Three-Digit Addition Strategies

Review
Second Grade Math

by Beth Lemon November 7, 2018

Use this lesson to review three-digit addition strategies including base-ten drawings, number lines, and the
standard algorithm.

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to solve three-digit addition problems using various visual and written strategies.

Materials and preparation Key terms

Class set and teacher copy of the Addition algorithm

Within 1000 Check-in worksheet base-ten blocks
Document camera or projector regrouping
A set of base-ten blocks in hundreds, tens, and
ones
Class set of student whiteboards, erasers, and
dry erase markers
Class set and teacher copy of scrap paper
The Triple Digit Addition Practice worksheet
(optional)

Attachments

Addition Within 1000 Check-in (PDF)

Addition Practice: Triple Digits (PDF)

Introduction (2 minutes)

Ask students to think about which strategies they have used to solve addition problems. Call on a few
volunteers to share out.
Tell students that today they will review strategies to solve three-digit addition problems.
EL

Beginning

Allow students to show you a strategy instead of telling you with words.
Create an anchor chart with words and visuals that illustrates strategies that can be used to solve
addition problems.

Intermediate

Encourage students to think-pair-share an example strategy with an elbow partner.

Have students explain what they will be doing today in their own words.

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Explicit Instruction/Teacher modeling (10 minutes)

Begin by displaying a number made with the base-ten block set on your document camera. Ask students
to volunteer which number this represents.
Remind students that each hundreds block can be represented with a large square, each ten block can be
drawn as a thin rectangle, and each one block can be drawn as a small square. Say, "Remember that you
do not need to draw every unit within the tens and hundred! A large square and thin rectangle will work."
Project the problem 742 + 239 on the document camera. Demonstrate adding with the base-ten method
by drawing the number 742 in three columns labeled H, T, and O, keeping the hundreds on the left, the
tens in the middle, and the ones on the right. Directly underneath, draw 239 so the hundreds, tens, and
ones are aligned.
Have partners turn and talk about how to add these two numbers using our drawings.
Demonstrate adding the numbers starting with the ones place and moving left.
Next, project the problem 809 + 135 on the document camera.
Have partners turn and talk about how to add these two numbers using the number line. Then ask
students to discuss how they can break up 135 into easier chunks. Ask for volunteers. Explain that one of
the easiest ways to break up a three-digit number is by hundreds, tens, and ones, so today we will break
up 135 into 100 + 30 + 5 to make our "hops" along the number line.
Demonstrate "hopping" starting at 809 on the left side of a number line drawn on the board or projector.
Draw a half-circle hop from 809 to 909 by adding one hundred. Label the 100 on top of the half-circle hop
to keep track of your chunks. Then add 30 to hop to 939. Finally, make a last hop of 5 to make it to 944.
Finally, project the problem 457 + 161 on the document camera and demonstrate adding with the
standard algorithm.
Have partners turn and talk about how to add these two numbers using the algorithm. Remind students
to keep the ones, tens, and hundreds aligned, and to always start by adding the ones and moving left.
EL

Beginning

Provide students with a visual that shows the place values of an example three-digit number (ones, tens,
hundreds) to paste in their math journals.
Provide students with sentence frames to support them in sharing out their ideas.

Intermediate

Encourage students to use sequencing words to explain how to add the two numbers together (first, then,
next, finally).
Ask students to compare and contrast the strategies shown during explicit instruction using sentence
stems and frames.

Guided Practice (10 minutes)

Have student helpers assist in passing out whiteboards, erasers, and dry erase markers.
Instruct students to draw the three columns labeled H, T, and O on their whiteboards.
Give students two problems to solve using base-ten drawings. Make sure at least one problem includes
regrouping.
Give students two problems to solve using number lines and two problems using the standard algorithm.
Make sure at least one of each includes regrouping.
After giving students time to solve each one, have students hold up their whiteboards so you can assess
understanding.
Assist struggling students.
Have student helpers collect whiteboards, markers, and erasers.
EL

Beginning

Have students work in a small, teacher-led group.

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 Provide students with strategy cards that show the different addition strategies that are being used:
base-ten models, number lines, and standard algorithm.
Use the strategy cards to clarify which strategy you'd like them to use to solve the addition problem.

Intermediate

Have students share the names of the different strategies being used with their partner.
Encourage students to draw a visual and write a sentence about each of the strategies to refer to during
future lessons on three-digit addition.

Independent working time (15 minutes)

Distribute the Addition Within 1000 Check-in worksheet and scrap paper.
Instruct students to write their names on both pages.
Explain that the worksheet is where they will write their answers and the scrap paper is where they will
show their work using base-ten models and number lines for each problem. Demonstrate on your own
copy of scrap paper how to label their work with the corresponding number from the worksheet, so you
can quickly check their work.
Allow students to work independently on the problems as you circulate the room answering questions.
EL

Beginning

Allow students to use a strategy of their choice to solve the problems.

Encourage students to show you what strategy they used, referring to the strategy cards for support.

Intermediate

Allow students to work in partnships during this time.

Encourage students to pause after each problem to check if they got the same answer as their partner.
Provide sentence stems such as:
I disagree with your answer because ____.
I agree with your answer because ____.

Related books and/or media

Find interactive books for each child’s level.

Differentiation

Support:

Pull a small group to work on the worksheet while other students work independently.

Enrichment:

Provide fast finishers with bonus problems featuring regrouping on the board.
Provide an extra practice worksheet, such as the Triple Digit Addition Practice worksheet.

Assessment (5 minutes)

Circulate and support students, reinforcing the base-ten model method and checking for understanding.
Collect the worksheets and scrap paper and assess for understanding of the value of each digit, vertical
adding in each column, and regrouping ability.
EL

Beginning

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 Watch the students as they solve the problem to check for understanding.
Encourage students to explain how they solved the problem using words, short phrases, and gestures.

Intermediate

Ask students to detail the processes they used to solve the addition problems using base-ten models,
number lines, and the standard algorithm.

Review and closing (3 minutes)

Call students to the rug and ask for two student volunteers to each share a three-digit number.
Ask a third student volunteer to solve and explain their work as they go.
Ask students to show you on their fingers how comfortable they feel with the base-ten strategy. Have
them hold up five fingers if they are very comfortable with addition using base-ten drawings, three
fingers for gaining confidence, one finger if they are still feeling very unsure, and so on.
Repeat the five finger check-in for the standard algorithm and number line strategies.
EL

Beginning

Have students share their understanding in a small group of students who speak the same home
language (L1), if possible.

Intermediate

Encourage students to share their level of understanding using words.

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Name: Date:

Addition Within 1000 Check-in

Choose a strategy and solve. Show your work.
Problem Work Space Answer

1. 245 + 124 =

2. 783 + 201 =

3. 434 + 281 =

4. 823 + 162 =

5. 677 + 233 =

6. 865 + 337 =

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 Triple Digit Addition Practice

114 First, add 114 Second, add 114 Third, add

the ones. the tens. the hundreds.
+ 575 + 575 + 575
9 89 689

Add the following problems.

148 645 503 315 543 751

+ 730 + 352 + 125 + 263 + 433 + 212

232 504 211 123 456 356

+ 555 + 334 + 258 + 554 + 320 + 130

621 180 621 312 111 145

+ 122 + 813 + 127 + 447 + 353 + 533

456 371 154 313 243 750

+ 113 + 404 + 435 + 475 + 212 + 123

613 450 201 193 775 128

+ 373 + 129 + 186 + 505 + 121 + 371

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