Lesson Plan: Word Problems for Multiplication and Division
Grade Level: 2nd Grade
Duration: 60 minutes
Objectives:
• Students will identify keywords that indicate multiplication and division.
• Students will practice solving word problems using multiplication
and division.
Materials Needed:
• Whiteboard and markers
• Worksheets with multiplication and division word problems
• Manipulatives (e.g., blocks, counters)
• Chart with multiplication and division keywords
• Flashcards with multiplication tables (2, 4, 5, 10)
Lesson Outline:
1 Introduction (10 minutes)
◦Discuss the importance of multiplication and division in everyday
life, providing simple examples where they apply (e.g., buying
items in groups, sharing equally).
◦ Review multiplication tables (2, 4, 5, 10) briefly to remind students
of the facts they need.
2 Keywords Presentation (10 minutes)
◦Create a chart on the board with two
columns: Multiplication and Division.
◦ Fill in the chart with keywords, discussing each one:
Multiplication Keywords: groups of, times, each, total,
altogether (when referring to total items in groups)
Division Keywords: divided by, shared among, per, each,
remaining (when referring to distributing items)
3 Guided Practice (15 minutes)
◦ Present a few sample word problems on the board. For example:
Multiplication: "There are 4 bags with 5 apples in each bag.
How many apples are there altogether?"
Division: "A teacher has 20 markers. She wants to give each
of her 5 students the same number of markers. How many
markers will each student receive?"
◦ Work through the first problem together, underlining keywords,
and deciding what operation to use. Use manipulatives to
demonstrate.
◦Encourage students to create their own word problems using
the keywords.
4 Independent Practice (15 minutes)
◦Hand out worksheets with a mix of multiplication and division
word problems.
◦ Allow students to work independently or in pairs to solve the
problems, reminding them to underline keywords and write down
the equations that represent the problems.
5 Closure (5 minutes)
◦Review the answers to the worksheet problems as a class, asking
students to explain how they determined whether to multiply or
divide.
◦ Discuss any challenging problems and clarify misunderstandings.
◦ Reinforce the importance of keywords in solving word problems.
6 Assessment:
◦ Monitor student participation during guided practice.
◦ Evaluate completed worksheets for understanding and correct use
of multiplication and division based on keywords.
Additional Activities:
• Keyword Matching Game: Have students match keywords to their
corresponding operation (multiplication or division) using flashcards.
• Creative Word Problems: Have students write their own word
problems using a set of given keywords and share with peers to solve.
Reflection:
At the end of the lesson, reflect on what worked well and what could be
improved. Gather feedback from students about which parts of the lesson
were most engaging or helpful.
Feel free to ask for any adjustments or additional examples!
