Strategy Congress
Progression 1 (Years 1–2) Number | Comparing and justifying strategies (count-on, make-10, doubles, part-part-whole) in zoo/conservation problems.
Learning Intentions & Success Criteria
Te Mātaiaho: quantify, order, compare small collections
NZC L1–2: choose/justify strategies to 20
Key idea: strategy choice matters
Ākonga are learning to:
- Choose an efficient strategy for addition/subtraction to 20.
- Explain and compare strategies with peers.
- Record thinking clearly for others to follow.
Success looks like:
- I can solve a problem and say which strategy I used and why.
- I can follow a peer’s representation and restate it.
- I can suggest an alternative strategy that also works.
Teacher prompts
- “Which strategy is most efficient here?”
- “What did you make first?”
- “Can you solve it a different way?”
Kupu / Vocabulary
- strategy / rautaki
- efficient / pai ake
- explain / whakamārama
- compare / whakataurite
- justify / whakamana
- representation / whakaaturanga
🎥 Media Anchor (8 mins)
Video: Learn CG: Grade 1 Addition strategies to 20
Before — Predict
Solve one addition problem in two ways. Predict which representation another learner could follow most easily.
During — Watch with a job
Watch the full 3:28 clip. Compare the strategies by recording what each representation shows and when it may be efficient.
| Strategy | Representation | Numbers it fits | Why it may be efficient |
|---|---|---|---|
| … | … | … | … |
| … | … | … | … |
Kaiako moves
- Value clarity and fit to the numbers, not speed alone.
- Ask learners to point to the evidence in a representation when naming a strategy.
After — Pair process
Restate one strategy your partner recorded. Check that your retelling follows their representation.
Immediate use
Take one completed comparison row into the Strategy Congress as evidence for your first explanation.
Support + stretch
- Support: Offer two pre-drawn representations and sentence stems for naming the strategy.
- Stretch: Identify a second valid strategy and describe which numbers make it the more efficient choice.
Materials
- Problem set (6–8) across contexts: feeder counts, bird visits, seedling trays.
- Chart paper for congress posters; markers; frames; number lines.
- Strategy icons (count-on, make-10, doubles, part-part-whole).
- A5 Handout: generator “Mixed,” range 0–20, 20–24 Qs for practice before congress.
Lesson Flow
Hook (5 mins)
- Two strategies for 9+6 shown side-by-side (make-10 vs. count-on); quick vote: which is clearer?
Prepare (10 mins)
- Pairs pick one problem; solve using any strategy; create a clear poster (representation + equation + explanation).
Congress (20 mins)
- Gallery walk: 3–4 posters presented; peers ask “What did you make first?” “Why that strategy?”
- Teacher highlights efficiency, clarity, and accuracy; record go-to strategies on class chart.
Independent practice (10 mins)
- Solve 3 fresh problems; circle the strategy icon used; be ready to explain one.
- Support: offer two pre-drawn representations to choose from.
Exit Check (5 mins)
- “Which strategy fits 7+8 best? Why?” quick oral response.
Place-based options
- Use photos/maps of Hamilton Zoo or Tiritiri boardwalk: craft a story problem and choose the best strategy.
Focus on discourse: sentence frames “I used ___ because ___”; “I agree because…”; “Another way is…”
Differentiation & Support
Scaffolds
- Provide a strategy choice card with visuals for each method.
- Limit to addition only for some learners.
- Use sentence frames for explanations.
Extensions
- Compare two strategies and decide which is more efficient.
- Create a poster showing two different strategies for the same problem.
- Lead a mini-conference to teach a chosen strategy.
Common Misconceptions
- Belief that only one strategy is correct. Remedy: require two strategies for some tasks.
- Mixing representations (line vs. frame) without explanation. Remedy: label and narrate each step.
- Choosing a strategy that does not fit the numbers. Remedy: prompt for efficiency.
Assessment & Evidence
- Poster clarity and correctness; note strategy diversity.
- Independent problems: match between chosen strategy and problem structure.
Whānau Connection
- Send home a “strategy card” and ask whānau to solve a simple sum two ways.
- Invite a short audio or note: “Our strategy at home was…”
Handout Link
Use the Progression 1 generator set to “Mixed,” range 0–20, 20–24 questions. Encourage annotating each with the strategy icon.
Curriculum alignment
- Algebra — Practices: - The symbols + and - represent addition and subtraction, and the equal sign shows that two sides of an equation represent the same quantity. - An open number sentence is a st…
- Number — Practices: - Arrays and groups can be used to represent and solve multiplication and division problems. - Multiplying and dividing by 1 gives the same number (the identity property of mu…
- Measurement — Practices: - Arrays and groups can be used to represent and solve multiplication and division problems. - Multiplying and dividing by 1 gives the same number (the identity property of mu…
- Statistics — Practices: - Arrays and groups can be used to represent and solve multiplication and division problems. - Multiplying and dividing by 1 gives the same number (the identity property of mu…
- Algebra — Practices: - Arrays and groups can be used to represent and solve multiplication and division problems. - Multiplying and dividing by 1 gives the same number (the identity property of mu…
Curriculum alignment
- Te Mātaiaho (2025) · Mathematics and Statistics · Phase 1 (Years 0–3) · Geometry (Practices): “- Adding or subtracting 0 does not change a number (the additive identity property). - Changing the order in which numbers are added does not change the result (the commutative property of addition). - When subtracting numbers, the order of numbers is important (i.e. subtraction is not commutative).”
- NZC (2007) · Mathematics and Statistics · Level 2: “Use simple additive strategies with whole numbers and fractions.”