youcubed: Sums Investigation

This task comes from a book in a series of three books by Math Solutions, called Math for All: Differentiating Instruction.This is another investigation where students can practice addition and think about combinatorics – a nice way of organizing counting. The task ends with asking students to write about their thinking.

Task Instructions

Getting Started

Write the numbers 12, 15, 19, and 24 on blank cards.
Put your number cards in a bag and shake it.

To Play

Pull out two cards. Record the numbers and their sum.
Return the cards to the bag and take another turn.
Do this a few times.

Stop and Think

How many different sums do you get when you pull two of these number cards from the bag?
How do you know you have all the possibilities?

What Did You Learn?

Write about your thinking.

Reference

From Math for All: Differentiating Instruction, Grades K-2 by Linda Dacey & Rebeka Eston Salemi (Sausalito, CA: Math Solutions), pp. 210. Reprinted with permission.

STEAM Topics Resource Audience Grade Level Tags

Math Topics

Addition & Subtraction

K-6

Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade

Addition

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