Teacher Guide
This lesson is designed to teach kids to ask a critical thinking question that you can’t just put into a search box to
solve. To do that, we encourage them with smaller questions that search can help them answer. Make sure that
you read the notes for each slide: they not only give you teaching tips but also provide answers and hints so you
can help the kids if they are having trouble.
Remember, you can always send feedback to the Bing in the Classroom team at
[email protected]. You can learn more about the program at bing.com/classroom and follow
the daily lessons on our Partners In Learning site.
Want to extend today’s lesson? Consider using Skype in the Classroom to arrange for your class to chat with
another class in today’s location. And if you are using Windows 8, you can also use the Bing apps to learn more
about this location and topic; the Travel and News apps in particular make great teaching tools.
Nell Bang-Jensen is a teacher and theater artist living in Philadelphia, PA. Her passion for arts education has led her to a
variety of roles including developing curriculum for Philadelphia Young Playwrights and teaching at numerous theaters and
schools around the city. She works with playwrights from ages four to ninety on developing new work and is especially
interested in alternative literacies and theater for social change. A graduate of Swarthmore College, she currently works in
the Artistic Department of the Wilma Theater and, in addition to teaching, is a freelance actor and dramaturg. In 2011, Nell
was named a Thomas J. Watson Fellow and spent her fellowship year traveling to seven countries studying how people get
their names.
This lesson is designed to teach the Common Core State Standard: Operations & Algebraic Thinking
CCSS.Math.Content.4.OA.A.1 Interpret a multiplication equation as a comparison, e.g., interpret 35 = 5 × 7 as a statement that 35 is 5 times as many as 7 and 7 times as many as 5. Represent
verbal statements of multiplicative comparisons as multiplication equations.
CCSS.Math.Content.4.OA.A.2 Multiply or divide to solve word problems involving multiplicative comparison, e.g., by using drawings and equations with a symbol for the unknown number to
represent the problem, distinguishing multiplicative comparison from additive comparison.1
CCSS.Math.Content.4.OA.A.3 Solve multistep word problems posed with whole numbers and having whole-number answers using the four operations, including problems in which remainders
must be interpreted. Represent these problems using equations with a letter standing for the unknown quantity. Assess the reasonableness of answers using mental computation and
estimation strategies including rounding.
Most of the students in the Scripps National Spelling Bee this
year are in eighth grade. How much more likely is it that an
eighth grader will win than a student from each of the other
© REX/Design Pics Inc
grade levels?
© REX/Design Pics Inc
Most of the students in the Scripps National Spelling Bee this
year are in eighth grade. How much more likely is it that an
eighth grader will win than a student from each of the other
grade levels?
These metal letters and symbols are the “type” that comprise the basic
components of a moveable type printing press. One of the earliest movable
type printing presses in the Western world created the Gutenberg Bible in the
1450s. Rectangular blocks of metal type in the shape of letters similar to these
were carefully placed by hand and coated with ink to spell out in Latin each
word in each verse on the page. We’ve come a long way since then, with digital
devices that fit in our pockets and deliver far more information than printing
innovator Johannes Gutenberg could have typeset in his lifetime.
Still, it’s fun to challenge our brains with letters and words, and few brainteasing contests inspire more dread and victorious satisfaction than spelling
bees. This week, the Scripps National Spelling Bee takes over Washington D.C.,
and students competing will be sorting out letters in their heads, laying them
out like the block type of an old printing press.
Most of the students in the Scripps National Spelling Bee this
year are in eighth grade. How much more likely is it that an
eighth grader will win than a student from each of the other
grade levels?
1
Web
Search/
Thinking
How much more likely is it that an eighth grader will win the spelling bee
than a second grader or third grader?
2
Web
Search/
Thinking
How much more likely is it that an eighth grader will win the spelling bee
than a fourth grader?
3
Web
Search/
Thinking
How much more likely is it that an eighth grader will win the spelling bee
than a fifth grader?
4
Web
Search/
Thinking
How much more likely is it that an eighth grader will win the spelling bee
than a sixth grader?
5
Web
Search/
Thinking
How much more likely is it that an eighth grader will win the spelling bee
than a seventh grader?
Most of the students in the Scripps National Spelling Bee this
year are in eighth grade. How much more likely is it that an
eighth grader will win than a student from each of the other
grade levels?
5
Minutes
Most of the students in the Scripps National Spelling Bee this
year are in eighth grade. How much more likely is it that an
eighth grader will win than a student from each of the other
grade levels?
1
Web
Search/
Thinking
How much more likely is it that an eighth grader will win the spelling bee
than a second grader or third grader?
2
Web
Search/
Thinking
How much more likely is it that an eighth grader will win the spelling bee
than a fourth grader?
3
Web
Search/
Thinking
How much more likely is it that an eighth grader will win the spelling bee
than a fifth grader?
4
Web
Search/
Thinking
How much more likely is it that an eighth grader will win the spelling bee
than a sixth grader?
5
Web
Search/
Thinking
How much more likely is it that an eighth grader will win the spelling bee
than a seventh grader?
Most of the students in the Scripps National Spelling Bee this
year are in eighth grade. How much more likely is it that an
eighth grader will win than a student from each of the other
grade levels?
1
Web
Search/
Thinking
How much more likely is it that an eighth grader will win the spelling bee
than a second grader or third grader?
Most of the students in the Scripps National Spelling Bee this
year are in eighth grade. How much more likely is it that an
eighth grader will win than a student from each of the other
grade levels?
2
Web
Search/
Thinking
How much more likely is it that an eighth grader will win the spelling bee
than a fourth grader?
Most of the students in the Scripps National Spelling Bee this
year are in eighth grade. How much more likely is it that an
eighth grader will win than a student from each of the other
grade levels?
3
Web
Search/
Thinking
How much more likely is it that an eighth grader will win the spelling bee
than a fifth grader?
Most of the students in the Scripps National Spelling Bee this
year are in eighth grade. How much more likely is it that an
eighth grader will win than a student from each of the other
grade levels?
4
Web
Search/
Thinking
How much more likely is it that an eighth grader will win the spelling bee
than a sixth grader?
Most of the students in the Scripps National Spelling Bee this
year are in eighth grade. How much more likely is it that an
eighth grader will win than a student from each of the other
grade levels?
5
Web
Search/
Thinking
How much more likely is it that an eighth grader will win the spelling bee
than a seventh grader?
Most of the students in the Scripps National Spelling Bee this
year are in eighth grade. How much more likely is it that an
eighth grader will win than a student from each of the other
grade levels?