Grade 1: Number Stories (Teacher Version)

Number Stories is a lesson structure in the Success Academy conceptual math curriculum. It is based on the Cognitively Guided Instruction model. Number Stories teaches students to unpack and solve complex, unfamiliar problems to develop mathematical thinking and problem-solving skills, explain their thinking and construct mathematical arguments, build an understanding of grade-level conjectures and concepts, and apply concepts, strategies, and models learned in math and mini-lessons to novel contexts.

In Grades K-2, students work to solve a problem during Number Stories. The Number Stories block happens 3-4 times per week for approximately 40 minutes.

1. Omar had 37 Cheerios in his cereal bowl. Julius had 22 Cheerios in his cereal bowl. How many more Cheerios does Omar have than Julius?

• Comprehension Question: CDU problems do not have a comprehension question. But you can ask: What are you imagining? What is happening?
• Type: CDU
• Level: II
• Answer: 15 more Cheerios
• Number Sentence to Match the Story: 37-22=_

2. I have 31 scarves and Mrs. Ansari only has 9 scarves. How many more scarves do I have than Mrs. Ansari?

• Comprehension Question: CDU problems do not have a comprehension question. But you can ask: What are you imagining? What is happening?
• Type: CDU
• Level: II
• Answer: 22 more scarves
• Number Sentence to Match the Story: 31-9=_

3. Abibat has 27 hair beads. She wants to make 9 braids with the same number of beads in each braid. How many beads are in each braid?

• Comprehension Question: Are more or less than 27 beads in each braid?
• Type: PD
• Level: II
• Answer: 3 beads
• Number Sentence to Match the Story: Scholars are NOT expected to write this number sentence.
• NOTE: Scholars are expected to write the number sentence that matches their work.

4. Suzie has 32 seeds. She wants to put the seeds in 8 plant pots with the same number of seeds in each pot. How many seeds will go in each pot?

• Comprehension Question: Are there more or less than 32 seeds in each pot?
• Type: PD
• Level: II
• Answer: 4 seeds
• Number Sentence to Match the Story: Scholars are NOT expected to write this number sentence.
• NOTE: Scholars are expected to write the number sentence that matches their work.

5. There are 14 turkey sandwiches and 29 veggie sandwiches in the cafeteria. How many sandwiches are in the cafeteria?

• Comprehension Question: Are there more or less than 29 sandwiches in the cafeteria?
• Type: PPW-WU
• Level: I
• Answer: 43 sandwiches
• Number Sentence to Match the Story: 14+29=_

6. There are 24 purple markers and 27 green markers in a box. How many markers are in the box?

• Comprehension Question: Are there more or less than 27 markers in the box?
• Type: PPW-WU
• Level: I
• Answer: 51 markers
• Number Sentence to Match the Story: 24+27=_

7. Ms. Chang ordered 3 pizza pies. Each pizza was cut into 7 slices. How many slices of pizza are there?

• Comprehension Question: Do I have more or less than 7 slices of pizza?
• Type: M
• Level: II
• Answer: 21 slices of pizza
• Number Sentence to Match the Story: Scholars are NOT expected to write this number sentence.
• NOTE: Scholars are expected to write the number sentence that matches their work.

8. Genesis has 28 crayons that she wants to put into boxes. She put 4 crayons in each box. How many boxes will she use?

• Comprehension Question: Will Genesis use more or less than 28 boxes?
• Type: MD
• Level: II
• Answer: 7 boxes
• Number Sentence to Match the Story: Scholars are NOT expected to write this number sentence.
• NOTE: Scholars are expected to write the number sentence that matches their work.

9. I need to buy 21 tomatoes. Tomatoes are sold in bags with five tomatoes in each bag. How many bags do I need?

• Comprehension Question: Do I need to buy more or less than 21 bags?
• Type: MD Remainder
• Level: II
• Answer: 5 bags
• Number Sentence to Match the Story: Scholars are NOT expected to write this number sentence.
• NOTE: Scholars are expected to write the number sentence that matches their work.

10. Roy has 14 coins in his coin collection. How many more coins does he need to have 42 coins?

• Comprehension Question: Does Roy need more or less than 42 coins?
• Type: JCU
• Level: III
• Answer: 28 more coins
• Number Sentence to Match the Story: 14+ 42

11. Devon has 12 blocks in his tower. How many more blocks does Devon need to have 46 blocks?

• Comprehension Question: Does Devin need more or less than 46 blocks?
• Type: JCU
• Level: III
• Answer: 34 more blocks
• Number Sentence to Match the Story: 12+_=46

12. Mekhai’s mom brought 38 cupcakes for his birthday. She gave 21 of them to scholars. How many cupcakes does she have left?

• Comprehension Question: Does Mekhai’s mom have more or less than 38 cupcakes left?
• Type: SRU
• Level: I
• Answer: 17 cupcakes
• Number Sentence to Match the Story: 38-21=_

13. Penn State has 44 bouncy balls. They gave another class 19 of them. How many bouncy balls does Penn State have left?

• Comprehension Question: Does Penn State have more or less than 44 bouncy balls left?
• Type: SRU
• Level: I
• Answer: 25 bouncy balls
• Number Sentence to Match the Story: 44-19=_

14. Four children want to share 5 candy bars so that everyone gets the same amount. How much candy bar does each child have?

• Comprehension Question: Does each child have more or less than 1 candy bar?
• Type: PD-ES
• Level: IV
• Answer: 1 and one-fourth candy bars
• NOTE: Answers can include informal language, such as whole and a piece, a little bit, a half, etc.
• Number Sentence to Match the Story: Scholars are NOT expected to write this number sentence.
• NOTE: Scholars are NOT expected to write the number sentence that matches their work.

15. Four children want to share 10 brownies so that each child gets exactly the same amount. How much brownie should each child get?

• Comprehension Question: Will each child get more or less than 1 brownie?
• Type: PD-ES
• Level: IV
• Answer: 2 and a half brownies
• NOTE: Answers can include informal language, such as whole and a piece, a little bit, a half, etc.
• Number Sentence to Match the Story: Scholars are NOT expected to write this number sentence.
• NOTE: Scholars are NOT expected to write the number sentence that matches their work.

16. Jamar has 37 tiles in his counting jar. He takes some of the tiles out of the jar. Now he has 14 tiles left in his jar. How many tiles did Jamar take out?

• Comprehension Question: Does Jamar take out more or less than 37 tiles?
• Type: SCU
• Level: III
• Answer: 23 tiles
• Number Sentence to Match the Story: 37-_ =14

17. Ms. Hunter had 46 Beyond Z cards. She passed out some of them. Now she has 17 left. How many Beyond Z cards did Ms. Hunter pass out?

• Comprehension Question: Did Ms. Hunter pass out more or less than 46 Beyond Z cards?
• Type: SCU
• Level: III
• Answer: 29 Beyond Z cards
• Number Sentence to Match the Story: 46 -_=17

18. Ms. Jones had some pennies in her penny jar. She collected 11 more pennies. Now she has 34 pennies in her jar. How many pennies did she start with?

• Comprehension Question: Did Ms. Jones start with more or less than 34 pennies?
• Type: JSU
• Level: IV
• Answer: 23 pennies
• Number Sentence to Match the Story: _+11=34

19. Atalia saw some ants on a picnic table. Then 17 more ants crawled on the table. Now there are 42 ants on the table. How many ants did she see first?

• Comprehension Question: Did Atalia see more or less than 42 ants at first?
• Type: JSU
• Level: IV
• Answer: 25 ants
• Number Sentence to Match the Story: _+17=42

20. Kristian had some money. He spent 11¢. Now he has 26¢. How much money did he start with?

• Comprehension Question: Did Kristian start with more or less than 26¢?
• Type: SSU
• Level: IV
• Answer: 37¢
• Number Sentence to Match the Story: _-11=26

21. Dane baked some cookies. He gave 14 cookies away. Now he has 37 cookies. How many cookies did Dane start with?

• Comprehension Question: Did Dane start with more or less than 37 cookies?
• Type: SSU
• Level: IV
• Answer: 51 cookies
• Number Sentence to Match the Story: _-14=37

22. 72 people were standing on the bus. 47 people got off. How many people are still on the bus?

• Comprehension Question: Are more or less than 72 people still on the bus?
• Type: SRU
• Level: I
• Answer: 25 people
• Number Sentence to Match the Story: 72 – 47 = _

23. Ms. Hickman had 105 Beyond Z stickers. She gave out 68 stickers. How many stickers does she have left?

• Comprehension Question: Does she have more or less than 68 stickers left?
• Type: SRU
• Level: I
• Answer: 37 stickers
• Number Sentence to Match the Story: 105 – 68 = _

24. I have 2 apples. It takes half of an apple to make a scholar snack. How many scholar snacks can I make?

• Comprehension Question: Will the apples make more or less than 2 snacks?
• Type: MD-MG
• Level: II
• Answer: 4 scholar snacks
• Number Sentence to Match the Story: Scholars are NOT expected to write this number sentence.
• NOTE: Scholars are NOT expected to write the number sentence that matches their work.

25. Jermaine has 4 cups of flour. It takes half of a cup of flour to bake a cupcake. How many cupcakes can Jermaine bake?

• Comprehension Question: Will the flour make more or less than 4 cupcakes?
• Type: MD-MG
• Level: II
• Answer: 8 cupcakes
• Number Sentence to Match the Story: Scholars are NOT expected to write this number sentence.
• NOTE: Scholars are NOT expected to write the number sentence that matches their work.

26. Jaden had some Skittles. He ate 59 Skittles. Now he has 37 Skittles. How many Skittles did he have to start with?

• Comprehension Question: Did he start with more or less than 59 Skittles?
• Type: SSU
• Level: IV
• Answer: 96 Skittles
• Number Sentence to Match the Story: _ – 59 = 37

27. Gregory had some money. He spent $23 on a new game. Now he has $76. How much money did Gregory have to start with?

• Comprehension Question: Did Gregory start with more or less than $76?
• Type: SSU
• Level: IV
• Answer: $99
• Number Sentence to Match the Story: _ – 23 = 76

28. Ms. B made 87 cupcakes for her class. She made 13 more than Ms. Cui. How many cupcakes did Ms. Cui make?

• Comprehension Question: Did Ms. Cui make more or less than 87 cupcakes?
• Type: CRU
• Level: IV
• Answer: 74 cupcakes
• Number Sentence to Match the Story: 87 – 13 = _

29. Amadou has 72 stickers. He has 24 more stickers than Jane. How many stickers does Jane have?

• Comprehension Question: Does Jane have more or less than 72 stickers?
• Type: CRU
• Level: IV
• Answer: 48 stickers
• Number Sentence to Match the Story: 72 – 24 = _

30. I have 49 crayons. I put 8 crayons in each box. How many boxes of crayons do I have?

• Comprehension Question: Do I have more or less than 49 boxes of crayons?
• Type: MD Remainder
• Level: II
• Answer: 6 boxes
• NOTE: Not necessary for scholars to include 1 crayon leftover in their answer but scholars can.
• Number Sentence to Match the Story: Scholars are NOT expected to write this number sentence.
• NOTE: Scholars are expected to write the number sentence that matches their work. For example, 49-8-8-8-8-8-8=1.

31. I have 50 books. I put 6 books in each book baggie. How many book baggies do I have?

• Comprehension Question: Do I have more or less than 50 book baggies?
• Type: MD Remainder
• Level: II
• Answer: 8 book baggies
• NOTE: Not necessary for scholars to include 2 books leftover in their answer but scholars can.
• Number Sentence to Match the Story: Scholars are NOT expected to write this number sentence.
• NOTE: Scholars are expected to write the number sentence that matches their work. For example, 6+6+6+6+6+6+6+6+2=50.

32. There are 86 books in the basket. 21 of the books are level D and the rest of the books are level E. How many of the books are level E?

• Comprehension Question: Are more or less than 86 of the books Level E?
• Type: PPW-PU
• Level: III
• Answer: 65 level E books
• Number Sentence to Match the Story: 21 + _ = 86 or 86=21+_ or _ + 21= 86

33. There are 88 fruits in a basket. 39 of them are oranges and the rest are apples. How many apples are in the basket?

• Comprehension Question: Are there more or less than 88 apples in the basket?
• Type: PPW-PU
• Level: III
• Answer: 49 apples
• Number Sentence to Match the Story: 39 + _ = 88 or 88=39+_ or _ + 39=88

34. Jayden has 48 pieces of candy. Amberlize has 36 more pieces of candy than Jayden. How many pieces of candy does Amberlize have?

• Comprehension Question: Does Amberlize have more or less than 36 pieces of candy?
• Type: CQU
• Level: IV
• Answer: 84 pieces of candy
• Number Sentence to Match the Story: 48 + 36 = _

35. At the pond, Jerry saw 44 fish swimming. Brooke saw 39 more fish than Jerry. How many fish did Brooke see?

• Comprehension Question: Did Brooke see more or less than 44 fish?
• Type: CQU
• Level: IV
• Answer: 83 fish
• Number Sentence to Match the Story: 44 + 39=_

36. Andrew ate 39 Cheerios. At snack, he ate some more. Altogether he ate 88 Cheerios. How many Cheerios did he eat at snack?

• Comprehension Question: Did he eat more or less than 88 Cheerios?
• Type: JCU
• Level: III
• Answer: 49 Cheerios
• Number Sentence to Match the Story: 39 + _ = 88

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