Primary Type: Formative Assessment
Status: Published
This is a resource from CPALMS (www.cpalms.org) where all educators go for bright ideas!
Resource ID#: 36688
More True and False Equations
Students are given a set of equations and asked to circle the equations that are true.
Subject(s): Mathematics
Grade Level(s): 1
Intended Audience: Educators
Freely Available: Yes
Keywords: MFAS, MAFS.1.OA.4.7, Equality, equal sign, equations
Resource Collection: MFAS Formative Assessments
ATTACHMENTS
MFAS_MoreTrueAndFalseEquations_Worksheet.docx
FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT TASK
Instructions for Implementing the Task
This task may be completed individually, in small groups, or with a whole group.
1. The teacher gives the student the More True and False Equations worksheet.
2. The teacher reads the directions aloud.
3. If the student struggles with the use of the equal sign in the context of these equations, consider first administering the task Is the Equation True or False; this task
begins with a mini-lesson on the use of the equal sign.
TASK RUBRIC
Getting Started
Misconception/Error
The student holds an operational view of the equal sign and can only correctly determine the truth value of equations written in the form a + b = c.
Examples of Student Work at this Level
The student only identifies the equation 5 + 2 = 7 as true.
Questions Eliciting Thinking
Why do you think this equation is true (or not true)?
page 1 of 4 What about this makes it not true (or true)?
Can you tell me what you know about the equal sign? What does it mean?
Instructional Implications
Model simple equations for the student using manipulatives. Ask the student to write the equations as you model them.
Provide direct instruction on the meaning of the equal sign. Guide the student to understand that the equal sign means "is equal to" rather than a command to complete a
computation.
Have the student decompose numbers, and record the results by writing equations of the form c = a + b.
Have the student put two cubes in each of his or her hands. Ask the student if each hand holds the same number of cubes. Guide the student to write the equation 2 = 2
to represent the equation he or she is modeling. Then, have the student put four blue cubes in his or her left hand and three red and one yellow cube in his or her right
hand. Ask the student if each hand holds the same number of cubes. Guide the student to write the equation 4 = 3 + 1 to represent the equation he or she is modeling.
Moving Forward
Misconception/Error
The student is able to identify some of the equations that are true but still holds a largely operational view of the equal sign.
Examples of Student Work at this Level
The student correctly identifies some of the equations as true.
The student may say any or all of the following:
"You can"t have an equation without a plus or minus".
"You can"t have a plus sign after the equal sign."
"The equal sign can"t come as the first thing in an equation."
The student may say the following are true:
7=5-2
3+4=7-5
4+3=7+1
Questions Eliciting Thinking
Why do you think this equation is true (or not true)?
What about this makes it not true (or true)?
Can you tell me what you know about the equal sign? What does it mean?
Instructional Implications
Model correct use of the equal sign with the student. Provide direct instruction on the meaning of the equal sign. Guide the student to understand that the equal sign
means "is equal to" rather than a command to complete a computation.
Show the student pairs of equations such as 3 + 2 = 5 and 5 = 2 + 3. It is also important to show the student equations such as 2 + 3 = 4 + 1 and 7 = 7. Make explicit
the meaning of the equal sign in the context of such equations.
Using four different colors of cubes, model two addends on each side of the equal sign and how the sum of each side can be equal (e.g., 4 (red) + 2 (yellow) = 3 (green)
+ 3 (blue)).
Almost There
Misconception/Error
The student is able to correctly determine the truth value of all of the equations but struggles to justify his or her responses.
Examples of Student Work at this Level
The student lacks confidence in his or her responses, especially with equations such as 2 + 5 = 9 - 2. The student correctly identifies equations that are true and not true
but is unable to justify his or her answers and may simply say, “"I don"t know why"; or "I just know."
Questions Eliciting Thinking
What does the equal sign mean? Have you ever seen an equation written this way before?
Since the equal sign means "is the same value as; or the "is the same quantity as" do you think that you can write all equations with the sum or difference after the equal
sign?
Instructional Implications
Model explaining why the equation 3 + 4 = 7 - 5 is false.
Guide the student to justify equality in equations by using the Commutative Property (i.e., a + b = b + a).
page 2 of 4 Got It
Misconception/Error
The student has no misconceptions or errors.
Examples of Student Work at this Level
The student has a relational view of the equal sign and is able to explain that the quantities on both sides of the equation are the same.
The student says that the following equations are true and justifies his or her thinking. He or she is also able to explain why equations such as 4 + 3 = 7 + 1 are false.
7=7
5+2=5+2
4+3=5+2
7=5+2
5+2=7
Questions Eliciting Thinking
Why is 3 + 4 = 7 - 5 false? Another student said that it is true because 3 + 4 = 7. What is wrong with their reasoning?
Do you think 9- 2 - 3 = 10 - 3 - 2 is true or false? How do you know?
Show the student the equation 3 + 2 = 4 + 1, and ask him or her to examine the addends on each side of the equation. What happens to the first addend on each side of
the equal sign?
What about the second addends? Did you notice that if you take one from the two and add it to the three, you get "4 + 1"? When you have a sum such as 3 + 2, can
you always increase the first addend by one and decrease the second addend by one and get the same sum?
Instructional Implications
Encourage the student to solve equations with larger numbers such as 34 + 6 = ___ + 34 using the Commutative Property.
Encourage the student to find the missing addend in equations such as 17 - ____ = 9.
Have the student write his or her own equations that are true. Encourage the student to use two addends on each side of the equal sign.
Introduce the student to the Addition Compensation Principle. That is, given a sum of two numbers, when the first addend is increased/decreased by a certain amount,
equality is maintained if the second addend is also inversely decreased/increased by the same amount. Algebraically, this principal can be stated: For any sum a + b, a + b =
(a + n) + (b - n).
ACCOMMODATIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS
Special Materials Needed:
More True and False Equations worksheet
Pencil
Additional Information/Instructions
By Author/Submitter
SOURCE AND ACCESS INFORMATION
Contributed by: MFAS FCRSTEM
Name of Author/Source: MFAS FCRSTEM
District/Organization of Contributor(s): Okaloosa
Is this Resource freely Available? Yes
Access Privileges: Public
License: CPALMS License - no distribution - non commercial
Related Standards
Name
Description
Understand the meaning of the equal sign, and determine if equations involving addition and subtraction are true or
page 3 of 4 MAFS.1.OA.4.7:
false. For example, which of the following equations are true and which are false? 6 = 6, 7 = 8 – 1, 5 + 2 = 2 + 5, 4
+ 1 = 5 + 2.
page 4 of 4