Lesson Plan Week 4

Goody Goody Gumballs

Topic Area: Addition and Subtraction
Objective: Students will demonstrate understanding of addition and subtraction with
word problems by using manipulatives (gumballs) that represent 10, 1, 2 or 5.
Materials:
Print out of gumball jar
Cut out of gumballs
List of problems for students
Whiteboard and marker
Procedure:
1.

Pass out 1 gumball machine to each student and a random amount of gumballs

2.

Introduce students that we are going to do an activity today using the gumballs and the
gumball machine

3.

Show them that some are large gumballs and small gumballs. Explain how the gumballs
will represent different amounts throughout the lesson

4.

Begin asking the questions. Using the whiteboard when necessary to help the students
visualize the numbers. While asking questions make sure to ask students to explain their
thinking and show what they did while using the manipulatives.

QUESTIONS:
For questions 1 through 3: Large gumballs represent 10 and small gumballs
represent 1
1.

How many gumballs do you have total in your jar? Who has the most and who has the
least?

2.

I have 56 gumballs in my jar, what do you need to do now to match my jar of 56

gumballs?

3.

Your friend ate 14 gumballs from your jar. Now how many gumballs are left in your jar?

For questions 4 through 8: Large gumballs represent 10 and small gumballs

represent 2
4.

Make or display a total of 64 gumballs in your jar. Your friend ate some of your gumballs.
You now have 23 gumballs left in your jar. How many gumballs did your friend eat?

5.

How many gumballs do you have total in your jar? Who has the most and who has the
least? How many more or less gumballs do you need to match your partner next to you?

6.

Students are given a set number of gumballs- 9 big gumballs (90) and 6 small gumballs
(12) for a total of 102. How many gumballs are in both of your jars if you get the same
amount of gumballs?

7.

You have some gumballs in your jar. You add 10 gumballs and now you have 52
gumballs total in your jar. How many did you start with? Students are asked to write an
equation together that represents this question

8.

Students each receive different amounts of gumballs. Students need to add up their
individual pile and then they need to work together as a group to combine the amounts.

For questions 9 and 10: Large gumballs represent 10 and small gumballs represent
5
9.

10.

I have 25 gumballs in my jar. You have double what I have. How many gumballs do you
have in your jar?
Students are asked to show a total of 45 represented by the gumballs in their jar.
Students are then asked to represent 45 in a different way if they finish.