Lesson Plan
Solving Story Problems: Multi-Step
Students will be able to solve multi-step addition and subtraction story problems by identifying key information, choosing appropriate operations, and breaking problems into smaller steps.
Understanding multi-step story problems helps students develop critical thinking and real-world problem-solving skills, making math more relevant to their daily lives and preparing them for more complex challenges.
Audience
4th Grade
Time
30 minutes
Approach
Direct instruction, guided practice, and independent application.
Materials
Whiteboard or Projector, Multi-Step Story Problems Slide Deck, Multi-Step Story Problems Worksheet, Multi-Step Story Problems Answer Key, Pencils, and Scratch Paper
Prep
Teacher Preparation
10 minutes
- Review the Multi-Step Story Problems Slide Deck and practice the script to ensure a smooth presentation.
- Print copies of the Multi-Step Story Problems Worksheet for each student.
- Have the Multi-Step Story Problems Answer Key ready for reference.
- Prepare whiteboard or projector for displaying slides and working through examples.
- Ensure students have pencils and scratch paper.
Step 1
Warm-Up: The Daily Puzzle
3 minutes
- Display a simple two-step word problem on the board (e.g., "Sarah had 10 apples. She gave 3 to John and 2 to Lisa. How many apples does Sarah have left?").
2. Ask students to solve it individually on scratch paper.
3. Briefly discuss strategies used.
Step 2
Introduction: Problem Solvers Unite!
5 minutes
- Introduce the lesson's goal: solving multi-step addition and subtraction story problems.
2. Explain that many real-life problems require more than one step.
3. Use Multi-Step Story Problems Slide Deck (Slide 1-2) to set the stage and introduce the 'four-step strategy': Read, Plan, Solve, Check.
Step 3
Guided Practice: Deconstruct the Challenge
12 minutes
- Present the first example problem from Multi-Step Story Problems Slide Deck (Slide 3-5).
2. Lead students through the problem step-by-step using the 'Read, Plan, Solve, Check' strategy.
3. Encourage student participation in identifying keywords, deciding operations, and performing calculations.
4. Work through a second example problem together (Slide 6-8), allowing more student input for each step.
Step 4
Independent Practice: Your Turn to Shine!
7 minutes
- Distribute the Multi-Step Story Problems Worksheet.
2. Instruct students to work on the problems independently, applying the strategies discussed.
3. Circulate the classroom to provide support and answer questions.
Step 5
Conclusion: Share and Reflect
3 minutes
- Briefly review one problem from the worksheet using the Multi-Step Story Problems Answer Key as a guide.
2. Ask students to share their strategies or any challenges they encountered.
3. Emphasize that breaking down problems makes them easier to solve.
Slide Deck
Solving Story Problems: Multi-Step!
Ready to become a master problem-solver?
Welcome students and introduce the exciting challenge of multi-step story problems! Explain that today's lesson will equip them with a superpower to tackle complex problems. Set a positive and encouraging tone.
What's a Multi-Step Problem?
It's a problem that needs more than one math step to find the answer!
Think of it like a treasure hunt with several clues to solve before you find the treasure.
Explain that not all problems can be solved in one go. Sometimes, we need to do a few calculations to get to the final answer. This is what makes them 'multi-step'. Give a quick, simple example orally if helpful (e.g., 'I bought two apples for $1 each and a banana for $0.50. How much did I spend?').
Our Secret Weapon: The 4-Step Strategy!
- Read: Understand the whole story.
- Plan: Figure out what steps you need to take.
- Solve: Do the math!
- Check: Does your answer make sense?
Introduce the 'four-step strategy' that will be their guide. Emphasize that these steps help organize thinking and make problems less intimidating. Briefly go over each step: Read (understand), Plan (what to do), Solve (do the math), Check (make sense?).
Let's Practice! Example 1
Mr. Harrison's class collected 125 cans for a food drive. Ms. Smith's class collected 98 cans. They gave 50 cans to the local shelter on Monday. How many cans do they still have to give away?
Present the first example problem. Read it aloud clearly. Ask students: 'What is the story about?' 'What are we trying to find?' Encourage them to identify the main question.
Example 1: Plan Your Attack!
Step 1: Find the total number of cans collected.
Step 2: Find out how many cans are left after they gave some away.
Guide students through the 'Plan' step. Ask: 'What's the first thing we need to find out?' (Total cans collected). 'What operation should we use?' (Addition). 'What's the next thing?' (Cans left after donation). 'What operation?' (Subtraction).
Example 1: Solve & Check!
Step 1: Add the cans from both classes.
125 + 98 = 223 cans
Step 2: Subtract the cans given to the shelter.
223 - 50 = 173 cans
Answer: They have 173 cans left to give away.
Check: Does 173 make sense? Yes, it's less than the total collected!
Work through the 'Solve' and 'Check' steps for Example 1. Write the addition and subtraction steps on the board. Make sure to clearly show both steps and the intermediate answer. For 'Check', ask if the final number makes sense (e.g., 'Should the final number be less than the total collected?').
Example 2: A New Challenge!
A baker made 200 cookies. She sold 85 cookies in the morning and 70 cookies in the afternoon. How many cookies does she have left?
Introduce the second example. Read it aloud. This time, ask students to identify the important numbers and what the problem is asking for before you prompt them for the steps.
Example 2: Your Plan!
Step 1: Find the total number of cookies sold.
Step 2: Find out how many cookies are left.
For Example 2's 'Plan,' let students try to articulate the two steps themselves. Prompt them with questions like: 'What happened first in the story?' 'What do we need to know about the cookies sold?'
Example 2: Solve & Check Together!
Step 1: Add the cookies sold in the morning and afternoon.
85 + 70 = 155 cookies sold
Step 2: Subtract the total sold from the starting amount.
200 - 155 = 45 cookies
Answer: She has 45 cookies left.
Check: Does 45 make sense? Yes, it's much less than 200, which makes sense after selling so many!
For Example 2's 'Solve' and 'Check', have students guide you through the math. Write down their suggestions on the board. Emphasize showing both steps. For 'Check', ask for different ways to verify the answer (e.g., estimating, doing the steps in a slightly different order if applicable).
Your Turn! Independent Practice
Now it's time to show what you've learned! You'll get a worksheet with more multi-step problems.
Remember to use your 4-Step Strategy:
- Read
- Plan
- Solve
- Check
Good luck, problem-solvers!
Explain that it's now their turn to try independently. Reassure them that it's okay to ask for help, but to try their best to apply the 4-step strategy.
Worksheet
Multi-Step Story Problems Worksheet
Directions: Read each story problem carefully. Use the 4-Step Strategy (Read, Plan, Solve, Check) to find your answer. Show your work in the space provided.
Problem 1
Mrs. Davis bought 3 packs of stickers. Each pack had 15 stickers. She gave 10 stickers to her son. How many stickers does Mrs. Davis have left?
Show Your Work:
Answer:
Problem 2
There are 120 students in the school choir. 45 students are girls, and 30 students are boys. The rest are teachers. How many teachers are in the school choir?
Show Your Work:
Answer:
Problem 3
Sarah saved $35. Her grandmother gave her $20 for her birthday. Sarah wants to buy a book that costs $12 and a toy that costs $18. Does she have enough money for both?
Show Your Work:
Answer:
Problem 4
The school library has 345 non-fiction books and 280 fiction books. Last week, 75 books were checked out. This week, 110 books were checked out. How many books are still in the library?
Show Your Work:
Answer:
Answer Key
Multi-Step Story Problems Answer Key
Here are the step-by-step solutions for the problems on the Multi-Step Story Problems Worksheet.
Problem 1
Mrs. Davis bought 3 packs of stickers. Each pack had 15 stickers. She gave 10 stickers to her son. How many stickers does Mrs. Davis have left?
Thought Process:
- Read: Understand that Mrs. Davis bought stickers and then gave some away. We need to find how many she has left.
- Plan:
- First, multiply the number of packs by the number of stickers per pack to find the total stickers bought.
- Second, subtract the stickers she gave away from the total to find how many are left.
- Solve:
- Step 1: 3 packs * 15 stickers/pack = 45 stickers (total bought)
- Step 2: 45 stickers - 10 stickers = 35 stickers (left)
- Check: If she started with 45 and gave away 10, having 35 left makes sense.
Answer: Mrs. Davis has 35 stickers left.
Problem 2
There are 120 students in the school choir. 45 students are girls, and 30 students are boys. The rest are teachers. How many teachers are in the school choir?
Thought Process:
- Read: Understand there's a total number of people in the choir, and some are girls, some are boys. The rest are teachers, and we need to find that number.
- Plan:
- First, add the number of girls and boys to find the total number of students.
- Second, subtract the total number of students from the total people in the choir to find the number of teachers.
- Solve:
- Step 1: 45 girls + 30 boys = 75 students
- Step 2: 120 total people - 75 students = 45 teachers
- Check: If there are 45 girls, 30 boys, and 45 teachers, 45 + 30 + 45 = 120, which is the total.
Answer: There are 45 teachers in the school choir.
Problem 3
Sarah saved $35. Her grandmother gave her $20 for her birthday. Sarah wants to buy a book that costs $12 and a toy that costs $18. Does she have enough money for both?
Thought Process:
- Read: Understand Sarah has some money and gets more. She wants to buy two items. We need to know if her total money is enough for both items.
- Plan:
- First, add Sarah's saved money and the money from her grandmother to find her total money.
- Second, add the cost of the book and the toy to find the total cost of the items.
- Finally, compare her total money to the total cost to see if she has enough.
- Solve:
- Step 1: $35 saved + $20 from grandmother = $55 (total money)
- Step 2: $12 book + $18 toy = $30 (total cost)
- Step 3: Compare $55 (money) to $30 (cost). Since $55 is greater than $30, she has enough.
- Check: She has $55 and only needs $30, so yes, she definitely has enough.
Answer: Yes, Sarah has enough money to buy both the book and the toy.
Problem 4
The school library has 345 non-fiction books and 280 fiction books. Last week, 75 books were checked out. This week, 110 books were checked out. How many books are still in the library?
Thought Process:
- Read: Understand the library has two types of books. Books were checked out over two weeks. We need to find how many are remaining.
- Plan:
- First, add the non-fiction and fiction books to find the total number of books initially.
- Second, add the number of books checked out last week and this week to find the total books checked out.
- Finally, subtract the total checked-out books from the initial total books to find how many are left.
- Solve:
- Step 1: 345 non-fiction + 280 fiction = 625 books (initial total)
- Step 2: 75 checked out (last week) + 110 checked out (this week) = 185 books (total checked out)
- Step 3: 625 initial books - 185 checked out = 440 books (remaining)
- Check: Starting with 625 and taking away 185, 440 seems like a reasonable amount left.
Answer: There are 440 books still in the library.