Objective

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to understand basic arithmetic concepts through the fun theme of trains.

Materials and Prep

Materials: Paper, pencil, train toys or pictures

Prep: None

Activities

1. Train Counting: Use your train toys or pictures and practice counting them. Write down the number of trains you have.

2. Addition with Trains: Create simple addition problems using the train toys or pictures. For example, if you have 3 trains and then 2 more join, how many trains do you have in total?

3. Subtraction with Train Cars: Imagine your train has 5 cars, and then 2 cars leave. How many cars are left?

First Grade Talking Points

• "Let's count the number of trains we have. 1, 2, 3, ..."
• "When we add trains together, we can find out how many trains are in total. For example, if we have 2 trains and then 3 more join, we have 5 trains altogether."
• "Subtraction means taking away. If we have 5 train cars and 2 leave, how many are left?"