Number Stories: Have children use individual arithmetic racks as a tool to solve various types of addition and subtraction number stories. This may be used as a journal or oral activity, with the focus on children explaining their strategy for solving the problem. Be sure to include open-ended problems that have more than one solution that children can model on the arithmetic rack, such as the following:



There were 8 children on a bunk bed. Some were on the top bunk and some were on the bottom bunk. How many children were on the top bunk? How many children were on the bottom bunk? Show as many different solutions as you can.



There were 12 passengers on a double-decker bus. Some passengers were on the top deck and some were on the bottom deck. How many passengers were on the top deck? How many passengers were on the bottom deck? Show as many different solutions as you can.