What's in a Word

Act One

Fill in the blank with the number of students in your own class

Krall: 36

Rooke: 35

There are _________ students in this classroom. Each student has 1 paper. I need students to cut their papers into six pieces per student (this will create cards). How many cards will our class make?

What operation are you going to use to solve this problem?
Is there a specific word that lets you know what operation to use? If so, please list any word or words that tell you what to do.
Write the mathematical equation you would use to solve this problem.
Solve the problem.
Check the problem. (Does your answer logically make sense)

Reveal/Sequel

Go over homework together.

Brainstorming key words that indicate mathematical equations:

2. Explain to the class that whether they notice it or not, they are constantly interpreting key words in word problems in order to determine which mathematical operations to use in solving the problems.

3. Show the graphic organizer on the board and explain that each symbol represents a different mathematical operation. Add the word "per" from our story problem to the multiplication spot.

4. Put the students in groups and have them brainstorm different words for each operation.

5. Come back as a class and share. Fill out graphic organizer. Give suggestions based on the answers below.

Classwork

Directions: Solve the following word problems with your fellow group members. Try to underline key words in each problem that indicate which mathematical operation is needed to solve the problem.

1. Mary collects pet rocks. She was given 23 for her 9th birthday, and then she bought 6 more with her own money. How many pet rocks does she own in all?

2. The town’s population of 10,000 tripled during the last decade. What is the present population?

3. Ben types forty words per minute. How many words could he type in a forty minute keyboarding class period?

4. Ivan sold 10 out of the 25 raffle tickets that were given to him. How many remaining raffle tickets does he need to sell?

5. If the students are only allowed to play in a quarter of the 100 square‐feet playground, how much space will they have to play? How much space is off limits?

6. If Theo is allowed twenty minutes of video game time a day. How much time is he allowed for the week?

7. The Pavilion Movie Theater usually charges 8 dollars for admission. If the theater increases the admission price for 3‐D movies by three dollars, how much will it cost to go see Avatar in 3‐D?

8. The class of thirty students was divided into groups of three students each. How many groups were formed?

9. The snowiest March on record was in 2003, when 35.2 inches fell on the city of Denver. The following March, Denver got only 1.8 inches of snow, the second driest on record. What was the difference between those two months’ of snow accumulation?

10. If half of Bernie’s $7 allowance goes to buying comic books, then how much does he have to save for a rainy day?

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