LESSON PLAN

Equality and Inequality

Apothem Team

Kindergarten · Number

LESSON AT A GLANCE

Warm-up

5 min

Explore

15 min

Consolidate

10 min

Practice

12 min

Exit reflection

3 min

Warm-up

Show students two groups of cubes — one with 4, one with 4. 'Are these equal? How could we check?' Then show 3 and 5. 'What about these?' Let students discuss before touching any materials.

Explore

Groups take turns placing cubes on both sides of a pan balance. Before placing: 'Do you think it will balance or tip? Which side?' After placing: 'Was your prediction right? What do you notice?' Students record: balanced / tipped / which side was heavier.

Consolidate

Practice

Students each choose two numbers to 10, build both with cubes, and place them on a balance. They record: equal / not equal. Exit: teacher holds up two fingers on one hand and three on the other — 'equal or not equal? How do you know?'

Exit reflection

TIP Use the pan balance as a prediction-and-test tool: predict which side will go down, then place objects to check. Prediction before testing is a key scientific and mathematical habit.

WORKED EXAMPLES

A student says '5 equals 5' but doesn't understand why 5=3+2 is also true. How do you build this?

Use the pan balance: put 5 cubes on one side, and 3 cubes + 2 cubes on the other (as separate groups). Watch it balance. 'Both sides have the same total — 5. That's why they're equal.'

How do you handle a student who thinks equality means 'the answer comes next'?

Reinforce the balance model consistently. When writing, always say 'balanced with' rather than 'makes.' '3 and 2 is balanced with 5' keeps the two-sided meaning alive.

MATERIALS

•Pan balance (ideally one per group of 3–4)

•Identical objects for balancing (cubes, counters, pennies)

•Balance recording sheets

•Picture cards showing sharing contexts

WATCH FOR

!Students frequently think '=' means 'write the answer here.' The pan balance experience directly counters this misconception before symbolic notation takes hold.

!Students may think that a statement like 4=4 is trivial or wrong ('why would you write that?'). Help them see it as a meaningful claim: these two things are the same.