Differentiated Lesson Plan Template
Pre-Planning:
OBJECTIVE
What will your students be able to do?
Students will be able to determine the
operations necessary to solve two step
word problems using annotation strategies.
Students will also be able to use letters in the
place of unknown numbers.
Learning Goal: I can determine the
operations needed to create and solve
equations for two step word problems.
PREREQUISITE SKILLS
What will your students need to know to
master the grade-level objective?
2nd: 2MA.A.1: use addition and subtraction
within 100 to solve one- and two-step word
problems by using drawings and equations
with a symbol for the unknown numbers to
represent the problem. Problems include
contexts that involve adding to, taking from,
putting together, taking apart
(part/part/whole), and comparing with
unknowns in all positions.
Johns Hopkins University School of Education
Lesson Plan Template
Revised September 2016
Teach For America, Inc. All Rights Reserved
CONNECTION TO ACHIEVEMENT GOAL
How does the objective connect to your
achievement goal?
The objective relates to the learning goal
because it prepares students for developing
Two step word problem equations in order to
reason through and solve them. The objective
is directly aligned to the achievement goal
which is mastery of the standard below.
Standard: MA.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
DIAGNOSTIC
How will you assess students mastery of
these foundational skills?
Students are given a Pre- assessment on their
third grade level standards. Using this data, I
will assess areas of needed information and
begin to form flexible learning group for
guided math.
1
 Preplanning
ASSESSMENT
How will you know whether your students have made progress toward the objective? How and
when will you assess mastery?

I will assess students progress toward the objective by reviewing their

independent practice task and their closing reflection. Using this data, I will
determine flexible groups for my next lesson.

I will assess student mastery of the standard through the grade level common
assessment on two step word problems.

LEARNER VARIANCE
What are your students strengths, needs, and preferences? How will you differentiate for
readiness, interest, and/ or learning profile?

Emergent: My emergent group struggles with multiplication and division. For this lesson I
will have my emergent learners work first with the two operations of addition and subtraction.
Throughout future lessons, students in my emergent group will begin working toward
mastering the achievement goal of using all of the four operations to solve two step word
problems. My reasoning for this is that I would like my emergent learners to get an
understating of the concept and strategy of the two step word problem at their level of
readiness before moving on to their challenge of multiplication and division.
On: The students in my on group will work on two step word problem strategies using all
four operations. Students will be given tasks that require them to develop equations based on
word problems and analyze someone elses choice of operations through a concept cartoon.
By doing this, students will be able to deepen their understanding because they will need to
choose between two other students operation choice and explain how they know which
student is correct.
Above: My above students will work with two step word problem strategies that include all
four operations. Not only will my on students need to solve two step word problems, they will
also need to develop a two-step word problem based on a given equation. By doing this
students must reason through the components and strategies of a two-step word problem and
develop one that matches a given equation.

Johns Hopkins University School of Education

Lesson Plan Template- Differentiating Instruction
Revised September 2016
Teach For America, Inc. All Rights Reserved 2
 Preplanning
KEY POINTS
What three to five key points will you emphasize?

Using the four square strategy, students will reason through the points below. How
can I choose which of the four operations to use?
How can a letter represent an unknown number?
How can I create and solve equations for two step word problems?

Johns Hopkins University School of Education

Lesson Plan Template- Differentiating Instruction
Revised September 2016
Teach For America, Inc. All Rights Reserved 3
 Lesson Cycle
OPENING (5 min.) MATERIALS
How will you communicate what is about to happen?
How will you communicate how it will happen?
How will you communicate its importance?
How will you communicate connections to previous lessons?
How will you engage students and capture their interest?

Brain Warmer
I will begin the lesson by having students complete a brain warmer task (See Materials
on a related review lesson of solving one step word problems. on page 7)
Previously you have solved one step word problems using multiplication and
division. Today you will solve two step word problems involving all four
mathematical operations. (Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, and
Division) Similar to how detectives investigate a mystery, you will
investigate a word problem to determine the needed operations.

INTRODUCTION OF NEW MATERIAL (5 min.) MATERIALS

What key points will you emphasize and reiterate?
How will you ensure that students actively take in information?
How will you vary your approach to make information accessible to all students?
Which potential misunderstandings will you anticipate?
Why will students be engaged/interested?

Using the four square organizer I will model annotating and solving a two-step word (See
problem. To engage my students, I often use their names and things that interest Materials on
them in the word problems I develop. I will begin by using the cube strategy that has
previously been used as a school wide word problem annotation strategy. Next I will
page 7-8)
model how to use the four square graphic organizer to solve the problem. -Cube Strategy
Word Problem and four square exemplar: -Word Problem
Anchor Chart
-Four Square
chart
-Hint Card

Possible Misconceptions: Students may have difficulty choosing the best operation
or operations to solve the problem. My students will receive hint cards of key
mathematical words to look for to help them to better select the appropriate
operation.

Johns Hopkins University School of Education

Lesson Plan Template- Differentiating Instruction
Revised September 2016
Teach For America, Inc. All Rights Reserved 4
 Lesson Cycle
GUIDED PRACTICE (15 min.) MATERIALS
How will you clearly state and model behavioral expectations?
How will you ensure that all students have multiple opportunities to practice?
How will you scaffold practice exercises from easy to hard?
How will you monitor and correct student performance?
Why will students be engaged/interested?

Students will help me solve a two-step word problem and create a word problem Word Problem
anchor chart for them to refer to when using the four square method. Throughout Anchor Chart
the practice, students will turn and talk with their partners in order to share ideas
about next steps. Four Square
chart

INDEPENDENT PRACTICE (20 min.) MATERIALS

How will you clearly state and model behavioral expectations?
In what ways will students attempt to demonstrate independent mastery of the
objective?
How will you provide opportunities for extension?
Why will students be engaged/interested?

Students will be grouped by tables to complete the tasks below. Students will be -Concept
able to refer to the two step word problem anchor chart and hint cards to complete Cartoon Task
the tasks below. The tasks are leveled based on ability and my above group's tasks -Food and
challenges them to work backwards through the concept in order to develop their Two Step
own word problem. This extends their learning because they must remember each Word
step of developing an equation for a word problem and use it to create their own. Problems
All the tasks below ask students to meet the following objective components Task
through the four square method. -Operation:
-Choose the best operations to solve the problem. Operation?
-Develop an equation for the word problem where the letter is unknown Task
-Solve two step word problems. - Two step
Emergent: word problem
anchor chart
-Hint Cards
On:

Above:

Johns Hopkins University School of Education

Lesson Plan Template- Differentiating Instruction
Revised September 2016
Teach For America, Inc. All Rights Reserved 5
 Lesson Cycle
CLOSING (10 min.) MATERIALS
How will students summarize what they learned?
How will students be asked to state the significance of what they learned?
How will you provide all students with opportunities to demonstrate mastery of (or
progress toward) the objective?
Why will students be engaged/interested?

Students will reflect on the prompt below. Writing

How can the four square method help you solve two step word Prompt
problems? Math Journals
How can you determine which operations to use to solve word
problems?

Students will share their responses with a partner.

Johns Hopkins University School of Education

Lesson Plan Template- Differentiating Instruction
Revised September 2016
Teach For America, Inc. All Rights Reserved 6
Brain
Warmer

Cubes
Strategy

Johns Hopkins University School of Education

Lesson Plan Template- Differentiating Instruction
Revised September 2016
Teach For America, Inc. All Rights Reserved 7
Word
Problem/
Anchor
chart
Exemplar

Hint
Card

Four
Square

Johns Hopkins University School of Education

Lesson Plan Template- Differentiating Instruction
Revised September 2016
Teach For America, Inc. All Rights Reserved 8
 References
Gwinnett County Public Schools. (n.d.). Academic Knowledge Skills. Retrieved October 22, 2017,
from https://publish.gwinnett.k12.ga.us/gcps/wcm/myconnect/a1016a54-f10c-4790-92d4-
06c2b68f7221/2017-18_AKS_Grade_Booklet_3rd.pdf?MOD=AJPERES

Tomlinson, C.A., & Imbeau, M .B. (2010). Leading and managing a differentiated classroom.
Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Johns Hopkins University School of Education

Lesson Plan Template- Differentiating Instruction
Revised September 2016
Teach For America, Inc. All Rights Reserved 9