MATHEMATICS UNIT PLANNER

Topic: Simple Subtraction

Year Level: Prep/1

Key mathematical understandings

Term:

Week: 6-9

Date:

Key AusVELS documentation (taken directly from AusVELS documents):

(2-4 understandings only):

I can find the total of a whole group/number

I can take away (subtract) a part of a whole
group/number
I can say how many are left in a group/number
after I take away (subtract) a part
I can describe what I do when I subtract, using
words, numbers, models and pictures

Content strand(s):
Sub-strand(s):

Number and Algebra

Learning
strategies/
skills

Using specific language (subtract, difference, take away,

minus)

MATHEMA
TICAL
FOCUS

Analysing
Checking
Classifying
Co-operating
Considering options
Designing
Elaborating

Estimating
Explaining
Generalising
Hypothesising
Inferring
Interpreting
Justifying

Statistics and Probability

Level descriptions:
Connect number names and numerals with sets of up to 10 elements
Connect number names and numerals with sets of up to 10 elements and estimate size of these sets
Connect number names and numerals with sets of more than 20 elements
Count to and from 100 and locate these numbers on a number line
Represent and solve simple subtraction problems using materials
Carry out simple subtractions using counting strategies

Proficiency strand(s):
Understanding
Key equipment / resources:
Key skills to develop and practise (including strategies, ways of working
Math books
mathematically, language goals, etc.):
Counters
Counting back
Unifix cubes
Tens frames
Using different strategies (pictures, models)
Worksheets
Representing subtraction in different ways (numbers and
words)

Measurement and Geometry

Fluency
Problem Solving
Reasoning
Key vocabulary:
Counting, numbers 0-20, number
before/after/between, number line, subtraction stories,
number stories, number sentence, subtracting,
subtraction, count all, count back, count backwards,
larger number, take away, minus, is, makes, left,
remains, total, equal, sum, how many left, there
were/now there are, parts, whole-part, equation,
algorithm, difference, calculator, record, model,
pictures numbers and words.

Diana Nguyen 20/5/16 11:24 PM

Comment [1]: This mathematics planner
was created and implemented by myself in a
prep/1 classroom over the course of 3 weeks
during my placement in 2015.
Focus area 2.2 and 3.2: This demonstrates my
ability to organise and select content to create
an effective learning and teaching sequence
using the knowledge of student learning,
content and teaching strategies.

Diana Nguyen 20/5/16 10:49 PM

Comment [2]: Focus area 2.3: This
demonstrates my understanding of the
curriculum to develop a sequence of lessons.
Focus area 3.1: This demonstrates my set
learning goals for students that are achievable,
based on the curriculum and are varying in
difficulty based on the abilities of the student.

Diana Nguyen 20/5/16 10:56 PM

Listening
Locating information
Making choices
Note taking
Observing
Ordering events
Organising

Performing
Persuading
Planning
Predicting
Presenting
Providing feedback
Questioning

TUNING IN

INVESTIGATIONS SESSION

(WHOLE CLASS FOCUS)

(a short, sharp task relating to the focus of the lesson; sets the
scene/ context for what students do in the independent aspect.
e.g., It may be a problem posed, spider diagram, an open-ended
question, game, or reading a story)

(INDEPENDENT LEARNING)
(extended opportunity for students to work in pairs, small
groups or individually. Time for teacher to probe childrens
thinking or work with a small group for part of the time and
to also conduct roving conferences)

Forwards and Backwards

Count Down

Reading
Recognising bias
Reflecting
Reporting
Responding
Restating
Revising

Seeing patterns
Selecting information
Self-assessing
Sharing ideas
Summarising
Synthesising

ADAPTATIONS
- Enabling prompt
(to allow those experiencing difficulty to
engage in active experiences related to the
initial goal task)
- Extending prompt
(questions that extend students thinking on
the initial task)

Enabling

Testing
Viewing
Visually representing
Working independently
Working to a timetable

ASSESSMENT
STRATEGIES
(should relate to objective. Includes
what the teacher will listen for, observe,
note or analyse; what evidence of
learning will be collected and what
criteria will be used to analyse the
evidence)

Teacher will roam around

Comment [3]: Focus area 2.1: This

demonstrates my understanding of the
concepts, substance and structure of the
content of this teaching area to create a
learning sequence

Session 1

Session 2

Session 3

Practise counting forwards and backwards.

When you hold up red card, chn count
backwards, green card chn count forwards.

Chn complete Count Down activity

sheet, counting on and back to
sequence numbers correctly.

Skittles (Demonstration)
Play games of skittles. Ask how many
skittles do we have (10). Chn bowl some
skittles down and ask how many skittles are
standing now? What kind of maths story is
this? Repeat several times modelling
recording in words and numbers (eg. I have
10 skittles and I knock down 7. I have 3
skittles left standing. 10 take away 7 is 3).

Skittles (Game)
Chn play skittles in groups recording
number of skittles knocked down as they
play, using words and numbers on a
Score sheet.

Teddy Biscuits
Give each child 5 small teddy biscuits (or
counters). Ask them to eat some of them
and then ask: How many teddies did you
have? How many did you eat? How many do
you have left? Model how to record/write this
on whiteboard in pictures and words Sam
had 5 teddies, he ate 4, now he has 1 left

Teddys Picnic
Chn model and record other biscuit
eating situations using teddy counters.
Chn then complete The Picnic activity
sheet (REF: NM-PTB p.87)

(cross out 4, to
show1 left)
Session 4

Session 5

Ten Silly Sheep

Read big book to class and discuss
subtraction scenarios shown. There were 8
sheep in the paddock and then 4 left, how
many were left? Record using words (orally)
and numbers (8 4 = 4).

Ten Silly Sheep

Chn record examples from story using
pictures, numbers and words, in
Numeracy books.

Subtraction Pre-Test
Chn solve several simple subtraction

First To Zero (demonstration)

Model game to children. Each player

What comes after this

number?
- Have a look at the
number chart to help
you.
Extending
- Counting backwards
from more than 100
- Counting back more
than 100
Enabling
- Lets count the number
of pins left together
Extending
- What if we had 20 pins?
- How many pins do we
have altogether? How
many did we knock
down altogether? How
do we put them all in
one number sentence?
Enabling
- What if I ate one teddy?
How many would I Have
to count down by? What
about 2?
Extending
- How many different
ways/possibilities could I
eat the teddies?
- What if I had 20
teddies?

the classroom, listening for

correct counting backwards
and will see the number
sentences in their
mathematics books for
correct sentences.

Enabling
- Lets count how many
sheep we have left
- Could you take any
number away that is
below how many you
have at the start?
Extending
- Use numbers larger
than 20

SELF Assessment Task:

Chn use models of sheep
to demonstrate their own
subtraction story and
explain the process of
taking a part away from the
whole to find the remaining
part. Record subtraction
story as a number
sentence.

Diana Nguyen 19/5/16 8:44 AM

Comment [4]: Focus area 1.5: This
demonstrates my understanding that
differentiated teaching needs to occur to suit
the learning needs to all students by
encouraging different methods.
Diana Nguyen 20/5/16 11:24 PM
Comment [5]: Focus area 2.5 and 3.3: This
shows my understanding of using different
teaching strategies such as modelling to suit
the teaching area.

Diana Nguyen 20/5/16 11:27 PM

Comment [6]: Focus area 3.4: This
demonstrates my ability to incorporate a range
of resources, such as a story book for a
mathematics lesson.

Diana Nguyen 21/5/16 10:08 PM

Comment [7]: Focus area 5.1:
Demonstrated an understanding of the purpose
of informal assessment.

Session 6

Session 7

Session 8

problems independently, with use of chosen

counting materials or strategies (ie. fingers,
counters, drawings, count back, known fact,
etc).

Ten Frame Take-Aways

Give chn a few subtraction stories to solve
using ten frames and counters. eg. Say:
There were 20 flowers in the forest and Little
Red Riding Hood picked 8 of them on her
way to Grandmas. How many flowers were
left?
Tchr draws picture to show problem (crossing
out flowers that are taken away) and chn
model process with counters (remove
counters that are taken away). Tchr also
records each story as a number sentence (ie.
20 8 = 12).

Subtraction Stories (Words, Pictures,

Model, Numbers)
Tell chn a subtraction story. eg. Seven
friends were playing and then five of them
went to get a drink. How many friends were
left? Class acts out stories.
Tchr records story with 1.words, 2. pictures
(drawing), 3. model (counters) and 4.
Numbers (eg. 7 5 = 2).
Ask chn for ideas for new stories to model.
Anchor Chart
Class have a discussion on what the

has 2 ten frames covered with 20

counters. Take turns to roll a die, then
take away number counters according to
number rolled. At each turn, Ask: how
many do we have (ie. 20 counters); how
many do we take away (ie. 4 counters)
and how many are left? (ie. 16 counters.
Record this as a number sentence.
Continue with several turns, recording
results of each turn. (eg. Say: I had 10
counters and I took 4 away, now I have
6 left and record as 10 4 = 6)
Continue taking turns until one player
removes all of their counters first to
zero is the winner.
First To Zero (game)
Model game to children. Each player
has 2 ten frames covered with 20
counters. Take turns to roll a die, then
take away number counters according to
number rolled. At each turn, Ask: how
many do we have (ie. 20 counters); how
many do we take away (ie. 4 counters)
and how many are left? (ie. 16 counters.
Record this as a number sentence.
Continue with several turns, recording
results of each turn. (eg. Say: I had 10
counters and I took 4 away, now I have
6 left and record as 10 4 = 6)
Continue taking turns until one player
removes all of their counters first to
zero is the winner.
Subtracting from 20 (Words, Pictures,
Model, Numbers)
Give each child 20 toy counters (ie. bug,
teddy, truck) and a 10-sided die. Roll 10sided die and take away that number of
counters. Record subtraction story using
words, pictures, model and numbers
(photograph chn demonstrating model of
process).
*Extension: vary level of difficulty by
using more than 20 counters.
Step Back
Place large 0-20 number cards in order

Enabling
- Lets count how many
dots are on the dice, lets
match that with how
many we take away
- How many do we have
left then?
- Model how to put it into
a number sentence
Extending
- Use 3 ten frames
- Use a 10-sided die

Enabling
- Use concrete materials
to help with story
- Suggest story
characters (students,
bears)
Extending
- Use large numbers
- Subtract more than one
number (e.g. 5-2-2=1)

Diana Nguyen 21/5/16 10:08 PM

Comment [8]: Focus area 2.3: This
demonstrates my understanding of assessment
knowledge to design learning sequences and
lesson plans and then using the report data to
organise the focus in future lessons.
Focus area 5.1: Demonstrated an
understanding of the purpose of formal and
diagnostic assessment.
Focus area 5.4: Demonstrated using
assessment data to modify teaching sequence
and lessons.

important facts of subtraction are to create an

anchor chart.
Include a number line, number sentence,
subtraction story and concrete material
demonstration on the anchor chart
Ask children What other words can we use
for subtraction? & What are some facts of
subtraction do we know?

along floor. Turn numbers 119 face

down, leaving numbers 0 and 20 face
up. Choose one child at a time to come
up and stand on 20 and step backwards
to a card of their choice. Students
suggest what number the student is
standing on. Student who does the
subtraction can write down their number
sentence on a

Zero Zap
Play Zero zap. Chn stand in a circle and one
child begins by saying 20. Move around
circle, each child saying next number in
backward sequence. Child who should say
zero calls out zero, zap! and sits down.
Repeat process with standing chn until one
child remains.
Session 9

Session
10

Session
11

Whats In Goldilocks Bowl? (counting

back)
Chn sit in a circle. Show chn Goldilocks bowl
with 13 Unifix blocks in it. Say, I am now
going to take out 4 blocks. Take out 4 blocks
and hold bowl above their eye level. Ask,
How many blocks do I have left in my bowl?
Ask students to share how they would work
out the answer.
Demonstrate how to count back 4 from 13 to
reach 9.
Number Line (counting back)
Use a large 0-20 number line, point to a
number and ask, When we count back from
a number, which way do we move on the
number line? (ie left). Then ask, Does this
mean the number gets larger or smaller? (ie
smaller). As a class, complete a chart about
Counting back, encouraging chn to think of
words, symbols and examples related to
counting back. These could include: subtract,
minus, take away, -, make smaller, less, how
many left?, etc
Jack & The Beanstalk (counting back)
Set up large leaf-shaped 0-20 number cards,
like a ladder (number 20 at top). Ask a

Diana Nguyen 20/5/16 11:25 PM

Comment [9]: Focus area 1.5: This
demonstrates my understanding that
differentiated teaching needs to occur to suit
the learning needs to all students by
demonstrating the different possible methods
available to students.
Focus area 2.5 and 3.3: This demonstrates my
understanding of numeracy teaching strategies
by using an anchor chart as a teaching strategy

Whats In My Bowl?
In pairs, chn take turns to remove
counters from a bowl of counters, to set
up a subtraction problem for their
partner to solve. Chn record their
subtraction problems as number
sentences.

Number Line
Use large number line to show how to
subtract a number from larger number
by counting back from larger number.
Show how to jump along number line
like a frog.
Provide each child with own number line
worksheet to represent counting back,
by drawing jumps. Verbally provide
different subtraction stories, one at a
time, that chn solve using a new number
line for each problem. Chn share their
answers and state number sentence
that represents steps taken .
Number Ladder (counting back and
counting on)
Provide chn with 0-20 number ladders to

student to stand on a number and count back

from a given number.
(eg. Stand on
17, count back 4.) Repeat with different
numbers.

Session
12

Session
13

Session
14

Count Back (demonstration)

Demonstrate how to play the Count Back
game using counters and shuffled count
back cards. Explain rules .take turns
turning over a card and following instructions
to move counters back through game board.
(eg. if card is count back 2 , move counter
back 2 spaces.) First to reach home wins.
Subtraction
Talk about subtraction as taking away of
one group from another. Count out some
teddy counters, e.g. 12. Ask, How many
teddies are there? Hide some teddies, e.g. 4,
and say four teddies have gone; how many
are left? Write number sentence 12 take
away 4 is 8. Suggest number stories for chn
to solve by removing one group of object
from another. Chn use unifix blocks to solve
problems and record number sentence on
whiteboard.
Who has less?
Select two children to hold two unifix towers
(one has 14 blocks, one has 11). Ask Who
has more? How many more?
Demonstrate how to count backwards to find
the difference. Point out that the difference
between two amounts is 3. How this visually
on a number line. Use unifix number line so
that the children can see the differences.

assist with counting (20 at top). Ask

chn to count back a specified number
from a given number (eg. count back 4
from 20), to find answer. Then ask chn
to count on from this answer by same
specified amount (eg. count on 4 from
16) to return to original starting number.
(eg. 16 count on 4 is 20). Record as
number sentences (eg. 20-4=16;
16+4=20) Provide further problems and
have chn record the steps as number
sentences. Elicit that the se number
sentences are turnaround facts
(inverse). (egs. 17-6=11 and 11+6=17;
14-10=44+10=14)
Count Back (game)
Chn play Count Back game in pairs,
starting with their counters on 25.
Record results of each turn on recording
sheet.

Super Subtraction Stories

Chn use concrete materials to make up
and solve their own subtraction number
sentences and stories. Collate into a
class book called Super Subtraction
Stories.

Tower Differences
In pairs, children take turns to roll two
dice and form a Unifix tower equalling
total rolled. Chn compare their towers to
see who has largest. If child with largest
tower can verbalise different between
towers, they keep that number of blocks.
E.g. I can take three blocks because the
difference between 8 and 5 is 3. Winner
is first child to collect twenty blocks. Chn
are to create number sentences of tower

Teacher roaming around

the class, looking out for
language such as
difference and larger or
smaller.
Teacher to assess
students workbooks.
Students should have
correct number sentence
format.

Session
15

Session
16

differences.
Dice differences
Connect 4
Ask two children to roll one 6 sided-die each. Children get a worksheet of numbers
Ask children, If we were to subtract one
from 0-9. Children work in pairs and roll
number from the other, which number would
two 10 sided-dice at the same time.
we subtract from? Which number comes
They must find the difference between
first? Write this as a number sentence on the the dice and match is with a number on
whiteboard
their worksheet. The student who gets 4
Ask two different children to roll a 10 sidednumbers matching in a row wins the
die and ask the question again and write the
game.
number sentence on the board with the
assistance of the children.
Subtraction Post-Test
Chn solve several simple subtraction problems independently, with use of chosen
counting materials or strategies (ie. fingers, counters, drawings, count back, known fact,
etc).
Diana Nguyen 21/5/16 10:10 PM
Comment [10]: Focus area 5.1:
Demonstrated an understanding of the purpose
of formal and summative assessment.