Multi-Step Word Problems?

No
Problem!
Fourth Grade Math

by Mia Perez September 26, 2018

Word problems? No problem! In this lesson, your students will learn how to approach solving multi-step word
problems with mixed operations with a step-by-step plan.

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to solve multi-step words problems with mixed operations using a four-step plan.

Materials and preparation Key terms

Class set of Word Problems: Flower Power multi-step word problem

One copy of Anna's Birthday: Word Problems
Class set of whiteboards
Document camera or projector
Chart paper
Class set of blank index cards
Class set of Summer Word Problems (optional)
Class set of Classroom Math: Division Word
Problems (optional)

Attachments

Word Problems: Flower Power (PDF)

Mixed Word Problems (PDF)
Summer Word Problems (PDF)
Classroom Math: Division Word Problems (PDF)

Introduction (5 minutes)

Distribute whiteboards to each student.

Write the following word problem on the board: "Nico baked 118 cupcakes. He kept 22 cupcakes at home
to share with his family. He took the remaining cupcakes to school to share evenly with his 12 friends.
How many cupcakes did each friend get?"
Ask students to solve this word problem on their whiteboards.
Call on a student volunteer to share their answer and the steps they took to solve this word problem.
Tell students that this is an example of a multi-step word problem, which has more than one step in
order to solve it.
EL

Beginning

Allow students to work with an effective partner on the word problem.

Have students discuss the word problem before attempting to solve it. Provide sentence stems to help
them discuss: "First, we have to... Then, we should... Finally, we will..."

Intermediate

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 Define any unfamiliar terms in the word problem in students' home language (L1) and in English (L2).
Provide images or symbols to help define the terms.

Explicit Instruction/Teacher modeling (10 minutes)

Explain to students that in order to solve multi-step word problems, they will follow four important steps.
Post a piece of chart paper on the board to be used as a reference throughout this lesson. Title this chart
paper "Steps for Solving Multi-Step Problems" and write the four steps for solving multi-step word
problems.
Write "Step 1: Read and understand the word problem." Tell students it is important to read and re-read
the word problem carefully.
Model for students how to read the word problem written on the board about Nico and his cupcakes.
Write "Step 2: Underline the question and circle the important information."
Model for students how to underline the question being asked (e.g., How many cupcakes did each friend
get?) and to circle key numbers (e.g., 118 cupcakes, 22 cupcakes, and 12 friends).
Write "Step 3: Plan a solution and solve." Tell students to decide which mathematical operations to use
and choose a problem solving strategy (e.g., draw a diagram).
Model for students how to first subtract (mathematical operation) 22 from 118 by writing a math equation
(problem solving strategy) and then divide that difference (96) by 12 to get the answer (8 cupcakes).
Write "Step 4: Check your answer."
Model for students how to check their answers by doing the opposite of whatever operations were used
to solve the word problem.
EL

Beginning

Give students access to bilingual resources such as glossaries and online dictionaries for them to use to
look up challenging words.

Intermediate

Have students verbally summarize the steps to solve multi-step word problems to a partner.
Create a word bank of keywords from the lesson and display it for the remainder of the lesson.

Guided Practice (15 minutes)

Show students a copy of Anna's Birthday: Word Problems on the document camera.
Tell students that this worksheet contains multi-step word problems with mixed operations.
Model for students how to use the four steps for solving multi-step word problems to complete the first
word problem. Point to and reference the chart paper as you move through each step.
Distribute a copy of the Anna's Birthday: Word Problems worksheet to each student.
Assign students into effective partnerships and tell students to complete the remainder of their
worksheet with their partners by following the four important steps.
Circulate and offer support.
Call students together as a whole class to go over the answers and answer any questions that may have
arisen.
EL

Beginning

Pair students intentionally with more advanced ELs or helpful non-ELs for this portion of the lesson.
Define unfamiliar terms from the worksheet in L1 and L2.

Intermediate

Pull aside a small group of student pairs and have them work on the Guided Practice with teacher
support. Ask probing questions to get students talking about and solving the problems (e.g., "What are

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 the keywords in the problem? What is the first operation you need to do? How do you know that your
answer is correct?").

Independent working time (15 minutes)

Tell students that they will now practice this skill independently.
Preview and distribute the Word Problems: Flower Power worksheet.
Remind students to use the Steps for Solving Multi-Step Problems chart paper as a reference when they
are completing this worksheet.
Circulate and offer support as students are working independently.
EL

Beginning

Allow students to work with a partner during their work time.

Give students access to the vocabulary cards with pertinent terms for students to use as a resource as
they complete the work.
Simplify the text from the word problems to lower their linguistic load.

Intermediate

Invite students to explain the problem-solving process of a particular problem to the teacher or a partner
before solving it on paper independently.
Provide a graphic organizer for students to have on their desk that outlines the four steps to solve the
problems.

Related books and/or media

Find interactive books for each child's level.

Differentiation

Support:

Allow students to use math manipulatives (e.g., counters) during Guided Practice and Independent Work
Time.
Write out the Steps for Solving Multi-Step Problems four steps on individual pieces of paper to distribute
to students to keep at their desks to use throughout the lesson.
Provide students with a partially completed copy of the Word Problems: Flower Power worksheet during
Independent Work Time.
Gather students into a teacher-led small group to complete the Word Problems: Flower Power worksheet
with support during Independent Work Time.
Allow students to practice with single-step word problems during Independent Work Time (see optional
materials).

Enrichment:

Challenge students by providing them with the Classroom Math: Division Work Problems worksheet,
which challenges students to solve multi-step word problems with mixed operations including long
division and requires them to use outside knowledge to find the answer (e.g., number of days in two
weeks) (see optional materials).
Encourage students to create their own word problems worksheet to exchange with a partner. Challenge
students to write multi-step word problems with mixed operations.

Assessment (7 minutes)

Distribute a blank index card to each student to be used as an exit ticket.

Write the following word problem on the board: "65 bags of marbles are to be divided evenly among 13

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 students. Each bag contains 15 marbles. How many marbles will each student receive?"
Tell students to rewrite this word problem on their index cards and use the four steps for solving multi-
step problems to solve this word problem.
Collect students' exit tickets.
EL

Beginning

Have students talk to a partner about the problem and their strategy before completing the solution on
their index card.
Provide sentence stems to help students discuss: "The problem is asking... This means that first I will...
Then, I need to..."

Intermediate

Tell students to verbally describe the four steps to solve a multi-step word problem to a classmate and
encourage the classmate to agree or disagree with the explanation of the steps, using the sentence
frame, "I agree/disagree with ____ because..."

Review and closing (3 minutes)

Tell students that they are going to finish this activity by discussing the three W's.
Instruct students to turn to a partner and reflect upon the following questions:
What did we learn today?
So what? Why was it important and/or useful?
Now what? How does this fit into what we are learning and what do you think we will learn next?
EL

Beginning

Have students discuss their responses to the questions in a small group prior to discussing as a whole
class.
Provide and refer to a glossary of key terms for students to use in their discussion.

Intermediate

Provide sentence stems for students to use to answer the questions: "Today we learned... It is important
because... This fits into what we have been learning because..."

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 Solve the word problems. Show your work and circle your answers.

1. Erin and her brother Eli were planting a garden. They planted 312 zinnia
seeds, 267 daisy seeds, and 137 geranium seeds. A week later, they found
that 256 zinnias, 182 daisies and 64 geraniums had sprouted. How many
of the seeds they planted did not sprout?

2. Erin opened 3 packets of flower seeds. Each packet contained 100 seeds. On her way out to the garden to
plant them, Erin tripped and spilled 25 rose seeds, 32 mum seeds and 56 jasmine seeds. How many seeds did
Erin have left altogether?

3. On Saturday, Eli planted 234 carrot seeds, 73 celery seeds and 121 potato seeds. On Sunday, he planted
168 rhubarb seeds and 265 leek seeds. On which day did Eli plant more seeds? How many more?

4. On Sunday morning, Erin had an hour and fifteen minutes before she had to leave the house to meet her
friend Elena. Erin spent 32 minutes watering the garden and 26 minutes weeding. How many minutes did
Erin have left before she had to leave to meet Elena?

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Anna’s Birthday:
Word Problems

Anna is having her 8th birthday

party. Use addition, subtraction,
multiplication and division to help
her plan the party. Show your
work.
Anna is hanging balloons around for decora-
tion. She has 4 bags of yellow balloons and 5
bags of blue balloons. If each bag has 10
balloons, how many balloons does she have
total? Anna is having a bicycle race around her
neighborhood. If one lap of the track is 126
feet long and the race is over after 5 laps,
how far does each racer have to go?

Anna and her friends are making their own

puzzles by drawing and painting on pieces of
cardboard. Anna cuts her puzzle so that there
are 12 rows and 15 columns (see picture below).
How many pieces are in Anna’s puzzle?
12
Anna and her friends ate pizza for lunch. There
were 5 pizzas with 12 slices each. If Anna and
her 12 friends had 4 slices each, how many slices
were left over?

4
3
2
1
1 2 3 4 5........15

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Classroom Math:
Division Word Problems

Math isn't just for math class. It is used

to solve problems in every subject. Help
Mr. Hammond's class figure out their
problems using math. Show your work.

Claire has 6 days to complete 3 grammar

worksheets. The worksheets have 20, 18
and 16 questions. How many questions
should Claire answer each day?
Eleanor has to read a book in two weeks.
If there are 182 pages in the book, how
many pages does she have to read each
day?

Michelle finished typing the book summary
for her book report and found out that it is
4 pages and 412 words long. What is the
average word count per page?
Jack is tracking the growth of his plant
in the school garden. If the plant grew
155 millimeters between March 1st and
March 31st, how many millimeters did it
grow each day?

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Copyright © 2009-2010 by Education.com © 2007 - 2019 Education.com
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