Mr. R.'s Math Stories

Math and Literacy
By combining math and literacy, these stories can help open up the world of math to students with a wide range of learning styles and interests.The word problems found in the stories encourage logical thinking and help students practice using information from written text. Grade levels are approximate and of course will be determined by the level of your particular students. 

K-2nd Grade

Diego and the Mysterious Floating Donut

strawberry donutThis is a 4-chapter read-along VIDEO series on YouTube. It reviews basic addition and subtraction facts, double numbers, and ways to add to ten.

Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4

3rd-6th Grade
Short Stories

A Strange First Day of School: Addition and Subtraction

back to schoolThis 5-page math story tells of a very strange first day of school I had years ago.  Each page challenges students to solve a multi-digit addition or subtraction word problem.

Teachers from Another Planet! Addition and Subtraction

grapefruit cartoonThis 6-page math story tells of the day teachers from Saturn and Jupiter visited my classroom.  Each page challenges students to solve a 2-STEP ADDITION or SUBTRACTION word problem.

The Snack-Witch: Subtraction

snack witchThis 4-page math story tells of the day a Snack-Witch visited my classroom. Each page challenges students to solve a MULTI-DIGIT SUBTRACTION word problem with REGROUPING.

Ghosts & Stuffies: Addition & Subtraction

ghostThis 5-page math story tells of the day and night we had a class sleepover with a ghost! A great one for Halloween! It challenges students to solve MULTI-DIGIT ADDITION and SUBTRACTION problems.

The Wishing Machine: Math Riddles

wishing machineThis 9-page math story tells of the day we found a ‘wishing machine’ in the classroom. Each page challenges students to solve a MATH RIDDLE or NUMBER PATTERN.

Giant Rabbit Story: Multiplication 

rabbit cartoonThis short tale (Tail?) has 4 pages that tell the story of the day Fluffie, our class pet got a little large! Each page challenges your students to solve a 1-DIGIT by 2-DIGIT MULTIPLICATION word problem.

My Students are Lasagna: Multiplication 

lasagna cartoon
This 4-page math story tells of the day my students became lasagna. Each page challenges students to solve a 2-DIGIT by 2-DIGIT MULTIPLICATION word problem.

The Cheese Incident: Multiplication

cheese cartoonThis 5-page math story tells of the day David taught the class how to make cheese, and then we met a giant mouse! Each page challenges students to solve a MULTI-DIGIT MULTIPLICATION word problem.

Basketball on the Planet Zucchini

basketball cartoonzucchini cartoonThis 6-page math story tells of the time we had to play aliens in basketball so we wouldn’t eat zucchini for every meal for th rest of our lives! Each page challenges students to solve a MULTI-DIGIT MULTIPLICATION word problem.

Aliens at Morning Meeting: Division

alienThis 4-page math story tells of the day an alien joined our morning meeting. Each page challenges students to solve a DIVISION PROBLEMS with SINGLE-DIGIT DIVISORS.

Ms. Wigglefrog: Division

bottle drink meThis 4-page math story tells of the day Ms. Wigglefrog drank from the wrong water bottle (with severe consequences!) It challenges students to solve DIVISION PROBLEMS with SINGLE and 2-DIGIT DIVISORS.

All Day Recess! Fractions 

recess all day scheduleThis 4-page math story tells of the day an alien from the Planet Recess visited our class. It encourages students to solve tricky FRACTION WORD PROBLEMS. 

Bad Hair Day! Fractions!

many moustachesThis 5-page math story tells of the very strange day my students were suddenly sporting mustaches. FRACTION WORD PROBLEMS with ADDITION AND SUBTRACTION

Astronauts! Percentages 

NASA shuttleThis 5-page math story tells of the day my students became astronauts without their permission. It encourages students to solve WORD PROBLEMS that focus on PERCENTAGES. 

Madwoman Curie! Percentages 

elephant cartoonThis 4-page math story tells of the day strange things happened when we had a guest science teacher visit our class! It encourages students to solve WORD PROBLEMS that focus on PERCENTAGES. 

The Ceiling People: Money Problems

coins cartoonThis 5-page math story tells of the day my students and I met the little people who live in the ceiling of the classroom. It encourages students to solve word problems using concepts with MONEY. 

Field Trip to Mars: Elapsed Time

11-30 Clockmars cartoonThis 6-page math story tells about the day a Martian visited our classroom and forced us on an unexpected field trip to Mars! It encourages students to solve problems using concepts with ELAPSED TIME. 

Number Thief: Multiplication Facts Series

number thief santa

These are a series of short rhyming stories that are appropriate for 3rd-5th grade. Each interactive story takes a humorous approach to one of the MULTIPLICATION TABLES!

The Number Thief: Number Sense Stories

number thief santa

The math in these humorous rhyming stories is appropriate for 1st-3rd grade.They review the addition of double numbers, adding 10’s on and off decade, and odd and even numbers.

The Not So Great Pumpkin:
(Halloween Math Story)

pumpkin with faceThis story has 10 mini-chapters (one page each) which focus on DOUBLE-DIGIT MULTIPLICATION Of course, the math problems can be skipped and the silly Halloween story can be read on its own. Students should be able to work through this entire story and related math problems in about 45 minutes.

Don’t miss the video/read along version!

Ted,The Thanksgiving Turkey: Multiplication

turkey cartoonThe math in this short Thanksgiving story is focused on number sense and double digit multiplication skills.

Don’t miss the video/read along version!

Mr. Al Geebrah’s Fraction Story

fraction story locksThis story is appropriate for 4th-6th grade. It challenges students to put their FRACTION SKILLS to use. The questions focus on addition of fractions, reducing fractions, and finding equivalent fractions.

It is 17 short pages in length- students should be able to work through this math story in one or two class periods.

2nd-4th Grade
Chapter Book Stories!

Aliens at My School!

alienThis full-length chapter book is still under construction with the first 10 chapters currently online (new ones added when I get the chance!). The 2nd-3rd grade math in this zany adventure covers many concepts including multi-digit addition & subtraction, telling time, 2D & 3D shapes, and multiplication facts. Some based on Singapore math strategies.

The Evil Wizard of Math!

wizard cartoonThis full-length math adventure book for 3rd-4th grade will take students through a variety of word problems ranging from simple multiplication facts, to large addition & subtraction problems.
I presently have 12 chapter online which is about half the entire book. (I will update new chapters when possible)

math stories book