K-5 friendly lesson
Try one idea, then jump into the activity.These lessons are designed to feel short, friendly, and easy to follow.

Build Cube Trains to Solve Addition Word Problems - Sums up to 10

šŸš‚ Choo choo! Time to build number trains! We can use linking cubes like train cars to solve math stories.

Lesson 1

Concept

Addition word problems are stories with hidden numbers. Drawing pictures or using blocks makes these stories easy to understand! šŸŽÆ **How to Build a Cube Train:** When you join two groups together, you can make a cube train! **Story:** "Mia has 4 red cubes. Leo gives her 3 blue cubes. How many cubes does Mia have in all?" 1. **Build the first part:** Line up 4 red blocks. 2. **Build the second part:** Line up 3 blue blocks right next to them. 3. **Snap them together!** 4. **Count the whole train:** You have 7 blocks total. **Sentence:** 4 + 3 = 7. Using different colors helps you see the "parts" that make the "whole".

Try it

Let's build some math trains! **Instructions:** Read the story, imagine building a cube train, and write the answer. **Problem 1:** Tom has 5 green cubes. He finds 2 yellow cubes. How many cubes does he have in all? * Imagine the train: [🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩] + [🟨🟨] * How long is the train? ___ **Problem 2:** Sarah has 3 pink train cars. Ben gives her 4 purple train cars. How many cars are on her train now? * Sentence: ___ + ___ = ___ * Answer: ___ cars. **Problem 3:** You have 6 blocks. You want 10 blocks. How many more blocks do you need to add to your train? * Hint: 6 + ___ = 10. * Answer: ___ blocks.