Problem Solving Lesson Plans

2012 - 2013

Mrs. Nemi

Day / Objective / Lesson / Closing / Reflection
9/5 / Introduction /
  • Introduce myself to class
  • Pass out Introduction Letter and go over
  • Talk about Course Expectations
  • Introduce Course Curriculum
  • Introduce Website
  • Student Information Sheet
/ What are your first impressions of the class?
9/6 / Introduction to Students /
  • Collect any returned letters and school supplies
  • Have students take the Silly Little Quiz for fun and go over answers.
  • Play Ball
There are some getting to know you questions on a ball. We will toss it around the room and where ever your left thumb lands, you have to answer that question. / What is one thing you still want to know about me?
9/7 / Math Facts /
  • BINGO
Students will be given a BINGO board. To Cross Out a Box they must correctly evaluate a Math Fact.
  • Play Ball
Continue game from Thursday. / What are you doing this weekend that is math related?
9/10 / Packet 1: Decimals/ Fractions/ Percents /
  • Pass out Packet 1: Decimals/Fractions/Percent. Have students look through packet.
  • Take notes on Page 1: Place Value(chart), rounding, and digital display.
  • Have students complete practice problems on page 2. They will think-pair-share the answers before we go over the answers as a class.
  • Take notes on fractions and percents on pages 3 and 4.
/ Round to the nearest cent.
$434.7897
9/11 / TeamBuilding at LHS / Students will be attending team building activities at LHS on one of the two days. The other day, students will be rotating through stations and will be completing the Math Star Assessment.
9/12 / TeamBuilding at LHS
9/13 / Decimals/ Fractions/ Percents /
  • Review the basics from Monday by doing a carousal (poster paper and markers) using the words: fractions, decimals, percents. Have the first group write 3 things about their given word then have them rotate to the other groups adding 1-2 things about the word.
  • Have the students complete the practice problems on pages 5-7 in their Packet 1 then go over the answers.
/ Which is the easiest (fractions, decimals, or percents)?
9/14 / Packet 2: Weights and Measures:
Conversions /
  • Pass out Packet 2 Note Packet. Discuss what we will be covering in this chapter.
  • Discuss top of page 1 about U.S. customary units.
  • Show the students the three different methods for converting.
  • Have students complete the problems on Page 2. Go over all answers.
/ Complete conversion exit sheet.
9/17 / Metric System /
  • Have students read the article on Pages 3-5 of Packet 2. Have them write or underline something they found interesting from each paragraph.
  • Place the students in groups of 3 to discuss the article and answer the questions on pages 5-6. While the students are working, the teacher will discuss the article with each group.
  • Collect packet to give a grade on Page 6.
/ What was one thing that you found interesting today?
9/18 / Pre-Assessment /
  • Students will be taking the problem solving pre-assessment. They will be given all period and can use a calculator.

9/19 / +/ - and x/÷ Measurements /
  • Discuss what the teacher noticed and thoughts from students about yesterday’s assignment on metric system.
  • Go over the examples of adding and subtracting measurements on page 7 of Packet 2. Have the students try the two at the bottom.
  • Go over the examples of multiplying and dividing measurements on Page 8.
  • Have the students complete the practice problems on page 9-10.
/ When would someone need to add/subtract measurements?
9/20 / Review /
  • Go over all answers to pages 9-10 in Packet 2. Answer all questions.
  • Play Jeopardy using the Smart board. Have all students answer all questions. They will receive points if they get the questions correct and will not loose points if they get the questions wrong. They will earn 1 bonus pt for each 2,000 pts they earn.
/ What can you do to prepare for tomorrow’s quiz?
9/21 / Packet 1 and 2 Quiz /
  • Go over a few of each type of problem before the quiz.
  • Students will take the quiz.
  • Anyone that did not take the pre-assessment earlier this week will complete it today.
/ What did you think of the quiz?
9/24 / Packet 3: Strategies /
  • Pass back quizzes from previous class. Talk about quiz corrections (they can get full credit back).
  • Have students stand next to one of the posters (understand, plan, solve, look back). Students will write 1-2 things about that word. They will then rotate to the other words and add 1-2 things about the next word. The last group will read what is written.
  • Pass out Packet 3 and have students look through it to see what we will be covering in the unit.
  • Go through the 4 steps on page 1 and use the information from the previous activity to fill in the answers.
  • Discuss analyzing information and what it means to deduce information on the top of page 2.
  • Complete the examples on page 2.
/ What can you not write as a fact?
9/25 / Analyzing Information /
  • Complete the last example on page 3 in Packet 3.
  • Go over the Reminders about what constitutes a fact.
  • Students will complete Keeping up with the Joneses on page 4. They will compare their answers with classmates and we will discuss as a class.
  • If time, students will start Root Beer Float Slurp on page 5.
/ Why is this strategy important to learn?
9/26 / Analyzing Information Continued /
  • Students will finish the Root Beer Float Slurp on page 5 of packet 3. They will compare answers and we will discuss as a class.
  • Students will complete Genealogy, Anyone? on page 6. They will compare answers and we will discuss as a class.
/ Students will write a 2 sentence story. They will pass it to someone else to make a deduction.
9/27 / Finding all Possibilities /
  • Discuss the strategy of listing on the top of page 7 in packet 3.
  • Go over the example on the bottom of page 7.
  • Have the students complete High Rollin and Greasy Spoon Grill on page 8 and 9. Have them compare answers and go over as a class.
/ What is an advantage/disadvantage of this strategy?
9/28 / Finding all Possibilities Continued /
  • Have students complete Please Be Seated on page 10 in Packet 3. This assignment will be graded on participation.
/ Do you like this strategy?
10/1 / Matrix Logic /
  • Discuss what matrix logic is and complete the example on page 11 in Packet 3.
  • Complete Super Cats! on page 12 as a class.
  • Have the students complete Jane, Jane, Quite Plain, Where Do Your Flowers Grow on page 13. Go over the answer.
/ What do you think about this type of problem?
10/2 / Matrix Logic Continued /
  • Have the students complete Doggie, Doggie on page 14 in Packet 3. Go over the answers.
  • Have the students create a matrix problem on page 15. Have them give to a partner to complete.
/ How did you like creating the problem?
10/3 / Horizontal Elimination /
  • Go through what Horizontal elimination is and complete the example on page 16 of Packet 3 as a class.
  • Have the students complete page 17 and go over the answer.
/ What use does this strategy have?
10/4 / Picture Logic /
  • Discuss what picture logic is on page 18 of Packet 3.
  • Have the students attempt Seven Playing 21. Go over as a class.
/ What make this strategy difficult?
10/5 / Picture Logic /
  • Have the students complete School Clowns on page 19 of Packet 3. They will answer need the clown sheet and crayons.
/ What made this easier?
10/9 / Picture Logic /
  • Have students create a picture logic problem on page 20 of Packet 3. Have them exchange with a partner to complete.
/ How did you come up with your clues?
10/10 / Project /
  • Pass out Project Description and Rubric to students. Have them, briefly go through the material. Read through all directions and rubric with the students, answering any questions.
  • Students will pick pairs/trios to complete the project. They will plan out what strategies they want to use and how they want to demonstrate the strategies.
/ What are your initial thoughts on this project?
10/11 / Project /
  • Students will be working on their project. By the end of class today they should have their rough draft of their project almost complete.
/ How far did you get today?
10/12 / Project /
  • Students will be finishing their projects. If they are demonstrating anything, they should have that finished today.
/ Was this better than a quiz?
10/15 / Code Breaking /
  • Watch the episode “Toxin” in season 2 of Numb3rs
/ What type of math did you notice in the episode?
10/16 / Code Breaking Activity /
  • Finish the episode from yesterday,
  • Discuss and complete the TI activity on code breaking that goes along with the episode.
/ What types of careers use codes?
10/17 / Code Breaking Create your own. /
  • Go to the website
Have students practice code breaking
  • Students will create their own code and have another student try to break it.
/ What role to codes have in the world?
10/18 / Packet 4: Graphs
Introduction /
  • Brainstorm: Have students brainstorm everything they know about graphs.
  • Pass out Packet 4 and have students glance through to see what we are doing this unit.
  • Using the SB presentation (slides 1-46), go through the graphs and videos on pages 1-8 of packet.
  • Play the How I Met Your Mother clips on graphs on slides 47-48.
/ In your future career, what role do graphs and charts have?
10/19 / Misleading Graphs /
  • Using the SB presentation (slides 49-62), go through the misleading graph information and examples on pages 9-12 in Packet 4. Watch the video on misleading graphs on slide 51.
/ What is the purpose of misleading graphs?
10/22 / Misleading Graphs /
  • Students will answer the questions on pages 13-21 in Packet 4. They may work together and must be able to explain why they chose an answer. As a class go over all answers.
/ Is there a purpose for misleading graphs?
10/23 / Creating Bar and Line Graphs /
  • Go through the information on bar and line graphs on page 22 of Packet 4.
  • Have students answer the questions based on the graphs on pages 23-29. Go over all answers. Students may not be able to answer the questions, so try and start a class discussion on the question topics.
/ What type of graph shows information over time?
10/24 / Creating Circle Graphs /
  • Students will take notes and complete an example circle graph on pages 30-31 in Packet 4.
  • Students will then answer questions based on circle graphs on pages 32-33. Go over all answers.
/ What were some key things on your graphs?
10/25 / Creating Graphs in Excel /
  • Introduce students to excel.
  • Create a bar graph on students’ favorite sports and a line graph on high temperatures as a class.
  • Students will be creating a circle graph on the m & ms in a bag.
/ What do circle graphs show?
10/26 / Practice /
  • Students will be given data to enter into excel and create bar and line graphs. They will be given an effort grade on this assignment.
/ How comfortable are you with excel?
10/29 / Quiz /
  • Students will take the Packet 4 Quiz. They are to collect data and create 3 different graphs in excel. They will also answer a question on a misleading graph.
/ What can you do to prepare for the quiz?
10/30 / Quiz /
  • Students will complete their quiz on graphs.
/ How do you think you did?
10/31 / Halloween Activity /
  • The teacher will do a quick mini lesson on graphing on the coordinate system.
  • Students will plot and connect points to make a picture for extra credit.
/ What math is involved in Halloween?
11/1 / Packet 5: Area and Perimeter Introduction /
  • Have students brainstorm on everything they know about area and perimeter.
  • Pass out Packet 5 and have students look through it to see what we will be working on.
  • Refresh the students on what area and perimeter mean and give examples on page 1.
  • Go through the formulas on page 2 and fill in a picture example.
  • Complete a few examples of perimeter on page 3 and have the students try some on their own.
  • Complete a few examples on area on page 4 and have students try some on their own.
/ What is the purpose of finding area and perimeter of things?
11/2 / Shaded Areas /
  • Complete a few examples of odd-shaped figures and figures with shaded regions on page 5-6 of Packet 5.
  • Have students try some on their own.
  • Give students 15 minutes to make up any missed work.
/ Where would you ever need to find the area of shaded regions?
11/5 / Distance formula /
  • Talk about what distance is (only positive numbers).
  • Discuss that we will sometimes need to find distance in order to find area (especially if working on a coordinate plane).
  • Look over the formula for distance on the top of page 7 of Packet 5.
  • Have student label the points and plug into the formula. Complete a few examples together.
  • Have students work on the problems on pages 8-9 and go over answers.
/ How comfortable are you using this formula?
11/6 / Using distance formula to find area /
  • Put Thursday and Monday together now to find the area of figures on a coordinate plane.
  • Complete examples on page 9 of Packet 5. Have students sketch a picture so they know what points they need to find the distance of.
  • Have students practice on page 10.
/ When would you need to find area this way?
11/7 / Practice /
  • Go over an additional example of using the distance formula to find area on Page 10 of Packet 5.
  • Have students pick 5 problems to complete from pages 10-13.
/ Any questions on the distance formula?
11/8 / Pythagorean Theorem and find side given area or perimeter /
  • Complete the examples on page 14 and 15 of Packet 5 on finding an unknown side.
  • Complete the examples on page 15 dealing with the Pythagorean theorem to find a missing side in order to find area and perimeter.
/ What other uses does the Pythagorean theorem have?
11/9 / Word Problems /
  • Remind students about the 4 steps to Problem Solving.
  • Have students complete the word problems on pages 16-18 in Packet 5. Go over answers.
/ What other types of situations involve area and perimeter.
11/13 / Graded Worksheet /
  • Students will be completing a worksheet on practice area and perimeter problems. The sheet will be collected and graded.
/ What was the hardest part of this packet?
11/14 / Graded Worksheet Continued /
  • Students will finish their work from the day before. We will go over all answers as a class.
/ What questions do you still have?
11/15 / Review /
  • We will be playing jeopardy for review. The categories are: area formulas, perimeter, and distance formula.
/ What can you use to study?
11/16 / Quiz /
  • Students will complete a quiz on area and perimeter.

11/19 / Quiz Cont. /
  • A lot of students were absent the previous class, so some students will be making up the quiz. The remaining students will make any corrections on their previous quiz.
/ How do you think you did?
11/20 / Packet 6: Surface Area /
  • What is surface area? Show examples of what is surface area on different objects.
  • Go through where formulas come from on page 1 of Packet 6. Have the students circle the formulas so it is easier to see.
  • Go through where the formula for surface area of a cylinder comes from on page 2 and complete the example on the bottom of page 2.
  • Complete the practice problems on pages 3-4. Do some with students and have them try a few problems on their own.
/ What is surface area?
11/21 / Thanksgiving Meal /
  • Students will be working in groups to complete the budgeting of a Thanksgiving dinner. They will use the information on the worksheet to figure out how much food they need to buy. They will then use store ads (computer if needed) to figure out how much everything will cost.
/ What is your ideal Thanksgiving dinner?
11/26 / Volume /
  • What is volume?
  • Go through the formulas for volume on page 5.
  • Complete the examples on page 6.
  • Go through the formulas for cones, pyramids and spheres on page 7.
  • Complete the examples on pages 8-10.
/ Why should we know how to calculate volume?
11/27 / Stations /
  • Students will be rotating through four stations. At station 1, students will be measuring a box of cereal and calculating the volume and surface area. At station 2, students will be completing practice problems on area. At station 3, students will be measuring and calculating the volume and surface area of a can of soup. At station 4, students will be completing practice problems on volume.
  • Provide students approximately 8 minutes per station.
/ Did you like the stations?
11/28 / Volume and SA Practice /
  • Students will be working in groups to complete a worksheet that has them practicing calculating surface area and volume for figures.
/ What concerns do you have with SA and Volume?
11/29 / Word Problems /
  • Have students check over their answers from the previous class. Go over problems 6 and 7 in more detail.
  • Have students work with the teacher to complete the word problems worksheet.
/ What questions do you have for the quiz tomorrow?
11/30 / Quiz /
  • Students will be taking a quiz on volume and surface area.
/ How do you think you did?
12/3 / Review Relay /
  • Students will select groups of no more than 4 people.
  • They will randomly select a question from their deck of index cards. They will complete the question on a whiteboard and show the teacher when complete. If they are correct, they will select again. If they are incorrect the teacher will give them a hint and they will try again until it is correct. Students will rotate the person who is recording the answers. They will repeat this earning bonus points on their test.
/ What tools should you use to study?
12/4 / Test /
  • Students will be completing a test on area, perimeter, surface area, and volume. They are permitted formula sheets.
/ How do you think you did?
12/5 / Test Continued /
  • Students will be able to finish their test from the previous class or look over their finished test one last time.

12/6 / Packet 7: Polygons and Angles / Complete pages 1-5 in Packet 7.
  • Naming an angle
  • Types of angles
  • Measuring angles
  • Adjacent and Vertical Angles
  • Discover formula for angles in polygons
  • Practice
/ What is the formula to find the number of degrees in a polygon?