Math lesson plan · 3rd grade (Year 4 in England) · 45 minutes
Column addition and subtraction
Addition and subtraction
CCSS 3.NBT.A.2England: Y3 Addition and subtractionEngland: Y4 Addition and subtraction
Objective and success criteria
Students will: Column addition and subtraction.
- I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
- I can explain each step and say why it works.
- I can check my answer and spot a mistake.
Before and after
Needs first: Add and subtract within 1000
Leads to: Add and subtract multi-digit numbers; Add and subtract decimals; Mean, median, mode and range
Materials: Base-ten blocks, Number lines, Hundred square, Mini whiteboards and pens, Printed student sheet (below).
Warm-up · 5 min
- Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Add and subtract within 1000). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
- What is 10 more than 731? → 741Prompt: Which digit changes when you add 10?
- 852 − 567 = ? → 285Prompt: Line up hundreds, tens and ones.
- What is 100 less than 128? → 28Prompt: Which digit changes when you subtract 100?
Hook · 5 min
- Give a real shopping total or a score difference and ask for a quick estimate first.
- Share the objective: Column addition and subtraction. Read the success criteria together.
I do: model it · 10 min
- Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
- Example: Use column addition: 4009 + 3930
- Step 1: 4009 + 3930 = 7939
- Answer: 7939
- Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.
We do: guided practice · 10 min
- Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
- Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
- Use column addition: 4214 + 4740 → 8954Prompt: Line up the digits by place value, ones under ones.
- Use column subtraction: 8150 − 908 → 7242Prompt: Line up the digits. Start with the ones column.
You do: independent practice · 10 min
- Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
- Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.
The 8 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.
Exit ticket · 5 min
- Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
- Use column addition: 1607 + 1477 → 3084Prompt: Line up the digits by place value, ones under ones.
- Use column subtraction: 8901 − 896 → 8005Prompt: Line up the digits. Start with the ones column.
Watch out for
- Subtracting the smaller digit from the bigger one in every column (52 − 17 = 45).
- Forgetting to add the regrouped (carried) ten.
Support and stretch
Support
- Review first: Add and subtract within 1000.
- Use concrete materials: base-ten blocks.
- Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
- Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.
Stretch
- Move on to: Add and subtract multi-digit numbers; Add and subtract decimals; Mean, median, mode and range.
- Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
- Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.
Homework and more practice
Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/math/grade-3.
Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder