Stage 1: Desired Results
Established Goals:
4.1.A.4: Number Sense - Understand the various use of numbers
4.1.B.1: Numerical Operations - Develop the meaning of the four basic arithmetic operations
4.3.C.2: Patterns and Algebra - construct and solve simple open sentence involving any one operation
Enduring Understanding: Students will understand that...
*variables are letters used to represent unknown numbers in expressions
*there are relationships between variables and numbers
*word problems can be solved using variables
Essential Questions:
*What is variable?
*How are variables used in expressions?
*Why is it important to use a variable?
*Can you think of a time when you might need to use a variable in your everyday life? Why would you use? How would you use it?
Stage 2: Assessment Evidence
Performance Task:
*Students will work with a partner to write expressions with variables for word problems given by me. They will also have to tell me what the variable stands for.
*Students will then have a chance to write their own word problem. They will then give their problem to classmate and see if their classmate can write an expression using a variable and they must also state what the variable stands for.
(Example of word problems: Jane went apple picking. Jane picked 15 apples and then gave some to her friend when she got home.)
*Students will then be giving an expression where the variable has a given amount. The students will have to solve the expression.
(Example of problem: 4+x, if x=8)
*Variable Game
Other Evidence:
*Class participation
*Observations
*Examples of word problems that were given
*Homework (practice page in workbook)
Stage 3: Learning Plan
I will introduce the lesson by telling them that fall is one of my favorite seasons and how much fun it is to go to the wonderful farms that are located in NJ. I will tell them about two signs I saw at one of the farms. These signs will be on an overhead transparency. The transparency will have the signs. The signs will have two pictures on them. One picture will have 2 pumpkins and a price tag of $4. The other picture will have a picture of a pumpkin and an apple and a price tag of $3. I will then ask the children if we can figure out how much each item costs. By doing this the children will be able to tell me that each pumpkin is $2. Then, I will show them that by knowing what the price of the pumpkin is we can figure out the price of the apple (2+x). Next, I will introduce the vocabulary word variable and tell them that x is a variable. I will then let the children give me their definition of the word variable before I give them the definition. After that, I will give the children word problems that contain variables and let the work together to write an expression and what the variable stands for. Finally, I will tell them that sometimes you are given the value for the variable. I will explain to them that in that case they must just "plug it in" when they see this. Once again I will give the children the opportunity to solve some problems and then come up with some on their own. To follow up with lesson I will allow the children to play a matching game. They will be give two sets of different colored cards. One set will have an expression and the other set will have a word problem. The children must match the word problems with the expressions.
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4 comments:
I liked your idea of using the fall and tying in the holiday. Math was always a hard subject for me to grasp and the way you are explaining the lesson really appeals to me.
The key with essential questions is that there is not a set answer. Many of the essential questions have answers or are pre-loaded to the answer.
Kristin,
I teach Algebra to learning disabled 8th grade students. Variables are a hard concept to get across, I like how you ask the students to relate it to everyday life. I always find out if they have relevance, there is more motivation to learn a difficult subject.
This sounds like a great lesson on variables. I think you do a great job of making the abstract tangible for the kids. One thing I might suggest is to ask the kids to tie their word problems into their own experiences. If they can describe a situation in which they had to find an unknown value, it might help to make their problems relevant.
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