Olivia Markoski

School of Education
The College of New Jersey

Topic and Grade level: 2nd Grade- Representing and solving problems using addition and
subtraction (Fall Themed)

Lesson Essential Questions: Will students be able to use the manipulatives given to them to
represent the word problems in order to find the answer? Will students be able to figure out
which word problems need to be solved with either addition or subtraction?

Standards:
Standard 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.
Standard 2.OA.2: Fluently add and subtract within 20 using mental strategies (This will
be for the more elite students, other students can use their manipulatives).

Learning Objectives and Assessment

Objectives Assessment

Students will be able to Teachers will walk around the room, observing the students
demonstrate solving addition using acorn manipulatives to solve the problems.
and subtraction word
problems.

Students will be able to Students will work with peers to solve the problem on their
formulate a number sentence worksheet that involves creating a number sentence. Students
based off of the word problem. will have the opportunity to explain their reasoning during
review time.

Materials:
Acorns (Manipulatives)
Cut out of a squirrel
Cut out of a Opossum
Worksheet (For general class)
Challenging Worksheet (For those who finish early)
Fun squirrel video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-75xCPD_L4

Pre-Lesson Assessment and/or Prior Knowledge:

Students should have prior knowledge of what a number sentence contains.
Students should have prior knowledge on addition and subtraction up to 20.
Lesson Beginning:
Opening question to engage students: What season are we currently in? What animals do
we see during the fall? What do squirrels eat and collect during this time?
Show them the cut out of Mr. Squirrel on overhead protector.
Mr. Squirrel needs our help getting all his acorns to his nest and we are going to help
him by being mathematicians and solving problems for him so that he gets all his acorns.
And the reason why he needs our help is because Mr. Possum keeps stealing his acorns.
Show them the cutout of Mr. Possum on overhead protector.

Instructional Plan:
We pass out a worksheet to all students. We will also pass a bag of 20 acorns to each
student.
Using the overhead projector, we will do the first example/problem together.
The teachers will read the word problem out loud and underline what operation is
being used.
Using acorns the teachers will demonstrate the operation.
Students will be replicate the same steps.
The teachers will fill out the number sentence on the worksheet and ask for the
answer to the problem. Mention how it can also be called an equation as well.
This will help students understand how to do the rest of the problems on the
worksheet.
Students will then be working on the problems, as the teachers walk around the
classroom for any students who need help. The students can also ask for help from their
peers.
Teachers will make sure they are using the acorn as a manipulative, especially if they are
struggling.
For those who finish the worksheet quicker than others, the teachers will provide an
additional challenging worksheet. This worksheet will following the same instructions
with more challenging problems.

Questions:
Can anyone tell how many acorns Mr. Squirrel started with?
What operation was used next? (Make sure you look at what words were used)
Example: Does take away mean addition or subtraction?
During review, for each question: What operations were used in this word problem?
How do you know that?

Differentiation:
Students will already be in seats/groups of different levels of mathematical knowledge.
They can ask a peer to help them read a question if needed.
Teachers will make sure to consistently check in on the lower level students and read
word problems if needed.
There will be a worksheet provided for the upper level students if they finish the original
worksheet faster than others. This worksheet will contain three-step addition and
subtraction problems.
Classroom Management: Students will remain seated throughout instruction and while working
on the worksheet. Students will raise their hand to speak out to loud to the class, whether they are
answering or asking a question.

Closure:
The ending of the lesson will consists of reviewing the worksheet.
The teacher will put the worksheet on the overhead projector and read each problem.
The teacher will ask for volunteers to answer the question.
The students will be allowed to come up and write their number sentence and answer on
the smartboard filling in the worksheet.
For those who were able to work on the challenging worksheet, the teachers will collect
the papers and check them. They will be handed back at the end of the day.
Teachers will congratulate students on helping Mr. Squirrel.
Show fun squirrel video.
Name ________________________
1. Mr. Squirrel has 8 acorns in his backpack. When he wasn't
looking Mr. Possum took away 4 acorns. Then, while
walking back home, 2 acorns fell out of his backpack. How
many acorns does Mr. Squirrel have at the end of the day?

________________________________ = __________

2. Mr. Squirrel has 14 acorns in his nest. While climbing a

tree, he collects 3 more acorns and adds them to the nest.
How many acorns does he have in all?

_________________________________=__________

3. Mr. Squirrel went to the park. He was holding 4 acorns in

his mouth. He added 5 more acorns. On his way back to his
nest, he dropped 3 acorns. How many acorns does he have
in all?

_________________________________= _________
4. Before Mr. Squirrel went to the store, he counted all his
acorns in the nest. He counted that he had 16 acorns. While at
the store, Mr. Possum took away 7 acorns. How many acorns
were left when Mr. Squirrel got home?

_________________________________=___________

5. Mr. Squirrel has 10 acorns. Mr. Possum took away 4

acorns. Then, Mr. Squirrel went to Mr. Possum nest and stole
back more acorns. He added the 7 stolen acorns to his own nest.
How many acorns does Mr. Squirrel have in his nest?

__________________________________= ___________
Name: _______________________________
Worksheet 2
1. Mr. Squirrel had 10 acorns in his nest. While climbing
through the trees he collected 4 more acorns. When he went
to the park, he collected 3 more acorns. When he got home,
his friend came over and gave him 2 more acorns as a gift.
How many acorns are in the nest now?

_______________________________________=___________

2. Mr. Squirrel packed his backpack for school. He put 17

acorns in it. When he was walking to school, 6 acorns fell out.
He gave 3 acorns to his friends during lunch. On his way home,
Mr. Possum stole 4 acorns out of his backpack when he wasnt
looking. How many acorns does Mr. Squirrel have once he gets
home?

_______________________________________=___________

3. Mr. Squirrel stuffed 12 acorns in his mouth. He ate 6 of the

acorns that were in his mouth. He then found 3 more acorns and
stuffed them in his mouth. He spit out 2 of the acorns. How
many acorns does Mr. Squirrel have left in his mouth?

_____________________________________ =____________
Cut Outs