Solve Addition Stories

Overview

In Lesson 12 of 30 in Building Mathematical Thinking, students solve addition story problems with totals within 10. They build on counting, combining sets, and recognizing small quantities by acting out stories, using objects and drawings, and recording an answer.

Learning intentions

• Students will be able to identify the quantities in an addition story.
• Students will be able to model an addition story with objects or a drawing.
• Students will be able to find and explain a total within 10.
• Students will be able to connect a story to an addition equation.

Success criteria

• I can find the quantities in the story.
• I can show the story with objects or a drawing.
• I can find the total within 10.
• I can explain my answer using words, objects, or an equation.

Curriculum links

• Operations and Algebraic Thinking — solve addition word problems and add within 10 using objects or drawings.
• Operations and Algebraic Thinking — develop fluency with addition within 5.
• Mathematical practice — represent a situation, explain thinking, and use precise mathematical language.

Lesson structure (30 minutes)

1. 0–4 min · Acted-out hook. Teacher invites three students to act out: “Two children are playing. One more child joins them. How many children are playing now?” Open with the story problem hook slide and read the story aloud while students watch. Students act out the joining action, count the group, and share the total.

2. 4–9 min · Model the steps. Teacher displays the visual steps on the four problem-solving steps: identify the quantities, model the story, combine and count, and tell or record the total. Model a story such as “There are 3 red bears and 2 blue bears. How many bears are there altogether?” using counters, a quick drawing, and the equation 3 + 2 = 5. Students repeat the steps with actions or gestures and explain what each number represents.

3. 9–16 min · Guided story mats. Teacher forms five pairs and gives each pair counters and a story mat; present one story at a time from the guided practice story slides. Use stories with totals from 5 to 10, such as “Four ducks are in a pond. Two more ducks swim over. How many ducks are in the pond now?” Students identify the numbers, place or draw each group, combine the groups, and state the total. Pause after each story for partners to explain, “I had __ and __ more. Now I have __.”

4. 16–24 min · Independent practice. Distribute the addition stories and modeling worksheet. Teacher reads each story aloud, checks that students highlight or mark the quantities, and prompts without solving: “What is happening in the story?” and “How could you show it?” Students solve three addition stories within 10 using counters, drawings, or numbers. Students may answer verbally while the teacher records their response when writing is a barrier.

5. 24–27 min · Share and compare. Teacher displays the share-and-compare prompt slide and selects two students or pairs to show different models for the same story. Students compare the models and explain how both show the same total, using the words “add,” “more,” “altogether,” and “total” as appropriate.

6. 27–30 min · Exit check and review. Teacher presents “There are 2 frogs on a log. One more frog jumps on. How many frogs are on the log?” Students solve with a drawing, counters, fingers, an equation, or a verbal answer. Review the success criteria and ask students to show one finger for “I need more practice,” two for “I can do it with a model,” or three for “I can explain it.”

Resources

• the addition story teaching deck
• the addition stories and modeling worksheet
• Counters, linking cubes, or small classroom objects
• Five simple story mats or blank paper mats
• Crayons or thick pencils
• Highlighters
• Ten-frames
• Individual whiteboards and markers
• Large numeral and plus-sign cards

Assessment

• During acted-out and guided stories, check whether students identify both quantities, understand that “more” means joining, and find a total no greater than 10.
• Review worksheet models for a clear representation and accurate total; accept objects, drawings, equations, or verbal explanations.
• Use the final frog problem as an exit check. Record whether each student solves independently, solves with a model, or needs significant prompting.

Differentiation

• Support: Act out every story, use a story mat with separate “first group” and “more” spaces, provide counters and a ten-frame, and use the visual sequence: “What numbers? Show it. Count all. Tell the total.”
• Dyslexia-friendly access: Read all text aloud, use picture-supported story problems, highlight the quantities in different colors, present one problem at a time in a clear sans-serif font, and allow verbal answers, pointing, or dictated drawings and equations.
• Language and communication: Pair students strategically, provide sentence frames such as “I see __ and __ more” and “There are __ altogether,” and accept gestures, home-language discussion, or an augmentative communication system.
• Advanced learners: Invite students to write an addition equation for a modeled story and create a matching addition story with a total within 10. Ask them to find another story or drawing that matches the same equation.

Extension

• Students write an addition equation for one worksheet problem and create a matching story.
• Students create two different addition stories with the same total, then use counters or drawings to prove both answers.