The purpose of this activity is for students to represent and solve a two-step story problem. The story problem is presented in parts, and students are encouraged to represent each part in a way that makes sense to them. In the Synthesis, students compare different ways they represent and solve the problem (MP2).

MLR8 Discussion Supports. To support both students in each group with producing language, display the following question starter and sentence frames: 

• “How did you do the problem?” 
• “First, I _____ because . . . .” 
• “My method is like yours because . . . .” 
• “Our methods are different because . . . .”

• Invite previously identified students to share their tape diagram and equation for each part.
• “How did _____ represent the problem? How does each representation show the story problem?”
• Display
• “How does this equation represent Andre’s seeds?” (It shows all the seeds he has in one equation.)
• “What are other ways we could add to find the sum?” (We could add 25 and 35 first. Then add 17. We could add 17 and 35 and then add 25.)

The purpose of this activity is for students to make sense of and solve a two-step story problem using methods of their choosing. Students reason about a two-step story problem that is presented as a single story. Look for the different ways students identify what quantities they know and what they need to figure out. Look for the different ways students represent the problem, including ways they may act out the problem with their partner. When students share, compare, and ask questions about each other’s approaches for solving the problem, they construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others (MP3).

Students begin the activity by looking at the problem displayed, rather than in their books. At the end of the Launch, students open their books and work on the problem.

This activity uses MLR6 Three Reads. Advances: reading, listening, representing.

• Invite previously selected students to share how they represented and solved the story problem.
• Consider asking:
  • “How are these ways of representing the story the same?”
  • “How are they different?”
• “How does each way match what happened in the story?” (The numbers match the seeds in the story. They all show adding or putting the seeds together. That matches what happened in the story because Priya kept getting more seeds.)
• “How is this story different from the other stories we have solved?” (There weren’t just two numbers to add or subtract. There wasn’t just one thing that happened.)