape and/or a poster/dry erase easel that is self-standing.
Another possible issue is managing the quantity and organization of the modeling
tools that I will provide. Each student will have laminated pictures, fake money, and
pizza toppings cut out of construction paper. The pieces could become disorganized, and
it might be problematic to keep track of these items.
Plan:
1. Launch
1. I will explain to students that they each have $20.00 to design a personalized
pizza with whatever toppings they want from the bowls. They will work
independently to select toppings and create their own pizzas. They will each get
a bowl with laminated pictures of toppings, with the price of each one listed on
the back. I will explain that students should keep track of how many of each
topping they use by recording their selections on their price sheets. The price
sheets will include the following toppings along with corresponding prices:
1. Dough $10
2. Sauce $2
3. Cheese $3
4. Pepperoni $4 for 2 servings
5. Mushrooms $1
6. Olives $2
7. Pineapple $3
I will model filling out the price sheet by selecting pictures from the bowl, saying
their prices out loud, and recording the options I choose on the price sheet. I will model
how to record their selections on a price sheet enlarged on chart paper. I will explain that
students have a choice to either spend all of the $20 or build a pizza that costs up to $20.
I will model counting money from my $20 total, and will model a system for keeping
track of my spending. I will label post-it notes as money spent and balance, and will
separate money into two piles as a system for keeping track of what I spent and can spend
on additional toppings. There will also be a section for work space, where I will model
writing the balance after I take each item. I will also say that students can write whatever
they want in that space, such as extra cheese? As students work to create combinations
of numbers up to twenty, I will spend time with each student, asking them about their
decisions for what toppings they are choosing. Possible questions might include:
Once youve selected dough, sauce, and cheese, how do you decide what other
toppings you want on your pizza?
If you make a pizza with no cheese or with no sauce, can you add more of another
kind of topping?
What is the maximum amount of toppings you can have on your pizza?
For those students who can use an accommodation, I would give them the
price sheet with pizza on sale for $9, and ask them how this affects the number of

toppings they can select for their pizzas. I would also try to gain a sense of their
number operations by asking:
1. Could you add more toppings?
2. How did the sale price affect the number of combinations you created?
2. Once each student has recorded combinations for at least two (or more) pizzas
each, I will introduce the next step, which is that each student gets to build their
favorite pizza with combinations of toppings using veggies cut out of
construction paper. I will model this part by gluing dough onto a paper plate,
referring to my price sheet, and selecting veggies from another bowl, gluing them
down as I go. I will explain that students can select their favorite pizza they have
just made, and create it with the construction paper veggies, sauce, and cheese.
3. I will model the discussion that will culminate the lesson. I will hold up my
pizza, and will explain why I used that particular combination of toppings. I will
shape the discussion by articulating specific details about the mathematical
choices I made behind each of my selections. For example, I might say, I know
I needed dough, which was $10, so I used dough. I had $10 left. I chose not to
use sauce because I like white pizza, and I realized that I would have more money
for additional toppings if I didn't use sauce. The amount I saved was $2, and
olives are $2, so I added those. I like mushrooms too so I added those. Since
pepperoni is 2 servings for $4 and I only wanted one serving, I added just one.
For $2. I will be listening for students articulation of their strategies for
addition and subtraction up to twenty. I will be listening to see if they explain
their rationale for selecting each item on the pizza. By students explaining each
item, the goal is to listen for strategies they used in combining numbers, and how
they accounted for the balance after adding each topping.
Anticipating students responses and your possible responses:
Students are likely to find transitioning between the various representations
difficult. In order to select and record their combinations, students are required to chose
a veggie, make sense of its price, count the money, and record on the price sheet the
quantity taken. They also have to keep track of their balance. There will be no specific
column on the price sheet for the balance; a goal for the discussion is for students to
articulate how they kept track of this. The discussion might be difficult in terms of
articulating their mathematical thought processes.
It is my hope that students will find the activity of building their own pizzas out of
construction paper veggies to be particularly engaging. In terns of managerial challenges,
although students will each have the same amount of laminated pictures of toppings and
construction paper veggies, students could try to take one anothers toppings.
Assessment of the goals/objectives listed above:
The discussion of the each students personalized pizza and the choices behind
their topping selections will allow for me to gain insight into the mathematical problem
solving that students possess. In order to express their strategies, students will need to
exercise their skills in articulating their decisions, further developing their critical
thinking skills. They will also need to develop the ability to move fluidly between the
components of making their decisions. They have to move from conceptualizing the

pizza to tangibly creating it. Keeping track of the toppings used on the price sheet will
assess students understanding of quantity, and will also assess their ability to follow the
model shown. The section for work space will reflect their understanding of the written
representation of the balance while building the pizzas.
Accommodations:
If students have created at least two personalized pizzas, I will give them a
backup price sheet with a sale on dough for $9 instead of $10. For additional
challenging, other items can go on sale as well, which could be represented verbally.
There will also be a topping that is $2 for $4, so if a student wants to be challenged, he or
she can only select one topping for $2.
If a student finds the material too challenging, I would ask that he or she pair with
a partner and help build a pizza together. I would suggest that they talk about the
decisions they make, encouraging them to problem solve out loud as a team. I would also
work with them to understand the balance after we add each topping, and would model
how to use ones fingers as additional tools for counting the sum of the prices for the
toppings.

Graphic Organizer
quantity

topping

price/topping

dough

$10

$2
sauce

cheese

$3

pepperoni

$4
(for 2 servings)

mushrooms

$1

olives

$2

pineapple

$3

work space

Pizza Dough Goes on Sale!

quantity

topping

price/topping

dough

$9

$2
sauce

cheese

$3

pepperoni

$4
(for 2 servings)

mushrooms

$1

olives

$2

pineapple

$3

work space

Checklist

Name

Money

Graphic
Organizer

Discussion

Keeps track with

two piles

Fills out price

sheet

Articulates
mathematical
thinking

Notes

Additional
observations