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  • 3rd Grade
  • Math
  • About 10 minutes
  • See it all: a chart to keep

Two-Step Problem Steps Chart

Steps for solving a story with two steps.

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Two-Step Problem Steps ChartName:Date:Steps for solving a story with two steps.Mia has 3 bags with 6 apples in each bag.She eats 4 apples. How many apples are left?1. ReadWhat do I know? What do I need to find?2. PlanWhat do I find first? The apples in all.3. Step 13 × 6 = 18 apples in all4. Step 218 − 4 = 14 apples left5. CheckWork backward: 14 + 4 = 18, and 18 ÷ 3 = 6.Draw a bar model18666184?Or write one equation3 × 6 − 4 = nn = 14The letter stands for thenumber you need to find.k5printables.com · Sheet #71724601 · Aligned with Common Core 3.OA.D.8

How to do it

  1. Read the example story.
  2. Follow the five steps.
  3. Look at the bar model and the equation.

Teaching tip

Keep the chart next to your child while they work on two-step stories. This sheet is aligned with Common Core 3.OA.D.8.

Two-Step Problem Steps Chart for 3rd grade (two-step word problems), free printable
Printable preview

About this chart

Read, plan, step 1, step 2 and check, with a worked example, a bar model and an equation using a letter.

What kids practice

A two-step word problem needs two calculations to solve, like "3 bags of 6 apples, and 4 are eaten. How many are left?" (3 × 6 = 18, then 18 − 4 = 14). Third graders solve these with any of the four operations, write one equation with a letter for the unknown number, and use rounding to check that an answer makes sense.

Watch for

  • Doing only the first step and stopping.
  • Using all the numbers in the story with the same operation.
  • Not checking whether the answer makes sense in the story.

It's free to print, as many copies as you need. See the full two-step word problems guide for 3rd grade.

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