Here is Michael direct modeling a separate problem.  Michael would rather do math problems in his head, and only direct models when he can't do it any other way (this is the third separate problem I tried--the first 3 he answered quickly without direct modeling, so I had to keep experimenting to find something that would prompt him to use the counters).  Anyway, he doesn't have  a lot of practice with direct modeling, and I thought you would find it interesting what mistakes he made, and what questions I asked to get him to figure it out correctly.