1. The Mini Board
Ongoing, “in the moment” assessments may be the most powerful tool teachers have for improving student performance. For students to get better at anything, they need lots of quick rigorous practice, spaced over time, with immediate feedback. The Mini Boards can do just that.
©Bill Atwood 2018

2. Examples
What follows are some sample word problems that can be solved with a bar model.
Common Core Math Standards 1.OA
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3. Additional Standards Addressed: 1.OA: 3, 4, 7, 8
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4. Table 1 Common Core Standards Glossary
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5. Underline what you KNOW! (the key information
Teachers: Print the following slides (as needed), and then have students insert it into their Mini Board.
Note: On some word problems near the beginning, I have modeled how to mark up the questions:
Underline what you KNOW! (the key information
Use parenthesis for the question or task. (What you NEED to find.)
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6. ©Bill Atwood 2018

7. whole
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8. ©Bill Atwood 2018

9. I have 3 fish. I got 5 more fish at the store. How many do I have now?( ) ☐ 🐟 🐟 🐟 🐟 🐟 🐟 🐟 🐟
3 + 5 = ☐
5 + 3 = ☐
©Bill Atwood 2018

10. I have 3 fish. I got 5 more fish at the store. How many do I have now?( ) ☐ 3 5
3 + 5 = ☐ = ☐
©Bill Atwood 2018

11. There were 4 cats in the house. Then, 7 more came in
There were 4 cats in the house. Then, 7 more came in. How many are in the house now? ( ) ☐ 4 7
4 + 7 = ☐ = ☐
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12. ☐ 8 5 ) ( Bill has 8 pennies. I have 5 pennies.
How many do we have in all? ( ) ☐ 8 5
8 + 5 = ☐ = ☐
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13. There were some cows in my yard. Then 3 more cows came. Now there are 9. How many were there before?( ) 9 🐄 🐄 🐄 🐄 🐄 🐄 🐄 🐄 🐄 ☐ 🐄 🐄 🐄 3
☐ + 3 = 9 or = ☐
©Bill Atwood 2018

14. There were some deer in my yard. Then 5 more deer came
There were some deer in my yard. Then 5 more deer came. Now there are 14. How many were there before? ( ) 14 ☐ 5
☐ + 5 = or = ☐
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15. There were 8 kids in my class. Then some more kids came
There were 8 kids in my class. Then some more kids came. Now there are 18. How many came in? ( ) 18 8 ☐
8 + ☐ = = ☐
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16. There were 10 grapes on the table. I ate some of them. Now there are 4.
How many did I eat? ( ) 10 🍒 🍒 🍒 🍒 🍒 4 ☐ 🍒 🍒
= ☐ ☐ + 4 = 10
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17. There were 8 cookies on the table. I ate 3 cookies. How many are left?( ) 8 3 ☐
3 + ☐ = = ☐
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18. 12 4 ☐ ( ) There were 12 flowers in the garden.
I picked 4 of them. How many are left? ( ) 12 4 ☐
4 + ☐ = = ☐
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19. There were 9 grapes on the table. I ate some of them. Now there are 6.
How many did I eat? ( ) 9 ☐ 6
9 - 6 = ☐ ☐ + 6 = 9
©Bill Atwood 2018

20. There were some flowers in the garden. I picked 3 of them
There were some flowers in the garden. I picked 3 of them. Now there are 7 left.
How many were there before? ( ) ☐ 🌷 🌷 🌷 🌷 🌷 🌷 🌷 🌷 🌷 🌷 3 7
☐ - 3 = = ☐
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21. There were some flowers in the garden. I picked 3 of them
There were some flowers in the garden. I picked 3 of them. Now there are 10.
How many were there before? ( ) ☐ 3 10
☐ - 3 = = ☐
©Bill Atwood 2018

22. There were some apples in the tree. I picked 5 of them. Now there are 3.
How many were there before? ( ) ☐ 5 3
☐ - 5 = = ☐
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23. There are 8 apples on the table
There are 8 apples on the table. 3 of them are red, and the rest are green. How many are green? ( )
🍎 🍎 🍎
🍏 🍏 🍏 🍏 🍏 8 ☐
🍎 🍎 🍎
🍏 🍏 🍏 🍏 🍏 3 5
3 + ☐ = ☐ = 3
©Bill Atwood 2018

24. There are 8 apples on the table
There are 8 apples on the table. 3 of them are red, and the rest are green. How many are green? ( ) 8 3 ☐
3 + ☐ = ☐ = 3
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25. There are 11 hats on the bed. 5 of them are red, and the rest are green. How many are green?( ) 11 5 ☐
5 + ☐ = ☐ = 5
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26. My pencil is 7 inches long. My crayon is 3 inches long
My pencil is 7 inches long. My crayon is 3 inches long. How much longer is my pencil? ( )
7 in
3 in ☐
3 + ☐ = ☐ = 3
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27. My pencil is 7 inches long. My crayon is 3 inches long
My pencil is 7 inches long. My crayon is 3 inches long. How much longer is my pencil? ( )
7 in 3 ☐
3 + ☐ = ☐ = 3
©Bill Atwood 2018

28. My mom is 70 inches tall. I am 54 inches tall
My mom is 70 inches tall. I am 54 inches tall. How much taller is my mom? ( )
70 in ☐
54 in.
54 + ☐ = = ☐
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29. My foot is 8 inches long. My hand is 5 inches long
My foot is 8 inches long. My hand is 5 inches long. How much longer is my foot? ( )
8 in. ☐
5 in
5 + ☐ = = ☐
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30. My snow man is 20 inches tall
My snow man is 20 inches tall. The head of the snowman is only 4 inches tall. How much smaller is the head? ( ) 20 4 ☐
4 + ☐ = = ☐
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31. ☐ ( ) 6 ft 9 ft farther 6 + 9 = ☐ ☐ - 9 = 6
I threw the paper airplane 9 feet farther than Tom. If Tom threw it 6 feet, how far did I throw it? ( ) ☐
6 ft
9 ft farther
6 + 9 = ☐ ☐ - 9 = 6
©Bill Atwood 2018

32. I threw the paper airplane 9 feet farther than Tom
I threw the paper airplane 9 feet farther than Tom. If Tom threw it 6 feet, how far did I throw it? ( ) ☐ 6 9
6 + 9 = ☐ ☐ - 9 = 6
©Bill Atwood 2018

33. I slept for 8 hours. Tom slept for 3 hours longer
I slept for 8 hours. Tom slept for 3 hours longer. How long did Tom sleep? ( ) ☐ 8 3
8 + 3 = ? ☐ - 3 = 8
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34. I ate 17 pieces of candy. Tom ate 13 pieces. How many less did Tom eat?☐
13 + ☐ = = ☐
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35. Mary has a sticker collection. She has 3 stars, 4 bells, and 2 bikes
Mary has a sticker collection. She has 3 stars, 4 bells, and 2 bikes. How many stickers does she have? ☐ 4 2 3 ☆ ☆ ☆ 🔔 🔔 🔔 🔔 🚲 🚲
= ☐
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36. Bob has pets. He has 2 dogs, 3 cats, and 9 fish
Bob has pets. He has 2 dogs, 3 cats, and 9 fish. How many pets does he have? ☐ 2 3 9
= ☐
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37. 4 4 4 = 4 4 = 4 Sam has 4 hats. Pat has 4 hats. Use > = <
to show which is a bigger number of fish. 4 4
4 = 4
4 = 4
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38. Bob has 14 pets. Mary has 9 pets. Use > = <
to show which is a bigger number of pets. 9 14
14 > 9
9 < 14
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39. 6 9 9 > 6 6 < 9 Dan has 9 fish. Tim has 6 fish. Use > = <
to show which is a bigger number of fish. 6 9
9 > 6
6 < 9
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40. George has 3 dollars. His grandma gives him 11 more dollars
George has 3 dollars. His grandma gives him 11 more dollars. How much does he have now? ☐ 3 11
= ☐ = ☐
©Bill Atwood 2018

41. Yesterday, George had some money. Today, Grandma gave him 3 dollars
Yesterday, George had some money. Today, Grandma gave him 3 dollars. Now he has 20 dollars. How much did he have yesterday? 20 ☐ 3
☐ + 3 = = ☐
©Bill Atwood 2018

42. Last week there were some bunnies in my yard. Today 8 more came
Last week there were some bunnies in my yard. Today 8 more came. Now there are 20 bunnies. How many were there yesterday? 20 ☐ 8
☐ + 8 = = ☐
©Bill Atwood 2018

43. When everyone is here, our class has 18 students. 5 are absent today
When everyone is here, our class has 18 students. 5 are absent today. How many are here today? 18 5 ☐
5 + ☐ = = ☐
©Bill Atwood 2018

44. Last week there were some bunnies in my yard. Today 8 more came
Last week there were some bunnies in my yard. Today 8 more came. Now there are 20 bunnies. How many were there yesterday? ☐ 8 20
= 28
Is this right? What mistake was made? Can you fix it?

45. Can you draw the Bar Diagram?
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46. Can you draw the Bar Diagram?
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47. I have 9 stickers. I got 3 more. How many do I have now?
9 + 3 = ☐
3 + 9 = ☐
©Bill Atwood 2018

48. I had 14 stickers. I lost some. Now I have 5. How many did I lose?☐
14 - ☐ = 5
☐ + 5 = 14
= ☐

49. I have 13 squares and 9 triangles. How many more squares do I have?☐ 9
= ☐
9 + ☐ = 13

50. I’m thinking of a shape. It has 2 fewer sides than a pentagon
I’m thinking of a shape. It has 2 fewer sides than a pentagon. What shape am I? 5 2 ☐
5 - 2 = ☐
2 + ☐ = 5
©Bill Atwood 2018

51. I want to save up to 15 dollars. I have 2 dollars
I want to save up to 15 dollars. I have 2 dollars. How much more do I have to go? 15 2 ☐
= ☐
2 + ☐ = 15
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52. How much larger is $14 than $6?☐
6 + ☐ = 14
= ☐
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53. Other ways to draw the bar… One rectangle with a box on top.
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54. Bob has come coins. He has 4 pennies and 5 nickels
Bob has come coins. He has 4 pennies and 5 nickels. How many coins does he have?
4 + 5 = ☐ ☐ 5 4
©Bill Atwood 2018

55. Mary has a sticker collection
Mary has a sticker collection. She has 9 stars, 4 dinosaurs, and 6 hearts. How many stickers does she have?
= ☐ ☐ 4 9 6
©Bill Atwood 2018

56. Mary has 8 crayons. Some are blue and some are red
Mary has 8 crayons. Some are blue and some are red. How many of each could she have?
☐ + ? = 8 8
☐ blue
☐ red
©Bill Atwood 2018

57. Mary has 8 crayons. Some are blue and some are red
Mary has 8 crayons. Some are blue and some are red. She has the same number of each color. How many of each does she have?
☐ + ☐ = 8 8
☐ blue
☐ red
©Bill Atwood 2018

58. Mary has 10 crayons. Some are blue and some are red
Mary has 10 crayons. Some are blue and some are red. She has the same number of each color. How many of each does she have?
☐ + ☐ = 10
Total in all =10
? blue
? red
©Bill Atwood 2018

59. Mary has 11 crayons. Some are blue and some are red
Mary has 11 crayons. Some are blue and some are red. There is one more blue than red. How many of each does she have?
☐ + ? = 11
Total in all =11
☐ blue
? red
©Bill Atwood 2018

60. Mary has 7 crayons. Some are blue and some are red
Mary has 7 crayons. Some are blue and some are red. One more blue than red. How many of each does she have?
☐ + ? = 7
Total in all = 7
4 blue
3 red
©Bill Atwood 2018