Story+Problem+1-23-07

"I'm going to tell you a story and I want you to make a picture of it in your mind so you can figure out what the operation is. Are you ready to see it in your mind? Here it is: 17 Orcas ordered milk for lunch. 12 of them ordered chocolate milk. How many ordered white milk?"

"Now I don't want you to say the answer or start to solve it. I just want you to think about //how// you are going to solve it. Will you use addition or subtraction?" Ask one or two people to share and tell why they will use that operation. Don't comment on their reasoning, but ask if any other students have comments about their thinking.

"Ok, now I'm going to tell you the problem again and you may solve it. You can use a tool if you think you need to, and if you don't think you need a tool, then you don't need one." (Provide part-part-whole mats and cubes.)

Afterward, have them share with one partner how they solved it. They should ask each other questions if they don't understand what their partner did. Then they can share with the whole group, but they have to share how their //partner// solved it. The teacher models on the white board how to show those strategies on paper.