Pizza = FRACTIONS

Any way you slice it!

Problem-Based Learning Model
Problem-Based Learning ModelPage 285-288
3rd GradeMathematics
1. MATERIALS/PREPLANNING
Materials
Paper plates or large construction paper circles to represent pizzas (I will pre-mark these into
halves, thirds, fourths, sixths, eighths, and twelfths before passing them out to students.)
Materials to add toppings (yarn or green paper shapes for green peppers, red circles for pepperoni,
beige shapes for mushrooms, and anything else that would look like pizza toppings)
Glue and scissors
Worksheets
Math Journals

Vocabulary
Fraction
Numerator
Denominator
Equivalent Fraction
Whole Number

Literature - List supporting literature or reading materials

Read aloud the book Gator Pie by Louise Mathews. Make predictions as story is being read and
discuss the concept of sharing equally or equal parts. Emphasize that it is very important that each
is a fair share.
In this story, two gators, Alvin and Alice, find a pie. To share the pie fairly, each gator would get
half. Then, more alligators arrive. Alvin and Alice must divide the pie into more pieces. As more
and more alligators arrive, the piece that each gator will receive becomes smaller and smaller.
The gators start to argue about sharing the pie. Finally, Alvin and Alice take the pie and sneak
away.

2. OBJECTIVE
During this lesson, students will explore and investigate the relationships among fractions. Students will
use paper pizzas divided into fractional parts to compare equivalent fractions. They will see part-whole
fractions as fair shares and begin to understand that the parts must be equal.
After a lesson on fractions, students will successfully determine how many pizzas they will need in
order to provide enough pizza of all of their party guests.

State the Cognitive Taxonomy

Application, Analysis and Synthesis

Affective Level
Receiving, Responding, Organization
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Common Core State Standards

Number and OperationsFractions
Develop understanding of fractions and numbers
1. Understand a fraction 1/b as the quantity formed by 1 part when a whole is partitioned into b equal
parts; understand a fraction a/b as the quantity formed by a parts of size 1/b.

3. ASSESSMENT
Key Question:
Explore and investigate as many different ways that they can to create a completed circle (pizza)
from the fractional parts. (Pizza slices)
Conclude and define equal fractions by comparing fractional parts to one another.
Recognize fair shares as being equivalent fractions.
Manipulate materials to show examples of equivalent fractions.
Note the importance of fractions in everyday living.
After this assessment, I will informally assess student performance through class discussion and
student explanations of their pizza slices.
I will formally assess student journal writing. Students will be required to explain equivalent fractions
and tell me how many slices and pizza they believe we will need for our pizza party.
Students will complete a fraction related worksheet for homework that will be reviewed the following
day.
This assessment supports this theoretical model because it allows students to learn and hone problemsolving skills, develop competence with academic content standards, and realize the relevance of
applying content area learning for practical purposes.
4. LESSON OPENING/PURPOSE
Okay boys and girls, today we are going to explore and investigate fractions! We are going to examine
all of the different ways that we can create a completed circle from fractional parts. Knowing how to do
this will be very beneficial our learning and we will be able to apply this knowledge to all aspects of our
lives.
5. MOTIVATION FOR LEARNING
Motivation for learning will be intrinsic. Students will be presented with the problem that will generate
motivation to determine how much pizza they will need for their pizza party.
In order to support motivation for learning, I will help students develop different problem solving
competencies, help them devise strategies for identifying problems, help them frame problems and
address problems in order to support motivation. They are in charge of their learning but I am there to
guide them in the right direction and correct them when they veer off course.
6. LESSON BODY
Step 1

Present or Identify the Problem

I will present the problem:
Okay boys and girls, I have a very important question to ask you guys. As you know we
are quickly approaching the end of the school year and we are having an end of the year
party this Friday. I thought I would order pizza for everyone to celebrate the awesome
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year we had together. But, I have one problem; I dont know how many pizzas to order
for you guys.
Can you help me figure this out? How many pizzas will we need for our party?
Step 2

Develop a Plan for Solving the Problem

Based off of the question proposed and the information provided, students will gather
information to develop a plan and take action to solve the problem.
I will place students in groups of 3-4 and help walk them through the various steps of the
Problem-Based Learning model and help them develop a plan,
Guide discussion and help students come to the conclusion
Well, we need to first figure out how many slices of pizza everyone eats, and then we
need to figure out how many slices come in 1 pizza box.
We will probably want a few extra slices just in case.
How will we go about collecting this data and solving this problem?
Possible student responses:
We could create a survey.
We could conduct interviews.
12 pizzas come in a large pizza box.
We could create a chart.
These are all excellent ideas. How about we do this! Lets pretend that these paper
plates are our own personal pizzas. Lets put our toppings on them, and divide them
accordingly reflecting how many slices we will eat. Then we will add all of our pieces of
pizza up to determine how many slices we will need, and then how many pizzas we will
need.
Lets begin!

Step 3

Implement the Plan for Solving the Problem

Here, we will complete an activity that will help us solve our problem. Students will work towards
determining how many pizzas.
Information and skills learned through this activity will help students solve the problem I
presented to them at the beginning of the lesson.
Activity:
1. Pass out pre-measured and marked paper plates to students. (These plates should have
been pre-marked or divided on the back into halves, thirds, fourths, sixths, eighths, and
twelfths.)
2. Have the students write their name on each piece of their paper plates on the back. Be sure
they write their names on each section or slice of their pizza.
3. Have the students use construction paper shapes for pepperoni, green peppers and
mushrooms or any other pizza topping that they want to include on their pizza. Have them
glue these shapes on their pizza. Let pizza toppings dry.
4. Then have students carefully cut their pizzas into slices. Use the lines that are drawn on the
back of the plates as their guide.
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5. I will then model how 1/2 of her pizza is the same as 2/4 of another pizza. Then 2/4 is the
same as 4/8 of another pizza.
6. Then have student move around the classroom and trade slices with at least one other
person emphasizing that they should trade fair shares. Also emphasize that they should
place the pieces on top of each other to ensure equal trading.
7. After about 5 to 10 minutes, warn students that they have two more minutes to complete
their trading and return to their seats.
8. After students have returned to their seats, get volunteers to share their new pizza and
explain how they made a new whole pizza. They should state what they traded. Make a list
of these fractions on the board as students explain their trading procedures.
9. As discussion occurs, students should begin to discover and infer what fractional parts are
equal.
10. Write the word equivalent on the board stating that this is a new word for some students. As
if anyone thinks they know what equivalent means. Students hopefully will determine that
equivalent and equal are synonyms.
11. Then have students write in their Math Journals about what they did in todays Math time.
(This will allow me to gain insight into each students thinking process.)
Step 4

Evaluate the Implementation Plan Results

After this activity, I will ask students to form in to groups, gathering the number of pieces of
pizza they plan on eating at the party.
Students will collect as many slices of pizza they plan on eating and get into groups to form a
whole pizza (whole fractions).
As a class, we will get into groups, count how many groups we have, which will signify how
many pizzas I will need to order for our party.
During this time I will write fractions on the board, showing that a fraction, ex. 8/8 = 1, which will
equal 1 pizza.
Students will count the number of groups and convey to me how many pizzas I should order.

Assessment
After this activity, I will informally assess student performance through class discussion and student
explanations of their pizza slices.
I will formally assess student journal writing. Students will be required to explain equivalent fractions
and tell me how many pizzas they believe I should order for the party and why
Students will complete a fraction related worksheet for homework.
7. Student Work Examples/Technology Support

Math Journal
Explain Equivalent Fractions:

Provide me an example of an Equivalent Fraction:

How many pizzas will we need for our party?

Define these Vocabulary Words:

Fraction
Numerator
Denominator
Whole Number

Reflective Statement for Problem-Based Learning Mode

SLO 2: Evaluate and conduct research to improve instructional practices and institutional cultures.
Relevance: Why is this assignment relevant to demonstrating your competence with this SLO?
Applying the Problem-Based Learning model to teach students to explore and investigate the
relationships among fractions, meets SLO 2 because students are required to apply what they know,
analyze their findings and synthesize this information found by applying it to a larger, more life like
situation. The mastery of this skill helps students develop their critical thinking, cooperative and social
learning skills. Cultivation of these skills helps student focus on solving problems by examining the
problem, developing of a strategy to solve the problem, and implementing the proposed strategy, by
analyzing of the implementation of the strategy through discussion and evaluation of its outcomes.
Significance:

This lesson models my professional development as an instructional designer because it requires me to

master my ability to teach students how to solve authentic problems; developing critical-thinking,
cooperative and social-learning skills; and fostering self-directed learning. While executing this lesion I
am required to (1) present or identify the problem, (2) develop a plan for solving the problem, (3)
implement the plan for solving the problem, and (4) evaluate the implementation plan results.

This lesson supports helping students reach levels of deeper learning because it requires students to
evaluate and reflect on the implementation of their plans and their outcomes. This lesson also promotes
21st century skills. Learning in the 21st century is characterized by using information and thinking to
solve problems. In the Problem-Based Learning Model, students do both, resulting in their development
of 21st century skills. Problem-Based Learning requires students to learn how to focus on a problem and
devise a plan to solve it. Critical thinking is developed as learners work to create, implement, and
analyze the success of their efforts.

This teaching model is appropriate and suitable throughout my curriculum because it requires students
to analyze as they work to frame a problem, reason as they develop a problem-solving plan, selfmonitor as they execute their plan, and evaluate their implementation.

Adaptations/Accommodations:
o

Advanced
For Advanced students, I will provide them with materials to further their learning and
autonomy to examine fractions in other aspects of life independently. I will also provide
them with many opportunities to challenge themselves to further their understanding.

ELD

For ELD students, I will focus on simplified fraction examples to allow them to internalize
their knowledge and understanding of fractions. Students will be provided with
supplementary material to aid their learning. They will also be allowed extra time to
complete their journal entry.
Vocabulary words will be written on board in the front of the class and students will be
pre-taught necessary vocabulary and their Spanish equivalents.

IEP
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For my IEP students, I will assure I am modeling plenty kinesthetic learning opportunities
for them to grasp the concept of the terms I am teaching for the content in this lesson.
Students will be pre-taught vocabulary terms and provided with examples of these terms
prior to our lesson.

Using The Problem-Based Learning Model for this lesson, allowed me to encourage my students to
hit the higher levels of critical thinking in Blooms Taxonomy. This lesson required students to use
Application, Analysis and Synthesis. As well as Receiving, Responding and Organization on the
Affective Level. This format encourages students to deal with and solve complicated problems.
Real-word problems are complex, multifaceted, and confusing. With the Problem-Based Learning
Model, students are required to solve problems that are ill defined, authentic and engagingmuch
like those encountered in life outside of school. Therefore, this model allows students to analyze
and grapple with the same problems they might really encounter and to develop solutions to these
problems they might also really be implemented.

This lesson supports Number and OperationsFractions portion of the 3rd Grade Math Common
Core State Standards. Students are expected to develop understanding of fractions and numbers.
o Understand a fraction 1/b as the quantity formed by 1 part when a whole is partitioned into b
equal parts; understand a fraction a/b as the quantity formed by a parts of size 1/b.

Note the Patterns

This lesson requires students to identify the recurring elements or repeated factors of an event or
idea. When dealing with fractions, students are asked to identify the pattern and what this pattern
means in terms of quantities and amounts.

Big Idea

This lesson allows students to learn skills for applying this information, and developing this
information by applying it to other aspects of life.

Link to Theory

This lesson is supported by the Constructivist Theory in that theory of knowledge that argues that
humans generate knowledge and meaning from interactions between their experiences and their ideas.
This lesson requires student to use their prior knowledge and asks them to apply it by using their
understanding to solve a problem.

Big Ideas Connection

o

1. Learners do not passively absorb information from the environment; rather, they actively
absorb information from their environment and construct their own, unique understandings of
the world.

This teaching model asks students to become active in their quest for knowledge and
seek information.

3. Learners learn more effectively when they relate new information to prior knowledge.
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This teaching model asks students to generate their own assumptions and methods for
organizing large bodies of knowledge. Their prior knowledge aids their understanding of
this new information and helps them generate and make sense of graphic organizers to
substantiate their generalizations.

7. Learning and development are fostered when learners are challenged to perform increasingly
more difficult tasks or to think in increasingly more sophisticated ways.

New Learning Sciences Connection:

o

This teaching model requires students to tackle information that they already
know by applying it to more complex problems.

The new learning sciences emphasize the importance of a deeper conceptual understanding.
Scientific studies prove that expert knowledge includes facts and procedures, but simply
acquiring those facts and procedures does not prepare a person to perform as a knowledge
worker. Facts and procedures are only useful when a person knows which situations to apply it
in, and exactly how to modify it for each situation. This lesson provides students the ability to
gain a deeper conceptual understanding of newly learned facts and procedures that transfers to
real world settings.

Curriculum Resources:
o Kilbane, C.R., Milman, N., Teaching Models: Designing Instruction for 21st Century. (2014).
Boston.

Growth Mindset
This lesson helps students develop a stronger growth mindset because it requires students to use prior
knowledge and apply it to difference contexts in order to gain understanding. Students are provided with a
framework that intelligence is developed which leads to a desire to learn and therefore a tendency to. This
lesson also embraces the belief that obstacles and failure as an opportunity to learn and learn from criticism.

Professional Actions/Areas for growth

What went well during my lesson was my students ability to complete the activity and understand the
necessary information needed to solve the problem I presented them with. Students did very well
forming groups and determining how many pizzas we need to order for our party. They also did well
filling out their math journals on the formal assessment.

Next time, I might implement a simpler, less time consuming activity to teach them how to solve our
problem mathematically. Possibly with the use of a premade worksheet, students could cut the pieces
of pizza out in order to save time in the future. This would allow us to focus more on the mathematical
aspects of solving our problem.

For next time, I would like to spend more time going over the math portion of this assignment by doing
fewer activities. I believe this will provide students with a deeper understanding of fractions and more
successfully apply them to other real life problems.

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