Semester 2 Topic 2 Level E

Task Name : Number stories Task Level : E (Grade 4)
Semester : 1 Topic : Algebra Patterns VC Strand : Patterns and Algebra
Web Address : http://maths.crusoecollege.vic.edu.au/paE
Equipment Needed : nil
Victorian Curriculum outcome : Solve word problems by using number sentences involving multiplication or division where there is no remainder. Use equivalent number sentences involving addition and subtraction to find unknown quantities
Task description : Students create eight number stories, two involving addition, two involving subtraction, two involving multiplication and two involving division. For each story, the student must write the story, draw a picture and write a number sentence with a box representing the unknown number. They must then solve each story using inverse operations (you will need to explain what this is).
Assessment options : Photographs of drawings; digital equivalents using Paint or similar.
Teacher notes : Students can really struggle conceptually with this task: many donโ€™t seem to understand the difference where the unknown is at the end of the story compared. For students lacking imagination, provide a scaffold to help them create a story: the video provides models which can be easily adapted to involve addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. Be careful with the subtraction stories: if the student has the unknown at the beginning of the story, things can get confusing.