Story Sleuths Worksheet
STORY SLEUTHS
Multiplication Case Files • Equal Groups & Arrays
Agent:
Date:
Investigator Clue: Find the number of equal groups and the size of each group.
Groups × Size = Total
Case 01 • The Bakery Mystery Equal Groups Model
Baker Leo arranged fresh blueberry muffins. He packed 4 display boxes. He placed exactly 6 muffins inside each box. How many muffins did Leo pack in all?
Visual Evidence (Draw equal groups)
Equation
Answer with Label
Sleuth Explanation: How does your model show the total number of muffins?
Case 02 • Garden Sunflower Patch Array Model (Rows & Columns)
Officer Maya inspected the community garden. Farmer Chen planted 6 tidy rows of sunflower seeds with 8 seeds in each row. How many sunflower seeds were planted?
Visual Evidence (Draw rows and columns)
Equation
Answer with Label
Sleuth Explanation: How do the rows and columns represent this multiplication problem?
Case 03 • The Detective Badge Packs Equal Sets Model
Detective Diego bought 7 prize packs of shiny junior badges for math club members. Each pack contained 5 badges. How many badges did Diego buy altogether?
Visual Evidence (Draw 7 equal sets of 5)
Equation
Answer with Label
Sleuth Explanation: Write a skip-counting or repeated addition sentence that matches.
STORY SLEUTHS
Division Case Files • Sharing & Grouping
Page 2: Splitting Into Equal Shares
Two Types of Division: Fair Sharing (how many each) vs. Grouping (how many groups).
Total ÷ Groups = Size
Case 04 • The Art Studio Supplies Fair Sharing (Find Group Size)
Art Teacher Mr. Diaz has 28 paintbrushes to share equally among 4 student work tables. How many paintbrushes does each table receive?
Visual Evidence (Distribute into 4 equal tables)
Division Equation
Answer with Label
Sleuth Explanation: How did you share the paintbrushes equally among the tables?
Case 05 • Science Lab Test Tubes Equal Grouping (Find Number of Groups)
Scientist Elena washed 36 test tubes. She places 4 test tubes into each drying rack. How many drying racks does Elena need to hold all the test tubes?
Visual Evidence (Circle or make groups of 4)
Division Equation
Answer with Label
Sleuth Explanation: How did you know how many total racks were needed?
Case 06 • School Store Pencil Pouches Equal Grouping (Find Number of Pouches)
The school store has 45 colored pencils. Student helpers put 5 pencils into each gift pouch. How many complete gift pouches can they fill?
Visual Evidence (Group 45 into sets of 5)
Division Equation
Answer with Label
Sleuth Explanation: What multiplication fact can you use to check your division answer?
Story Sleuths Answer Key
STORY SLEUTHS
Teacher Answer Key
Page 1 • Multiplication Models & Exemplars
Evaluation Guide Check: Model + Eq + Label + Logic
Scoring Checklist per Story (3 pts): 1 pt for accurate visual model, 1 pt for correct equation & labeled answer, 1 pt for clear conceptual explanation.
Case 01 • The Bakery Mystery Model: 4 Groups of 6
Baker Leo packed 4 display boxes with 6 muffins in each box. How many muffins in all?
Sample Visual Model (4 Equal Groups)
Box 1
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Box 2
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Box 3
🧁🧁🧁🧁🧁🧁
Box 4
🧁🧁🧁🧁🧁🧁
Correct Equation
4 × 6 = 24 (or 6 × 4 = 24)
Labeled Solution
24 muffins
Exemplar Explanation: "I drew 4 boxes with 6 muffins in each box. I skip-counted by sixes: 6, 12, 18, 24. There are 24 muffins in all."
Case 02 • Garden Sunflower Patch Model: 6 Rows of 8 (Array)
Farmer Chen planted 6 tidy rows of sunflower seeds with 8 seeds in each row. How many seeds?
Sample Array Model (6 Rows × 8 Columns)
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🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻
🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻
🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻
🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻
🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻
Correct Equation
6 × 8 = 48 (or 8 × 6 = 48)
Labeled Solution
48 sunflower seeds
Exemplar Explanation: "The 6 rows represent the number of equal groups, and the 8 columns represent how many seeds are in each row. 6 groups of 8 equals 48."
Case 03 • The Detective Badge Packs Model: 7 Sets of 5
Detective Diego bought 7 prize packs with 5 badges in each pack. How many badges altogether?
Sample Model (7 Groups of 5 or Number Line)
⭐×55
⭐×510
⭐×515
⭐×520
⭐×525
⭐×530
⭐×535
Correct Equation
7 × 5 = 35 (or 5 × 7 = 35)
Labeled Solution
35 badges
Exemplar Explanation: "I skip-counted by fives 7 times: 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35. Repeated addition: 5 + 5 + 5 + 5 + 5 + 5 + 5 = 35."
STORY SLEUTHS
Teacher Answer Key
