Lesson Plan
Word Problem Wizardry
Students will be able to solve one-step addition and subtraction word problems by identifying key information and selecting the appropriate operation.
Mastering word problems builds critical thinking and real-world math application skills, empowering students to tackle everyday challenges.
Audience
2nd Grade Students
Time
15 minutes
Approach
Guided practice and individualized support.
Materials
Whiteboard or paper, Markers or pencils, Word Problem Power-Up Worksheet, and Answer Key
Prep
Teacher Preparation
5 minutes
- Review the Word Problem Wizardry Lesson Plan and all generated materials, especially the Word Problem Power-Up Worksheet and Answer Key.
- Prepare a whiteboard or paper for demonstration.
- Have pencils or markers ready for the student.
Step 1
Introduction & Objective (2 minutes)
2 minutes
- Greet the student and introduce the lesson: "Today, we're going to become 'Word Problem Wizards'! We'll learn how to break down tricky word problems so you can solve them like a pro."
Step 2
Understanding Word Problems (3 minutes)
3 minutes
- Explain the goal: "Our mission is to figure out if we need to add things together or take them away to solve the problem."
- Introduce keywords: "Look for words like 'altogether,' 'in total,' 'sum' for addition, and 'left,' 'difference,' 'how many more' for subtraction."
Step 3
Guided Practice: Worksheet (8 minutes)
8 minutes
- Distribute the Word Problem Power-Up Worksheet.
- Work through the first problem together, modeling how to identify important numbers and keywords, and choose the correct operation.
- Allow the student to solve the next few problems independently, providing one-on-one support and prompts as needed.
- Encourage the student to explain their thinking process aloud.
Step 4
Review & Reinforce (2 minutes)
2 minutes
- Briefly review the completed problems on the Word Problem Power-Up Worksheet, using the Answer Key to confirm.
- Reiterate the importance of reading carefully and looking for keywords.
- Praise effort and progress.
use Lenny to create lessons.
No credit card needed
Slide Deck
Word Problem Wizardry: Let's Solve!
Ready to become a master of math stories?
Welcome the student! Tell them: "Hello, future Word Problem Wizard! Today, we're going on an adventure to conquer word problems. We'll make them super easy to understand and solve!"
What's a Word Problem?
Math stories with numbers!
Our mission: find the numbers and know when to add or subtract.
Ask the student: "What do you think a word problem is?" Listen to their ideas, then explain: "Word problems are like little stories with numbers hidden inside. Our job is to find the numbers and figure out what the story is asking us to do – add or subtract!"
Magic Addition Words!
- Altogether
- In Total
- Sum
- Combined
- More Than
These words mean 'put them together'!
Show this slide and say: "Sometimes, the story wants us to put things together. These are our 'addition words'. Can you say these words with me?" Point to each word: "Altogether, in total, sum, combined, more than." Give a quick example: "If I have 2 apples and get 3 more, I add."
Super Subtraction Words!
- Left
- Difference
- How Many More?
- Take Away
- Fewer Than
These words mean 'take apart' or 'find the difference'!
Now for subtraction! Say: "Other times, the story wants us to take things away or find a difference. These are our 'subtraction words'. Let's read these together: 'Left, difference, how many more, take away, fewer than.'" Give an example: "If I have 5 cookies and eat 2, how many are left? I subtract."
Your Turn, Wizard!
Time to practice!
Read carefully, look for keywords, and solve!
Say: "Alright, Word Problem Wizard! You've learned the magic words. Now it's time to put your skills to the test with our practice worksheet! Remember to read carefully and look for those keywords."
Worksheet
Word Problem Power-Up: Level 1
Instructions: Read each word problem carefully. Circle the important numbers and any keywords that tell you to add or subtract. Then, solve the problem!
Problem 1
Lily had 7 colorful balloons. Her friend gave her 3 more balloons. How many balloons does Lily have altogether?
Show your work:
Answer:
Problem 2
Tom collected 12 shiny rocks. He gave 5 rocks away to his brother. How many rocks does Tom have left?
Show your work:
Answer:
Problem 3
There are 9 birds sitting on a branch. 4 more birds flew to join them. What is the total number of birds on the branch?
Show your work:
Answer:
Problem 4
A baker made 15 delicious cookies. Children ate 8 of them. How many cookies are remaining?
Show your work:
Answer:
Problem 5
Sarah has 6 red pencils and 7 blue pencils. How many pencils does she have in all?
Show your work:
Answer:
Answer Key
Word Problem Power-Up: Answer Key
Here are the solutions and steps for each word problem.
Problem 1
Lily had 7 colorful balloons. Her friend gave her 3 more balloons. How many balloons does Lily have altogether?
Thought Process:
- Identify the numbers: Lily had 7 balloons, and her friend gave her 3 more.
- Identify keywords: "more" and "altogether" tell us we need to add.
- Formulate the equation: 7 + 3 = ?
- Solve: 7 + 3 = 10
Answer: Lily has 10 balloons altogether.
Problem 2
Tom collected 12 shiny rocks. He gave 5 rocks away to his brother. How many rocks does Tom have left?
Thought Process:
- Identify the numbers: Tom started with 12 rocks, and gave away 5.
- Identify keywords: "gave away" and "left" tell us we need to subtract.
- Formulate the equation: 12 - 5 = ?
- Solve: 12 - 5 = 7
Answer: Tom has 7 rocks left.
Problem 3
There are 9 birds sitting on a branch. 4 more birds flew to join them. What is the total number of birds on the branch?
Thought Process:
- Identify the numbers: There were 9 birds, and 4 more joined.
- Identify keywords: "more" and "total" tell us we need to add.
- Formulate the equation: 9 + 4 = ?
- Solve: 9 + 4 = 13
Answer: There are a total of 13 birds on the branch.
Problem 4
A baker made 15 delicious cookies. Children ate 8 of them. How many cookies are remaining?
Thought Process:
- Identify the numbers: The baker made 15 cookies, and 8 were eaten.
- Identify keywords: "ate" and "remaining" tell us we need to subtract.
- Formulate the equation: 15 - 8 = ?
- Solve: 15 - 8 = 7
Answer: There are 7 cookies remaining.
Problem 5
Sarah has 6 red pencils and 7 blue pencils. How many pencils does she have in all?
Thought Process:
- Identify the numbers: Sarah has 6 red pencils and 7 blue pencils.
- Identify keywords: "in all" tells us we need to add.
- Formulate the equation: 6 + 7 = ?
- Solve: 6 + 7 = 13
Answer: Sarah has 13 pencils in all.