Subtracting Numbers to Feed Hungry Monster Friends
Objective
Students will solve subtraction problems within 20 using concrete objects and visual representations.
Materials
- Small counting objects like beans or buttons
- Paper plates
- Crayons or markers
- Whiteboard
- Chart paper
Hook
Tell students that three silly monsters named Munch, Chomp, and Gobble are SUPER hungry and need help figuring out how much food they have left after eating. Show exaggerated monster voices and pretend to be very worried about their empty tummies rumbling loudly.
Main Activity
Students work in pairs with paper plates as monster bowls and counting objects as food. Teacher calls out story problems like 'Munch had 15 cookies but ate 7 because he was so hungry his stomach was growling like a lion – how many cookies are left?' Students place objects on plates, physically remove the eaten amount, and count what remains. Partners take turns being the hungry monster making silly eating sounds while the other solves the problem. Students record their work by drawing the food and crossing out what was eaten. The class shares funny monster voices and compares different ways to solve each problem.
Discussion Questions
- What happened to the total number of foods when the monsters ate some?
- How did moving the objects help you figure out the answer?
- What other ways could you solve the monster food problems?
- Which monster do you think was the hungriest and why?
- How is subtraction like taking things away in real life?
Exit Ticket
Draw and solve: Gobble had 12 crackers but ate 8 of them. How many crackers does Gobble have left?
Differentiation
Support: Provide number lines and encourage students to use fingers or smaller numbers under 10 for counting support.
Extension: Challenge students to create their own monster subtraction story problems and solve two-step problems like finding how much food two monsters ate together.
