Teaching Complex Math Computation – Addition (1/4)
To the teacher or parent: These blogs outline ways that I learned to help teachers for several decades. Maybe it can help you or one of your colleagues.
Teaching Complex Facts without Regrouping
Once students can do simple math facts, they can begin to learn more complex facts. The first step in this process is to teach them how to compute math problems that have more than single digit numbers. This should begin with problems which do not require regrouping (carrying or borrowing). Outlined below is a lesson for teaching multi-digit problems without regrouping as a first step in learning complex math computation. This lesson assumes that the student already has a working knowledge of place value and can read multi-digit numbers accurately. It the student cannot demonstrate these skills, teach them before you begin instruction of complex computation.
Write on the board:
Say to the student(s), “Now we are going to learn how to subtract large numbers.” Turn to page ?? in your workbook. Touch the top number in problem # 1. Say to the student(s), “Read this number for me. Ready.” Signal.
The students read “Three hundred and fifty-eight”.
Say to the students, “Good work.” Touch the bottom number of the problem. Ready. Signal. “Now read this number. Ready.” Signal.
The students read, “Two hundred ten.”
Say to the students, “Good job. Now we are going to add 210 to 358.” Point to the problem and say to the students, “Here’s a rule. The largest number that you can put in any column is 9. Touch the ones column in Problem #1. There are two numbers in the ones column in this problem. Touch the top number. What is the top number is in the ones column? Ready. Signal. The students say Eight. That’s correct. Is 8 larger than 9. Ready. Students say No. If 8 is not larger than 9, I can write it in the ones column. What number is next to the 8 in problem #1. Students say 5. Read the number that is made up of 5 and 8. Students read 58. That’s right. Is 58 bigger than 9? Students say Yes. So can I write 58 in the ones column? Ready. Signal. Students say No. Why not? Ready. Signal. Students say Because 58 is bigger than 9. Excellent.
These numbers are larger than nine. When we add or subtract numbers that are larger than nine, we need more than on column of numbers. We always start in the ones column on the right. Listen again. When we add or subtract numbers that are larger than nine, we always start in the ones column on the right. What column do we always start with? Ready.” Signal.
The student(s) say(s), “We start with the ones column on the right.”
Say to the student(s), “My turn to read the numbers in the ones column. Listen. This problem says ‘eight plus zero’. Read the problem with me. Ready.” Signal.
The student(s) and the teacher read, “Eight plus zero”.
Say to the student(s), “How much is eight plus zero? Ready.” Signal.
The student(s) respond(s), “Eight.”
Say to the student(s), “Correct. I will write an eight in the ones column.” Touch the tens column and say, “Now we have to add the numbers in the tens column. How much is five plus one? Ready.” Signal.
The student(s) answer(s), “Four.”
Say to the student(s), “Good work. I will write a four in the tens column.” Touch the hundreds column and say, “Now we add the hundreds column. How much is three plus two? Ready.” Signal.
The student(s) answer(s), “Five”
Say to the student(s), “Right. I will write a 5 in the hundreds column to finish the problem. So how much is 358 plus 210? Ready.” Signal.
The students reply , “568”
My turn to read the entire problem. Listen. 358 plus 210 is 568. Your turn to read the entire problem. Ready. Signal. Students say 358 plus 210 is 568. Well done.
Say to the student(s), “Look on your worksheet. The first problem is the one we just did. Do the first problem over again by yourself.” Check their work, then say to the student(s), “Now let’s work the next problem on the worksheet. Read the problem starting with the number on the top. Ready.” Signal. Work the next four problems with the student(s) and then allow them to finish the worksheet independently.
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