Adding Numbers Using Silly Monster Stories
Objective
Students will solve addition problems within 10 by creating and acting out monster scenarios
Materials
- Paper
- Crayons or markers
- Chart paper
- Whiteboard
- Counting manipulatives
Hook
Tell students that the classroom has been invaded by hungry monsters who only eat numbers, but they're very picky eaters who will only eat the answers to addition problems. Ask students to help feed the monsters by solving math problems.
Main Activity
Students work in pairs to create silly monster characters and draw them on paper. Each monster has a favorite food that comes in countable items like cookies, bananas, or shoes. Students create addition story problems about their monsters eating, such as 'Grumpzilla ate 3 smelly socks, then found 2 more under the bed. How many socks did he eat?' Partners act out their monster stories for the class while solving the addition problems together using manipulatives or drawings. The class keeps a running list of all the ridiculous things the monsters ate on chart paper.
Discussion Questions
- What strategy did you use to solve your monster's eating problem?
- How did drawing or acting help you understand the addition?
- What would happen if your monster ate even more food?
- Which monster story was the silliest and why?
- How can we check if our addition answer is correct?
Exit Ticket
Draw a quick picture showing 2 + 3 using any silly scenario you want, then write the answer
Differentiation
Support: Provide students with addition problems using smaller numbers (sums to 5) and encourage use of physical manipulatives throughout the entire activity
Extension: Challenge students to create monster stories with three addends or to write multiple addition problems about the same monster character
