Lesson plan
Summertime Math Stories
Learning Objectives
Students will learn to locate and interpret important keywords when solving for a missing variable in a given world problem. They will learn to use the WIKED map as a solving strategy for word problems containing a missing variable.
Introduction
(5 minutes)
- Begin the lesson by asking students an essential question, to gauge their prior knowledge of word problem strategies. One example is: What word problem solving strategies do you know?
- Invite students to answer as a class, or have them turn to a class partner for think-pair-share.
- Discuss answers as a whole group.
Explicit Instruction/Teacher modeling
(15 minutes)- Continue the ongoing discussion by informing students that today they will learn a new strategy for solving math stories with missing variables.
- As you explain this, write the following equation on the board: 23 – ___ = 18
- Place an index card inside the blank spot within your equation and write the word “variable” inside of it.
- Explain to the students that a variable is an alphabet letter used in math to represent a missing number. Take the index card off, and replace it with the variable y.
- Explain to the students that their job today will be to solve math stories that have a missing number, or a missing variable.
- Remind students that great problem solvers handle word problems like a detective who looks for clues to help them solve a mystery. One way to look for clues is to circle important keywords.
- Review the Key Words Anchor Chart and use the following procedure to monitor for understanding:
- Ask students to make a plus sign or a minus sign with their fingers for each of the keywords you say:
- Total (+)
- Altogether (+)
- Fewer (-)
- Continue this exercise until students feel confident with their understanding of the key terms and what they entail.
- Draw a representation of the WIKED map on the board and write the following math story above it: Cara and Susan have a hat collection totaling 52 hats. If there are 12 hats in Cara’s house, how many are there in Susan’s house?
- Use the WIKED map on the board to model how a student would use it to solve for the missing addend.
- Repeat this exercise 2 times.
Guided Practice
(10 minutes)- Draw names from your name jar, or call students at random to participate in coming up to the board and solving for a missing variable using the WIKED map.
- Repeat the exercise with two more students or as time permits.
Independent working time
(20 minutes)- Provide students with a sheet-protected copy of the WIKED map, the Summer Time Math Stories handout, and dry erase markers.
- Have students use dry-erase markers to use, and re-use the WIKED map as a solving strategy.
- Once they feel comfortable with the map, ask students to generate their own word stories and exchange it with a partner for problem solving.
Differentiation
- Enrichment: Challenge above level students by having them generate their own word problem stories with missing variables and having them exchange these with peers from their same level for problem solving.
- At Level: Help approaching students by asking them to explain or justify their reasoning behind their answers by writing down a one to two sentence explanation for their answers inside the “Summer Time” handouts.
- Support: Provide students below level with additional support by providing them with highlighters to help them identify the keywords and a 120 counting chart to serve as a visual aid.
Technology Integration
- Teacher may project the WIKED Map or Summer Time Math Stories PDF on an interactive white board or projector.
Assessment
(5 minutes)- Ask students to exchange their Summer Times Math Stories handout amongst each other for grading. Discuss answers as a whole group.
Review and closing
(5 minutes)- Prompt students to turn to their nearest classmate and discuss two things they learned in this lesson. For example: I learned that keywords help me understand whether I should add, subtract, multiply, or divide. I learned what the word “variable” means.
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