This activity builds on the work in Kindergarten by having students use a variety of mathematical representations (e.g., objects, drawings, and equations) during their work. The unknown symbols should include boxes or pictures, and not letters.
Teachers should be cognizant of the three types of problems. There are three types of addition and subtraction problems: Result Unknown, Change Unknown, and Start Unknown. Here are some Addition
Use informal language (and, minus/subtract, the same as) to describe joining situations (putting together) and separating situations (breaking apart).
Use the addition symbol (+) to represent joining situations, the subtraction symbol (-) to represent separating situations, and the equal sign (=) to represent a relationship regarding quantity between one side of the equation and the other.