Activity 01
Pairs: Highlight Hunt
Provide pairs with printed word problems and colored highlighters. One student reads aloud while the other highlights key numbers and words; they switch roles and compare. Pairs share one example with the class.
Analyze which numbers and words in this problem are important for finding the answer.
Facilitation TipIn Pairs: Highlight Hunt, circulate and listen for pairs justifying their choices aloud before marking anything on the page.
What to look forPresent students with a word problem. Ask them to underline the numbers and words they think are important for solving it. Review their responses to see if they are focusing on the correct information.
UnderstandApplyAnalyzeSelf-AwarenessRelationship Skills
Generate Complete Lesson→· · ·
Activity 02
Small Groups: Info Sort Relay
Cut problems into cards with numbers, words, and distractors. Groups line up and race to sort cards into 'key' or 'irrelevant' piles at a station, then solve the problem. Rotate roles for fairness.
Circle the key information you need to solve this problem.
Facilitation TipDuring Info Sort Relay, stand at the sorting station to quickly redirect groups who misplace a card by asking, 'Does that number help answer the question?'
What to look forGive each student a word problem. Ask them to write down the key numbers and words needed to solve it. Then, have them write one sentence explaining why one specific piece of information in the problem was not needed.
UnderstandApplyAnalyzeSelf-AwarenessRelationship Skills
Generate Complete Lesson→· · ·
Activity 03
Whole Class: Detective Vote
Display a word problem on the board. Teacher points to elements one by one; students vote with thumbs up for key info or down for irrelevant. Tally votes and discuss as a group before solving.
Explain why some words or numbers in a problem might not be important.
Facilitation TipFor Detective Vote, freeze the voting process midway to ask, 'Why did you vote that word is important?' before continuing.
What to look forPose a word problem to the class. Ask: 'Which numbers do we need to use to find the answer?' and 'Are there any words here that don't help us solve the math part?' Facilitate a brief class discussion to hear their reasoning.
UnderstandApplyAnalyzeSelf-AwarenessRelationship Skills
Generate Complete Lesson→· · ·
Activity 04
Individual: Circle and Check
Students receive worksheets with three problems. They circle key information independently, solve, then check against a partner. Teacher circulates to prompt reasoning.
Analyze which numbers and words in this problem are important for finding the answer.
What to look forPresent students with a word problem. Ask them to underline the numbers and words they think are important for solving it. Review their responses to see if they are focusing on the correct information.
UnderstandApplyAnalyzeSelf-AwarenessRelationship Skills
Generate Complete Lesson→A few notes on teaching this unit
Teach students to treat word problems like treasure maps. Guide them to circle key numbers and underline action words that signal add or subtract. Model think-alouds where you deliberately ignore descriptive words, such as colors or names, to show what irrelevant means. Research shows this explicit modeling accelerates student adoption of the skill compared to abstract explanations alone.
By the end of these activities, students will confidently underline or select only the numbers and action words that matter in a word problem. They will articulate why certain details do not affect their calculations and demonstrate this understanding through collaborative and individual tasks. Accurate solutions to addition and subtraction problems will follow naturally from their focused selections.
Watch Out for These Misconceptions
During Pairs: Highlight Hunt, watch for students who underline every number or highlight all action words without pause.
Prompt pairs to ask themselves, 'What is the question asking?' before marking anything. If they still struggle, have them read the question aloud together and place a finger on the relevant parts only.
During Info Sort Relay, notice students who keep red herrings like colors or names in the 'keep' pile.
Ask each group to verbalize how a card helps answer the question before placing it. If a card cannot be justified, it goes directly into the 'discard' box with a quick explanation.
During Detective Vote, observe students voting for words based solely on their familiarity rather than their relevance.
Freeze voting after the first round and invite two students to share their reasons. Guide the class to consensus by asking, 'Does this word tell us how many?' to refocus attention on action words.
Methods used in this brief