Problem Solving Lesson Plan

Choose your problem and have it approved by March 29, 2010.

Lesson Plan DUE: April 14, 2010

Value: 10% of your total grade

Problem solving is an important skill set that students must develop if they are going to be successful with mathematics. Sometimes, an entire mathematics lesson can revolve around the solving of an engaging problem. The purpose of this assignment is to give you experience finding fun problems to solve with students and to allow you to develop a lesson plan that revolves around an interesting problem.

In class, we will review some resources where you can find problems. A few of these resources are listed below.

You will then set out to find a problem that is interesting to you. You should choose a problem that is non-routine - i.e. it takes some thought to solve and usually involves more than one step.

You should also choose a problem that is aimed at grades 4-6. This will insure the problem is challenging enough to plan a lesson around.

Before you begin your lesson development, you should solve the problem yourself (ON YOUR OWN - NO HELP FROM FRIENDS OR ANSWER KEYS!!). This will allow you to judge if the problem is reasonable.

Before you start your lesson plan, you need to have your problem AND your solution checked by me so that I can be sure you are on the right track. You should submit your problem and your solution to me by March 29. Failure to have your problem and solution approved by me may result in a reduction of your grade on this assignment.

Once you have your problem selected, solved and approved, you should start to think about how you would introduce this problem to kids.

1. How can you introduce the problem so it gets the kids excited to solve it?

2. What prior knowledge would they need to complete this problem? Will you have to review some skills before they start the problem?

3. How will you start them on the problem?

4. How will you facilitate their problem solving?

5. How will you have them present their findings?

6. How will you wrap up this lesson and connect their new knowledge to prior knowledge?

Your final lesson plan should be in our standard departmental lesson plan format, but it should address all the issues above. For this assignment, you should pass in the following:

1. A copy of the problem and your solution to the problem that has been approved by me.

2. A short (one page) explanation of why you chose this problem, how you solved it, and what you like/dislike about the problem.

3. Your completed, detailed lesson plan, in the department's lesson plan format.

The lesson plan will be graded on

1) Completion of the three required elements listed above.

2) Thoughtfulness of your plan.

3) Clarity and Quality of your writing

Some resources for problems.

Back to EDU 373 Syllabus