Material of the lesson

Phase 1, 2. Chairs, Music and a music player.

Phase 4. Scissors to cut out ”Equal” ”Plus” and ”Minus” characters from the cardboard.

Layout of the classroom

Phase 1,2 and 4. Free space for the students to move.

Phase 3. Normal classroom settings.

Phase 1

The students walk freely in the class. Whenever the teacher stops the music and shouts a number the students need to make a group with the same number. Those who do not belong to a group are out of the game. The teacher can shout small numbers at the beginning then bigger at the end.

Phase 2

The teacher and all students get a chair and make a circle. When the circle has been created the teacher takes two chairs out of the circle. The music starts and students should go around the circle and dance. When the music stops all students should sit on the empty chairs. Two students will not find an empty space and go out of the game. Each time the teacher takes some chairs out of the circle.

Phase 3

When these two games are finished the teacher asks the students about the game to reflect.

–       When we make a group are we adding or subtracting?

–       Same with the music game, when do we add and when do we subtract?

–       Are there any names for adding and subtracting? (Plus, Minus)

Phase 4

After discussions, the teacher places the ”Minus”, ”Plus” and ”Equal” characters on the floor in front of the students. The students line up. The teacher says a mathematical sequence containing either + or -.

4 + 4 =

8 – 2 =

1 + 3 =

4 – 2 =

10 + 0 =

The students then represent numbers and find the solution. In the case of 4+4=?, 4 students stand together and 4 students on the other side of the + character. And next to the ”equal” character 8 students stand together.

If you say 8-2=6 there still will be a total of 16 pupils participating. The teacher can vary numbers but never exceed the number of persons in the class.

Phase 5

The teacher gives a task to all students about finding different situations where it is used adding and subcontracting. They can get help from their parents and share these situations with the rest of the class next week.