Multi-Step Multiplication Word Problems!

Tonianne Dente 4th grade- Mathematics October 30th , 2013

Type of Setting: This lesson is for a class of 31 fourth grade students at P.S. 81. This is class contains students with ranging skill levels and some ESL students. 1. Purpose: The purpose of this lesson is to introduce multiplication word problems, which involve multiple steps (multistep) to solve, using a diagram and breaking apart the problem. Students will work together and independently to have a better understanding. 2. Vocabulary and Key Terms: 3. Skills: Using diagrams to help visualize a problem. Multiplication. Breaking down a big problem into smaller ones to solve. Organization of a multistep multiplication problem. Factor: the numbers used in a multiplication problem. Product: the answer to a multiplication problem. Diagram: a simple drawing that is used to help visualize something. Visualize: to form a mental image.

4. Objectives: Students will use diagrams to organize and visualize information. Students will apply their multiplication skills, in order to solve the multistep word problems. Students will collaborate with peers to solve a problem through the think, pair, share strategy. Students will follow the diagram model to help them dissect the problem.

5. New York State Standards CC.4.OA.3 Operations & Algebraic Thinking

Use the four operations with whole numbers to solve problems 3. Solve multistep word problems posed with whole numbers and having whole-number answers using the four operations, including problems in which remainders must be interpreted. Represent these problems using equations with a letter standing for the unknown quantity. Assess the reasonableness of answers using mental math computation and estimation strategies including rounding. CC.4.NBT.5 Number & Operations in Base Ten Use place value understanding and properties of operations to preform multi-digit arithmetic 5. Multiply a whole number of up to four digits by a one-digit whole number, and multiply two two-digit numbers using strategies based on place value and the properties of operations. Illustrate and explain the calculation by using equations, rectangular arrays, and/or area models. 6. Pre-Assessment The teacher will begin the lesson by calling the students to the meeting area on the rug, where they will bring their math notebooks with them. This lesson goes along with the classrooms current study of mathematics instruction, from the Go Math Workbooks used at the school. The students already have knowledge on multiplication and the definitions that go along with it. As a refresher, the teacher can start the lesson by asking the students what is a product/factor? Next, the teacher will explain that these multiplication equations can be used in word problems and sometimes there may be more than one step to solving the problem. 7. Lesson Presentation: Set-Induction: Next, the teacher will write the Essential Question on the board: When can you use the draw a diagram strategy to solve a multistep multiplication problem? The teacher will give the students some time to think about their answer and ask a couple to share. The word diagram should be discussed during this time. What is a diagram? How can we use a diagram to help us? The teacher will explain that the whole point of this lesson is to help you organize your work and answers when solving a multistep multiplication problem. Using a diagram will help us visualize the problem better along the way.

Procedure: The teacher will first model a multistep multiplication word problem to the class. The teacher will first read the problem, At the sea park, one section of the shark theater has 8 rows with 14 seats in each row. In the middle of the section, 4 rows of 6 seats are reserved. How many seats are not reserved? The teacher will bring out a large poster board that breaks down each section on order to solve the word problem, based on how the textbook has presented it. The teacher will begin by saying, how information filled that question is, and an easy way to solve it would be by breaking the problem down into smaller parts and drawing a diagram.

The teacher will go through and model the question and answer, it is important to go through each section. For example, the teacher will answer what we need to find, what information do I need to use, and how will I use this information. Then, in the Solve the Problem section, the teacher will draw the diagram of the problem so the students can visualize it. It is important for the teacher to separate the problem a bit. First showing, the whole section at the sea park (8x14) and then showing the smaller reserved middle section (4x6). There will be a detachable smaller section, to show that the middle section must be subtracted. So, after multiplying both sections, they must subtract the smaller one to find the seats that are not reserved in the sea park. Before moving on, the teacher will ask if anyone has any questions before trying it with a partner.

Next, will be the guided practice part of the lesson, where the students will remain where they are and the teacher will pass out a worksheet from the Re Teach part of the Go Math program. The teacher will ask for a volunteer to read the problem altogether. After reading the problem, the teacher will explain that they are going to answer this section just like she had modeled at the beginning of the lesson. There are even some starter sentences for you to help you along the way. The teacher will then tell the students to turn and face a partner to try to solve the problem together. After giving them a couple of minutes, or when people seem to have finished, the teacher will bring out another poster board showing the exact answers they should have filled out.

The teacher will point out that the graph was already completed for you here. She will then ask if this diagram helped any of the students with the problem. Was it easier to see the question, as opposed to just doing it? Does this seem like a good strategy to use?

At the bottom of the worksheet, there are two problems that the students will work on independently. The teacher will have the students go back to their seats, where they will have a blank worksheet in the same format as the way the teacher and textbook modeled it. There will also be graph paper provided for everybody for the diagram section. Before sending them back, the teacher will have one of the students explain the directions to make sure everyone knows what they are doing when they go back to their seats.

The teacher will walk around and assist students who seem to be struggling or just need extra assistance. The teacher should also point out students who are really mastering the organization and diagram technique. As the lesson starts to wind down and students are finishing their independent work, the teacher should regroup and call the class back to the meeting area. If there is time, she will ask for a volunteer to explain how they solved the problem and if the diagram helped.

Closure: At the end of the lesson, the teacher will write, Why is the strategy draw a diagram a good way to solve these problems? The teacher will ask students to open their math notebooks and jot down a sentence or two before sharing. A good answer would be along the lines of, A diagram helps us organize information in a problem and helps us visualize the problem. The teacher should emphasize how helpful it is to break apart a problem and solve it step by step. Drawing a diagram will help you see the problem in a different way and also help you take a step back to grasp the concept of all those words. Students should take away the importance of organizing their answers and drawing a diagram to help solve a multistep multiplication problem.

8. Materials and Resources Needed: 2 Posters Markers Re Teach Worksheet 2.9: Problem Solving-Multistep Multiplication Problems

Blank Diagram Worksheet Graph paper Math notebook and/or plain paper

9. Follow-Up Activity: For homework, students should review the problems that were done in class to make sure their work is correct. If so, the students can create their own multistep multiplication word problem, using any scenario or feature they please. They must also correctly answer it and make an extra copy of the question to share with a partner in class. The next day in class, each student will switch with a partner to answer their peers posed word problem and try to solve it using the diagram and breaking apart the word problem. 10. Evaluation/Assessment The students will be evaluated on their class participation, peer work, and independent work as well. They will also be assessed on how they explain how they reached their answers if the choose to share with the class. As long as the students are trying to solve the problems and make an effort, that is all that matters. These problems are a bit challenging and require time and practice to master these skills. 11. Differentiated: For students struggling with the concept, the teacher may instead use counters as a manipulative for the diagram. Counters are an easier way to visualize the drawing for someone who may be confused by the graph paper. The counters have reversible sides with different colors, making it perfect to work out a multi step problem. For students who are accelerating with the concept, they may go on to the textbook (pg. 81) and try to answer those questions. These questions are a bit harder, but still keep the idea of the diagram in mind, which is important to do for the accelerated students. They may want to just write out the numbers and answer the questions, but it is important for them to also draw the diagram for visualization purposes.

12. Resources: Go Math! Re Teach Worksheet/Textbook (pg. 79A-82)

Textbook Citation: "Go Math from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt." Houghton Mifflin Go Math. 29 Oct. 2013.