Title: Bike Wheels
Problem: Jan and her sister each have a bike. How many wheels are on both bikes? Later in the day, two friends join Jan and her sister. Their friends also each have a bike. How many wheels do all four friends have?
Math Topic/Concept: Addition and Making a Table
Materials: Paper and pencil
Classroom Use: Developmental
Classroom use comments*: This could be done individually or in a small group. Make sure the students are not confused about the number of bicycles versus the number of wheels.
Grade: 1
Grade Cluster: Early Elementary
Illinois Goal: 6 and 10
Standard: 6 B.1 and 10 A. 1a
Applied? (1-4): Level 2
Source: Houghton Mifflin Mathematics, First Grade Teacher’s Manual, Problem of the Day, Chapter 4, Lesson 8, 2002
Answer: Jan and her sister have 4 wheels in all. Jan, her sister and their friends have 8 wheels in all.
Strategies Listed: Making a table and counting by 2’s.
Solution: The students need to create a table or draw a picture showing two wheels on each bike. They will show with numbers that 2 wheels plus 2 wheels equals 4 wheels for both bikes. They may also explain in writing or out loud how they arrived at the answer.
Extensions or related problems*: Another discussion would be to learn about unicycles or tricycles. The teacher could give the students a certain number of wheels and they would have to figure out how many of each vehicle there was.
Intended rubric or assessment method: Observation, informal assessment
Write-up submitted by: Jodi Johnson and Cyndi Fisher
Problem: Gina has 3 fish. Drew has 2 fish. Gina adds 4 new fish to her tank. Drew adds 5 new fish to his tank. Who has more fish now?
Math Topic/Concept: Addition and number comparison
Materials: Various
Classroom Use: (Developmental/Evaluation)
Classroom use comments*: This activity could be done individually or in small groups
Grade: 1
Grade Cluster: Early Elementary
Illinois Goal: 6
Standard: B.1 and D.1
Applied? (1-4): level 2
Source: Houghton Mifflin Mathematics, First Grade Teacher’s Manual, Problem of the Day, Chapter 1, Lesson 8, 2001
Answer: They both have 7 fish each.
Strategies Listed: Make a picture, Use manipulatives
Solution: The students could use counters to show the process of addition. They could also draw pictures showing the added number of fish. They will then compare the ending numbers of fish to find the solution.
Extensions or related problems*: The number of fish could change, also another person could be added to the problem. In order to use subtraction, some of the fish could die or be sold.
Intended rubric or assessment method: Observation
Write-up submitted by: Jodi Johnson and Cyndi Fisher
Problem: What is the smallest sum you can get using any 2 of the numbers 1, 2, and 3 in any order? What is the largest sum you can get using the same numbers?
Math Topic/Concept: Addition and Comparing Numbers
Materials: Number line or counters
Classroom Use: Developmental/Evaluation
Classroom use comments*: You may want to mention (ask the students) that a number can be used more than once. This activity could be done individually or in groups. This could be a problem of the day that the students begin to work on as everyone is getting ready to start the day or the math hour.
Grade: 1
Grade Cluster: Early Elementary
Illinois Goal: 6
Standard: B.1
Applied? (1-4): Level 1
Source: Houghton Mifflin Mathematics, First Grade Teacher’s Manual, Problem of the Day, Chapter 1, Lesson 4, 2002
Answer: 1 + 1 = 2 smallest sum 3 + 3 = 6 largest sum
Strategies Listed: Use logical reasoning
Solution: The students will need to use manipulatives or a calculator to find all the possible sums of the three numbers.
Extensions or related problems*: You could change the numbers so they were a higher value, or you could add another number to the beginning group of numbers.
Intended rubric or assessment method: Observation
Write-up submitted by: Cyndi Fisher and Jodi Johnson
Problem: In Bird Hotel, there are 46 nests for guest Bird
families to stop in for a rest on their way south. Big Bird wants
to know how many empty nests there are in the hotel today. Here are
the clues his workers gave.
· Not all of the nests are empty today.
· More than 40 nests are empty.
· An even number of nests is empty.
· The empty nests could be counted by fours with none left over.
How many of the nests in Bird Hotel are empty today?
Math Topic/Concept: Logic, addition, multiples.
Materials: Paper and pencil.
Classroom Use: (Introductory/Developmental/Evaluation)
Grade: 3
Grade Cluster: (EarlyElem/LateElem/MS-Jr.High/EarlyHS/LateHS)
Illinois Goal: 6
Standard: 6.B.1
Applied? (1-4): 2
Source: The Problem Solver 3, Creative Publications, 1987.
Answer: 44
Strategies Listed: List and eliminate, Guess and check
Solution: Make a list of all multiples of 4 between 40 and 46. Cross out numbers as they are eliminated.
Intended rubric or assessment method: ISAT rubric
Write-up submitted by: Diana Kent
Problem: Anthony has $5.00 to spend at the summer camp carnival. Since the money raised by the carnival will go for a good cause, Anthony has decided he will spend the entire $5.00 there. The prices for the carnival activities are shown below. How many ways can Anthony spend his money?
· Fish Pond $2.00
· Ring Toss $1.00
· Fun House $3.00
· Face Painting $2.50
Math Topic/Concept: Using number facts, money.
Materials: pencil and paper
Classroom Use: (Introductory/Developmental/Evaluation)
Classroom use comments*: Questions to ask: Is it possible for Anthony to spend exactly $5.00? What would be the greatest amount Anthony could spend if he did not spend all of his money?
Grade: 3
Grade Cluster: (EarlyElem/LateElem/MS-Jr.High/EarlyHS/LateHS)
Illinois Goal: 6
Standard: 6.B.1
Applied? (1-4): 4
Source: Explain It, Creative Publications, 2001.
Answer: 6 ways
Strategies Listed: Guess and check, Make an organized list.
Solution: 1 Fish Pond + 3 Ringtosses
2 Fish Pond + 1 Ringtoss
1 Fish Pond + 1 Fun
House
2 Ringtosses + 1 Fun House
5 Ringtosses
2 Face Paintings
Extensions or related problems*: Change the amount of money to be spent. Say he has $5.00 to spend but does not have to spent it all.
Intended rubric or assessment method: ISAT Rubric
Write-up submitted by: Diana Kent
James R. Olsen, Western Illinois University
E-mail: jr-olsen@wiu.edu
updated Aug. 20, 2001