ILLINOIS TEACH & TALK

Understand The Equal Sign   

1.OA.7 calls for students to work with the concept of equality by identifying whether equations are true or false. Therefore, students need to understand that the equal sign does not mean the answer comes next, but rather that the equal sign signifies a relationship between the left and right side of the equation. Interchanging the language of “equal to” and “the same as” as well as “not equal to” and “not the same as” will help students grasp the meaning of the equal sign. Students should understand that “equality” means “the same quantity as”. In order for students to avoid the common pitfall that the equal sign means “to do something” or that the equal sign means “the answer is,” they need to be able to:

* Express their understanding of the meaning of the equal sign

* Accept sentences other than a + b = c as true (a = a, c = a + b, a = a + 0, a + b = b + a)

* Know that the equal sign represents a relationship between two equal quantities

* Compare expressions without calculating 

The number sentence 4 + 5 = 9 can be read as, "four plus five is the same amount as nine."

In addition, Students should be exposed to various representations of equations, such as: 

* an operation on the left side of the equal sign and the answer on the right side (5 + 8 = 13)

* an operation on the right side of the equal sign and the answer on the left side (13 = 5 + 8)

* numbers on both sides of the equal sign (6 = 6)

* operations on both sides of the equal sign (5 + 2 = 4 + 3). 

Students need many opportunities to model equations using cubes, counters, drawings, etc. These key skills are hierarchical in nature and need to be developed over time. Experiences determining if equations are true or false help student develop these skills. Initially, students develop an understanding of the meaning of equality using models. However, the goal is for students to reason at a more abstract level. At all times students should justify their answers, make conjectures (e.g., if you add a number and then subtract that same number, you always get zero), and make estimations.

Kansas Association of Teachers of Mathematics (KATM) Flipbooks. 

Questions or to send feedback: melisa@ksu.edu. Retrieved from Grade 1 Flip Book.

This standard expects that students will understand that the equal sign is a symbol to indicate equivalence.  The equal sign is a relationship and balance between the two quantities. It does not mean “is the ANSWER”. 

Students need to be able to:

• Express their understanding of the meaning of the equal sign in words

• Accept sentences other than a + b = c as true (a = a, c = a + b, a = a + 0, a + b = b + a)

• Know that the equal sign represents a balanced relationship between two equal quantities

• Compare expressions without calculating