Combining Groups Teacher Guide Kindergarten Math • Week 11 • Day 1 Standard: K.OA.A.2
Part-Part-Whole: Modeling & Solving Guide
Focus: Explicit manipulative demonstration followed by numberless story problem visualization within 10.
Objective: SWBAT visualize story contexts, model parts with physical objects, and combine sets to find the total.
Target Structure: Part-Part-Whole (WU)
Core Tools: Linking cubes, counters, mats
Daily Routine: Model → Launch → Solve → Discuss
Standard Operating Routine for Each Story Problem
1. Teacher Manipulative Model: Concrete hands-on demonstration with explicit think-aloud before reading the problem text. 2. 4-Read Launch: Numberless scenario → add part 1 → add part 2 → pose question. 3. Independent Solve: Students represent with manipulatives and drawings on work mats.
Story Problem 1 (Target: 3 + 2 = 5) Context: Forest Bear Gathering
“There are 3 brown bears and 2 black bears playing by the big tree. How many bears are playing altogether?”
Manipulative Modeling Before Problem 1 (Tool: Bear Counters or Cubes)
Teacher Action: Place two separate sorting plates or circles under the document camera.Part 1 Modeling: Count aloud: “1, 2, 3 brown bears in circle one.” Tap each bear once.Part 2 Modeling: Place 2 black bears in circle two: “1, 2 black bears in circle two.”Combining Action: “To find out how many altogether, we slide both groups into the center whole mat! Watch my hands push both parts together.”Count-All Strategy: Line them up and touch-count: “1, 2, 3, 4, 5 bears in total!”
Launch Script: Read 1: “Some brown bears and some black bears play.” (What do you picture?) • Read 2: “There are 3 brown bears...” • Read 3: “...and 2 black bears.” (Predict the question!) • Read 4: Full text with question.
Assessing Questions:
“Where are your 3 brown bears? Show me.”
“What action did you take to put them together?”
Advancing Questions:
“Could you start at 3 and count on 2 more?”
“How can you draw your counters on paper?”
Kindergarten Story Problem Routine • Day 1 Guide Page 1 of 2
Kindergarten Math • Day 1
Story Problems 2 & 3: Guided Practice & Generalization
Standard: K.OA.A.2
Story Problem 2 (Target: 4 + 2 = 6) Context: Maya's Fruit Basket
“Maya has 4 red apples and 2 green apples in her basket. How many apples does Maya have altogether?”
Manipulative Modeling Before Problem 2 (Tool: Unifix / Linking Cubes)
Teacher Action: Model building two connected cube towers/trains.Model Part 1: Snap together 4 red cubes: “This train represents Maya's 4 red apples.”Model Part 2: Snap together 2 green cubes: “This train represents Maya's 2 green apples.”Connecting Action: Snap the two trains together into one long train! “Click! Now the parts become one whole train.”Check Total: Point to each cube while students count in chorus: “1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 apples altogether!”
Story Problem 3 (Target: 5 + 3 = 8) Context: Pond Fish Swimming
“There are 5 yellow fish and 3 blue fish swimming in the pond. How many fish are swimming altogether?”
Manipulative Modeling Before Problem 3 (Tool: Double Five-Frames or Part-Whole Mat)
Teacher Action: Display a ten-frame split into two five-frames or a dual mat.Model Part 1: Fill the top row with 5 yellow counters. “A full five-frame represents the 5 yellow fish!”Model Part 2: Add 3 blue counters onto the bottom row: “1, 2, 3 blue fish join the display.”Subitizing/Counting Support: Prompt: “We already know the top row has 5! Let's count on: 6, 7, 8 fish! Or count all 1 through 8.”
Chart for Sophistication (Least to Most Sophisticated)
Strategy 1 Concrete Touch & Count
Builds 2 piles, pushes together, counts all 1-to-1 from 1.
Strategy 2 Pictorial Circles & Labels
Draws 2 groups, numbers each drawing, rings the total set.
Strategy 3 Count-On with Equation
Starts at first group (e.g. 5) and counts on (6, 7, 8); writes 5 + 3 = 8.
Mathematical Stamp of the Day
“When we combine two parts, we put our groups together to make one whole group. When we put groups together, our whole number is larger than each part!”
Kindergarten Story Problem Routine • Day 1 Guide Page 2 of 2
Story Solvers Student Booklet Kindergarten Math • Day 1 K.OA.A.2 • Story Problem 1
Name:
Date:
Story 1 Bears in the Forest
There are 3 brown bears and 2 black bears playing by the big tree. How many bears are playing altogether?
Step 1: Build with your bear counters or cubes Part + Part = Whole
Part 1: Brown Bears
Part 2: Black Bears
Step 2: Draw your math picture and label your parts
There are
bears playing altogether.
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Unit: Story Problem Detectives Page 1
Kindergarten Math • Day 1 K.OA.A.2 • Story Problem 2
Name:
Date:
Story 2 Maya's Fruit Basket
Maya has 4 red apples and 2 green apples in her basket. How many apples does Maya have altogether?
Step 1: Build your cube trains on the mat Connect the Trains
Train 1: 4 Red Apples
Train 2: 2 Green Apples
Step 2: Draw your math picture and label your parts
Maya has
apples altogether.
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Unit: Story Problem Detectives Page 2
Kindergarten Math • Day 1 K.OA.A.2 • Story Problem 3
Name:
Date:
Story 3 Fish in the Pond
There are 5 yellow fish and 3 blue fish swimming in the pond. How many fish are swimming altogether?
Step 1: Place counters on the double frame mat Fill the Frames
Frame 1: 5 Yellow Fish
Frame 2: 3 Blue Fish
Step 2: Draw your math picture and label your parts
There are
fish swimming altogether.
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Unit: Story Problem Detectives Page 3
Action Stories Teacher Guide Kindergarten Math • Week 11 • Day 2 Standard: K.OA.A.2
Add To / Joining: Modeling & Solving Guide
Focus: Explicit manipulative demonstration of “joining action over time” followed by visualization and solving within 10.
Objective: SWBAT recognize a change over time, model the joining action with counters on mats, and find the new total.
Target Structure: Add To / Result Unknown
Core Tools: Action mats, two-color counters, ten-frames
Key Concept: A set starts, more join, total increases
Pedagogical Shift: From Static Parts to Action Over Time
Yesterday (Day 1) featured static Part-Part-Whole groups. Today (Day 2) introduces Action Over Time : an initial quantity already exists, and an action occurs where additional items arrive, land, or join . Highlight this physical motion during every manipulative model!
Story Problem 1 (Target: 4 + 3 = 7) Context: Leo's Toy Cars
“Leo had 4 toy cars. His friend gave him 3 more toy cars. How many toy cars does Leo have now?”
Manipulative Modeling Before Problem 1 (Tool: Start-Change Action Mat & Counters)
Teacher Action: Place an “Action Mat” (Start box → Arrow → Total mat) on the document camera.Model the Start: Place 4 yellow counters in the Start box. “Here are Leo's 4 toy cars. Say it with me: Start with 4.”Act Out the Change: Hold 3 red counters above the mat: “Vroom! Here comes his friend with 3 more cars! Watch them join!” Slide the 3 counters across the arrow into the collection.Touch-Count the Result: Model two ways to count: (1) Touch each counter from 1 to 7; (2) Count on: “Hold 4 in your head: 4... 5, 6, 7!”
Criteria for Evaluation: “As you listen, ask yourself: Did something change in this story? Did the group get bigger or smaller? ” Check gestures: have students make a zooming gesture when the new cars arrive.
Assessing Questions:
“Which counters show what Leo had at first?”
“Which counters show the cars his friend gave him?”
Advancing Questions:
“Did Leo's number of cars get bigger or smaller? How do you know?”
“Can you write a plus sign to show cars joining?”
Kindergarten Story Problem Routine • Day 2 Guide Page 1 of 2
Kindergarten Math • Day 2
Story Problems 2 & 3: Guided Practice & Generalization
Story Builders Student Booklet Kindergarten Math • Day 2 K.OA.A.2 • Story Problem 1
Name:
Date:
Story 1 Leo's Toy Cars
Leo had 4 toy cars. His friend gave him 3 more toy cars. How many toy cars does Leo have now?
Step 1: Use your counters on the Action Mat Start → Join → Total
Start: 4 Cars
Join
3 More Join In
Step 2: Draw what happened and label your picture
Leo has
toy cars now.
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Unit: Story Problem Detectives Page 1
Kindergarten Math • Day 2 K.OA.A.2 • Story Problem 2
Name:
Date:
Story 2 Birds on the Fence
There are 6 birds sitting on a fence. 2 more birds fly down to join them. How many birds are on the fence now?
Step 1: Place counters on the Ten-Frame fence mat Fill 6, then add 2 more
Start: 6 birds Action: 2 birds fly in Total: Ten-Frame Mat
Step 2: Draw what happened and label your picture
There are
birds on the fence now.
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Unit: Story Problem Detectives Page 2
Kindergarten Math • Day 2 K.OA.A.2 • Story Problem 3
Name:
Date:
Story 3 Sam's Pebble Collection
Sam collected 5 smooth pebbles at the park. Later, Sam found 4 sparkly pebbles. How many pebbles did Sam collect in all?
Step 1: Snap your cube train on the path 5 smooth + 4 sparkly
Start Train: 5 cubes Added Train: 4 cubes Path Total: 1 to 10
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Step 2: Draw what happened and label your picture
Sam collected
pebbles in all.
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Unit: Story Problem Detectives Page 3
