Solve problems involving the

four operations, and identify

and explain patterns in
arithmetic
Title 3.OA.8
Subject Mathematics
Author Sapphire Johnston
Grade level 3rd
Time duration 45 min (not including 5 min prep time; subsequent times given after each
direction)
Outcomes beyond State Besides demonstrating understanding of state standard content, students
Standards will develop leadership skills, show clear thinking, understand how math
can be used in everyday situations, and develop listening skills.
State Standards 3.OA.8 Solve two-step word problems using the four operations.
Represent these problems using equations with a letter standing for the
unknown quantity. Assess the reasonableness of answers using mental
computation and estimation strategies including rounding. (This standard
is limited to problems posed with whole numbers and having whole
number answers; students should know how to perform operations in the
conventional order when there are no parentheses to specify a particular
order (Order of Operations).)
Materials See appendix at the end of the lesson for task worksheets
o Worksheet for Task One
o Worksheet for Task Two
Scratch paper for solving word problems
Pencils (1/student)
Essential Questions 1. How do you solve problems using any of the four operations in
real world situations?
 2. What are some strategies for solving unknowns in open sentences
and equations?
3. How do you estimate answers using rounding to the greatest
place?
4. How can you decide that your calculation is reasonable?
Understanding 1. Students will understand
a. Addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division
problems can be represented by using equations with a
letter standing for the unknown quantity
b. How to assess the reasonableness of answers using
mental computation and estimation strategies including
rounding as it relates to whole number problems
c. Order of operations
Knowledge 1. Students will know
a. Addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division
problems can be represented by using equations with a
letter standing for the unknown quantity
b. How to assess the reasonableness of answers using
mental computation and estimation strategies including
rounding as it relates to whole number problems
c. Order of operations
Skills 1. Students will be able to
a. Solve two-step word problems using the four operations
b. Represent these problems using equations with a letter
standing for the unknown quantity
c. Assess the reasonableness of answers using mental
computation and estimation strategies including rounding
Learning Activities 1. Before class begins (5 min, not included in total)
a. Divide class into groups of four
b. One worksheet per group (set on tables)
c. Write nametags for each member of each group (set on
tables in groups)
d. Develop worksheets with two two-step word problems,
tasks, that use at least two of the four operations to
solve
i. Task One: The Stamp Collection
ii. Task Two: The Class Trip
2. Class time
a. Students sit in assigned groups (1 min)
b. Explain to students that they will complete two tasks (2
min)
First Task:
i. Describe the first task (3 min)
1. Masha had 120 stamps. First, she gave
her sister half of the stamps and then she

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 used three to mail letters. How many
stamps does Masha have left? (The
Stamp, 2017)
2. Ask the students to solve the word
problem in groups illustrating the mental
steps they will take as they solve it using
the Worksheet for Task One in the
Appendix and scratch paper (as needed)
(10 min)
3. Teacher checks in with groups to make
sure they understand that they need to
use two different operations to solve the
word problem (time included in previous
10 min)
4. Explain one possible way of illustrating
the solution (4 min):
We can visualize the problem with a bar diagram:

2 units = 120
1 unit = 60
60 - 3 = 57
Masha had 57 stamps left. (The Stamp, 2017)
Second Task:
ii. Describe the second task (3 min)
1. The problem will require students to
understand the concept of using
variables to represent unknown
quantities. This means that you will need
to explain this concept after describing
the second task.
a. The word variable is a fancy
word mathematicians, people
who do math for a job, use to

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 describe a number that they do
not know already. For example,
if youre given a math problem
that you dont know the answer
to, such as 789*345, you would
use a variable to represent the
answer to this math problem.
When youve solved the
problem, you would replace the
variable with the answer because
now you know the answer. In
this task, you dont know how
much money Mrs. Moores class
still needs to earn to pay for
their class trip. Because you
dont know how much, you can
represent this value with a
variable. Once you find out, you
can replace that variable with
your answer.
2. Mrs. Moores third grade class wants to
go on a field trip to the science museum.
The cost of the trip is $245. The class
can earn money by running the school
store for 6 weeks. The students can earn
$15 each week if they run the store.
a. How much more money does
the third grade class still need to
earn to pay for their trip?
b. Write an equation to represent
this situation. (The Class,
2017)
3. Ask the students to solve the word
problem in groups illustrating the mental
steps they will take as they solve it using
the Worksheet for Task Two found in
the appendix and scratch paper (as
needed) (10 min)
4. Teacher checks in with groups to make
sure they understand that they need to
use two different operations to solve the
word problem (time included in previous
7 min)
5. Explain one possible way of illustrating
the solution (4 min):

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 We can start by finding out how much money the students can make at
the store:

615=610+65=60+30=90
Since
24590=155, the students still need $155 dollars for the field trip.
We can let n stand for the amount of money they still need. We know that
the amount they can make at the store is 615 and the amount they need
to raise is 245, so one equation is
245615=n
Another possible equation is
615+n=245 (The Class, 2017)
c. Debrief in pairs aloud (teacher asks question, each
student in the pair shares their answer) with questions
below (5 min)
i. These are sample questions that may provide for
a sufficient debrief, not all of them need to be
discussed.
ii. Make sure this discussion is only 5 min long as
you need time for exit cards.
Debrief Sample questions: What did you enjoy about this lesson and why? What
would you change and why? Can you share a situation in everyday life
where you might you use these methods? Are there other relationships
between addition, subtraction, multiplication, and/or division that we
might not have mentioned?
Exit Cards What is your main takeaway from this lesson? (2 min)
Sources Cited The class trip. (2017). Retrieved October 22, 2017, from Illustrative
Mathematics website:
https://www.illustrativemathematics.org/content-
standards/3/OA/D/8/tasks/1301
The stamp collection. (2017). Retrieved October 22, 2017, from Illustrative
Mathematics website:
https://www.illustrativemathematics.org/content-
standards/3/OA/D/8/tasks/13

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Appendix
Worksheet for Task One
Situation: Masha had $120$ stamps. First, she gave her sister half of the stamps and then she used three to
mail letters.
Question: How many stamps does Masha have left?

Use the bar diagrams below to help you answer the Question:

Source: www.illustrativemathematics.org/content-standards/3/OA/D/8/tasks/13

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Worksheet for Task Two

Situation: Mrs. Moores third grade class wants to go on a field trip to the science museum.
The cost of the trip is $245.
The class can earn money by running the school store for 6 weeks.
The students can earn $15 each week if they run the store.

Question (Answer BOTH parts):

Part 1: How much more money does the third grade class still need to earn to pay for their trip?
Part 2: Write an equation to represent this situation. (There are several possible equations.)

Figuring out your answers to these will help you answer both parts of the Question.

What do you need to know first in order to complete this task?

How much money do they still need?

Source: https://www.illustrativemathematics.org/content-standards/3/OA/D/8/tasks/130