Brenstead

Word Problem Clarity by Brenstead

Help your child understand the story before choosing the math.

If your child can calculate but gets stuck on word problems, start with a useful first step.

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Four short questions. No email required.

See an example instead

Designed for Grades 2–4

A real child lesson page: say the story, draw the model, and write the answer.
Digital PDFs · Print at home

A clear routine, one step at a time.

Understand the story. Show the relationship. Then do the math.

  1. Read

    Read the problem slowly.

  2. Retell

    Tell the story in your own words.

  3. Sort

    Find what you know and need to find.

  4. Model

    Show how the amounts fit together.

  5. Plan

    Choose your next step, then calculate.

  6. Explain

    Answer the question and check it makes sense.

Plan includes calculating. Explain includes checking.

A worked example

See how the story becomes a model.

One example from the Starter Kit. The numbers stay simple so we can focus on the relationship.

01 / Read, retell and sort

Sharpened Pencils

A class has 20 pencils. Eight pencils are not sharpened. How many pencils are sharpened?

A class has pencils that are either sharpened or unsharpened.

What we know
20 pencils · 8 unsharpened pencils
What we need to find
sharpened pencils
Not needed
none

02 / Model

See the two parts.

The 20 pencils are either sharpened or unsharpened.

20pencils in all
8not sharpened
pencils
?sharpened
pencils

Every pencil belongs to one of two parts.

Show the plan and answer

03 / Plan and explain

Find the missing part.

First, find the sharpened part of the whole.

20 − 8 = 12

There are 12 sharpened pencils.

Check: 12 sharpened pencils and 8 unsharpened pencils make 20 pencils in all.

A closer look

See the pages you will use.

A small, guided place to start.

  1. 1

    Open the Complete Starter Kit.

    Follow the lesson guide on your phone, tablet or computer.

  2. 2

    Print the matching child pages.

    Use the Child Print Pack. Each child page is completed once.

  3. 3

    Try one short lesson.

    Plan about 12–18 minutes. Pause and continue another time if needed.

A little perspective from parents

Small moments. A clearer way forward.

A question to ask, right when I needed it.

“I liked having a question to ask instead of jumping straight to an explanation. It made the lesson feel easier for me to guide.”

Emma

Something that fits into an ordinary afternoon.

“Keeping the guide on my tablet and printing just the child pages felt manageable. One short lesson was enough for an afternoon.”

Maya

A way to talk about the story before the answer.

“The model gave us something concrete to talk about. I could ask how the parts fit together before we chose the calculation.”

Daniel

Illustrative portraits used to protect customer privacy.

Word Problem Clarity Starter Kit

Start with five calm lessons.

A guided introduction to understanding one-step addition and subtraction word problems before calculating.

  • Five lessons with 15 instructional tasks
  • A 40-page Complete Starter Kit with prompts, models and answers
  • A 19-page Child Print Pack with matching pages
  • A reusable Routine Card and a Final Clarity Check

The child pages appear in both PDFs for convenience. Your child completes each page only once.

Check that it fits.

Best for Grades 2–4 children who can often do simple arithmetic but get stuck understanding the story. The kit introduces Change and Part-Whole problems. It does not cover multiplication, division, fractions or multi-step problems.

This is an introduction to a routine, not a full math curriculum or a promise of mastery.

Questions, answered

Before you decide

Is this a video course or an app?

It is a downloadable kit with two PDFs. You open the Complete Starter Kit on a screen and print the matching child pages. It does not include an app or a video course.

Is it a full math curriculum?

No. It is a five-lesson introduction to understanding one-step addition and subtraction word problems. It teaches Change and Part-Whole structures, not Compare, Equal Groups, division, fractions or multi-step problems.

Will the arithmetic be too easy for Grade 4?

The numbers are intentionally simple: quantities up to 30 and answers up to 31. The focus is understanding and modeling the story. Preview the example to decide whether that focus matches your child.

Do I need teaching experience?

No. Each lesson includes prompts, model guidance, help for getting unstuck and answers. Grade 2 children may need the problem read aloud.

How much time does a lesson take?

Plan about 12–18 minutes. If your child is tired, pause and finish another time. You do not need to complete every closing activity in one sitting.

Do I need to print both files?

No. Keep the Complete Starter Kit on screen and print the matching pages from the Child Print Pack. The pages use US Letter size and are designed to work in grayscale. Each child page is completed once.

How do I receive the files, and where can I get help?

Your purchase is handled by Lava. Use the download access provided with your order. For file or download help, use the seller-contact route shown with your purchase and include your order number.

What if a file will not open, or I need a refund?

Contact Brenstead through your Lava order for help with an incomplete or unreadable file. Refunds and other remedies follow the digital-product policy displayed at checkout.

Can I use it with a class or tutoring clients?

This purchase covers personal use within one household. Classroom, co-op and tutoring use, redistribution, resale and file sharing are not included.

Begin with one useful step.

See how the routine works, then choose whether the five guided lessons are a good fit for your family.

Get the Starter Kit $24

Continue to Lava · One-time purchase · Digital download

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