The Math Happening

OBJECTIVE: Share a real-life event (math happening) and pose a question that can be answered using the information given in the story. Illustrate the number sentence by drawing a picture.

MATERIALS: sentence strips, markers, crayons, countables (collections, real objects, semi-concrete objects), combination boards (one per student)

BACKGROUND INFORMATION: Math happenings occur daily in all of our lives. The math happening lessons serve as a framework for teaching many mathematical concepts within the context of real-life math events. The teacher's role in the math happening lesson is:

PROCEDURE:

  1. The teacher begins by grouping students on the floor and asking them to tell a real-life situation that involved math. This can be done by using Plan A, Plan B, or Plan C.

    Plan A - What math happened to you? Tell us about it. (Generate questions about given data.)

    Plan B - Tell me what you did last night, yesterday, or this weekend. (Listen to the event. Probe to gain enough information to make a math story and ask a question.)

    Plan C - Math happened to me. Let me tell you about it. (Tell the story. Say what you're trying to find out. Ask the question.)

  2. After a story has been shared, the teacher models the story using real objects. For example, if the story is about setting the table, plastic tableware should be used to act out the story. If real objects are unavailable, representative objects can be used (straws instead of tableware).
  3. The teacher then writes a math sentence on a sentence strip to go with the story. (As the "math happening" becomes more of a classroom routine, the students can begin to write the math sentence.) The answer to the math sentence should also be written.
  4. The student who shares the math story can later illustrate the story that corresponds to the number sentence.
  5. After the teacher has models may stories (over time) using materials, all students can represent problems with semi-concrete materials. A combination board can also be used.

     

    addition

     
       

     

     

    subtraction

     
       

     
  6. As the student solve math happenings, the teacher should model a problem-solving sequence by asking questions:
  7. The written math happenings (math sentence and illustrations) should be saved to be used in other problem-solving situations. For example, students can sort stories according to some property, match math sentences to stories, create other stories with the same math sentence, compile thematics stories into a class book, etc.
  8. Throughout the year, the teacher should use Plan C to introduce the math happening session when the intent is to investigate other math concepts. For example, consider the story, "I walk Katie the dog three blocks down Ranger Road and then two blocks on Stafford Drive. Then I turn around and walk back home -- the two blocks on Stafford and three blocks on Ranger. How far did I walk before turning around? How far did I walk back home?" Modeling the story with materials and recording the number sentences help introduce the commutative property of addition, other concepts that could be initiated this way may include grouping three addends and addition as the inverse of subtraction.

ASSESSMENT: Observe students as they share math happenings and as they listen to stories told by others.

 

from The Program of Studies, Fairfax County Public Schools (Developed by Shirley Maggard)