Objective:

Students will practice addition and subtraction within 10 using physical objects to model real-world math problems. Through this activity, students will develop early computational thinking skills by abstracting mathematical operations with manipulatives, defining problems, and using a structured approach to solve them.

Materials Needed:

• Counters, blocks, or small toys (for addition and subtraction practice)

• Chart paper or a whiteboard for visual representations

• Markers for writing equations and drawing

Steps:

• Introduction:

  • Begin by asking, "How can we show adding or taking away things in real life?" Demonstrate addition and subtraction using physical objects, such as starting with 3 blocks, adding 2 more, and writing the equation 3 + 2 = 5 on the board. Then remove 1 block, showing that 5 - 1 = 4. 

  • Explain how this process is similar to how computers solve problems—they follow a sequence of steps to process inputs (like adding or taking away blocks) and generate an output.

• Group Activity:

  • Divide the students into small groups and provide each group with manipulatives, such as blocks or counters. 

  • Ask them to solve basic addition and subtraction problems by physically adding or removing objects from a set. For example, one group might start with 6 counters, subtract 2, and determine how many are left. Another group might start with 3 toys, add 4 more, and count the total. 

  • Emphasize that each step they take mirrors how computers process data using algorithms, following a structured approach to solve problems.

• Creating Problems and Solving:

  • Encourage students to create their own addition and subtraction problems. 

  • Ask guiding questions like, "How can you add or take away things to solve the problem?" 

  • Have students write simple equations or draw pictures of their objects to represent the problems they are solving, similar to how computers model data visually or numerically to understand and solve problems.

• Testing and Refining:

  • Once students have created and solved their problems, ask them to check their work by recounting the objects and verifying their equations. 

  • Explain that, like debugging in coding, testing and refining their solutions ensures accuracy. 

  • Encourage students to make adjustments if needed, adding or subtracting objects to match their written or verbal explanations.

• Presentation and Discussion:

  • Each group will present their math problems to the class, showing how they used physical objects to add or subtract and explaining the equations or pictures they created. 

  • Lead a discussion on how using physical objects to model addition and subtraction helps us break down complex problems, just like computers use data structures and algorithms to solve problems. Relate the use of manipulatives to how computers visualize and manipulate data to understand mathematical operations.

Equity and Access:

Provide additional manipulatives or visual aids for students who may need extra help with counting or solving problems. Offer simplified problems for those needing extra support and encourage peer collaboration to ensure all students are engaged.

Real-World Application:

Relate the activity to real-world scenarios, such as counting toys or subtracting snacks at lunchtime. Help students recognize how addition and subtraction are practical skills used in everyday life and how computers perform similar tasks when organizing or processing information, like counting items in an inventory system.

CS Practice(s):

• Developing and Using Abstractions: Students use physical objects to represent mathematical operations, abstracting real-world items into numbers and equations, similar to how computers process data abstractly.

• Recognizing and Defining Computational Problems: Students identify problems like "How many are left?" or "How many more do we need?" and solve them by adding or subtracting objects, which reflects how computational thinking is used to solve real-world problems step by step.

Content Standard(s):

• CA CCSS Mathematics K.OA.1

• CA CS K-2.AP.10

Objective:

Students will practice addition and subtraction within 10 by using FigJam to create visual representations of math problems. Through this activity, students will solve basic math problems and represent them with digital objects, fostering both math and computational thinking skills.

Materials Needed:

• Tablets or computers with FigJam installed

• Chart paper for reviewing addition and subtraction concepts

• Digital objects in FigJam or another app with drag and drop features (e.g., images of animals, shapes, or counters)

Steps:

• Introduction:

  • Begin by discussing addition and subtraction with the class, asking, "How can we use pictures or objects to solve math problems?" 

  • Demonstrate a simple addition or subtraction problem using physical objects like blocks (e.g., adding 3 blocks to 2 blocks or subtracting 1 block from 4). 

  • Write the corresponding equation on the board and explain that students will do a similar activity with digital images.

• Group Activity:

  • Divide students into small groups, each using a tablet or computer. 

  • Have students drag and drop digital images, such as 5 dogs, onto the FigJam board and then drag more images (e.g., 3 more dogs) to show an addition problem (5 + 3 = 8). 

  • Alternatively, they can remove images (e.g., subtracting 2 cats from 6) to illustrate subtraction (6 – 2 = 4).

• Creating and Arranging:

  • Demonstrate how to drag and drop images in FigJam to represent numbers and operations. For example, show how they can line up 4 shapes and drag 2 more to model 4 + 2. 

  • Encourage students to count the objects after each change, reminding them that their digital board reflects a problem-solving process similar to how computers handle data using inputs (adding/subtracting) and outputs (results).

• Testing and Refining:

  • Once students have completed their FigJam math problems, ask them to review their work by recounting the objects and checking if their equation is correct. 

  • Emphasize that this step mirrors how computer programs are tested and refined (debugging) to ensure accuracy. 

  • Encourage students to adjust their digital boards by adding or removing objects as necessary to correct or refine their solutions.

• Presentation and Discussion:

  • Each group presents their digital addition or subtraction problem to the class, explaining how they represented the equation using FigJam.

  • Lead a discussion on how using digital objects helps visualize math problems, connecting this to how computers and software use visual and abstract representations to solve complex tasks. 

  • Explain how computational thinking is used to break down problems into smaller parts and solve them using logical steps, just like they did with their math problems.

Equity and Access:

For students needing extra support, provide pre-arranged FigJam templates with simple addition or subtraction problems, or pair students who are more comfortable with technology with those who need assistance.

Real-World Application:

Connect the activity to everyday tasks, such as counting toys or subtracting snacks at lunchtime. Relate this to how digital tools help us solve problems visually, like counting items in an inventory system or adding ingredients while cooking.

CS Practice(s):

• Developing and Using Abstractions: Students use digital objects in FigJam to model real-world math operations, abstracting physical items into numbers and equations.

• Creating Computational Artifacts: Students create digital representations of math problems using drag-and-drop features, developing visual models to solve addition and subtraction problems.

• Testing and Refining Computational Artifacts: Students test and refine their math problems by adjusting the number of digital objects to ensure their visual model matches their equation, simulating the process of debugging in programming.

Content Standard(s):

• CA CCSS Mathematics K.OA.1

• CA CS K-2.AP.10