Grade: 4
*This is a beginning algebra lesson I taught to fourth grade students during my student teaching internship.
Start by showing the class a card. Ask the students to figure out the missing number… what number is under the question mark?
Life the question mark flap to reveal the missing number. Student can check their answers this way.
Make sure to guide the students into completing inverse operation to find the answers. For example,
6 + ? = 9, the students can find the ? by completing the operation 9 – 6 = 3.
Let the students know that in most algebra, the ? is actually represented by a variable, such as x or n. The students can now dig into further algebra lessons.
