Stepping Through Addition and

Subtraction Word Problems

Third Grade Math

by Liza Young June 29, 2018

Use this lesson to teach your students how to determine if they should use addition, subtraction, or both
operations to solve a word problem by following four simple steps.

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to apply word problem strategies to solve problems using addition, subtraction, or both
operations.

Materials and preparation Key terms

Class set of the Stepping Through Addition and bar model

Subtraction Word Problems Practice worksheet
Class set of the Stepping Through Addition and
Subtraction worksheet
Sticky notes or other paper for exit slip
Chart paper

Attachments

Stepping Through Addition and Subtraction Word Problems Practice (PDF)

Stepping Through Addition and Subtraction (PDF)

Introduction (5 minutes)

Invite students to sit at the carpet or other gathering place. Explain to them that you are going to
describe an activity and you want to see if they can figure out what it is.
Describe to students the basic steps of an activity that would be familiar to them, such as baking a cake
or making a sandwich (without naming the activity). Start by giving broad pieces of information that
could be for a variety of activities. For example, I walked into my kitchen.
Let students make one or two guesses from your first few pieces of information. Then, tell students that
you want to give them all of the information before they guess again, so that they can get the correct
answer. Finish describing the activity with enough detail that they will definitely name the correct
activity.
Ask students to name the activity and to share with a neighbor how they knew.
Call on a few students to share their neighbor’s thinking. (Students might share specific words that were
clues, talk about the location the activity was happening in, or describe the picture they were able to
make in their mind.)
Explain to students that there are steps they can follow to solve addition and subtraction word problems,
just like they figured out what your activity was.
EL

Beginning

Pair students with a supportive peer or one with the same home language (L1), if possible.
Allow students to share ideas in their L1.

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Intermediate

Provide sentence stems/frames to support student sharing of their ideas For example, "I think the activity
is ____." and "I know the activity is ____ because____."
Encourage students to use bilingual reference materials to look up any unknown words from the
description of the activity.

Explicit Instruction/Teacher modeling (15 minutes)

Create a chart titled: Steps for Solving Word Problems. Write each step and verbally make the connection
to figuring out the mystery activity.
Step 1: Read the Whole Problem (Connection: Listen to the whole description of the activity.)
Step 2: Circle Clue Words and Numbers (Connection: Notice important clues.)
Step 3: Make a Model (Connection: Imagine the activity in your mind.)
Step 4: Solve the Problem (Connection: Say what you think the activity was.)
Tell students that before they solve a word problem, together you would like their help to create a chart
with words that signal addition or subtraction. Create a two-column chart with the headings: Addition
Clues and Subtraction Clues. Call on students to share their ideas as you write them down. Provide
students with additional clue words for addition and subtraction if needed.
Clue Words for Addition: sum, more than, add, plus, altogether, in all, increased by, join, both, has,
earned, total.
Clue Words for Subtraction: difference, less than, subtract, minus, fewer, remain, take away,
decrease, left, needs, spent, how many more.
Display the first problem of the worksheet Stepping Through Addition and Subtraction. Point to the Steps
for Solving Word Problems chart. Ask students to explain why it’s important to read the whole problem
first and not jump right in and start trying to solve the problem (Step 1). Call on students to explain what
you should do for Step 2.
Review or explain to students how a bar model is a way of making a model of a number or equation. A
rectangle is used to represent the whole and the rectangle is split into boxes to represent the parts that
equal the whole. Challenge students to use the bar model throughout their work in this lesson.
Think aloud as you complete Step 3 and draw a bar model for solving this problem. Say, "Two dozen
cookies is the same as 24 cookies, so I need my bar model to equal 24. I can ignore the number of
cupcakes because it’s unnecessary information. I’ll split my bar model into three parts: 16 for the
chocolate chip cookies, 5 for the peanut butter cookies, and an unknown amount (?) for the cookies Zuri
still needs."
Prompt students to begin Step 4: Solve the Problem and call on nonvolunteers to share their thinking.
Review how the four steps were helpful in solving the problem.
EL

Beginning

Have students go through each step of the process with a partner. Encourage them to draw images next
to each step that will help them remember what to do.
Allow them to use their L1 or L2 as they discuss with a partner.

Intermediate

Have students share their suggestions for clue words with a partner before sharing with the whole group.
Provide vocabulary cards for students with key terms they will need throughout the lesson, such as bar
model, clue words, unknown.

Guided Practice (10 minutes)

Distribute a copy of the Stepping Through Addition and Subtraction worksheet to each student. Engage
the class in solving the second problem. Direct learners to record their work and answers on their
worksheet as you record it on the teacher copy.
Refer to the Steps for Solving Word Problems chart to solve this problem as a class.

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 Put students into partnerships and assign them a word problem from the Stepping Through Addition and
Subtraction worksheet. Instruct students to solve the problem together, and remind them to reference
the Steps for Solving Word Problems chart.
Circulate the room to monitor your students' understanding.
Call on students to share with the class what went well while solving the problem with their partner and if
they have any questions.
EL

Beginning

Invite students to work in a small, teacher-led group in which they discuss each step and their reasoning
behind the work they do.

Intermediate

Have students share whether they agree or disagree with their partner and challenge them to add onto
the statement "I agree/disagree with ____ because ____. I would also say that ____."

Independent working time (15 minutes)

Instruct the students to complete the Stepping Through Addition and Subtraction Word Problems Practice
worksheet independently.
EL

Beginning

Have students work in a small, teacher-led group to complete the worksheet.

Read aloud the word problems to students and have them rephrase what the question is asking.

Intermediate

Allow students to use reference materials in their L1 and L2 to support them with any unfamiliar words in
the word problems.
Instruct students to talk to a partner after they have completed the worksheet independently. Have them
discuss their process and answers, and share whether they agree or disagree with each other.

Related books and/or media

Find interactive books for each child’s level.

Differentiation

Support:

Use color coding or highlight sections (clue words, important numbers, unecessary information) of the
word problems on the worksheet in advance.
Allow students to work with a more advanced partner.

Enrichment:

Challenge students to write their own two-step word problems and trade with a partner to solve.

Assessment (5 minutes)

Collect independent work to serve as a check for understanding.

Direct students to complete an Exit Slip by writing answers on a sticky note or piece of paper. Display the
Exit Slip problem:
Camille collected trash on Saturday for 3 hours. Altogether she found 349 pieces of trash. She

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 found 143 pieces on Hamiliton Street, 68 pieces on Lincoln Avenue, and the rest on Washington
Avenue. How many pieces of trash did she find on Washington Avenue? (Answer: 138 pieces of
trash)
EL

Beginning

Include a visual to accompany the word problem.

Allow learners to look up the definition of unfamiliar words in their L1 or L2.

Intermediate

Ask students to explain the answer and their process to the entire class. Challenge them to reference the
steps from the poster.
Provide sentence stems/frames to support student explanation.

Review and closing (2 minutes)

Ask students to share real life situations when they might have to solve a two-step addition and
subtraction word problem.
Remind learners that there are four simple steps in the process that can help them stay focused when
solving two-step addition and subtraction word problems. Challenge them to create movements for each
of the steps that will help them remember the procedure.
EL

Beginning

Have students turn and talk to a supportive peer or one with the same L1, if possible.
Allow them to include an image to support their explanation of an instance in real-life when they might
have to solve a two-step problem.

Intermediate

Have students share with a partner before sharing with the whole group.

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Name _______________________________ Date ________________________________
Answer Key
Stepping Through Addition and Subtraction Word Problems Practice
Remember to use these steps to help you solve the word problems!

Step 1: Read the Whole Problem

Step 2: Circle Clue Words and Numbers
Step 3: Make a Model
Step 4: Solve the Problem

Directions: Solve the word problems below using addition, subtraction, or a mix of both operations. Be sure to show your work!

1. Darius is planning a picnic for the 2. Kai reads for 30 minutes every night. Her 3. Misha is going to make 10 necklaces. The
students in his class. He has 15 cans of root new book is 427 pages long. She has read first necklace she makes has 290 round
beer and 12 cans of lemonade. If he needs up to page 361. How many pages does she beads. The second necklace she makes has
a total of 32 cans, how many more cans have left? 151 square beads. How many beads has
should he buy? she used in all?

He should buy 5 more cans. She has 66 pages left. She has used 441 beads in all.

4. Amara bought a notebook with 300 5. It takes Keon 3 days to drive 974 miles to 6. Ari has 576 songs downloaded on her
pages. She has been writing stories in it all his grandpa’s house. On the first day he computer. She accidently deletes 108
week. She only has 87 pages left. How drives 361 miles and on the second day he songs. How many songs remain on her
many pages has she already used? drives 295 miles. How many more miles computer?
will he have to drive to get to his grandpa’s
house?
She has already used 213 pages. He will have to drive 318 468 songs remain on her computer.
more miles to get to his
grandpa’s house.

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 Education.com
Name _______________________________ Date ________________________________

7. Geo earned $600 at his summer job. He 8. During the week 986 people visited the 9. In November Dustin had $291 in his
spent $136 on a new skateboard and $25 museum. On Saturday the museum had savings account. The following month he
on a new helmet. How much money does 352 visitors and on Sunday it had 207 increased his savings by $118 dollars. What
Geo have left? visitors. What is the difference between the is the total amount of money he now has
number of visitors during the week and on in his account?
the weekend?
Geo has $439 left. The difference between The total amount of money he
the number of visitors has now is $409.
during the week and on
$5

$5

the weekend is
$5
$10 $10
RS
DOLLA
FIVE

$20$5

427 visitors.
$10 $10
$20
TEN DOLLARS

$20

TWENTY
DOLLARS $20

10. The baseball stadium could hold 1,000 11. The doctor sees 200 patients in a week. 12. Junior’s building set has 350 pieces. He
fans. 392 fans arrived before 5:00pm. 531 If she saw 25 patients on Monday and 30 used 112 pieces to make a car and 74
fans arrived after 5:00pm. How many more patients on Tuesday, how many more pieces to make a tower. How many pieces
fans could fit into the baseball stadium? patients will she see that week? does he have left to build a boat?

77 more fans can fit. The doctor has 145 more 164 pieces are left.
patients to see.

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Name: _______________________________ Date: ______________________

Stepping Through Addition and Subtraction

Directions: Solve the word problems below using addition, subtraction, or a mix of both
operations. Be sure to show your work!

1. Zuri bought 8 cupcakes, 16 chocolate chip cookies and 5 peanut butter cookies. How
many more cookies will he need to buy if he wants 2 dozen cookies?

2. Paulina was given $200 for taking care of her neighbor’s dog for 4 weeks. She spent $46
dollars at the bookstore and 11 dollars at the movies. How much money did she have left?

3. Mateo bought 3 apples, 2 bananas, 4 peaches, and 2 bags of chips. How many more pieces
of fruit should he buy to be able to have a piece of fruit for lunch every day for two weeks?

4. Shaunic earned $160 mowing lawns. She spent $32 on a gift for her brother and $27 on a
new pair of sneakers. How much money did she have left?