Submitted by: Donna Andrews

Grade Levels: K-3

In this multi-day lesson plan for grade K through 3, students use a BrainPOP Jr. movie, graphic organizer, and flip chart to deepen their understanding of basic addition and mathematical thinking skills.

Lesson Plan Common Core State Standards Alignments

Students will:

  1. Understand basic addition
  2. Create and solve addition problems
  3. Develop and/or reinforce addition and mathematical thinking skills

Materials:

  • Access to BrainPOP Jr. Basic Addition movie
  • Chart paper
  • KWL Graphic Organizer from BrainPOP Educators
  • ACTIVotes (or student response systems)
  • Different colored paper for paper cranes
  • Chart paper, number line, markers

Vocabulary:

add; sum; double; tally chart

Preparation:

Pass out different colored sheets to students. Play a short video explaining how to make paper cranes. Have students make a variety of paper cranes.

Lesson Procedure:

  1. Day 1: Have students list what they know about addition including the different ways to add using the BrainPOP KWL Graphic Organizer.
  2. Watch the BrainPOP Jr. Basic Addition movie, pausing to discuss throughout.
  3. Have students group their cranes by color and count the total. Students record their color total on a paper chart.
  4. Day 2: Review the vocabulary with the BrainPOP Jr. Word Play.
  5. Have students use the ACTIVotes or computers to take BrainPOP Jr.'s Easy Quiz.
  6. Students then use the flipchart tally chart or a tally chart drawn on chart paper to chart the color of their cranes. Students can then create number sentences for their colored cranes.
  7. Day 3: Review the tally chart and number sentences from the day before.
  8. Group students into two teams and time the groups on their speed and accuracy for the definitions of the vocabulary words.
  9. Display the next flipchart page with the number line and have students recall the clip from the Basic Addition movie about how to use the number line to add.
  10. Students then use their addition sentences to find the sum of their cranes.
  11. Day 4: Have students take turns completing the BrainPOP Jr. Picture Maker Addition Stories.
  12. Present crane addition problems to students and have them solve using strategies they've learned, such as adding with 10, doubles, counting on, and fact family strategies.
  13. Day 5: Watch the Basic Addition movie again, pausing at the prompts for discussion. Students use the ACTIVpen to annotate over the desktop to answer each question posed.
  14. Use the ACTIVotes to assess students understanding on BrainPOP Jr.'s Hard Quiz.
  15. Use the Talk About It feature as a final assessment, and have students explain how they could use a variety of strategies to solve basic addition problems.