You will learn
- Read a word problem and find the numbers.
- Decide to add.
- Write and solve the number sentence.
- Check that the answer makes sense.
Version 0.2 · expanded edition · built from cited public sources Content is based on the official frameworks and sources listed under Sources and standards. No official endorsement is claimed. Written in the style of common primary school assessments. No exam result is promised.
Student lesson
- Read the story slowly. Find the numbers.
- Words like altogether and in all tell us to add.
- Write the number sentence and solve it.
- Check that the answer fits the story.
Words to know
A maths problem told as a short story.
A word that helps, like altogether or in all.
Find the answer.
Does the answer fit the story?
1. Discover: a story with numbers
“There are 7 hens in the yard. 5 more hens come in. How many hens are in the yard now?” What is the question asking?
2. Understand: solving word problems
1. Read the story. 2. Find the numbers (7 and 5). 3. Decide to add (clue words: “more”, “in all”, “altogether”). 4. Write 7 + 5 = 12. 5. Check: is 12 hens sensible? Yes.
Write the answer with the unit: 12 hens.
Idea 1: Read and find the numbers
Read the story slowly. Underline the numbers. Ask: what is happening in the story?
Why? If you rush, you may miss a number or add the wrong things.
Idea 2: Decide to add
If groups are joined, we add. Clue words are altogether, in all, more and plus.
Idea 3: Write, solve and check
Ama has 9 beads and finds 4 more. Write 9 + 4 = 13. Check: the answer must be more than 9. It is, so it makes sense.
3. Worked examples
Example 1 (I show you): Pens
There are 6 pens and 7 pens. How many pens in all?
- The numbers are 6 and 7.
- The pens are joined, so we add.
- 6 + 7 = 13.
Answer: There are 13 pens.
Example 2 (We do it together): Beads
Ama has 9 beads. She finds 4 more. How many beads now?
- The numbers are 9 and 4.
- She finds more, so we add.
- 9 + 4 = 13.
Answer: Ama has 13 beads.
Example 3 (You try): Animals
There are 8 hens and 6 chicks in a yard. How many animals?
Show the steps and answer
- The numbers are 8 and 6.
- We want the total, so we add.
- 8 + 6 = 14.
Answer: There are 14 animals.
Did you know?
Word problems are everywhere. Shopkeepers add prices, farmers add animals and builders add bricks.
Why this matters
Real life comes as stories, not as sums. Word problems teach us to turn a story into a number sentence.
4. Explore: act out the story
You need 15 counters.
- Read: “6 apples and 4 apples”. Make the groups.
- Join and count.
- Write the sentence 6 + 4 = 10.
- Make up your own story for a partner.
Think about it: what did you notice?
6 + 4 = 10 apples.
5. Practise
Say it in a sentence
Use these starters when you talk about the lesson. Say them out loud.
- The numbers in the story are ___ and ___.
- I add because ___.
- The number sentence is ___ + ___ = ___.
- My answer makes sense because ___.
Guided practice
Question 1. 8 birds and 3 more birds. How many?
8 + 3 = 11 birds.
Question 2. Which word is a clue to add: altogether or left?
altogether.
Question 3. 5 books and 5 books. Total?
5 + 5 = 10 books.
Independent practice
Level 1: Start
- There are 6 pens and 7 pens. How many in all?
- Ama has 9 beads. She finds 4 more. How many now?
- 4 cats and 5 dogs. How many animals?
- Make your own addition story for 8 + 2.
- Tom has 10 marbles. He gets 6 more. How many?
Level 2: Grow
- There are 5 red balls and 6 blue balls. How many balls altogether?
- Kofi has 9 mangoes. He picks 5 more. How many mangoes now?
- A bus has 8 children. 7 more get on. How many children now?
Level 3: Stretch
- Write your own addition story for 7 + 6.
- Tara has 6 stickers. A friend gives her 5 and her sister gives her 3. How many stickers now?
- A farmer has 9 cows and 4 goats. He says he has 12 animals. Is he right?
Answers are in the answer key below. Try first, then check.
6. Apply: everyday mathematics
A shop has 12 oranges and gets 6 more. How many oranges does it have?
Show a sample answer
12 + 6 = 18 oranges.
Another one. You have 8 coins. Your uncle gives you 6 more. How many coins do you have? Explain how you know to add.
Show a sample answer
8 + 6 = 14 coins. We add because the coins are joined together.
7. Common mistakes
Fix: Draw or act out the story before you decide.
Fix: Ask: are the groups joined? If yes, add.
Fix: Ask: does my answer fit the story? The total should be bigger than each part.
8. Lesson summary and revision card
- I can read a word problem and find the numbers.
- I can decide when to add.
- I can write and solve the number sentence.
- I can check that my answer makes sense.
9. Check and master
Answer all 14 questions. You will see feedback after each one.
Your result appears here after you answer every question.
10. Key takeaways
- Read the story and find the numbers.
- Clue words like altogether tell us to add.
- Write the sentence and check the answer.
11. Next lesson
Next lesson: Meaning of subtraction. Keep going with the next idea in this course.
Exam practice
These questions are written in the style of common school and international primary assessments. Try them on your own, without looking back. Then check your answers in the marking guide. The marks are shown in brackets.
- There are 6 pens in a box and 5 pens on a desk. How many pens altogether? [2 marks]
- Ali has 9 marbles. He wins 6 more. How many does he have now? Write the number sentence. [3 marks]
- Write the words in the story that tell you to add: There are 4 cats and 3 dogs. How many animals are there in all? [1 mark]
- Write an addition story for 8 + 3. [2 marks]
- A farmer counts 10 hens and 7 ducks. He says there are 16 birds. Check his answer. [2 marks]
Total: 10 marks.
Marking guide and model answers
- 6 + 5 [1] = 11 [1]
- 9 + 6 [1] = 15 [1]; sentence written correctly [1]
- in all [1]
- A story that joins 8 and 3 [1]; total 11 stated [1]
- 10 + 7 = 17 [1]; he is wrong [1]
Score guide: 9 to 10 = secure. 6 to 8 = nearly there, revise the parts you missed. Under 6 = work through the lesson again with a grown-up.
Printable worksheet
- 6 + 7 = __
- 9 + 4 = __
- 4 + 5 = __
- 10 + 6 = __
- What clue word tells us to add?
- 4 books and 5 books. How many altogether?
- Ama has 7 beads and finds 3 more. How many now?
- 6 boys and 8 girls. How many children?
- Write the sentence for 5 birds and 9 birds.
- Name one clue word for adding.
Homework
Make up three addition stories about things at home. Write the number sentence for each and ask a family member to solve one.
Answer key and marking scheme
| Question | Expected response | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 6 + 7 = __ | 13 | 2 |
| 9 + 4 = __ | 13 | 2 |
| 4 + 5 = __ | 9 | 2 |
| 10 + 6 = __ | 16 | 2 |
| What clue word tells us to add? | altogether | 2 |
| Total | 10 |
Practice answers: Worksheet: 1 13; 2 13; 3 9; 4 16; 5 altogether.
Quiz answers: 1 A, 2 B, 3 C, 4 A, 5 B, 6 A, 7 B, 8 C, 9 A, 10 B, 11 C, 12 A, Challenge 1 C, Challenge 2 C.
Extra worksheet answers (items 6 onward): 6 9; 7 10; 8 14; 9 5 + 9 = 14; 10 altogether, in all or plus.
Independent practice answers. Level 1: 1 13; 2 13; 3 9; 4 a story that joins 8 and 2 to make 10; 5 16. Level 2: 1 11; 2 14; 3 15. Level 3: 1 For example: 7 birds are in a tree and 6 more come. There are 13 birds.; 2 14; 3 No. 9 + 4 = 13..
Mastery and remediation
| Objective | Bronze (Developing) | Silver (Proficient) | Gold (Advanced) |
|---|---|---|---|
| O1 Read a word problem and find the numbers | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O2 Decide to add | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O3 Write and solve the number sentence | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O4 Check that the answer makes sense | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
Courseversity badge thresholds (overall quiz score): Gold = 90–100%; Silver = 80–89.9%; Bronze = 70–79.9%. A badge is never a full record of progress.
If a learner struggles
- Find the misconception: Picking the wrong number sentence because of the story words. Draw or act out the story before you decide.
- Explain another way: use real objects first, then pictures.
- Show a simpler example: Act out one short story with counters and write the sentence together.
- Guided practice: work through one example together and let the learner try the next one.
- Reassess: use the quiz again or the worksheet.
- Move on when the learner shows Silver-level evidence independently.
For parents and guardians
In this lesson your child solves simple addition stories. You do not need to be good at mathematics to help.
- Make up small stories at home: 3 eggs and 2 more eggs.
- Ask: what are the numbers? Do we add? What is the answer?
- Always ask: does the answer make sense?
- Ask “how do you know?” after each answer, and listen.
- Praise effort, not only right answers. Mistakes are how we learn.
- Ten to fifteen minutes a day is better than one long session.
Teacher package
1–5. Objectives, prerequisites, materials, preparation, duration
Lesson objectives. Learners will: read a word problem and find the numbers; decide to add; write and solve the number sentence; check that the answer makes sense.
Prerequisite knowledge. Lessons 1 to 7.
Materials. Counters (stones, seeds or bottle tops), paper, pencils, board or chalkboard. Low-resource options: use stones, seeds, sticks, bottle tops or drawings in the sand or on the board instead of printed materials.
Preparation. Gather the counters and draw the example pictures on the board before the lesson.
Suggested duration. 45–60 minutes. It can be split into two shorter sessions.
6–9. Teaching procedure, explanation notes, guided and independent activities
Introduction (5 min). Start with the Discover situation and let learners suggest ideas before you teach.
Explanation (10 min). Teach the Understand section with real objects first, then pictures, then symbols and words.
Guided activity (10 min). You need 15 counters. Learners follow the Explore steps in pairs.
Independent activity (10 min). Learners complete the independent practice and the worksheet.
Assessment and reflection (5 min). Ask each learner to say one thing they learned and how they know it.
Key questions. What are the numbers? Why do we add? Does the answer fit the story?
Teacher explanation notes. Use the concrete, pictorial, abstract order: real objects first, then pictures, then symbols and words. Return to real objects whenever a learner needs support.
10–12. Differentiation, formative assessment, common misconceptions
Support. Use real objects and work with a partner; say each step aloud together. Extension. Ask learners to make up their own example and explain it to a partner.
Formative assessment. Listen to learner explanations, ask “how do you know?”, and check the independent work.
Misconceptions. Picking the wrong number sentence because of the story words. Draw or act out the story before you decide.
13–15. Assessment questions, answer keys, marking scheme
Use the quiz and worksheet on this page. The 10-mark exam practice scheme, the 10-mark scheme and all answers are in the answer sections above. Re-check every answer and the marking scheme before publication.
16–19. Remediation, enrichment, homework, teacher reflection
Remediation. Act out one short story with counters and write the sentence together. Enrichment. Invite learners to find or create three more examples at home or in the classroom and explain them. Homework. See above.
Teacher reflection. After teaching, record: which concepts learners understood; which misconceptions occurred; which activities worked; which learners need more practice; and what to improve next time.
Sources and standards
This lesson is based on the sources below, and no official endorsement is claimed. Reference starting points named in the Courseversity standard: Common Core State Standards for Mathematics, Cambridge Primary and the IB Primary Years Programme. Where a standard code is named, it points to the official framework.
Official standards for this topic area. Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (official site): Grade 1 » Operations & Algebraic Thinking; Grade 1 » Number & Operations in Base Ten. These pages list the standards that cover this topic area; read them alongside the lesson.
Research used to shape this lesson. Common Core 1.OA.A.1 (addition word problems within 20); Cambridge Primary Mathematics Stage 1. These sources informed the lesson.