Lesson Plan
Daily Number Detectives
Students will actively engage with numbers daily to enhance their understanding of quantity, sequence, and place value, including calendar awareness and daily counting.
Consistent daily practice with numbers helps first graders build a strong foundation in mathematics, boosting their confidence and preparing them for more complex concepts. It makes abstract numbers concrete and relatable.
Audience
1st Grade
Time
10 minutes
Approach
Interactive, repetitive daily activities.
Materials
Whiteboard or Projector, Markers/Pens, Daily Number Detectives Slide Deck, and Daily Number Detectives Script
Prep
Review Materials
5 minutes
- Review the Daily Number Detectives Slide Deck and Daily Number Detectives Script to familiarize yourself with the daily routine.
- Ensure your whiteboard or projector is ready for display.
Step 1
Warm-Up: Number of the Day
5 minutes
- Display the first slide of the Daily Number Detectives Slide Deck with the 'Number of the Day'.
- Follow the prompts in the Daily Number Detectives Script to guide students through identifying various representations of the number (e.g., tally marks, ten frames, addition/subtraction facts).
- Encourage student participation by calling on different students to share their answers.
Step 2
Daily Calendar and Counting
5 minutes
- Transition to the calendar slide in the Daily Number Detectives Slide Deck.
- Follow the Daily Number Detectives Script to guide students in identifying the current day, month, and date.
- Count the number of school days, adding one each day, and discuss place value as numbers grow. Use a 100-chart or similar visual aid if available.
- Ask students to identify patterns or upcoming special dates on the calendar.
use Lenny to create lessons.
No credit card needed
Slide Deck
Daily Number Detectives
Ready to investigate numbers?
Welcome students and introduce the daily warm-up. Remind them it's a fun way to get their brains ready for math!
Number of the Day!
What number are we investigating today?
Show it with your fingers!
How many dots on the ten frame?
How many tally marks?
Display the 'Number of the Day'. Guide students to identify the number. Ask them to show it with their fingers, then discuss how it looks in a ten-frame or with tally marks.
How Can We Make It?
What are some ways we can make our number using addition?
What about subtraction?
Prompt students to think of different ways to make the number using addition or subtraction. Encourage them to share their ideas.
Our Classroom Calendar
What day is today?
What month are we in?
What is the date?
Let's count our school days together!
Transition to the calendar. Ask students to identify the current day, month, and date. Guide them through counting the school days.
Great Number Work!
You are all fantastic Number Detectives!
Keep observing numbers around you!
Review the concepts covered and thank students for their participation.
Script
Daily Number Detectives Script
Warm-Up: Number of the Day (5 minutes)
(Teacher displays Daily Number Detectives Slide Deck - Slide 1)
"Good morning, my amazing First Graders! Welcome to another exciting day of being 'Daily Number Detectives'! Get your magnifying glasses ready, because we're about to explore some super cool numbers today!"
(Teacher transitions to Daily Number Detectives Slide Deck - Slide 2: Number of the Day)
"Look closely at our first clue! What number are we investigating today? Raise a quiet hand if you think you know!"
(Pause for responses, confirm the number.)
"Fantastic! Today's number is _____. Now, let's show this number in a few different ways. Can everyone show me _____ fingers? Hold them up high!"
(Observe student responses.)
"Excellent! Now, imagine our ten frame. If we were to put dots on a ten frame for our number, how many dots would there be? Talk to your elbow partner quickly!"
(Allow 15-20 seconds for partner talk.)
"Okay, who can tell me how many dots? And if we used tally marks, how many tally marks would we draw?"
(Call on a student or two.)
(Teacher transitions to Daily Number Detectives Slide Deck - Slide 3: How Can We Make It?)
"Great job! Now, let's put on our thinking caps. How can we make our number, _____, using addition? What two numbers can we add together to get _____? Share your ideas!"
(Write down 2-3 student suggestions on the board.)
"Wonderful! And what about subtraction? If we start with a bigger number, what could we subtract to end up with _____?"
(Write down 1-2 student suggestions.)
Daily Calendar and Counting (5 minutes)
(Teacher transitions to Daily Number Detectives Slide Deck - Slide 4: Our Classroom Calendar)
"Alright, Number Detectives, our next clue takes us to our calendar! Can someone tell me what day of the week it is today?"
(Pause for response.)
"That's right, it's _____. And what month are we in?"
(Pause for response.)
"Yes, it's _____! What about the date? What number day is it?"
(Pause for response.)
"Excellent! So today is (Day of the Week), (Month) (Date), (Year). Let's say it together!"
(Lead class in saying the full date.)
"Now, for our daily count! Let's count how many days we've been in school this year. Yesterday was _____ days, so today must be... ______ days!"
(Guide students to count up one from the previous day, emphasizing the next number. If using a 100-chart, point to the number.)
"Look at our number of school days. What do you notice about this number? Is it even or odd? How many tens and how many ones does it have?"
(Call on students for responses.)
"Before we move on, does anyone see any special patterns on our calendar? Any birthdays coming up, or holidays?"
(Allow for brief student sharing.)
Conclusion (Optional, if time allows)
(Teacher transitions to Daily Number Detectives Slide Deck - Slide 5: Great Number Work!)
"You all did a fantastic job today, Daily Number Detectives! You showed excellent number sense and really paid attention to our calendar. Keep observing numbers all around you throughout the day!"
Reading
My Morning Meeting Adventure
Sometimes, coming to morning meeting can feel a little tricky, but it's a really special time for our class!
When the teacher says, "It's time for Morning Meeting!" I will take a deep breath. I know what to do!
First, I will clean up my supplies and put them neatly in my cubby or desk. This helps our room stay tidy.
Next, I will walk calmly to our meeting spot. Our meeting spot is usually on the carpet, where we all sit together.
I will find my spot and sit down with my legs crossed, ready to listen and learn. It's important to keep my body calm and my hands in my lap.
During morning meeting, we say hello to our friends, share happy news, and sometimes sing songs or play a quick game. It's a time to feel like a team!
I will listen to the teacher and my classmates when they are talking. If I want to share something, I can raise a quiet hand.
When morning meeting is over, the teacher will tell us what's next. Then I can stand up and move to our next activity.
Morning meeting helps me start my day feeling happy, connected, and ready to learn with my friends! It's an important part of our school day.
I am a great Morning Meeting friend!