• Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Choose the operation for a word problem; Two-step addition and subtraction problems). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
• Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.

1. Which operation solves this? Hiro has 12 oranges and puts them equally into 4 bags. How many in each bag? (multiply / divide / add / subtract) → dividePrompt: Are you joining, taking away, making equal groups or sharing?
2. A bus has 61 passengers. At the first stop 22 get off and 9 get on. How many passengers are on the bus now? → 48Prompt: Do it one step at a time.
3. Ravi reads 4 pages every day for 3 days. Which number sentence gives the total pages? (12 ÷ 3 / 3 + 4 / 3 × 4 / 4 − 3) → 3 × 4Prompt: The same number of pages is read each day.

• Show an array of chairs, eggs or windows and ask how many there are without counting one by one.
• Share the objective: Two-step word problems using all four operations. Read the success criteria together.

• Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
• Example: Zoe buys 3 packs of 5 rice crackers and shares 6 with friends. How many crackers does Zoe have left?
• Step 1: 3 × 5 = 15
• Step 2: 15 − 6 = 9
• Answer: 9
• Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

• Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
• Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.

1. Maya buys 3 packs of 10 rice crackers and shares 10 with friends. How many crackers does Maya have left? → 20Prompt: First find how many crackers there are altogether.
2. Noah has 42 stickers. Noah keeps 14 and shares the rest equally among 7 friends. How many stickers does each friend get? → 4Prompt: How many stickers are shared out?

• 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.

• Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.

1. Lucia buys 3 notebooks at $5 each and pays with $20. How much change does Lucia get? (Answer in whole dollars.) → 5Prompt: Find the total cost first.
2. Ethan buys 5 packs of 6 rice crackers and shares 23 with friends. How many crackers does Ethan have left? → 7Prompt: First find how many crackers there are altogether.

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/math/grade-3.