CFA 1.4 - Supporting Students with Special Needs

Copy By the end of this lesson, students should be able to count forward and backward to and from 13, demonstrating one-to-one correspondence and understanding of the 1 more/1 less relationship. Students will understand subtraction as "taking away" and be able to determine how much is left after removing objects from a set. They will use fingers to represent quantities and draw objects to model a problem. Students will demonstrate the crossing-off strategy to show removal and connect this physical action to picture representation.

Copy Students have been building toward subtraction concepts through Eureka Math Module 4, Topics A-C (Lessons 1-18). In Topic A, students practiced composing and decomposing numbers 5-10 using objects and drawings. In Topic B, they developed fluency with "1 more" and "1 less" relationships through tower building and Happy Counting activities. In Topic C (Make It Equal), students practiced putting objects together and comparing sets. These foundational skills - representing quantities with drawings, counting objects, and recognizing that taking away means "fewer are left" - directly prepare students for Lesson 19's objective of crossing off objects to find how many remain. Students also use their experience showing quantities with manipulatives (linking cubes, counters) which they will transfer to the crossing-off strategy.

Copy Meets Criteria: Students demonstrate mastery by correctly finding how many are left in at least 3 out of 4 problems, using the crossing-off strategy without teacher prompting. Observable behaviors include: (1) drawing or counting the starting quantity correctly, (2) crossing off the correct number of items being "taken away," and (3) counting or stating the remaining quantity in a complete sentence (e.g., "There are 3 left").

Approaching Criteria: Students can cross off items when prompted but may need reminders to count what remains, or they correctly solve 2 out of 4 problems independently.

Not Meeting Criteria: Students cannot demonstrate crossing-off without direct guidance, confuse adding with taking away, or cannot identify how many are left after crossing off.

Copy Helpful for students that are behind or are not at grade level. The fluency activities target FS2 and FS3 specifically. Visuals are universal and helpful. Sequencing, number sense, being able to count numerically. Concrete pictorial abstract CPA - point and count, "I can manipulate it and draw it."

[YELLOW - FS2] FS2 benefits from the visual hand signals in Happy Counting - he can participate by watching and using his fingers without needing to verbalize. I will stand near FS2 and use exaggerated hand motions. [PURPLE - FS3] FS3 knows numbers 1-20 in both languages. During Happy Counting, I will affirm responses in Spanish ("Muy bien!") to build confidence before she needs to produce answers.

Copy This concrete application of "how many are left" serves as the anticipatory set for today's lesson. Students physically manipulate objects (clay/playdoh) to experience removal before transitioning to drawings. The story context (mice stealing cheese) makes the abstract concept of subtraction concrete and relatable.

[YELLOW - FS2] I will provide FS2 with tiny car manipulatives instead of clay cheese (connecting to his interest). He can physically remove cars to show "take away." His communication board will have number symbols 1-5 so he can point to show "how many are left." [PURPLE - FS3] I will pre-teach vocabulary before this activity: "quitar" (take away), "quedan" (are left). FS3 can respond in Spanish (e.g., "quedan tres"). I will pair her with Maria (bilingual peer) so they can discuss in Spanish before answering in English.

Copy The mnemonic of the song helps solidify the "take away" and "how many are left" concept through TPR (Total Physical Response). Using whiteboards provides a good visual to help with FS2 and FS3. Scaffold and provide manipulatives for below grade level learners. Pair students who need extra support.

Misconception - misunderstanding the equal sign in a number sentence. Be consistent with vocabulary - we need to find our missing part. PART + PART = WHOLE. Be repetitive, repeat the numbers over and over, especially what you started with. STAMP - total number is always the bigger number; when we take away a part from the total number, our new number gets smaller. Misconception - they may draw more circles than they should - use touch and count.

[YELLOW - FS2] Before the Five Little Monkeys activity, I will preview the visual schedule with FS2 showing: (1) sing song, (2) draw circles, (3) cross off, (4) point to answer. I will provide extended wait time (30 seconds) and a physical prompt if needed to initiate the crossing-off motion. FS2 will use car manipulatives alongside the whiteboard drawing. [PURPLE - FS3] To address FS3's fear of wrong answers, I will explicitly tell her that crossing off ANY of the circles is correct - it doesn't matter which ones, just that she crosses off the right number. I will use a privacy folder to prevent copying and reward independent attempts: "I saw you try that on your own - that's exactly what mathematicians do!"

Copy The Student Debrief invites reflection and active processing of the total lesson experience. Students check work by comparing answers with a partner before going over answers as a class. This is where students are released to do independent work on the problem set, building toward mastery of the crossing-off strategy. STAMP reinforcement continues.

[YELLOW - FS2] FS2 will complete a modified problem set with larger circles and fewer problems (50% reduced workload per IEP). He will use car manipulatives alongside the drawings, removing physical cars before crossing off drawn cars. I will check in with FS2 individually to verify understanding through his communication board. [PURPLE - FS3] FS3 earns a sticker for 3 independent attempts (right or wrong). Her coloring interest means she may want to draw neat circles - I'll affirm this while keeping her on pace. Privacy folder remains in place to support independent work.

Copy FS2's prior experiences and interests connect directly to this math lesson. During free choice time, FS2 demonstrates awareness of quantity when separating toy cars by color - he naturally creates groups and notices when items are added or removed from his collection. His interest in tiny cars, animals, and stickers provides concrete manipulatives for practicing the "take away" concept. During carpet time, FS2 enjoys sharing with peers, which mirrors the lesson's story context of monkeys "losing" bananas - taking away is a concept FS2 experiences socially when he shares his stickers with classmates. His familiarity with counting objects he cares about (cars, animal figurines) will help him engage with crossing off drawings to find "how many are left."

Copy Based on my FS2's asset of being a visual learner who engages readily with hands-on manipulatives, I will support their learning by providing tiny car manipulatives for FS2 to physically remove during the "take away" portions of the lesson. When we practice crossing off drawings, FS2 can first remove physical cars, then transfer to crossing off car drawings on his personal whiteboard.

Based on my FS2's learning needs of being nonverbal with identified goals for task initiation, I will support their learning by using FS2's communication board to allow him to show responses by pointing to number symbols instead of verbally stating "how many are left." Before the lesson, I will preview the visual schedule showing the lesson steps: (1) watch teacher, (2) practice with manipulatives, (3) cross off on whiteboard, (4) point to answer. I will provide extended wait time (30 seconds) after asking FS2 to show his answer. If FS2 does not initiate the crossing-off independently, I will provide a physical prompt by guiding his hand to the first item to cross off.

Copy FS3 brings prior math experiences that provide a strong foundation for this lesson. She demonstrates knowledge of numbers 1-20 and has practiced number bonds, which means she understands that numbers can be broken into parts. FS3 loves coloring, which connects to the drawing component of today's lesson - she will be motivated to draw her circles or objects neatly before crossing them off. Her interest in earning prizes provides an engagement tool: I can incorporate a challenge where FS3 earns a sticker for completing problems independently. Her experience with number bonds (e.g., knowing 5 = 3 + 2) can be leveraged by showing that "5 take away 2" is the reverse of "2 + 3 = 5" - the same numbers, different action.

Copy Based on my FS3's asset of being bilingual (Spanish primary) and knowing numbers 1-20 in both languages, I will support her learning by pre-teaching the key vocabulary for this lesson in Spanish: "quitar" (take away), "quedan" (are left), and "tachar" (cross off). During the lesson, FS3 can respond in Spanish if needed - for example, saying "quedan tres" (three are left) is an acceptable demonstration of understanding. I will pair FS3 with Maria so they can discuss the crossing-off strategy in Spanish before answering in English.

Based on my FS3's learning needs of becoming upset when she makes errors and sometimes copying her neighbor's answer instead of attempting independently, I will support her learning by explicitly telling FS3 that crossing off "any" of the items (not a specific one) is correct - it doesn't matter which circles she crosses off, just that she crosses off the right number. This reduces the "wrong answer" possibility. To prevent copying, I will use a privacy folder during independent practice. I will also provide positive reinforcement when FS3 attempts a problem independently, regardless of the answer: "I saw you try that on your own - that's exactly what mathematicians do." If FS3 earns 3 independent attempts (right or wrong), she earns her prize.