Topic,

class and level: Story Problems, (Sessions 3.4 3.7, Unit 6, Investigations)
First Grade
I taught this lesson over two days. The differentiation described was provided on day two and flowed from my observations
of how kids experienced the lesson on day one. The purpose of this two-day lesson was for students to identify different
kinds of story problems so that they could apply the best strategy to solve the problem. On day one, the students were set
free to solve the room. That is, supplied with clipboards and recording sheets, the students worked their way around the
room finding 6 story problems to solve.

STAGE ONE Established Goals

Relevant Standards/Intended Learning Outcomes and Goals:

Use addition and subtraction within 20 to solve word problems involving situations of adding to, taking from, putting
together, taking apart, and comparing, with unknowns in all positions, e.g. by using objects, drawings, and equations
with a symbol for the unknown number to represent the problem (1.OA.1).
Apply properties of operations as strategies to add and subtract (1.OA.3)
Understand subtraction as an unknown addend problem (1.OA.4)

Essential Question:

What are ways we can compose and decompose

numbers within 20?
What are ways that we can represent and communicate
our strategies?
How can we use addition to help us solve subtraction?

Content Knowledge:

Enduring Understandings/Take-Aways:
Relationships exist between different combinations of a
number.

Skills:

SWBAT know that each of the different kinds of

problems lend themselves to differing processes and
include specific vocabulary to indicate what to do and
when.

Use strategies for solving addition and subtraction

problems.

STAGE TWO Assessment: Acceptable Evidence

Evidence to be Collected:
Strategies, equations and other representations as evidenced on recording sheets, in class discussions, and observations during
independent and partner work.

STAGE THREE Lesson Sequence

Lesson Sequence:
Materials:

Solve the Room story problems

Recording sheets

Clip boards

Tools such a number lines, Unifix cubes

Activities

Whole Class Mini-lesson (10 minutes)

What kinds of story problems are we practicing and if we cannot remember, where in the room can we look.
Point with your hands to let me know. Review anchor charts. Why is it important to identify what kind of story
problem we are working on? When we can identify the type of story problem, then we know what strategy to use
to solve it. Today we will continue the Solve the Room activity we started yesterday. First lets warm up by
looking at story problem # 2 together:
The table has some apples on it.

Tri put 3 more apples on it.

Now there are 7 apples on the table.
How many apples were on the table to begin with?
The problem is written on the board. Read and discuss as a class. Demonstrate how the problem can be solved
using subtraction as well as by turning it into a missing addend addition problem.
Reflect with students on what went well during Solve the Room yesterday:
-people used each other for help. Lots of good thinking was exchanged!
-students were on task.
-students made use of unifix cubes, number lines, anchor charts.
-everyone was able to stay in Solve the Room the whole time (no time outs).
Workshop (20 minutes)
Pass out recording sheets. Review the Solve the Room routine. Students are assigned to color groups that may
differ from the ones they were assigned to yesterday. Color groups are indicated on the recording sheets.
Students need to write an equation and show their work for each story problem. Make unifix cubes and number
lines available.
These are the 6 story problems:

1.
Ahnaya saw 3 ants on a rock. She saw 6 ants in the grass. She saw 7 ants on the slide.
How many ants did she see?
2.
The table has some apples on it.
Tri put 3 more apples on it.
Now there are 7 apples on the table.
How many apples were on the table to begin with?
3.
Kelsey has a cat.
Kelsey gave her cat 13 grapes to eat.
The cat ate 6 of the grapes. How many grapes were left?
4.
Denzell had 15 cookies. He gave 1 cookie to Jonathan. He gave 1 cookie to Jowell. How many
cookies does Denzell have left?
5.
Hannah put 10 cup cakes on the table. Then Jabbar put some cup cakes on the table. Now there
are 20 cupcakes on the table. How many cup cakes did Jabbar put on the table?
6.
Ziandro has 8 crayons. Some are red and some are blue. How many might be red? How many
might be blue?
Differentiation:
Differentiation based upon Process, Student Readiness and Student Learning Profile.
Process: Students will use equations and representations of their work to solve story problems.
Readiness: Groups separated based upon current level of understanding and need for peer or teacher assistance
Learning Profile: Unifix cubes, number lines, drawing materials will benefit the concrete, kinesthetic and visual
learners.

Red Group: These students are almost finished with the 6 story problems. Most of what they have completed is
correct. They are able to use each other for help to compare and correct their mistakes and to finish solving the
problems.
Green Group: Four students who need a little more help are paired with two students (the coaches) who
completely and correctly finished all the story problems.
Orange Group: These four students worked with the teacher during Solve the Room yesterday. They are ready to
try to work without a teacher as group to try the problems.
Table Group: These four students were not able to solve any of the problems yesterday and will work with the
teacher today.
Sponge Activity:
Students will be encouraged to share their answers with others in their group and compare.
Students who finish early can write their own missing addend story problem.
Wrap-up (15 minutes):
Discuss problem number 3 as a class. Focus on how students identified the kind of problem and what strategies
they used to solve it. Discuss, how did knowing the kind of problem help us figure out what strategy to use to
solve it? Can someone give an example?