Story Problems Unpacked

Grade: 7th

Duration: 30 Minutes

Unit: Math in Real Life (Lesson 1 of 4)

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Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

• CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.7.EE.B.3: Solve real-world and mathematical problems involving numerical expressions and simple one-step equations.
• Translate real-life scenarios into one-step mathematical expressions.
• Identify and highlight key information and operation words in word problems.
• Formulate mathematical expressions that represent simple story problems.

"I Can" Statements

• I can spot important numbers and words that tell me which math operation to use in a word problem.
• I can write a one-step expression to show what is happening in a story problem.

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Success Criteria

• Students correctly highlight keywords indicating operations (e.g., sum, difference, product, quotient, total, left).
• Students write accurate one-step expressions from story problems.
• Students explain the reasoning behind their choice of operations and expressions.

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Materials Needed

• Whiteboard and markers
• Projector/tablet for visual aids
• "Story Problem Highlighter" worksheets
• Colored pencils or markers
• Dyslexia-friendly version of story problems with clear spacing and font (e.g., OpenDyslexic)
• Small whiteboards or individual dry-erase boards for each student

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Lesson Outline

1. Introduction & Activation (5 minutes)

• Engage: Start with a quick question: “Have you ever had to figure out how many apples you have after giving some away?”
• Explain how in real life, we use words to explain math problems — these are called story problems.
• Show a simple example on the board:

  “Sarah has 8 apples. She gives 3 apples to her friend. How many apples does she have left?”

• Ask students which numbers and words are important. Highlight “8,” “gives 3 away,” and “how many left.” Discuss the operation word “gives away” means subtraction.

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2. Guided Practice: Highlighting Key Info (10 minutes)

• Distribute the "Story Problem Highlighter" worksheets that contain 3 simple word problems.
• Read the first problem aloud while students follow along (using the dyslexia-friendly version).
• As a class, identify and underline/highlight:
  • Numbers involved
  • Operation keywords (like “total,” “left,” “difference,” “in all”)
• Students use colored pencils or markers to highlight these on their worksheets.
• With students, write a one-step expression for the problem on the board (e.g., 8 - 3).

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3. Independent Work: Expression Creation (8 minutes)

• Students complete the remaining two problems on the worksheet individually.
• Each student writes their own one-step expression and then solves it on their small whiteboard.
• Teacher circulates, offering support and prompting to students who struggle, especially focusing on clear thinking for dyslexic learners (breaking words down, emphasizing operation keywords).

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4. Sharing & Reflection (5 minutes)

• Volunteers share their highlighted key info and expressions.
• Teacher uses questioning to help students articulate reasoning:
  • “Why did you choose subtraction for this problem?”
  • “What words helped you decide that?”
• Highlight correct reasoning and gently clarify misunderstandings.

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5. Extension & Differentiation Strategies

• For advanced learners:
  • Invite them to create their own one-step story problem and exchange with a partner to solve.
  • Challenge: Create a problem with two-step expressions for the next lesson.
• For students needing more support:
  • Use visuals & manipulatives (e.g., counters, drawing apples) to model the problem physically.
  • Pair students community-wise so peer support enhances understanding.
  • Read problems aloud multiple times with clear pauses.
  • Provide templates with sentence starters like: “There are ___, then ___.”
• For dyslexic learners:
  • Provide dyslexia-friendly text versions with larger font, clear spacing, and consistent font style.
  • Use colored overlays or highlighters to help track lines of text.
  • Allow oral response or drawing instead of written when needed.

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Assessment

• Formative assessment through observation during guided and independent work.
• Review of highlighted worksheets and written expressions to check understanding.
• Use exit ticket: One simple story problem with numbers and operation words — students write just the equation before leaving.

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Reflection for Teacher

• Did students consistently identify key information and operation terms?
• Were expressions accurate and did students explain their choices?
• Which differentiation strategies worked best for whom?

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With this engaging, clear, and scaffolded lesson, students build a strong foundation in decoding story problems—setting the stage perfectly for the following lessons in the "Math in Real Life" unit.