Lesson Plan
Subtraction Detectives: Missing Numbers
In this lesson, students must become detectives to solve for the missing number in each subtraction problem. They will develop and use their powers of mathematical reasoning using number bonds to find differences.
Grade:
View aligned standards
Learning Objectives
Students will be able to determine the missing numbers in a subtraction problems (minuends and subtrahends).
Introduction
(5 minutes)- Draw a number bond on the board with the number 5 in the large circle and number 2 in one of the smaller circles.
- Ask students to turn and talk to a neighbor about what number they think goes in the other circle.
- Take responses from the students. Ask them to share their reasoning. Record strategies on a piece of chart paper.
- Now do the same process with 12 in the large circle and 10 in one of the smaller circles, giving time to discuss, share, and explain their thinking. Add any new strategies to chart paper.
- Explain that the thinking they are using now will come in handy as the learn to find missing numbers in a subtraction problem.