Building Word Problems

CCSS.Math.Content.3.OA.A.3 Use multiplication and division within 100 to solve word problems in situations involving equal groups, arrays, and measurement quantities, e.g., by using drawings and equations with a symbol for the unknown number to represent the problem.

Guiding Ideas

Word Problem Mad Lib Multiplication

Hand out the Word Problem Design Sheet Packet (see Supporting Files) and walk your students through the word problem Mad Lib on page 1.

Next unveil the Big Idea:

Multiplication Can Be Used to Solve Problems.

Unveil the Challenge.

Student Activities

Minecraft Activity

Students load the "Build Word Problems" Minecraft world. There are 8 practice problems to solve as well as a stage to build their world problem.

Plan the build

Go to page 2 of the packet and have your students choose only one of the four problems. There are two multiplication and two division word problems on the sheet.

After they solve and check their problem with a peer who did the same problem, they will become building partners and plan their build together by:

Change the characters and the numbers (if they want)
Change the setting (if they want)
Draw the set with a math model

Build the Problem in Minecraft.

Once the last pair of students finish, start the 20 minute timer.

Partners work together and build the word problem that has:

The problem written on a slate
A math model of the problem
The equation on a slate
A setting
NPCs as characters (if they finish their builds with time to spare, make the NPCs talk)

If students finish before the time is up, encourage them to add more details.

Peer Review

Once time has been called, each group will check out another group’s word problem.

Is the math correct and how do I know?
Is the math model correct?
Does the story make sense?
What ideas can I think of to improve this set?
What ideas did I learn from looking at this set?

Best Practices: Things like set building ideas, math, and story are all things that can be learned or taught so lead the students to these topics if they are having trouble thinking of ideas to add.

Debrief

The teacher will facilitate a discussion of what the students learned.

Performance Expectations

The student did all seven of the following:

1. The student was able to identify what problems can be solved with multiplication and/or division. For example, in multiplication, we are looking for the whole number in a number family and in division problems we are looking for the number of groups or the amount in each group.

2. The student was able to deconstruct a word problem by identifying the characters, the setting, the problem, the number family, and the variables.

3. The student was able to independently read and solve a division and multiplication word problem.

4. The student was able to complete the four-question worksheet for homework.

5. The student provided valuable feedback during peer review.

6. The student was able to build a word problem story set in Minecraft. The story sets must include:

a. A set that showed the character and setting of the word problems

b. Use of NPCs as characters to have a conversation about the problem

c. At least one Minecraft math model per set that represented the math of the word problem

7. The student exhibited higher level thinking skills such as:

a. Was able to explain the inverse relationship between multiplication and division

b. Created a unique math model

c. Wrote their own word problem