8-10 yrs old
Math & Economics
Design and solve a two-step word problem by building it as scene in Minecraft.
June 13, 2020
World File
Supporting Minecraft world file.
Common Core Standard
Engage NY Module
Related Engage NY Module link.
Walkthrough Video
Tutorial video for teachers and students.
Worksheet
Rubric
Word Problem Mad Lib Multiplication
Hand out the Word Problem Design Sheet Packet (see Supporting Files section) and walk your students through the word problem MathLib on page 1. Next, unveil the Big Idea:
Some problems take more than one step to solve.
Build Battle: Build a Word Problem
Practice Building Math Models
Have students load the attached "Two Step Word Problems" Minecraft world. Complete the six practice problems to unlock the Build Battle Stage.
Plan the build
On the attached worksheet, have students choose one of the four problems.
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:
a. Changing the characters and the numbers (if they want)
b. Changing the setting (if they want)
c. Drawing the set with a math model
Build the Problem in Minecraft
Once the last pair of students finishes, start the clock twenty minutes.
Partners work together and build the word problem that has:
a. The problem written on a slate
b. The equation on a slate 5 x 5 6 = 19
c. A setting
d. NPCs as characters (if they finish their builds with time to spare, make the NPCs talk)
e. A math model of the problem
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:
a. Is the math correct and how do I know?
b. Is the math model correct?
c. Does the story make sense?
d. What ideas can I think of to improve this set?
e. 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.
1. The student was able to identify what mathematical operations to use to solve the problem.
2. The student was able to deconstruct a word problem by identifying the characters, likely setting, the problem, the number family, and the variables.
3. The student was able to independently read and solve a two- step 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 out of the word problems
b. Use of NPCs to get their characters to have a conversation about the word problem
c. At least one Minecraft math model that represented the math of the word problem
7. The student exhibited higher level thinking skills such as:
a. Was able to explain the associative or distributive property
b. Created a unique math model
c. Wrote their own word problem