Strategy Congress

Progression 1 (Years 1–2) Number | Comparing and justifying strategies (count-on, make-10, doubles, part-part-whole) in zoo/conservation problems.

Duration: 60 mins Strand: Number Context: Mixed zoo/conservation problems Representations: Posters, number lines, tens frames, part-part-whole

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

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 whanau 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.

Back to Number Sense Journey (Progression 1)