Learning Activity Plan for PreK-Grade 2

Teacher Candidate
Date of Scheduled Visit
Name/Address of School
Age/Grade level
Cooperating Teacher

Alex La Valle
May 7, 2015

Name of Lesson
Content
area(s)/developmental
domain(s) addressed

Pete the Cat and Subtraction

Mathematics
Counting and Cardinality
Operations and Algebraic Thinking
Geometry- identifying shapes
Literacy
Read aloud
Comprehension
Arts
Identifying colors
The teacher and children will read the book Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy
Buttons together and as the cat loses buttons from his shirt, the children will count
down from 4 to 0.
Uses prior and background knowledge as context for new
learning.
Make sense of simple mathematic equations and solving them and understand the
meanings of operations and how they relate to one another; Compute fluently and
make reasonable estimates. Students will increase comprehension through story
repetition and analyze change.
15 minutes

Brief description of the

lesson
This lesson:

Rationale
Timeframe

Pre-K- Kindergarten
Classroom Number

Learning Activity Plan for PreK-Grade 2

Objective(s) of the
activity

Connections to
standards
Language Objectives

While reading the story together:

The students will follow along and make connections, predictions,
and inferences.
The students will learn number names and the count sequence;
Count to tell the number of objects; Compare numbers (4 is more than
3).
The students will follow along as the teacher identifies the symbols
in a subtraction equation.
The students will identify and describe shapes and colors.

After reading to the story together:

The students will answer questions about details in the story, with
80% accuracy (eg: Did Pete cry?; How many buttons did he start with?
How many did he end with?). [The students hey will be able to
describe quantitative change.]
The students will understand the effects of subtracting whole
numbers as taking apart and taking from.
The students will recognize what the symbols in an equation
represent (- and = signs).
Common Core Standards for Kindergarten Traditional Mathematics for counting
and cardinality and Language Arts for reading literature and comprehension,
modified for pre-k students.
Identify word meanings
How many= The total or sum (e.g., "How many buttons are left on
Petes shirt?")
Subtraction= Taking apart, taking from.
Use words and phrases acquired through being read to and responding to
texts and cues. (eg: Asking and answering questions?)

Learning Activity Plan for PreK-Grade 2

Resources/materials
needed:

Technology inclusion (if

applicable)
Procedures (step by
step)

Teacher Materials: The book Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons by
Erik Litwin, a laminated Pete the Cat with four, different color and shape
buttons with Velcro
Student Materials: Each student will have their own laminated Pete the
Cat with four, different color and shape buttons with Velcro

No technology required.
1. Introduce the activity
Ask the children if they know Pete the Cat?
Provide each child in the class with their own laminated Pete the Cat
Explain that today we are going to read the story together and Pete
the Cat is going to teach us about subtraction.
Explain that Subtraction means taking things away.
2. Engage the children
Read the story, Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons.
Sing Petes song: My buttons, my buttons, my four groovy buttons
paired with hand motions.
As Pete looses a button, say POP! and Rolled away paired with
hand motions. Have the children take one of the Velcro buttons off of
their Petes shirt and together count how many buttons Pete has left on
his shirt.
*Ask what color and shape the button is?
The book will ask, How many buttons are left? each time Pete looses
a button.
Before you turn the page, have the children tell you how many buttons

Learning Activity Plan for PreK-Grade 2

are left on Petes shirt. The next page has the answer as well as a
number sentence. Have the children repeat in unison the number
sentences given.
After each button pops off the book will ask, Did Pete cry? Encourage
the children answer No in unison.
3. Story Reflection: an open discussion as a group. Ask the students questions
and encourage participation.
Literal Comprehension:
How many buttons popped off of Petes coat? (four groovy
buttons)
What did Pete do instead of cry when he lost buttons? (he sang
his song)
Inferential Comprehension:
Why didnt Pete cry when he lost a button? (buttons come and
buttons go its only a button)
Drawing Conclusions:
What do you suppose caused Petes buttons to pop off? (answers
will vary)
Do you think Pete will get new buttons for his coat? (answers will
vary)

Method of assessing
childrens understanding
of
lesson/activity/objective(

Pre-assessment
-Use a checklist and ask if
each child can identify a
circle, star, square, and

Assessment of Student
Learning -As we read the
book, identify if the students
understand the concept of

Assessment of
Childrens Language
Learning
-The student will

Learning Activity Plan for PreK-Grade 2

s)

triangle.
-Assess if the children can
count from 0-4.

Plans for differentiated

instruction/instructional
modifications

Supporting children
Supporting English Language Learners
with identified delays
Higher level students will be paired with lower
or disabilities
or ESL students
The teacher will use
ESL students will also benefit from the visual
both a team
and kinesthetic activities as well as the
teaching and
repetitive language of the story
alternating teaching
model.
Whole group, pair
and individual
instruction will take
place.
Higher level
students will be
paired with lower or
ESL students
After you count down from 4 to 0, count back up. Read the book, backwards. Pete
has no more buttons on his shirt but then his Mom sews a button back on his shirt.
How many buttons does Pete have on his shirt now? 1. 0 + 1 = 1. You can also
use the yellow shirts and stickers to have the children count the buttons that
Petes mom sews back onto his shirt?

Follow up/Extension
activities

Any additional
information that would

subtraction by asking
questions (ie If Pete started
with four buttons, and one is
taken away, how many are
left? 4-1=3)

demonstrate growth in
the use of oral
language
-Develop vocabulary by
listening to a variety of
texts read aloud.

Learning Activity Plan for PreK-Grade 2

be helpful for the
observer to know