Math lesson plan · 1st grade (Year 2 in England) · 30 minutes
Compare two-digit numbers
Number sense
CCSS 1.NBT.B.3England: Y1 Number and place valueEngland: Y2 Number and place value
Objective and success criteria
Students will: Compare two-digit numbers.
- I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
- I can explain each step and say why it works.
- I can check my answer and spot a mistake.
Before and after
Needs first: Tens and ones; Compare numbers to 10
Leads to: Compare three-digit numbers; Compare two-digit numbers with <, > and =; Put two-digit numbers in order
Materials: Place value chart, Base-ten blocks or a number line, Mini whiteboards and pens, Printed student sheet (below).
Warm-up · 4 min
- Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Tens and ones; Compare numbers to 10). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
- How many tens are in 86? → 8Prompt: In a two-digit number, the left digit tells the tens and the right digit tells the ones.
- 71 = 7 tens and how many ones? → 1Prompt: In a two-digit number, the left digit tells the tens and the right digit tells the ones.
- How many tens are in 35? → 3Prompt: In a two-digit number, the left digit tells the tens and the right digit tells the ones.
Hook · 3 min
- Show a number in the news or a price tag and ask what each digit is worth.
- Share the objective: Compare two-digit numbers. Read the success criteria together.
I do: model it · 7 min
- Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
- Example: Choose the sign that makes this true: 79 __ 97
- Step 1: 79 has 7 tens, 97 has 9 tens.
- Step 2: 79 < 97
- Answer: <
- Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.
We do: guided practice · 6 min
- Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
- Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
- Choose the sign that makes this true: 54 __ 45 (< / > / =) → >Prompt: Compare the tens first.
- Choose the sign that makes this true: 91 __ 13 (< / > / =) → >Prompt: Compare the tens first.
You do: independent practice · 7 min
- Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
- Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.
The 6 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.
Exit ticket · 3 min
- Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
- Choose the sign that makes this true: 43 __ 73 (< / > / =) → <Prompt: Compare the tens first.
- Choose the sign that makes this true: 20 __ 70 (< / > / =) → <Prompt: Compare the tens first.
Watch out for
- Reading 1,045 as one thousand four hundred five: point to each place and say its value.
- Thinking a longer number is always bigger, even with decimals (0.45 vs 0.5).
Support and stretch
Support
- Review first: Tens and ones.
- Use concrete materials: place value chart.
- Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
- Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.
Stretch
- Move on to: Compare three-digit numbers; Compare two-digit numbers with <, > and =; Put two-digit numbers in order.
- Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
- Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.
Homework and more practice
Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/math/grade-1.
Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder