Read the story aloud once, then again slowly. Take two or three hands-up answers for what the number sentence might look like. Don't confirm yet — hold the class on the idea that a box can stand for the unknown, and that the unknown here is the start number, not the answer at the end.

Work each story live — read it, ask the class to spot the action words, then ask where does the box go? before naming the sentence.

• Story 1 — the box is in the middle (6 + □ = 10). The unknown is not the answer at the end; it is the amount earned. Draw out that the sentence is add-shaped, but the missing middle box is found by taking away: 10 − 6 = 4. This is the one pupils find hardest.
• Story 2 — the box is at the start. "Eaten" and "leaving" sound like taking away, but the whole is missing, so we add the parts back: 7 + 8 = 15. Say this contrast aloud so pupils learn the action word alone does not decide it.
• Story 3 — equal groups, so we multiply; the box lands at the end because the total is missing: 6 × 4 = 24.
• Story 4 — sharing equally, so we divide; the box again lands at the end, the tidy answer position. Draw out that × and ÷ stories often put the unknown last.

Revoice the takeaway: the action words pick the operation; where the box sits depends on which part of the story is missing.

Talk this one through together — a volunteer works each answer at the board and the class agrees or corrects out loud.

Story 2 is a change story: Cian starts with 12, spends 7, so the sentence is 12 − 7 = □. The box is at the end because the amount left is what we are looking for. Say each sentence aloud before anyone types.

Watch for pupils jumping to type the answer before agreeing the operation. Hold them: operation first, then where the box sits, then the number.

This is the practice round — a volunteer works each answer at the board, the class checks, and everyone confirms before moving on. Keep the board work brisk rather than over-explaining.

Story 2 is a fresh missing-start case, like the sweet-jar story we built in Watch and Notice: "taken" and "leaving" sound like subtraction, but the whole is missing, so add the parts back — 5 + 9 = 14. Reconnect it to the board story before pupils type.

The last story is two steps, and the tool only checks the final change. Model the first step at the board: add €1 and €2 to get €3 spent before taking that from €5. A pupil who types the change without finding the total first will land on the wrong answer — let the Check flag it, then ask what did we forget to work out first?