A focused Grade 3 learning session for Two-Step Word Problems using visual models, worked examples, strategy guidance, and a short mastery check.
Student goal: I can solve a two-step word problem and check whether my answer makes sense.
Two-Step Word Problems means choosing a model, naming what each number means, and explaining the strategy.
Question: Eva collects \(5\) bags with \(8\) shells in each bag. She gives away \(12\) shells to her friend. How many shells does Eva keep?
Why it works: Step 1: Total shells: \(5\times8=40\) shells. Step 2: Subtract given away: \(40-12=28\) shells kept.
Answer: \(28\) shells
Question: A farmer has \(3\) groups of chickens with \(7\) chickens in each group. He sells \(6\) chickens. How many chickens does the farmer have left?
Answer: \(15\) chickens
Question: Tommy has \(42\) marbles. He divides them into \(7\) equal groups for a game. Then he loses \(3\) marbles from one group. How many marbles are in that group now?
Answer: \(3\) marbles
Question: Lily collects \(9\) marbles and her friend collects \(6\) marbles. They put the marbles together and split them into \(3\) equal groups. How many marbles are in each group?
Why it works: Step 1: Add the marbles: \(9+6=15\). Step 2: Divide into \(3\) equal groups: \(15\div3=5\) marbles in each group. (Choice D is the answer to step 1 only.)
Answer: \(5\) marbles
Two-Step Word Problems becomes easier when students connect the question to a model, use clear steps, and explain why the answer fits.
Understand the model before choosing the operation.
Use scratch paper. The explanation matters more than simply seeing whether the choice is correct.
Mia has \(24\) stickers. She gets \(3\) packs of \(8\) more stickers. How many stickers does Mia have now?
Answer D: \(48\)
Step 1: Find the new stickers: \(3\times8=24\). Step 2: Add to her original: \(24+24=48\) stickers. (Choice A is just the original amount; choice B is step 1 only.)
Ben has \(5\) bags with \(6\) pencils in each bag. He gives away \(10\) pencils. How many pencils does Ben have left?
Answer A: \(20\)
Step 1: Find total pencils: \(5\times6=30\). Step 2: Subtract: \(30-10=20\) pencils. (Choice C is the answer to step 1 only—students must complete both steps.)
Lily collects \(9\) marbles and her friend collects \(6\) marbles. They put the marbles together and split them into \(3\) equal groups. How many marbles are in each group?
Answer B: \(5\)
Step 1: Add the marbles: \(9+6=15\). Step 2: Divide into \(3\) equal groups: \(15\div3=5\) marbles in each group. (Choice D is the answer to step 1 only.)
Noah has \(12\) cookies. His mom bakes \(8\) more cookies. Then Noah eats \(6\) cookies. How many cookies are left?
Answer B: \(14\)
Step 1: Add: \(12+8=20\) cookies. Step 2: Subtract: \(20-6=14\) cookies. (Choice C is step 1 only; choice A ignores new cookies.)
Ava buys \(4\) packs of crayons with \(9\) crayons in each pack. She already has \(7\) crayons. Let \(c\) be the total number of crayons. Which equation shows how to find \(c\)?
Answer D: \(c = (4 \times 9) + 7\)
First multiply the number of packs by crayons per pack: \(4\times9=36\). Then add the crayons she has: \(36+7=43\).
Eli has \(35\) apples. He uses \(5\) apples to make a pie. He divides the remaining apples equally among \(6\) friends. How many apples does each friend get?
Answer A: \(5\)
Step 1: Subtract: \(35-5=30\) apples. Step 2: Divide: \(30\div6=5\) apples per friend. (Choice D is step 1 only.)
Sam plants \(7\) rows of tomato seeds with \(8\) seeds in each row. Some seeds do not grow and only \(50\) seeds sprout. How many seeds did not sprout?
Answer A: \(6\)
Step 1: Find total seeds: \(7\times8=56\) seeds. Step 2: Subtract sprouted seeds: \(56-50=6\) seeds did not sprout. (Choice D is step 1 only; choice C is incorrect subtraction.)
A store has \(3\) shelves with \(12\) books on each shelf. Plus \(9\) more books on a table. What is the total number of books?
Answer C: \(45\)
Step 1: Multiply for shelf books: \(3\times12=36\) books. Step 2: Add table books: \(36+9=45\) books. (Choice B is step 1 only.)
Zoe has \(72\) marbles. She divides them equally into \(8\) bags. Then she gives \(3\) bags to her friend. How many marbles does Zoe keep?
Answer C: \(45\)
Step 1: Divide: \(72\div8=9\) marbles per bag. Step 2: Remaining bags: \(8-3=5\) bags; kept marbles: \(5\times9=45\) marbles. (Choice A is step 1 only; choice B is incorrect calculation.)
Jasmine collects \(24\) stickers and her sister gives her \(12\) more. If they arrange the stickers into \(4\) equal groups, how many stickers are in each group?
Answer C: \(9\)
Step 1: Add total stickers: \(24+12=36\) stickers. Step 2: Divide into \(4\) groups: \(36\div4=9\) stickers per group. (Choice D is step 1 only.)
Mr. Kim buys \(6\) cases of juice with \(9\) bottles in each case. He donates \(15\) bottles to the school. How many bottles does he have left?
Answer B: \(39\)
Step 1: Find total bottles: \(6\times9=54\) bottles. Step 2: Subtract: \(54-15=39\) bottles left. (Choice D is step 1 only; choice C is incorrect.)
