Objective

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to apply basic arithmetic skills to solve problems related to pest control, specifically mouse traps.

Materials and Prep

• Paper and pencil
• Mouse trap (or a picture of one)
• Counting manipulatives (optional)
• Prior knowledge of addition and subtraction

Activities

1. Activity 1: Mouse Trap Math

   Draw or show a picture of a mouse trap. Ask the student to count the number of parts in the mouse trap (e.g., base, spring, trigger, etc.).

   Next, ask the student to write an addition equation that represents the number of parts in the mouse trap (e.g., 2 + 3 = 5).

   Finally, have the student solve the equation and provide the answer (e.g., 2 + 3 = 5).

2. Activity 2: Mouse Trap Subtraction

   Show the student a picture of a mouse trap with some parts missing. Ask the student to identify the missing parts and determine how many are needed to complete the mouse trap.

   Have the student write a subtraction equation to represent the missing parts (e.g., 5 - 2 = 3).

   Guide the student to solve the equation and provide the answer (e.g., 5 - 2 = 3).

Second Grade Talking Points

• "Today, we are going to have fun with math while learning about mouse traps."
• "Mouse traps have different parts, and we can use addition and subtraction to understand how many parts are in a mouse trap or how many are missing."
• "Let's count the parts of a mouse trap together. Can you tell me how many parts there are?"
• "Now, let's write an addition equation to represent the number of parts in the mouse trap."
• "Great! Now, let's solve the equation to find the total number of parts in the mouse trap."
• "Now, let's move on to another activity. We have a picture of a mouse trap with some parts missing."
• "Can you identify the missing parts and tell me how many are needed to complete the mouse trap?"
• "Let's write a subtraction equation to represent the missing parts."
• "Awesome! Now, let's solve the equation to find out how many parts are missing from the mouse trap."
• "Congratulations! You have successfully applied addition and subtraction skills to solve problems related to mouse traps. Keep up the great work!"