REAL LIFE MATH

Math Lesson: Problem-SolvingLearning Math Skills Using

Visualization to Make Real Life Connections

OBJECTIVESStudents will: practice reading and answering word

problems as a class, in small groups, and on their own;

think about the ways they use math in real life

Take photographs that illustrate the ways in which they use math

write their own real-life word problems to accompany the photos.

MATERIALS NEEDED

camera a collection of math word problems for

practice a collection of student-created math

word problems props for photo-staging/role-playing computer photo-shop program projector

Begin the lesson by sharing some math story problems and asking students to close their eyes and imagine the scene that is described in the story problem.

Have students draw a sketch of what they visualize and share with the class.

You may also choose to ask students to role play the story problem.

You should spend a couple of class sessions allowing students to practice reading and solving such problems as a class, in small-groups, and independently.

Explain that they are now going to work together in teams to write their own story problems and that they will be challenged to bring their math problems to life by staging photographs of the real-life settings that will visually portray the math in their story problems.

LESSON PLAN:

Have teams work together to stage their math “scenes” and use a digital camera to take the photos.

Students can save photos to a computer media file and then enlarge the photos to create vivid images.

After teams have created their photos and word problems, each team will present their story problem with visual representation using the projector and displaying the image on the classroom whiteboard.

Encourage students in the audience to attempt to find the solution and share their thinking.

Have all students engage in sharing advice and supportive comments.

THIS ACTIVITY PARTICULARLY BENEFITS STUDENTS WHO ARE VISUAL LEARNERS TO GRASP MATH SKILLS THAT ARE GROUNDED IN READING.

EXTENSION:

Have students create video representations of their story problems.

Consider using one student-created problem presented with visual imagery each week as a class model.

Consider having students present their visual math on the school “Tiger T.V.” station for morning announcements as a series representing each grade level math objective throughout the school year.

Consider creating a class math photo album online and/or a hardcopy.

ASSESSMENT: Students will document their experience in

their journals writing about what they learned from this activity. Journal entries should include reflective analysis of what they might do differently next time to improve on this first effort.

Student performance on math assessments where students are required to solve story problems will be documented over time to monitor progress and determine if students are acquiring the math skills imbedded within the language of the text.

Kelly is 52 inches tall and Johanna is 45 inches tall. How much taller is Kelly than Johanna?

The 5th grade needs 66 cupcakes for the class party. The bakery sells packages with 6 cupcakes in each. How many packages will we need to buy?

Samantha wants to buy the striped vest on sale at Old Navy for $5.99. If she gives the clerk $20.00, how much change will she get back?

The 5th grade is has built an herb garden in the Outdoor Classroom. If the garden bed is 6 ft. long and 3 ft wide, what is the perimeter?

What is the area?

Mrs. Duggan’s class ran a race. The students finished with these times in seconds:

35, 29, 38, 42, 43, 35, 37, 40, 31What was the fastest time?

What was the slowest?What was the range of these times?

What was the mode?What was the median?

Our class earned a reward of extra recess time. If we started playing on the playground at 2:05 PM and we ended our recess at 2:50 PM, how much time did we play altogether?

CAST OF LEARNERS: Keyshaun Kelly Jan Bryan Johanna Samantha Scott Fabricio Janelle Juan Zayia

TECHNICAL SUPPORT Mrs. Duggan