Mathematics Lesson Plans- Word Problems/Math Centers

Resource Room 2015

Kelley Wier
Word Problems- Strategies and Practice
Subject:Mathematics
Activity: Small Group Lesson
Setting: Resource Room, math centers, 5-7 min rotations
Number of students: 2-3
Objective:
Students will review strategies for solving a math word problem (finding key numbers, understand
the question, locate clue words) and utilize these strategies to successfully solve math word
problems.
Materials:
Clue words poster we created
Word problem solving mats
List of appropriate word problems for the group
Whiteboard markers
Opening:
What is a story problem?
How might you solve one?
We are detective when we work on word problems. We have to read carefully and find all of the
clues to help us solve it correctly.
Presentation:
Review strategies
Review clue words- on our poster
Model how to use the word problem solving mat
What do you know? What do you want to know? What type of problem? Show your work. Show
your answer using units.
Guided Practice:
Solve word problems as a group
Work through them together, modeling and practicing the CUBES strategies
Circle key numbers, underline the question, box clue words, evaluate, and solve
Independent Practice:
Solve word problem independently using the word problem solving mat
Closing:
Discuss
What strategies do you use when you solve a word problem?
What is important to know? What is important to do?
Extensions:
Differentiate word problems based on student abilities
Other

math centers that students are working on:

Folder work- fraction packet from last week, word problem packet from this week
Math tub- Pet word problems, draw and solve
Math project- Work on our classroom word problem book, working on individual story problems
Computers- ABCya problem solving game

**I will teach variations of this lesson two times while other groups are working on other math centers