aidemia--modules-lessonstartideas_type	Give a creative idea how to begin a lesson
Which subject	Mathematics
What age group	Reception / Kindergarten
What topic	Subtraction
Quantity	1
Any other preferences

Welcome to the Subtraction Adventure!

Introduction to the Lesson

Hey there, little mathematicians! 🌟 Today, we are going on an exciting adventure into the world of subtraction! Before we get started, let’s warm up our minds with a fun little story.

The Story of the Missing Cookies

Imagine that we are in a magical kitchen, and there are 5 sparkling cookies on the table. 🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪 But oh no! The cookie monster comes along and gobbles up 2 of our cookies! 😱

Now we need to figure out how many cookies are left on the table. Let's find out together!

Activity: Counting Cookies!

Materials Needed:

• Five round counters (these can be any small items like buttons or foam circles)
• A cookie monster puppet or picture (optional for dramatization)

Steps:

1. Gather Around! Gather all your counters and place them in front of you.
2. Count Together! Let’s count the counters together. How many do we have? (5)!
3. The Cookie Monster Visits! Pretend that the cookie monster comes and eats 2 cookies. Let's take away 2 counters. (You can use the puppet or picture here for added fun!)
4. Count What’s Left! Now, let’s count how many counters are left on the table. (3)!

Discussion Time:

• Ask the Children:
  • How many cookies did the cookie monster eat?
  • How many cookies are we left with?

Encourage them to describe how subtraction works: if we start with 5 and take away 2, we are subtracting, which gives us 3 left!

Conclusion

Now that we have solved the mystery of the missing cookies, let’s clap our hands for being such fantastic problem-solvers! 👏

This is just the beginning of our subtraction adventure, and there are many more magical numbers to explore. Are you ready for the next step? Let’s go!