The following plan can be used as a guide to planning instruction.
This format allows the teacher to consider content and ELPBO objectives when
constructing lesson and unit plans.
Grade 1: Ten Flashing Fireflies by Philemon Sturges
Topic: More and Fewer
Content: 1 less than expresses the relationship between two
numbers.
3 is 1 less than 4.
Identify one more
Identify one fewer
Language:
Listening/Speaking: Recite/listen to a dialogue with meaningful content
Listening to a story
Introduce more and less
Reading/Writing: Complete a chart
Words less and more
Structure: _1_ fewer than ____ is ____
Thinking Skills: Investigating the concept
Analyze
Key Vocabulary: Less than
Fewer than
More than
Greater than
Numbers zero thru ten
Discuss starting with more and now we have less.
Discuss having a greater amount and now we have
fewer.
Fireflies, flashing, blinking, catching in a jar
Materials: Ten Flashing Fireflies by P. Sturges and A. Vojetch
(per child) workmats made on black construction
paper � an empty jar with 10
yellow fireflies (sponge paint to
represent)
(per child) 10 snap cubes
(in pairs) card with words � more, less
(per child) worksheet grid � two columns with 10
rows. Label top of 1 column with a jar
and the other with a firefly.
Take home books to be illustrated by the child at
home.
Motivation: Reading the story Ten Flashing Fireflies
Day 1: Introduce the story by having a discussion about fireflies, how they
are seen at night, how they blink, how the author uses the word
flashing. Discuss how children enjoy catching fireflies in a jar,
watching them flahs(blink) and letting them go.
Read the story introducing how the child had zero fireflies in the
jar and now he has more.
Day 2: Working in pairs
Workmats, snap cubes and word cards
Set-up: have snap cubes on mat to represent flying fireflies.
Reread the story and as a firefly is caught the child moves the
firefly into the jar.
Using the cards as you read the story; refer to having more in the
jar or less and have children hold up card. Does the child have
more in the jar or less?
Day 3: Workmats and snap cubes for each child
Set-up: snap cubes to represent fireflies
Reread the story and after each page model filling in the worksheet
Have children recite filling in the blank
1 fewer than 10 is 9
1 fewer than 9 is 8, etc.
1 more than 0 is 1
1 more than 1 is 2, etc.
Day 4: Working in pairs
Workmats, snap cubes and worksheet
You may reread story while filling in worksheet
How many fireflies are in the jar?
How many a flying free?
Are there less or more in the jar?
Interchange with greater than/less than.
Day 5: Same as Day 4 only working alone with Book on tape
Home Task: Take home book to be illustrated by the child and read at
home.
Follow-up and Extension: Choose another favotite counting book of yours or
the children in you class and create a similar activity.
