Objective

By the end of this lesson, the student will be able to solve arithmetic problems related to animals, reinforcing their math skills while incorporating their interest in animals.

Materials and Prep

• Paper
• Pencil
• Animal pictures or figurines

No additional preparation is required for this lesson.

Activities

1. Animal Addition:

   Choose two animal pictures or figurines. Write down the number of each animal and ask the student to add them together. For example, if you have 3 dogs and 4 cats, the student should add 3 + 4 to get the total number of animals.

2. Animal Subtraction:

   Select two animal pictures or figurines. Write down the number of each animal and ask the student to subtract one from the other. For instance, if you have 8 birds and 3 rabbits, the student should subtract 3 from 8 to find the difference in the number of animals.

3. Animal Word Problems:

   Create simple word problems using animals. For example, "If there are 5 monkeys in a tree and 2 monkeys swing away, how many monkeys are left in the tree?" Encourage the student to use drawings or manipulatives to help them solve the problem.

Second Grade Talking Points

• "Today, we are going to practice our math skills while learning about animals!"
• "We will be adding and subtracting numbers, just like we do in math class, but this time we will use animals to make it more fun."
• "Let's start with addition. Can you tell me what happens when we add two numbers together? That's right, we find the total or sum."
• "Now, let's move on to subtraction. What do we do when we subtract one number from another? Correct, we find the difference."
• "Lastly, we will solve some word problems using animals. Remember, word problems help us apply our math skills to real-life situations."