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By Cate Sanazaro
Constructed Response writing and Performance Events are designed to keep pace with
changes in assessment. Constructed Response questions require students to supply, rather
than select, an appropriate response. Also referred to as Open-Ended Response,
Constructed Response usually supports more than one solution process and a wider range
of possible responses. Performance events, requiring students to apply skills, also support
a multi-solution process. This unit combines knowledge of current events with traditional
math skills; culminating in a fun performance event that allows students to create their
own solutions to the problem.
OBJECTIVE
Students Will:
REPRODUCIBLES
Read a Pie Chart (PDF)
Project Outline Sheet (PDF)
Calculating Vacation Costs (PDF)
Calculating Vacation Costs Worksheet (PDF)
CULMINATING ACTIVITY
Design a travel brochure showcasing your itinerary. These can feature real photos, prices,
maps, charts. Display these after they have been presented to the class
Lesson 1
Interpreting Pie Charts
By Cate Sanazaro
This portion of the lesson will cover a discussion on rising gas prices, including the cause
and effect gas prices may have on budgeting for a vacation. Students will use the
presented information to respond to a constructed response question.
OBJECTIVE
Students will:
1. Explore cause and effect, and supply and demand in relation to gas prices.
2. Analyze information on a Pie Chart.
3. Create an appropriate constructed response.
MATERIALS
1. Articles, news videos, or any pertinent information regarding current gas prices
2. A class set of the Scholastic News: Read a Pie Chart (PDF)
REPRODUCIBLES
DIRECTIONS
Part I
Step 1: Introduce the unit by telling students that they will be responsible for planning a
vacation. Before they begin budgeting, they will need to consider where the money will
be spent. Ask for volunteers to offer ideas of what items might be the most costly. If gas
isn’t suggested, mention that this vacation will require a car trip. Discuss what the class
already knows about rising gas prices.
Step 2: Share the articles, news videos, and other gathered information.
Step 3: Distribute the handout, Read A Pie Chart (PDF). Discuss that the chart represents a
whole, in this case the world’s oil supplies. Encourage students to talk about which
countries have the largest slice of the pie. Discuss why the Middle East oil supplies are a
concern to some people.
Step 4: Ask students to answer the questions about the chart. Go over these in class,
checking for understanding.
Step 5: Open up a discussion on how gas prices can affect the travel industry, and how
travelers could conserve energy.
PART II
Step 7: Pair up students to work on a constructed response question such as the following:
Think of your typical daily activities. If gasoline was no longer available, list at least five
ways that would change your lifestyle. What could you personally do to conserve energy?
Give Examples.
Step 8: Allow partners to create one response to the question. Encourage volunteers to
share these in class.
Step 9: Discuss elements necessary for a top quality answer to this question. Model a top
quality answer and evaluate according to the Constructed Response Scoring Guide.
Encourage students to critique class answers by using the scoring guide.
LESSON EXTENSION
Scholastic News Online’s “You’re the President” game, allows students to create a
balanced budget using percentages and pie charts. This is an excellent follow-up to this
lesson. Information can be found at
http://teacher.scholastic.com/scholasticnews/tguide/math.htm
ASSESS STUDENTS
Answers to PDF: 1. C; 2. B; 3. C; 4. A; 5. B; 6. B; 7. C.
Bonus: Saudi Arabia has about 250,000,000,000 barrels; Iraq has about 100,000,000,000
barrels; The U.S. and Canada together have about 30,000,000,000 barrels.
Assess the constructed response questions by checking for complete answers that contain
information covered during discussion.
Use the Rubric Maker to create your own.
ASSIGNMENTS
HOME CONNECTION
Suggest that students ask parents and/or grandparents if they can recall a previous time in
their lives when gas prices were in the news.
Lesson 2
Budgeting for a Trip
By Cate Sanazaro
tudents will use the provided information to plan and calculate a round-trip vacation.
OBJECTIVE
Students will:
MATERIALS
1. Make copies of the Project Outline Sheets (PDF) and Calculating Vacation Costs
(PDF) for the class
2. Prepare a list of 6 resort locations ranging in distance from approximately 700 to
2000 miles one way from your location
3. Provide students with the mileage one way to these 6 destinations
4. Gather atlases, road maps, and any other useful travel resources for class use
5. Copy the Calculating Vacation Costs (PDF) to a transparency for overhead display
(optional)
REPRODUCIBLES
DIRECTIONS
Step 2: Review the project information with the class. Model a completion of Calculating
Vacation Costs worksheet. It may be helpful to copy a sheet onto an overhead
transparency.
LESSON EXTENSION
Alternate trips can be calculated by giving the students other guidelines to follow.
Example: With $500 gas money, plan a round-trip from your hometown to as many National
Parks, State Parks, and State Capitals as possible. Atlases, maps, state brochures, etc. will
be needed.
ASSESS STUDENTS
Use the Rubric Maker to create your own.
• Shows an appropriate method that supports the calculation of the costs of a fully
developed vacation. Clearly shows that they stayed within the budget.
20 points — Emergent
• Part of the task is accomplished, but neither the total cost nor the method for
calculation will accomplish the whole task
10 points — Attempted
• It is evident that the student engaged in the task, but the task was misconceived.
ASSIGNMENTS
• Following instructions and using the resources and information provided, students
complete a budget for a vacation
• Hand in the Calculating Vacation Worksheet for a grade
HOME CONNECTION
Students are encouraged to take this project home and request a parent to check their
calculations.
Does the quality of the work show understanding and enthusiasm for the project?
Can you think of any other information that would assist the student?
Does the rubric fairly assess the project?
Lesson 3
Writing Constructed Responses
By Cate Sanazaro
Utilizing prior knowledge and experience gained from the previous lessons in this unit,
students will complete a constructed response question providing top quality answers.
OBJECTIVE
Students will:
MATERIALS
1. Supply completed work from Lessons One and Two for each student
2. Prepare a top quality answer for constructed response questions for modeling
3. Provide copies of the Constructed Response Scoring Guide
REPRODUCIBLES
DIRECTIONS
Sample questions:
1) How could a pie chart be used to represent your budgeted vacation? Explain what the
slices of your pie represent. Give examples.
2) Give 3 examples of how you could have improved the budgeting of your trip? How
would you rate the success of your vacation on a scale of 1-5? Explain.
3) How did current gas prices affect the quality of your vacation? Give examples of ways
your trip would have changed if gas cost $1.00 per gallon.
Step 2: Allow a full class session to answer questions. Encourage students to write a draft,
edit and rewrite for completion. Students should refer to the scoring guide to check
progress.
Step 3: Share answers in class and discuss how the answers would score on your grading
scale. Allow students to voice opinion on scoring.
LESSON EXTENSION
Invite students to create constructed response questions, and engage the class in providing
answers.
ASSESS STUDENTS
Check for understanding during writing process. Assess the answers according to the
scoring guide. Use the Rubric Maker to create your own.
2—The response demonstrates understanding of the topic, but is limited in one or more
of the following ways:
ASSIGNMENTS
• Provide a constructed response answer to a question utilizing information from
previous lessons
• Discuss completed answers and evaluate according to the scoring guide
HOME CONNECTION
Completed budgets can be taken home to compare with an actual family vacation.
• How do you feel about the quality of the constructed response answers?
• Do your students understand what is necessary for a top score?
• In what other methods could you introduce constructed response questions to your
curriculum?