This detailed lesson helps students understand how to translate English word problems into math, particularly where the order of numbers in English and math are reversed around the math operation. This focuses on problems involving a variety of phrases using the words "from" and "than." It focuses on subtraction, while connecting these topics to addition, multiplication, algebra, and English grammar. It also includes:

• 70+ math questions
• Solutions
• A few more non-math questions to help identify English keywords indicating order in time

This was originally designed for students who may struggle with interpreting math word problems, or math students who are non-native English speakers, but it also can enrich all students' connections between math and English grammar.

This .zip file includes:

• PDF of handouts/slides for students
• PDF of teacher notes
• Fully editable PowerPoint (PPT) file of lesson slides, with notes

Use these lesson files to:

• Help students better understand a variety of math word problems involving the words "from" and "than," and contrast them with other phrases.
• Integrate English grammar and literacy into math class.
• Remediate students' understanding of how to translate math word problems from English into numeric operations and algebraic expressions.
• Connect word problems to algebra, order of operations, the commutative property, decimals, and fractions.
• Team up with an English teacher to co-teach parts of this lesson involving grammar.

Target Level of Math Class:

• Pre-algebra to College Algebra.
• Middle School, High School, College, Adult Education.

Options for How to Use These Files:

• Teach a full lesson focusing on these types of word problems using the slides and handouts.
• Print individual problem sets/slides for students to work on.
• Display parts of the PDF files digitally on your LMS as appropriate.
• Integrate into your own teaching materials as needed.