Duncan Busser Math Term III Lesson Plan Writing Multiplication Story Problems

Duncan Busser Term III - Math Multiplication word-problem lesson plan To be taught: 12/5/12 Pedagogical Focus I want to see how my third graders do when writing word problems. Of the focuses we have been working with this term, I mostly want to concentrate on how the third graders in my classroom make multiplication (or, more likely, repeated addition) relative to their own understanding. I want to see how they select and use representations of numbers in their own created word problems and in the classroom with respect to manipulatives and other tools. I want to give them a multiplication problem, and I want to see how they convert that into multiplicative problem situation expressed in a representative and relative in a word problem. I feel that by describing grouping in units that they select for themselves, they can make those representations more personal and more relatable and overcome challenges they may perceive in multiplication as a daunting mathematical concept. They are no longer doing 9 X 5 = 45, but they are buying nine pieces of candy that cost five cents each. They will be able to tell their peers, for example, that if they want a small handful (nine pieces) of Swedish Fish, they would need to have $0.45 in their hands. What I want my students to understand that math is practical, and I want to see them make math personal through familiar representation. I want to see the students express multiplication in other, more relative terms. I want them to see everyday activities, particularly grouping, as practical applications of multiplication. When I teach this lesson, we will be midway through an Everyday Math unit on multiplication, and they will have started thinking more multiplicatively. My content and process goals are to build upon this multiplicative thinking and have the students create their own representations of math. Given the opportunity to use representations in math, students will more completely understand the concepts of multiplication and overcome some of the challenges that they may perceive. In order to reach this goal, I will give the students an opportunity to translate number sentences into word problems. I will only work with equal grouping problems because multiplication is still very new to them. How: In a small group setting, I will model examples of simple word problems that we will solve together as a whole group. After that, I will give the students a couple of example number sentences that all of us will work together to turn into word problems. Depending on how quickly the group grasps the concept, I will offer the students several example math problems that they must first solve, then translate into word problems. I will let them know that they may choose to use their math problem any way they choose, and I will prompt them to use the Part-Part-Whole concept creatively and possibly to have their word problem be such that it is one of the parts that they students are trying to figure out (How many dozens of eggs do you have to buy to have 60 eggs?). In order to get the students thinking more representationally, I will encourage them to use manipulatives in every aspect of the lesson. With physical or visual representations in front of them, I feel that they will more quickly and easily adapt to unseen representations
Comment [CE1]: Your pedagogical focus should be one of the three listed on the assignment guidelines. You seem to be getting into the what here..

Comment [CE2]: What are these concepts? You need to focus more on the mathematics here. What do students need to understand in order to think multiplicatively? Draw on Chapin and Johnson and class notes to help you flesh this out so that your lesson is grounded in clear mathematical goals.

Comment [CE3]: ?

Comment [CE4]: So this is now a division problem Comment [CE5]: This isnt really a termbut I think you are trying to say that you want students to think concretely about grouping

Duncan Busser Math Term III Lesson Plan Writing Multiplication Story Problems

of, say, groups of cats rather than groups of blocks. In order to promote individual thinking, I will give the students a wide variety of manipulatives to work with so that they work with whatever tools they are most familiar or comfortable with. By this point in the curriculum, the students will have a basic understanding of partitive grouping story problems. They have worked with story problems throughout the year as a part of the Everyday Math curriculum, so the tasks are not unfamiliar. I will start off with modeling, then pass the responsibility of the learning slowly over to the students through lead group work then independent work. I am a firm believer in inquiry-based learning, so I will not give any written instructions. Instead, I will ask, How can we make 3x4 into something we can look at, even if it is only something we can see in our minds? The manipulatives from the classroom will be out and available, and I will have charts, scratch paper, graph paper, and a variety of writing and drawing implements. The students are familiar with these tools, and they know that they are allowed to use any tool to solve a problem. Why: When I was working on my Term II project, my student was what Smith and Smith (2006) referred to as a traditional student; when given the task of creating a word problem for 3x4, she first made up a story that was representative of 8+4. She knew she had to get to 12, because she knew the math fact 3x4=12, but she wasnt sure how to get there. I want to learn how other students fare at the same project. I feel that personal and practical application of learning is by far the most effective way to teach. When the students can see what theyre learning, they are more likely to understand it. This is true across the board, and I want to incorporate that into all of my teaching. When teaching about similes in my Literacy lesson, I will have the students write similes into their own personal narratives that they are currently writing in Language Arts. They will play with magnets in my Science lesson because they are fun, and they will learn what magnets stick to and what they dont. They might have been told that magnets dont stick to all metals, but when they physically try to stick a magnet to a variety of coins, they can really understand that. I have seen my students struggle with understanding multiplication, particularly while trying to understand perimeters and areas of rectangles. When they drew out their own rectangles on graph paper, many of my students understood the concept a lot better than when they were measuring printed images or reading sentences describing the dimensions of the rectangle. I want to expand upon their visual thinking, and multiplication is the easiest way for me to teach that, because I personally came to understand multiplication once I put it into visual terms. Understanding the concept of multiplication for me was a real turning point in my understanding of mathematics, and I want to see if it does the same thing with my students. Further, with the free use of familiar manipulatives, the students will understand that they can use whatever strategy they want to represent the problem they have to write.

Comment [CE6]: Are they using the blocks to represent the cats?

Comment [CE7]: Partitive refers to division. There are two ways to pose a division problem review this from notes and the book Comment [CE8]: What does this really mean? To me it means that students should be raising questions and working to solve problems that are real problems (for which its not immediately obvious how to soslve them). Im not sure how that relates to written instructions.

Duncan Busser Math Term III Lesson Plan Writing Multiplication Story Problems

Lesson Plan Writing Multiplication Story Problems Third Grade, Friends Select School Small group instruction

Goals / Objectives: Students will be able to identify and write the a number sentence to represent a multiplication situation in a story problem. Students will be able to translate abstract math problems into personal and relatable story problems. (Primary objective) Standards / Assessment Anchors: CC.2.2.3.A.1 Represent and solve problems involving multiplication and division. Materials and Preparation: Prepare several examples of multiplication story problems on individual index cards Manipulatives: Base-ten blocks, counting blocks, plastic coins Charts: Multiplication tables, number charts Writing materials: Markers, pencils, graph paper, blank paper, lined index cards Classroom Arrangement and Management: For this lesson, we will be working outside the regular classroom, so all manipulatives, charts, and materials will need to be brought with us to our workspace. We will work in either the lunchroom or the library, depending on the days timing. I am working with four students who will be working in pairs, so the pairs will need to be able to be separated to work quietly together, either at adjacent tables or opposite ends of a long table. Manipulatives and supplies will be offered in a central location, and there will be plenty of each kind for each group (i.e.: two boxes of money, two sets of base-ten blocks, etc.). I will be working under established classroom norms, which includes changing the color of a students card on the classroom behavior chart (changing the students light) after repeated inappropriate behavior. Classroom norms will be reiterated at the beginning of this lesson, reinforcing that the same rules apply even when I am the teacher and when we are outside the regular classroom. Plan: Introduction: (5 minutes) Run through norms and discourse. All regular classroom norms apply, even outside the traditional classroom. Consequences and rewards are the same, regardless of who is teaching and where we are.

Comment [CE9]: This needs some revision. SWBAT write a story problem to represent equal grouping in context?

Duncan Busser Math Term III Lesson Plan Writing Multiplication Story Problems

Hook: Im working on a project where I am assembling some new word problems for an assessment. I need your help writing the problems. When you are working with a math problem, you know that you have a lot of tools available to you. When we are working on this project, just like in the classroom, you have the chance to use any of the tools around. You can use blocks to make groups, a multiplication table to solve problems, use a number chart to count up, or the coins if you want to work with money. There is plenty of scratch paper and graph paper if you want to draw out your problems while you work on them. Remember: The choice is yours. Im really interested in learning about how you come up with your word problems. We will be working first as a group, then later as two pairs as you come up with your math problems. What are we working on right now in Math? [Multiplication] Formative Assessment: (5 minutes) OK, so what do we know about multiplication? What does it mean? What can you tell me about groups? What if you are counting several groups of the same size? Does that count as multiplication? You have been working on your multiplication math facts for several days now. Do you feel confident in your knowledge of math facts to put them to the test? Do you like looking at number problems, like [written out on scratch paper] 3x4, or is there a different way you like to think of multiplication? Have you ever worked with word problems or story problems? Tell me about what you think about story problems. Lets do an exercise about making multiplication fun. Lets make it about you guys. Do you think you can write your own story problems about multiplication? Lesson: (10 minutes) Lets work together to go through a few word problems: First example word problem, written out on an index card: If I had six pairs of shoes, how many individual shoes would I have altogether? How did you come up with that answer? Is doubling a kind of multiplication? Second example: How many legs altogether are there on seven cats? Whats the number sentence here? What are the numbers were looking for? What information do we have? How many legs does a cat have? Third example: George and Martha had four children. Each of those four children had three children of their own. How many grandchildren do George and Martha have? How do we figure out how many grandchildren George and Martha have? Can we do it with addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division? What is the number sentence here? How can we show it as addition? How can we show it as a multiplication problem? Fourth example: [If the students are amenable to more involved problems and partitive grouping]

Comment [CE10]: OK, so this is a good way to set a purpose for the lesson. Just try to make this as clear and concrete as possible.

Comment [CE11]: This seems pretty vague. You might ask them to brainstorm some things that come in equal groups (socks, packs of juice, quarters in a dollar). There is a book called "Each orange has 8 slices" that would also be a great introduction to equal groups.

Comment [CE12]: I think you are getting off track too much here. Try to keep it really focused . Just gathering a few ideas about what they know about multiplication, and highlighting the concept of equal groups is sufficient here.

Comment [CE13]: Is this an index card for you? It seems like it would be too small for students to see. Do you want to write it on chart paper or a board? Comment [CE14]: What strategies do you expect to see. Think this through ahead of time. What connections could you draw between strategies? Comment [CE15]: Are they working out these problems or are you? Do you expect them to be able to do them mentally, or do they have access to pencil and paper or manipulatives here? You might scaffold this by asking How can we represent this problem with a picture or with blocks?

Comment [CE16]: It seems like you are rushing to more abstract ways do this rather than letting them figure it out.

Duncan Busser Math Term III Lesson Plan Writing Multiplication Story Problems

Joe and Mary collect postcards. They have 99 postcards in their scrapbook. 9 postcards fit on each page of the scrapbook. How many pages are there in the scrapbook? Can this a multiplication problem? Have we seen problems like this before? How do we write this number sentence? [9 x ___ = 99] What goes in the blank space? How do we know that? Transition example: How can we show 4x12 as a story problem? I will write notes from the conversation on a black piece of paper. What is the answer to the math problem? What do we want our story to be about? Do we want to make groups? How big are the groups? How many are there? Remember how we talk about units in out math problems, like the number of chickens or the number of fingers? What are the units in this story problem?
Number problemmultiplication equation? : 4x12= Solution (total): 48 Tools used: Math fact Units: Eggs Groups: Dozens (12) Word problem: Janet needs 48 eggs to color for an Egg Hunt. Eggs are sold by the dozen. How many dozen eggs does she need
Comment [CE17]: Now Im going to write a multiplication problem. Can you think of a story problem that would go with 4 x 12?

On a prepared index card, write the example math problem at the top [4x12], the solution to the math problem [48], the names units in the story [eggs] and the size of the groups [12]. Then write out the story problem created by the group. Repeat as necessary with different problems until the kids get it. Reinforce to the students that they may use any tools they want to figure out the solution.

Comment [CE18]: Are these follow up probes? Make sure you give them a chance to respond first before posing all these questions. It might be clearer to ask "How many groups should we have? How many should be in each group?" Comment [C19]: In Everyday Math they call this a number model. You could also call it a multiplication equation. Comment [CE20]: Im not sure why you need them to write out tools used I would suggest making this a bit simpler. You want them to write a word problem, solve the problem and show how they solved it, and perhaps show a drawing? Units and groups also seems confusinghow about number of groups and number in each group ? Comment [CE21]: One example is sufficient.

Paired Work: (10 minutes) Instructions: You will be given an index card with a math problem written on top of it, just like the one we had in the example we worked on together. Also on the card, there is a place to write the solution to the math problem, your units, the size of your groups, and finally, your own story problem for which the number problem on the card is the same as the number sentence used in the story problem. One of you will be writing out the information on the index card. You have to decide together who is going to do it. You can use any of the tools to solve the problem that we have in the classroom. It may be helpful to see the groups when thinking about the multiplication. The units in your story problem can be anything you want. You can make it about whatever is important to you. It can be candy or horses or cars or giraffes, just so long as it is something you can relate to. Send to tables to work in pairs.
Comment [CE22]: Do you want them to show you how they solved the problem? If they use manipulatives, they can draw out what they did on the paper.

Duncan Busser Math Term III Lesson Plan Writing Multiplication Story Problems

Check in with each pair. What are you writing about? Is that your unit? How big are the groups? Where are you getting your numbers? What is the solution to the math problem on the card? Are you using any tools? Closure: (5 minutes) When both pairs have completed their problems, come back together as a group. Each pair reads aloud their word problem. Ask of the other pair about each problem: What are the units in their problem? How big are the groups? Is the solution correct? How do you know? Does the word problem make sense? Why? Ask of each pair: How did you come up with your solution? Do you prefer to draw things out, make groups of actual objects, or do things some other way? Do you like word problems or number problems more? Why? I think these are some really great word problems for the project. Im going to take them to my professors at Penn and show them what great mathematicians we have here in third grade! Anticipated Responses: Content: I believe that the students will initially find the instructions confusing, even after working on examples together in the exact same format. Given the freedom to decide their units, some students may get hung up on deciding little facts rather than focusing on the assignment as a whole. Management Issues: Because the group has been hand picked, I do not expect any serious management issues. Students will get excited when working in pairs, and I expect the conversation to get a little boisterous at times, but I also expect them to quiet down quickly as I will be bouncing back and forth between groups. Because the pairs are working on problems that they will later present to the group, they may very well be secretive about their work and talk in a whisper to each other. Assessment of Goals: Throughout the inquiry-based lesson, I will be constantly assessing the progress of the students. I will write the math problem on each pairs card after assessing what I think they can handle and what they cant. Does one of the pair know math facts or how to use manipulatives to do 7x13? Is one of the students doing more work than the other? Most importantly, is the word problem valid, well-written problem that accurately depicts the math problem at hand?
Comment [25]: In relation to what? This is why you need to be clearer about the mathematical goals of you lesson in relation to the development of multiplicative thinking. Comment [26]: Comment [CE23]: Im not sure about this question... do you mean how many are in each group? I think you may be trying to draw on smith & smith here in relation to the components of understanding multiplication. But these are components you can look for when assessing students understanding. It's not necessarily appropriate to ask students to direct reflect on them. Comment [CE24]: How about getting to some more important math here. Can you try to use their solutions to help make some connections here? Think about the transition from counting to repeated addition to multiplicative thinking. Ask questions to help them consider different ways to solve multiplication problems, e.g., I see you found out how many are in two groups... how can we use that to help finish solving the problem? or if someone counts by ones "Is there a faster way to count the number of xxx? is there another number you can count by? "

Duncan Busser Math Term III Lesson Plan Writing Multiplication Story Problems

Accommodations: Throughout the entire lesson, I will be constantly assessing the progress of the students. Because the index cards to not have the math problem written on them, the assignment for each pair will be on the level I assess them to be able to manage. The assignment will be to create just one word problem. By setting the assignment at the most basic level, work will be added or adjusted to meet the needs of the pair of students. Each of the pairs will be such that one of the students is a stronger math learner than the other. The first pair to complete the task will be handed another card with another math problem on it. Through constant assessment and time monitoring, I will continue to hand out problems to each pair until about 5 minutes before the end of the allotted time, when we will reconvene for the closing of the lesson and the sharing of the students work. Duncan, This is overall a solid plan in terms of feasibility and developmental appropriateness. The main thing you need to work on is getting clear about the mathematical goals. Draw on what we know about the development of mathematical thinking (course readings and notes) to revise your what section, clarify your lesson plan goals, and create a checklist for what you will be looking for in terms of components of multiplicative thinking (look at the one I posted on Canvas as an example to work off of). I addition, make sure you are giving students time to work out and make sense of the problems for themselves before jumping in with all those questions. I'm hoping those are meant for follow up probes to be used as appropriate. Think carefully about how students might respond-what strategies do you expect to see? What strategies do you want them to be exposed to? How might your lesson help them move towards more sophisticated strategies? Modeling one problem is sufficient then let them work and leave time for discussion of strategies. Again in this section you want to think about how to pull out the important mathematics.