All Activities
Maths

Make Your Own Maths Story

Overview

Children invent stories that include numbers and actions.

Learning Objective
Children create simple maths problems using stories.

Resources needed

  • Small objects (optional)

Lesson stages

0 / 7 done
  1. 1 Ask children to think of a simple story.
  2. 2 Include numbers (e.g. 'Sam had 3 items').
  3. 3 Add a change (e.g. 'got 2 more').
  4. 4 Ask others to solve the problem.
  5. 5 Use objects to show the story.
  6. 6 Check answers together.
  7. 7 Encourage creativity.

Tap a step to mark it as done.

Variations

  • Use addition stories
  • Use subtraction stories
  • Act out stories with the class
More information

Children creating stories in their own language deepens mathematical ownership. Translate to the language of instruction after.

Provide a story starter (e.g. 'There were 4 chickens...') for children who need a prompt.

Do children include a mathematical change in their story? Can they solve a peer's problem?

This activity requires no resources at all. Children use voice, imagination, and fingers. Objects from the environment can be added as props if helpful.

Children sometimes create stories that mention numbers without including a mathematical action (e.g. 'Sam had 4 stones'). Guide them to include a change: something is added, removed, or shared.