Word Problem Whiz Kids Script

Warm-Up: Brain Stretch (5 minutes)

"Good morning, future math detectives! Let's get our brains warmed up today. I have a quick question for you. If you have 3 bags, and each bag has 4 shiny red apples, how many apples do you have in total? Take a moment to think or even draw it out on your mini-whiteboards or scratch paper. How would you figure that out?"

"(Pause for responses and ideas. Listen for 'repeated addition' or 'groups of' concepts.) Excellent thinking! Some of you added 4 three times, like 4 + 4 + 4. Others might have thought, 'Oh, that's 3 groups of 4!' That's exactly what we'll be exploring today: how to solve these kinds of 'groups of' problems when they're hidden in a story. We'll use lots of visuals to help us!"

Introduction: What's the Problem? (5 minutes)

"(Display Word Problem Whiz Kids Slide Deck - Slide 1) Look at our lesson title today: 'Word Problem Whiz Kids: Unlocking Multiplication Mysteries!' Doesn't that sound exciting? Today, we're going to become super solvers of math stories."

"(Display Word Problem Whiz Kids Slide Deck - Slide 2) So, what exactly is a word problem? Think of it like a short story, but instead of just reading for fun, this story has a secret mission: it wants you to solve a math question! Our job is to find the clues in the story to crack the math code. To help us understand this, we're going to watch a short video about word problems. (Play the video embedded on Slide 2)."

"(After video) Great! That video showed us some excellent ways to think about word problems. Now, (Display Word Problem Whiz Kids Slide Deck - Slide 3) How do we find these clues? Well, for multiplication word problems, we often look for special words. Can you say 'keywords' with me? Keywords! These words tell us that we need to multiply, which means we're usually combining equal groups.

"Let's look at some examples:

• When you see the word 'each', like '3 apples each bag,' it's a big hint that you have equal groups.
• Or when it says 'groups of,' like '4 groups of 5.' That's super clear!
• Sometimes, if you have equal groups and want to know the 'total in all', multiplication is your friend.

"So, if you hear 'each,' 'groups of,' or think 'equal groups in total,' your brain should light up and say: 'Multiply!' Remember, drawing pictures or using manipulatives can really help you see these equal groups!"

Guided Practice: Strategy Squad (10 minutes)

"Alright, let's put our detective skills to work! We're going to solve a few problems together. Remember our steps:

1. Read the problem carefully.
2. Figure out the question. What are we trying to find?
3. Spot the numbers and the multiplication keywords. What information is important?
4. Draw it out or use your manipulatives! This helps us see the problem and understand what's happening.
5. Write the multiplication sentence.
6. Solve and check your answer!"

"(Display Word Problem Whiz Kids Slide Deck - Slide 4) Who would like to read our first problem aloud for the class?"

"Problem 1: Maria has 5 boxes of cookies. Each box has 6 cookies. How many cookies does Maria have in total?"

"Okay, first step: We read it. Done! Second step: What's the question the problem is asking? What do we need to find out?"

"That's right, we need to find the total number of cookies. Now, step three: What numbers do we see? And are there any of our multiplication keywords?"

"Fantastic! We see '5 boxes' and '6 cookies.' And the keyword 'each' tells us that each box has 6 cookies. This means we have 5 equal groups of 6 cookies. Now for step four: Let's draw it! Imagine 5 boxes, and in each box, you draw 6 cookies. Or use your counters to make 5 groups of 6. What does that look like? Show me your drawings or arrangements!"

"Perfect! Now, step five: How would we write that as a multiplication sentence? 5 groups of 6... what would that look like?"

"Yes! 5 x 6. And finally, step six: What's the answer? 5 times 6 is...?"

"You got it! 30 cookies in total! Maria has 30 cookies. Great job on our first mystery! Remember how much those drawings helped us!"

"(Display Word Problem Whiz Kids Slide Deck - Slide 5) Let's try another one! Who can read Problem 2 for us?"

"Problem 2: A gardener planted 4 rows of flowers. There are 7 flowers in each row. How many flowers did the gardener plant?"

"Alright, same steps! First, read. Second, what's the question we need to answer?"

"Exactly! Total flowers. Third, what are the important numbers and keywords here?"

"'4 rows,' '7 flowers,' and that important word 'each' again! So, we have 4 equal groups of 7. Let's draw or visualize that. How would you show 4 rows with 7 flowers in each? Take your time and make a clear picture."

"Looks great! Now, write your multiplication sentence for this. What is it?"

"You're on a roll! 4 x 7. And what's our final answer?"

"28 flowers! The gardener planted 28 flowers. Excellent work, problem solvers! See how helpful those drawings are for showing the problem?"

"(Display Word Problem Whiz Kids Slide Deck - Slide 6) One last practice one together before you try some on your own!"

"Problem 3: Our class has 3 teams. If there are 8 students on each team, how many students are there in the class altogether?"

"What's the question here?"

"What numbers and clues jump out at you?"

"'3 teams,' '8 students,' 'each team,' and 'altogether' also points to a total of equal groups! Let's draw or use manipulatives to show this. 3 groups of 8 students. Make sure your drawing clearly shows the groups!"

"What multiplication sentence will solve this?"

"And what's the total number of students?"

"Wonderful! 24 students altogether. You are becoming true Whiz Kids! Remember to always draw or visualize to make the problem clear in your mind!"

Independent Practice: Problem Solvers Unite! (8 minutes)

"(Display Word Problem Whiz Kids Slide Deck - Slide 7) Now it's your turn to shine! I'm going to hand out this Multiplication Word Problem Worksheet. I want you to work on the first few problems either by yourself or with a partner. Remember to use all the strategies we just practiced:

1. Read carefully.
2. Find the question.
3. Spot the clues (keywords & numbers).
4. Draw it out or visualize it! This is super helpful and will make the problem clearer!
5. Write the multiplication sentence.
6. Solve!

"I'll be walking around to help. If you get stuck, try drawing it first! And remember to stay focused on your work. You've got this!" (Circulate, provide individual support, praise effort and focus, especially for students with ADHD.)

Wrap-Up: Quick Review (2 minutes)

"(Display Word Problem Whiz Kids Slide Deck - Slide 8) Alright, detectives, pencils down for a moment. We did some fantastic work today!

"Can anyone share one strategy that helped them solve a word problem today? Maybe it was finding the keywords, or drawing a picture? How did visualizing help you?"

"Those are all great strategies! Remember, word problems are just math stories, and by following our steps, looking for clues, visualizing with drawings or manipulatives, and practicing, you can unlock any multiplication mystery! Keep practicing, and you'll become master problem solvers!"

Multiplication Word Problem Worksheet

Name: _____________________________

Instructions: Read each word problem carefully. Use our strategies: identify the question, find keywords and numbers, draw a picture, write a multiplication sentence, and solve!

Problem 1

A baker made 7 trays of cupcakes. Each tray had 6 cupcakes. How many cupcakes did the baker make in total?

Draw it out:

Multiplication Sentence:

Answer: ______________________ cupcakes

Problem 2

Our classroom has 4 tables. If there are 5 chairs at each table, how many chairs are there in the classroom?

Draw it out:

Multiplication Sentence:

Answer: ______________________ chairs

Problem 3

Sarah collects stickers. She has 8 pages in her sticker book, and each page holds 9 stickers. How many stickers does Sarah have in her book?

Draw it out:

Multiplication Sentence:

Answer: ______________________ stickers

Problem 4

A farmer planted 5 rows of corn. There are 10 corn stalks in each row. How many corn stalks are there altogether?

Draw it out:

Multiplication Sentence:

Answer: ______________________ corn stalks