The purpose of this activity is for students to revisit Stage 4 of the Math Stories center as a way to consolidate what they’ve learned about new types of story problems and their understanding of equations.

In this variant to Stage 4, the partner who creates a story first picks an equation from the equation cards used in the “Card Sort: Match Stories and Equations” activity. They create a story problem that matches the equation. Without revealing the equation, they share the story for their partner to solve. After solving and writing their own equation to match, the partners discuss the solution and compare the equations.

This activity provides opportunities to assess what students understand about the structure of different story problems and their relationship to addition and subtraction (MP2). When students compare different equations they used to create or to solve story problems, they also have opportunities to show what they understand about the relationship between addition and subtraction.

In future lessons, when Math Stories is an option for Center Choice Time, students do not need to use the equation cards. Although this can be used as an option for students as needed.

• Invite previously identified students to share their equation, their story, and their partner's solution.
• Consider asking:
  • “How does the story match the equation ___ picked?”
  • “How did __ represent the story problem?”
  • “How does ___’s partners’ equation match the story problem?”

The purpose of this activity is for students to choose from activities that offer practice adding and subtracting within 10. Students choose from stages of these previously introduced centers:

• Capture Squares
• Math Stories
• What’s Behind My Back

• “Tell your partner your favorite thing about center time and why it is your favorite.”