Solving Addition &

Subtraction Story Problems

with
Sentence Frames
Part I
2.OA.1

Created by
Interventions with a SMILE

Created by Interventions with a SMILE:)

 Thank You
for downloading my activity.

Please be sure to follow my store for new

products and future freebies.

Special Thanks
Graphics By Melonheadz
&
Microsoft Word

Created by Interventions with a SMILE:)

How to use in classroom:
Children enjoy working with sentence frames that represent a variety of scenarios familiar to
them. Sentence frames for addition and subtraction can be used in a small groups and math
stations to help support students in creating their own story problems. Sentence frames can
support childrens math talk and move them beyond simple sentence frame pages to creating
their own. The addition and subtraction sentence frames in this packet involve situations of
adding to, taking from with unknowns in all positions by using drawings and number
sentences. The use of geometric shapes are used to guide students in building and solving the
word problem.

Students can write directly on them with a dry erase marker, or you can provide paper,
pencils, and clipboards to write and solve their problems. To provide additional support, it is
important to provide manipulatives and/or numeral cubes to reinforce student understanding
and growth.

Digit cards are used to help build the word problem. Students can work with a partner and
randomly pull number cards based on the directions. Once the story problem has been created,
students will use their problem-solving strategies to assist them in solving the problem.
Lastly, students are asked to evaluate their problem-solving process to further extend their
understanding.

Challenge: Encourage students to create their own one-step and two-step problems by using
previous sentence frames as guide..

Created by Interventions with a SMILE:)

2 OA. 1 FRAME A1: Result Unknown Draw a Picture Strategy: Use the space below to draw out
the number values that are represented in the word

problem .
_____ has toys. ___________
write a name pull number card write a name

has toys. How many toys do they have

pull number card

in all?
my answer

Write the number sentence:

my answer

Reflection: Does my answer make sense? Did I add correctly?

_____________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________
Created by Interventions with a SMILE:)
2 OA. 1 FRAME A2: Change Unknown Think-it Out!!

What do I know?
_____ has toys. Some more toys I know_________________________________
Write a name write number between 1-10

What do I need to know?

I know ________________________________
were given to him, when he went to school. Then he had
What operation should I use?
addition or subtraction
toys in all. How many toys were given
Write number between 11-20
Solve it:

to him at school?

Write the number sentence:

Reflection: Does my answer make sense? Could I use a different strategy to

solve the problem?
_____________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________
Created by Interventions with a SMILE:)
2 OA. 1 FRAME A3: Start Unknown Think-it Out!!

Some toys were found in the basket at school on What do I know?

I know_________________________________

Monday. more toys were placed in the

What do I need to know?
write number between 1-10 I know ________________________________

basket on Tuesday. On Wednesday there were What operation should I use?

addition or subtraction
toys in all. How many toys were found
Solve it:
write number between 11-20

in the basket on Monday?

Write the number sentence:

Reflection: Does my answer make sense? Could I use a different strategy to

solve the problem?
_____________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________
Created by Interventions with a SMILE:)
2 OA. 1 FRAME B1: Result Unknown Draw a Picture Strategy: Use the space below to draw out
the number values that are represented in the word

problem .
_____ has crayons. ___________
write a name write number from 20-11 write a name

took of her crayons. How many crayons

write number from 1-10

are left?
my answer

Write the number sentence:

my answer

Reflection: Does my answer make sense? Did I subtract correctly?

_____________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________
Created by Interventions with a SMILE:)
2 OA. 1 FRAME B2: Change Unknown Think-it Out!!

What do I know?
_____ has crayons. I broke I know_________________________________
Write a name write number between 11-20

What do I need to know?

some of the crayons. Then there were I know ________________________________
write number between 1-10

What operation should I use?

crayons. How many crayons did I break? addition or subtraction

Solve it:
Write the number sentence:

Reflection: Does my answer make sense? Could I use a different strategy to

solve the problem?
_____________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________
Created by Interventions with a SMILE:)
2 OA. 1 FRAME B3: Start Unknown Think-it Out!!

Some crayons were found on the floor, I stepped on What do I know?

I know_________________________________

crayons. Then there were

What do I need to know?
I know ________________________________
write number between 20-11 write number between 1-10

What operation should I use?

crayons on the floor. How many crayons were on the addition or subtraction

floor before? Solve it:

Write the number sentence:

Reflection: Does my answer make sense? Could I use a different strategy to

solve the problem?
_____________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________
Created by Interventions with a SMILE:)
DIGIT CARDS SET A

1 2 3 4
5 6 7 8
9 10 11 12
Created by Interventions with a SMILE:)
DIGIT CARDS SET B

13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20

Created by Interventions with a SMILE:)