Objective

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to solve simple arithmetic problems using addition and subtraction, while incorporating your interest in Minecraft.

Materials and Prep

• Pencil and paper
• Minecraft-themed manipulatives (optional)

Before starting the lesson, make sure you have a basic understanding of addition and subtraction.

Activities

1. Create a Minecraft-themed addition problem: Write down two numbers on a piece of paper, for example, 5 and 3. Use Minecraft blocks or characters to represent these numbers if you have them. Then, solve the addition problem by counting the total number of blocks or characters.
2. Create a Minecraft-themed subtraction problem: Write down two numbers on a piece of paper, for example, 8 and 3. Use Minecraft blocks or characters to represent these numbers if you have them. Then, solve the subtraction problem by subtracting the number of blocks or characters.
3. Challenge yourself with a Minecraft-themed word problem: Create a story problem related to Minecraft. For example, "Steve found 10 diamonds and gave 3 to Alex. How many diamonds does Steve have now?" Write down the problem and solve it using addition or subtraction.

First Grade Talking Points

• "Today, we are going to practice addition and subtraction, and we will use Minecraft to make it more fun!"
• "Addition means putting numbers together to find the total. It's like when you collect blocks in Minecraft and want to know how many you have in total."
• "Subtraction means taking away some numbers to find out how many are left. It's like when you use blocks in Minecraft to build something and want to know how many blocks you have left."
• "Let's solve an addition problem together. If you have 5 Minecraft diamonds and you find 3 more, how many diamonds will you have in total?"
• "Now let's solve a subtraction problem. If you have 8 Minecraft cookies and you eat 3 of them, how many cookies will you have left?"
• "Word problems are like little stories that we need to solve using math. Let's try one together. If you have 10 Minecraft apples and you give 3 to your friend, how many apples will you have left?"
• "Great job! You are becoming a Minecraft math expert!"