Problem Practice: 2-Step Word Problems

Directions: Read each problem carefully. Show your work for both steps to find the final answer.

1. Maria had 12 stickers. She gave 5 stickers to her brother. Then, her mom gave her 8 new stickers. How many stickers does Maria have now?

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2. There are 3 baskets, and each basket has 4 apples. If John eats 2 apples, how many apples are left?

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3. A baker made 15 cupcakes. He sold 7 cupcakes in the morning. In the afternoon, he made 10 more cupcakes. How many cupcakes does the baker have now?

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4. Emily had 20 pencils. She shared them equally among 4 friends. Then, one friend lost 2 pencils. How many pencils does that friend have now?

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Answer Key: Problem Practice

Directions: Review the steps and answers for each problem.

1. Maria had 12 stickers. She gave 5 stickers to her brother. Then, her mom gave her 8 new stickers. How many stickers does Maria have now?

   • Step 1: Find out how many stickers Maria had after giving some away.

     • Thought Process: Maria started with 12 stickers and gave away 5, so we subtract.
     • 12 - 5 = 7 stickers

   • Step 2: Find out how many stickers Maria has after getting more.

     • Thought Process: Maria had 7 stickers, and her mom gave her 8 new stickers, so we add.
     • 7 + 8 = 15 stickers

   • Answer: Maria has 15 stickers now.

2. There are 3 baskets, and each basket has 4 apples. If John eats 2 apples, how many apples are left?

   • Step 1: Find the total number of apples in all baskets.

     • Thought Process: There are 3 baskets with 4 apples each, so we multiply to find the total.
     • 3 x 4 = 12 apples

   • Step 2: Find out how many apples are left after John eats some.

     • Thought Process: John had 12 apples and ate 2, so we subtract.
     • 12 - 2 = 10 apples

   • Answer: There are 10 apples left.

3. A baker made 15 cupcakes. He sold 7 cupcakes in the morning. In the afternoon, he made 10 more cupcakes. How many cupcakes does the baker have now?

   • Step 1: Find out how many cupcakes were left after morning sales.

     • Thought Process: The baker started with 15 cupcakes and sold 7, so we subtract.
     • 15 - 7 = 8 cupcakes

   • Step 2: Find out how many cupcakes the baker has after making more.

     • Thought Process: The baker had 8 cupcakes and made 10 more, so we add.
     • 8 + 10 = 18 cupcakes

   • Answer: The baker has 18 cupcakes now.

4. Emily had 20 pencils. She shared them equally among 4 friends. Then, one friend lost 2 pencils. How many pencils does that friend have now?

   • Step 1: Find out how many pencils each friend received.

     • Thought Process: Emily had 20 pencils and shared them equally among 4 friends, so we divide.
     • 20 ÷ 4 = 5 pencils per friend

   • Step 2: Find out how many pencils one friend has after losing some.

     • Thought Process: One friend had 5 pencils and lost 2, so we subtract.
     • 5 - 2 = 3 pencils

   • Answer: That friend has 3 pencils now.

Solving 2-Step Problems Script

Warm-Up: What's the Story? (5 minutes)

Teacher: "Good morning, everyone! Today, we're going to become super math detectives! Just like in a good story, math problems sometimes have twists and turns. Who can tell me what a word problem is?"

Teacher: "That's right! It's a math story! Let's try one. If I have 7 cookies and my friend gives me 3 more, how many do I have? What's the question we need to answer? What information helps us? What operation should we use?"

Teacher: "Great job! We added. Sometimes, though, a math story has two questions hiding inside it! It's like a puzzle you have to solve in two parts."

Introduction to 2-Step Problems (5 minutes)

Teacher: "Let's look at our Slide Deck: Solving 2-Step Problems to learn more about these 2-step problems." (Advance to 'What's a 2-Step Problem?' slide)

Teacher: "See? Some math stories need two steps! We have to solve the first part of the problem before we can even think about the second part. It's really important to read carefully and find those two hidden questions."

Guided Practice: Breaking it Down (10 minutes)

Teacher: (Advance to 'Let's Solve Together!' slide) "Let's try one together. Read this problem with me:

'Sarah had 5 red balloons. Her friend gave her 3 more red balloons. Then, Sarah bought 4 blue balloons. How many balloons does Sarah have in total?'"

Teacher: "Wow, that's a lot of information! What's the first thing we need to figure out? What's the first question hidden here?"

Teacher: "Excellent! We need to know how many red balloons Sarah has after her friend gave her some. So, if she had 5 and got 3 more, what operation do we use?" (Pause for response) "Yes, addition!"

Teacher: (Advance to 'Step 1: Figure Out the First Part!' slide) "So, Step 1 is: 5 + 3 = 8. Sarah now has 8 red balloons. Now that we know that, what's the second thing we need to figure out? What's the final question?"

Teacher: "Exactly! How many balloons does she have in total? We know she has 8 red balloons, and she bought 4 blue ones. What operation do we use now?" (Pause for response) "Addition again!"

Teacher: (Advance to 'Step 2: Use Your Answer!' slide) "So, Step 2 is: 8 + 4 = 12. Sarah has 12 balloons in total! See how we used the answer from Step 1 to help us with Step 2? That's the secret to 2-step problems!"

Teacher: (Advance to 'Your Turn to Detective!' slide) "Alright, math detectives, here's one for you to think about. Read it quietly to yourselves, then we'll talk about it.

'Tom had 10 cookies. He ate 3 cookies. Then, he shared 5 cookies with his sister. How many cookies does Tom have left?'"

Teacher: "Talk with your elbow partner: What's the first step Tom took with his cookies? What operation would you use?" (Allow 1 minute for discussion, then bring group back together)

Teacher: (Advance to 'First Step Hint:' slide) "Yes! He ate some! So, 10 - 3 = 7. Tom had 7 cookies left. Now, what's the second thing Tom did?" (Allow for response)

Teacher: (Advance to 'Second Step Hint:' slide) "That's right, he shared some! If he had 7 cookies and shared 5, what operation do we use?" (Pause for response) "Subtraction! So, 7 - 5 = 2. Tom has 2 cookies left."

Independent Practice: Worksheet Time (8 minutes)

Teacher: "You've done a fantastic job breaking down these problems! Now it's your turn to practice being math detectives on your own or with a partner. I'm handing out the Worksheet: Problem Practice. Remember to read carefully and show both steps for each problem. I'll be walking around to help if you get stuck."

(Distribute Worksheet: Problem Practice. Circulate and provide support. Prompt students to explain their thinking.)

Cool Down: Share Your Steps (2 minutes)

Teacher: "Alright everyone, pencils down for a moment. Can anyone share one of the problems they solved from the worksheet and explain the two steps they took to find the answer?" (Call on one or two students. Encourage them to articulate their two steps clearly.)

Teacher: "Fantastic work today, math detectives! Remember, when you see a word problem, don't be scared if it looks long. Just break it down into two smaller steps, solve them one by one, and you'll find your answer!"