Demonstrating Addition Using Manipulatives

Objectives:

	Students will develop concepts of addition by using real world models.
	Students will realize that several different number combinations can add up to the same number.
	Students will be introduced to the concept of probability.

Materials:

Part I:

	Colored beans
	Cups
	White paper
	Red and white cut-outs of beans

Part II:

	2 different colors of fish cut-outs
	White construction paper

Introduction:

Tell the students that we are going to be working with number sentences. Ask students for examples of addition number sentences. Hold up fingers so students can make number sentences using the number of fingers raised on each hand.

Procedure:

Part I: Painted Bean Number Sentences

	Show students a painted bean. Make sure that they see there are two sides to the bean, a red side and a white side. Take six beans and put them in a cup.
	Show the students that they can shake up the cup and dump out the beans.
	Point out the fact that when dumped out, the beans fall in a certain pattern. Draw this pattern on the board, pointing out the number of red sides showing and the number of white sides showing.
	Write a number sentence for this combination of beans. For example, if there are 2 reds and 4 whites, the sentence would be 2 + 4 = 6.
	Repeat this once more, showing the new combination and number sentence.
	Have students return to their seats and do the same thing using 8 beans each.
	Closure for this part of the lesson: Have students come to the carpet and give all the different possibilities of number combinations that add up to the number 8. Discuss the fact that different combinations came out frequently and that sometimes they got the same combinations (introduction to probability).

Part II: Demonstrating Addition Facts Using Fish Cut-Outs

	After students finish Part I, write the number sentence 2 + 3 = 5 on the board. Tell students they have been counting objects to do these math problems thus far.
	Tell them that this time, they are going to choose number sentences and add the correct number of objects for each addend using different colored fish cut-outs.
	Using the number sentence on the board, have students figure out how many fish should be drawn above each addend. Show them that they will use cut-outs instead of drawing the fish.
	Show students an example done on paper. Send them back to their seats to complete the project.
	Closure for this part of the lesson: Have students bring their papers to the carpet. Ask several students to share one of their problems, counting out each addend so that everyone can see that the two addends are equal to the sum. (Example: 2 + 2 = 4: Here are two orange fish and here are two purple fish. If you count, you can see that two fish plus two fish equals four fish. Student counts for the class.)

Closure for Entire Lesson: Because each section was concluded separately, quickly summarize that there are different ways to combine numbers to make a larger number. Ask for examples of different combinations of numbers that add up to eight. Also, remind students that they can illustrate the addends of an addition problem, making it easier to figure out the answer. Refer to the project just completed and the example on the board from the beginning of Part II.