Lesson Plan
Word Problem Whiz!
Students will be able to identify key information, choose appropriate operations, and solve multi-step word problems involving whole numbers.
Mastering word problems helps students develop critical thinking and apply math skills to real-life situations like budgeting, planning, and making informed decisions.
Audience
8th Grade Students
Time
30 minutes
Approach
Direct instruction, guided practice, and independent application.
Materials
Whiteboard or projector, Word Problem Whiz! Slide Deck, Word Problem Practice Worksheet, Word Problem Practice Answer Key, and Pencils and paper
Prep
Teacher Preparation
15 minutes
- Review the Word Problem Whiz! Slide Deck to familiarize yourself with the content and talking points.
- Print enough copies of the Word Problem Practice Worksheet for each student.
- Have the Word Problem Practice Answer Key ready for quick reference.
- Ensure projector or whiteboard is set up and working.
Step 1
Introduction & Hook
5 minutes
Hook: Real-Life Math Detective
- Display Slide 1 and Slide 2.
- Ask students: "Have you ever had to solve a puzzle in real life, like figuring out how many snacks to buy for a party or splitting a bill with friends? Today, we're going to become 'Math Detectives' and solve real-world puzzles using whole numbers!"
- Briefly introduce the objective of the lesson: becoming whizzes at word problems. - Transition to Slide 3 to discuss the
Step 2
Mini-Lesson: The 4-Step Strategy
10 minutes
Unlocking Word Problems (I Do/We Do)
- Display Slide 4 and introduce the 4-step strategy for solving word problems:
- Understand: What is the question asking? What information do I have?
- Plan: What operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division) do I need to use? What's my strategy?
- Solve: Execute the plan and do the math.
- Check: Does my answer make sense? Did I answer the question?
- Go through an example problem together using Slide 5 and Slide 6, explicitly modeling each step.
- Engage students with a 'We Do' problem on Slide 7, guiding them through the steps collaboratively.
Step 3
Guided Practice: Worksheet Time!
10 minutes
Practice Makes Perfect (You Do)
- Distribute the Word Problem Practice Worksheet to each student.
- Explain that they will now apply the 4-step strategy independently or with a partner.
- Circulate the room, providing support and answering questions. Encourage students to show their work and use the 4-step strategy as a checklist.
- Display Slide 8 as they work, reinforcing the importance of checking their answers.
Step 4
Wrap-Up & Share
5 minutes
Reflect and Review
- Bring the class back together.
- Display Slide 9.
- Briefly review one or two problems from the Word Problem Practice Worksheet as a class, perhaps having students share their strategies.
- Ask students: "What was one thing you learned or one strategy you found helpful today?"
- Conclude by emphasizing that problem-solving is a valuable life skill. Display Slide 10.
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Slide Deck
Word Problem Whiz!
Are you ready to crack the code of real-life math puzzles?
Welcome students and introduce the exciting idea of becoming 'Math Detectives.' This slide should pique their curiosity. Ask them to think about times they've solved puzzles in real life.
Unleash Your Inner Math Detective!
Every day, we solve puzzles. From figuring out how much change you'll get to planning a party, math helps us make sense of the world. Today, you're becoming a Word Problem Whiz!
Connect the idea of 'math detectives' to everyday problem-solving. Ask students for examples of when they've used math to solve a real-life problem. This leads into the lesson's objective.
Our Mission Today
- Objective: Learn to solve real-world word problems using whole numbers.
- Why It Matters: Word problems build critical thinking skills that you'll use every single day—from budgeting your money to planning your time!
Clearly state the lesson's objective and explain why mastering word problems is a valuable skill beyond the classroom. Emphasize real-world applicability.
Crack the Code: The 4-Step Strategy
- Understand: What is the question asking? What information is given?
- Plan: What operations will you use (add, subtract, multiply, divide)? How will you solve it?
- Solve: Do the math!
- Check: Does your answer make sense? Did you answer the question?
Introduce the core 4-step strategy. Explain that breaking down problems makes them less intimidating. Briefly go over each step.
Example: The School Bake Sale (Part 1)
The 8th-grade class held a bake sale. They baked 120 cookies and 75 brownies. They sold 98 cookies and 60 brownies. How many baked goods did they sell in total?
Model the 'Understand' and 'Plan' steps for the example problem. Read the problem aloud and think through the process with the students.
Example: The School Bake Sale (Part 2)
Understand: Need total items sold. Have cookies baked/sold, brownies baked/sold.
Plan: Add cookies sold + brownies sold.
Solve: 98 cookies + 60 brownies = 158 baked goods.
Check: Yes, 158 is a reasonable total for items sold. It answers the question.
Model the 'Solve' and 'Check' steps for the example problem. Show the calculations clearly and then discuss if the answer is reasonable.
Let's Solve Together: The Field Trip Funds
The 8th-grade class is raising money for a field trip. They started with $250. They raised an additional $175 from a car wash and $320 from a raffle. If the field trip costs $600, how much more money do they need to raise?
Present a 'We Do' problem. Guide students through each step of the strategy, prompting them for input and collaboratively solving it on the board or verbally.
Your Turn! Word Problem Challenge
Now it's your chance to be the Math Detective!
- Use your Word Problem Practice Worksheet.
- Apply the 4-step strategy to each problem.
- Show your work clearly.
- Don't forget to check your answer!
Explain that students will now work on their own. Emphasize using the 4-step strategy. Encourage peer collaboration if appropriate for your classroom.
Detective Debrief: What Did We Learn?
Let's share our strategies!
- What was one challenge you faced today?
- What was a helpful strategy you used?
- Why is it important to check your work?
Facilitate a brief review of one or two problems. Ask students to share their strategies and what they found helpful. This helps reinforce learning.
You Are a Word Problem Whiz!
Great job, Math Detectives! You've sharpened your skills in breaking down problems, planning solutions, and finding answers. Keep using these skills every day!
Conclude the lesson by reinforcing the value of problem-solving skills in everyday life. End on a positive and empowering note.
Worksheet
Word Problem Practice: Become a Math Detective!
Instructions: Read each problem carefully. Use the 4-step strategy (Understand, Plan, Solve, Check) to solve each word problem. Show all your work!
Problem 1
Sarah is saving money to buy a new bike that costs $275. She already has $130 saved. If she earns $15 each week from doing chores, how many weeks will it take her to save the rest of the money?
1. Understand:
2. Plan:
3. Solve:
4. Check:
Problem 2
A school bus can hold 48 students. If there are 250 students going on a field trip, how many buses are needed to transport all the students? (Assume all buses must be full or partially full, you can't leave anyone behind!)
1. Understand:
2. Plan:
3. Solve:
4. Check:
Problem 3
Mr. Thompson bought 3 boxes of pencils, with 24 pencils in each box. He then distributed 45 pencils to his students. How many pencils does Mr. Thompson have left?
1. Understand:
2. Plan:
3. Solve:
4. Check:
Problem 4
A farmer collected 185 apples on Monday and 215 apples on Tuesday. He wants to pack them into bags, with 10 apples in each bag. How many full bags of apples can he make?
1. Understand:
2. Plan:
3. Solve:
4. Check:
Answer Key
Word Problem Practice: Answer Key
Problem 1
Sarah is saving money to buy a new bike that costs $275. She already has $130 saved. If she earns $15 each week from doing chores, how many weeks will it take her to save the rest of the money?
1. Understand: The question asks for the number of weeks Sarah needs to save enough money for a bike. I know the bike's total cost, how much she has, and how much she earns per week.
2. Plan: First, I need to find out how much more money Sarah needs. This will be the total cost minus what she already has. Then, I will divide that amount by her weekly earnings to find the number of weeks.
3. Solve:
- Money needed: $275 (bike cost) - $130 (saved) = $145
- Weeks needed: $145 / $15 (per week) = 9 with a remainder of $10.
Since she can't save a fraction of a week's earnings to buy the bike, she will need one more week to cover the remaining $10.
So, 9 + 1 = 10 weeks.
4. Check: If Sarah saves for 9 weeks, she'll have $130 + (9 * $15) = $130 + $135 = $265. This isn't enough. If she saves for 10 weeks, she'll have $130 + (10 * $15) = $130 + $150 = $280. This is enough and covers the cost. The answer makes sense. It will take her 10 weeks.
Problem 2
A school bus can hold 48 students. If there are 250 students going on a field trip, how many buses are needed to transport all the students? (Assume all buses must be full or partially full, you can't leave anyone behind!)
1. Understand: The question asks for the minimum number of buses needed to transport 250 students, with each bus holding 48 students.
2. Plan: I need to divide the total number of students by the capacity of one bus. If there is a remainder, it means an additional bus is needed for the remaining students.
3. Solve:
- Total students: 250
- Students per bus: 48
- Number of buses: 250 / 48 = 5 with a remainder of 10.
Since 10 students cannot be left behind, an additional bus is needed for them.
So, 5 + 1 = 6 buses.
4. Check: 5 buses can carry 5 * 48 = 240 students. This is not enough. 6 buses can carry 6 * 48 = 288 students, which is enough for all 250 students. The answer makes sense. 6 buses are needed.
Problem 3
Mr. Thompson bought 3 boxes of pencils, with 24 pencils in each box. He then distributed 45 pencils to his students. How many pencils does Mr. Thompson have left?
1. Understand: The question asks for the number of pencils Mr. Thompson has left. I know how many boxes he bought, how many pencils are in each box, and how many he gave away.
2. Plan: First, I need to find the total number of pencils Mr. Thompson bought by multiplying the number of boxes by the pencils per box. Then, I will subtract the number of pencils he distributed.
3. Solve:
- Total pencils bought: 3 boxes * 24 pencils/box = 72 pencils
- Pencils left: 72 pencils - 45 pencils (distributed) = 27 pencils
4. Check: He started with 72 and gave away 45. 72 - 45 = 27. The answer is reasonable. Mr. Thompson has 27 pencils left.
Problem 4
A farmer collected 185 apples on Monday and 215 apples on Tuesday. He wants to pack them into bags, with 10 apples in each bag. How many full bags of apples can he make?
1. Understand: The question asks for the number of full bags of apples the farmer can make. I know how many apples were collected on Monday and Tuesday, and how many apples go into each bag.
2. Plan: First, I need to find the total number of apples collected. Then, I will divide the total apples by the number of apples per bag. I am only looking for full bags, so I will ignore any remainder.
3. Solve:
- Total apples collected: 185 (Monday) + 215 (Tuesday) = 400 apples
- Number of full bags: 400 apples / 10 apples/bag = 40 full bags
4. Check: If he makes 40 bags, he uses 40 * 10 = 400 apples. This matches the total apples collected, and there is no remainder, so all bags are full. The answer makes sense. He can make 40 full bags of apples.