Lesson Plan: Word Problems – Making Thinking Visible with Technology

Unit Goals

The learner will read and identify problems within a passage as they correctly set up a mathematical problem and justify the way they choose to solve it.

Learning Objectives

1. Read and define the problem

2. Be able to back up the way they solved the problem the way they did

3. Correctly set up the mathematical problem

4. Become a problem solver

Background and Rationale

Learning how to work and write a word problems is an important part of a student’s learning process. Word problems teach problem solving, real world experiences, perseverance, open mind set, creativity, and working in collaborative groups just to name a few. You could say world problems are one of the most important parts of math. It really shows kids how math works in the real world.

Students take on the roles of investigators to create word problems that relate to what they are learning and how that works in real life. They will draw pictures, look for key words and they will be required to back up their work with facts. Additionally, they will need to explain why they solved the problem to justify their reasoning.

During the unit the student will have access to lessons that have been taught online, and there will be extra problems provided for students who need more practice; the steps for the process will be given to them in their notes, Anchor Charts, collaboration, conferencing with students and teacher, and the students will be reflecting throughout the unit.

At the end of the unit, along with a test, the students will create their own word problems, getting feedback from students and teachers. They will also create a “how-to” video explaining how to solve a word problem of their choice. The word problems will be put into a bank of problems that the teacher will use for test, checking ins, and homework.

The students love seeing their word problems used and this is something they leave when they leave the class. Future classes love working problems that past students and their peers have created. This will allow me to see if they truly understand what they are doing and why.

Lesson Objectives

Applying

Objective	Bloom’s Verb
The students will use the concepts and steps in solving the problems.	Applying
The students will brainstorm ideas for a student-chosen topic.	Remembering
The students will create and develop their own word problems.	Creating
The students will create and develop “how-to” videos with partners.	Creating
The students will use what they learned about word problems and relate it to things in their own life.	Analyzing
The students will use their word problems to create a bank of problems that the teacher will use on homework, tests, and checking ins.	Creating
The students will complete teacher’s examples and practice problems.	Understanding
The students will give feedback on peer’s VoiceThread.	Evaluating

Bloom’s Taxonomy

Creating (highest level)

Common Core / State and District Standards

Clear, understandable, and consistent
Based on rigorous content and the application of knowledge through higher-order thinking skills
Built upon the strengths and lessons of current state standards

Technology Integration (ISTE Standards•S)

Creativity and innovation

Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology.

Apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, or processes
Create original works as a means of personal or group expression
Use models and simulations to explore complex systems and issues
Identify trends and forecast possibilities

Technology operations and concepts

Students demonstrate a sound understanding of technology concepts, systems, and operations.

Understand and use technology systems
Select and use applications effectively and productively
Troubleshoot systems and applications
Transfer current knowledge to learning of new technologies

Learning and Innovation Skills (P21.org)

Creativity and innovation

Think Creatively:

Use a wide range of idea creation techniques (such as brainstorming)
Create new and worthwhile ideas (both incremental and radical concepts)
Elaborate, refine, analyze and evaluate their own ideas in order to improve and maximize creative efforts

Work Creatively with Others:

Develop, implement and communicate new ideas to others effectively
Be open and responsive to new and diverse perspectives; incorporate group input and feedback into the work

Reason Effectively:

Analyze how parts of a whole interact with each other to produce overall outcomes in complex systems

Make Judgments and Decisions

Effectively analyze and evaluate evidence, arguments, claims and beliefs
Analyze and evaluate major alternative points of view
Reflect critically on learning experiences and processes

Communicate Clearly

Articulate thoughts and ideas effectively using oral, written and nonverbal communication skills in a variety of forms and contexts

Collaborate with Others

Demonstrate ability to work effectively and respectfully with diverse teams

Life and Career Skills (P21.org)

Flexibility and Adaptability: Be Flexible

Incorporate feedback effectively
Deal positively with praise, setbacks and criticism

Initiative and Self Direction: Work Independently

Monitor, define, prioritize and complete tasks without direct oversight

Productivity and Accountability: Produce Results

Multi-task
Participate actively, as well as be reliable and punctual
Present oneself professionally and with proper etiquette
Collaborate and cooperate effectively with teams
Respect and appreciate team diversity
Be accountable for results

Information, Media, and Technology Skills (P21.org)

Create Media Products

Understand and utilize the most appropriate media creation tools, characteristics and conventions

Apply Technology Effectively

Use technology as a tool to research, organize, evaluate and communicate information
Use digital technologies (computers, PDAs, media players, GPS, etc.), communication/networking tools and social networks appropriately to access, manage, integrate, evaluate and create information to successfully function in a knowledge economy

Lesson – Introduction

Explain to the class they will be using what they have learned about world problems and will be creating their own. They will be collaborating with peers and the teacher. The teacher will be looking for keys word, a concept that relates to their own life, and a detailed explanation. The student will be posting these on Google Slides and will be required to give helpful feedback to three peers.

Materials

Learning Management System: I use Haiku, but Google has Google Sites where you can set up a free learning management system.
Recorded Lessons: This can be used for students and parents to go back and review the lesson, more practice problems, and for a flipped classroom.
Steps and procedures that the student has written down. — he/she can use them as they practice problems.
Daily Assessments: —- Questions (5-10) that cover the topic. The students discuss answers with teacher and their peers. They reflect on how to solve the problem and what they need to continue to work on before the test. These daily assignments
Click to enlarge practice problems

Practice Problems: — Problems that I have created or worksheets. These are problems that are customized to the student and what they need to continue to work on and practice. Answers to the word problems
Visuals/Drawings: Have students that are having trouble with the concept to draw pictures of what they think the fraction addition problem will look like. You can check for understanding with this activity. As a teacher you can also have drawings on hand to help those that learn better with visuals.
Question of The Day: — http://socrative.com/ — This is the website where I post the question on the day. I use this for the students to evaluate themselves each day after they have had practice and meet with me and worked with their peers. I want my students to have an understanding of where they are with their learning and be able to see their own progress. This also allows them to take ownership of their own learning process. Got the idea from this blog: http://classorganize.blogspot.ca/2013/10/exit-slip-exit-ticket-ticket-out-door.html
Make comments to the VoiceThread after collaborating with classmates on word problems given in class and for homework by the teacher. https://voicethread.com/#home
Google Docs and Google Slides: This is where the student will put their work.
http://issuu.com/captcurk/docs/mtv_routines — Information on thinking routines.
ThinkingRoutines/UnderstandingRoutines — Another place to find information

Lesson Activities and Procedures

The Activities and Procedures	Time/Materials
The student will watch a teacher-created tutorial on word problems, or the student will watch while the teacher explains word problems face-to-face. The student will take notes and work some practice problems while watching the lesson. They will do all of this before coming to class the next day. The students will also be given the list of keywords they need to look for when solving problems. Remind the students to put themselves in the problem, draw a picture, underline important words. Have the students ask themselves if their answer makes sense. Sometimes there are not keywords that are black and white. The student needs to make sure he/she reads the whole problem. Some Key Words That Might Help: Adding: Sum, Total, More Than Subtracting: Difference, Less Than, How Much More Than Dividing:Per, Average, Quotient Multiplying: Product, Times, Sometimes OF (depends on how it is used.) Examples: Example: Teacher made Tutorial on Word Problems. Examples: AAA Math and IXL are great websites for review and practice.	Max: 30min Some students will not take the whole 30min.
The student will come in the next day and take a “checking in” so the teacher and student can see where they are on their understanding of the concept. The student will then reflect on the problems they got wrong by doing the following. They will go over the steps making sure they followed each step. Collaborate with a peer to talk about how to work the problems. They will meet with the teacher in small groups. After making corrections and reflecting the student will work another problem on the concept. Practice: Checking In Practice: Practice Problems — I just give a few to see where they are.	One Class period about 60 mins long. The student will also be required to work the few new practice problems that you customized to what the student was having trouble with. Some students that got a 100 on their checking in will not be required to work extra problems. All students will need to watch lessons and take notes on Word Problems for homework.
The student will watch a teacher-created tutorial on word problems, or the student will watch while the teacher explains word problems face-to-face. The student will take notes and work some practice problems while watching the lesson. They will do all of this before coming to class the next day. Practice: Example: Teacher made Tutorial on Adding Fractions. Examples: AAA Math and IXL are great websites for review and practice.	Max: 30min Some students will not take the whole 30min.
The student will come in the next day and take a “checking in” so the teacher and student can see where they are on their understanding of the concept. The student will then reflect on the problems they got wrong by doing the following. They will go over the steps making sure they followed each step. Collaborate with a peer to talk about how to work the problems. They will meet with the teacher in small groups. After making corrections and reflecting the student will work another problem on the concept. Practice: Checking In Practice: Practice Problems — I just give a few to see where they are.	One Class period about 60 mins long. The student will also be required to work the few new practice problems that you customised to what the student was having trouble with. Some students that got a 100 on their checking in will not be required to have homework that night.
Students will start to work on creating their own word problems and collaborating with their peers. The students will work on “What Makes You Say That” and “Think Pair Share.”	60min Class x2 (It might take three classes. Just depends on how much the students work on revisions and collaboration.

Lesson Closure

Students will share their work with the class on a Google Doc and Google Slides, some will present to the class, others will display their work in the classroom, some will display their word problems on Google Slides, and some will have them used on tests, homework, and checking ins. The students will also take a test on the concept.