Primary Type: Lesson Plan
Status: Published
This is a resource from CPALMS (www.cpalms.org) where all educators go for bright ideas!
Resource ID#: 73109
"Amazing Race-Elapsed Time"
In this lesson, which focuses specifically on the elapsed time portion of the standard, students work in small groups in a "race" to solve real world
problems involving time.
Subject(s): Mathematics
Grade Level(s): 4
Intended Audience: Educators
Suggested Technology: Document Camera,
Computer for Presenter, Internet Connection, LCD
Projector, Overhead Projector, Adobe Flash Player,
Adobe Acrobat Reader, Microsoft Office
Instructional Time: 1 Hour(s) 30 Minute(s)
Resource supports reading in content area: Yes
Freely Available: Yes
Keywords: elapsed time, word problems
Resource Collection: FCR-STEMLearn Mathematics General
ATTACHMENTS
PicturesAmazing Places.docx
Six situational story problems to use for the race.docx
Dialogue Starters.docx
Assessment Checklist.xlsx
LESSON CONTENT
Lesson Plan Template: General Lesson Plan
Learning Objectives: What should students know and be able to do as a result of this lesson?
The student will be able to solve a real-world word problem using the four operations involving intervals of time.
Prior Knowledge: What prior knowledge should students have for this lesson?
Before beginning this lesson, students should knowbasic number sense
second, minute, hour, day, week, month, and year
the four basic operations- Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, and Division
the difference between analog and digital
Guiding Questions: What are the guiding questions for this lesson?
What do I need to look for when solving a word problem?
What is the word problem asking me to find?
What strategies can I use when solving a word problem involving intervals of time?
What do good problem solvers do?
Teaching Phase: How will the teacher present the concept or skill to students?
Hook/Introduction-
page 1 of 4 The teacher will introduce the lesson by showing 4-6 pictures of amazing places to visit. You will find a document with pictures you may use here.
Explain that the students will be completing an activity like "The Amazing Race" and will be "racing" with other classmates by solving problems involving time. These
pictures are used to entice the students to want to learn more.
As you're showing the pictures, another way to add excitement is to use Google Earth. When you input an address or place into Google Earth, the program starts to
zoom from your original location to what you've entered. It gives the students a real world application to the activity we are going to complete by showing them
where they live compared to where we're "racing" to. Please visit here, if interested.
The teacher will ask, "Who would like to visit some of these places? How would you like to have a race to see who will get there first?" This will excite and engage
the students.
The teacher will ask the students their favorite, among these photos. (You might take a vote.)
Bridge to Formative Assessment & Whole Group time:
The teacher will say, "Before we begin our "race," I'd like to see where your understanding is. Please take one of the sticky notes that is at your table. Complete the
problem on the board and place your sticky note on the chart."
The teacher will now give the Formative Assessment. The teacher may choose to use the Assessment checklist (uploaded in the formative assessment section) to
gauge students' understanding.
The students may also turn the problem into the teacher. She will ask the students to take out their Math Notebooks. If students don't have a math notebook, they
can use a journal, piece of paper, or binder (i.e. a place to record information).
In my class, the teacher has her own notebook that she models from.
The teacher will model how to fill out the Table of Contents in the beginning and turn to the appropriate page in their math notebook.
The teacher will discuss elapsed time by asking the students what elapsed time is, elapsed time is the amount of time that passes between two events, and
introduce strategies on how to solve these types of problems, including using a Judy Clock (small clock used as a manipulative), number line, adding or subtracting
time, or making a table.
Ask the students what elapsed time is. (Elapsed time is the amount of time that passes between two events.)
Everything the teacher records, the student records in their math notebook.
The teacher will show a video from Learn Zillion titled Solve Problems involving Time by Drawing a Diagram here. (This video should take about 5 minutes)
The teacher will elaborate on how to use a number line when solving an elapsed time problem by modeling. First, figure out how many hours are between the two
events. Then, figure out how many minutes are between the two events.
If interested, you will find a number line (ruler) for elapsed time on a website called worksheetfun.com
If you wish to show videos on this topic, you can do a search on Study Jams for Elapsed Time and Convert Time and find two effective videos. (Each should take
about 5 minutes.)
After the video has played, the teacher and students will record the conversion table from the video (as well as a review of second, minute, hour, day, week,
month, and year) into their Math Notebook or wherever they are recording their work.
Explain to the students that when solving a word problem, they may have to convert units of time before figuring out the answer.
After the students have an understanding of a few different strategies, we will begin the activity.
The teacher will model in her math notebook/journal/paper. Title- "Amazing Race-Elapsed Time"
Guided Practice: What activities or exercises will the students complete with teacher guidance?
The teacher will explain that the groups will be "having the time of their lives racing to the amazing place they've chosen" by working cooperatively in four groups.
These groups will be mixed ability levels.
Six situational story problems will be around the room in labeled baskets, ready to be solved.
Each group/student may choose whichever strategy they wish, as long as they can justify their solution.
As each group solves a problem, they move closer to the finish line.
Explain that as they complete a problem, they must explain and justify their solutions using their "dialogue starter" card with their team. All team members must
have a turn.
While explaining how the "race" will work, the teacher should take this time to discuss how to critique each others work in a positive and productive way.
So that not every team is huddled around the same problem, the order does not matter. For example, a team may start at Question #4.
As you complete a problem, your team must place a sticker for the completed problem on a pre-made chart. (See the special materials needed section of lesson
plan for explanation.)
Independent Practice: What activities or exercises will students complete to reinforce the concepts and skills developed in the
lesson?
The teacher may instruct the students to complete a worksheet after finishing the stations, or as a homework assignment.
The following is a link to a free worksheet the teacher may choose to use. The worksheet and Answer Key may be found here- Going to the Movies.
The next day, students may explain and justify their solutions with a partner, first. Then each pair will share in a whole group discussion.
Closure: How will the teacher assist students in organizing the knowledge gained in the lesson?
Once the students have completed the race, meaning all six word problems have been completed, the teacher will share what he/she discovered and students will
share what they discovered while solving these problems.
One student begins with his/her thoughts, while another student may answer back with an idea or related thought and continue. Another may add a completely
different strategy and the process would continue.
The teacher may need to ask some questions to help get the students started. For example,
What is one way you solved this problem?
How did you come to that solution?
Did you have some think time before you solved the problem?
Did you stay on your original path or make changes half way through? Why?
Encourage the students to continue using whatever strategies worked for them.
The word problems attached will use addition, subtraction, and/or multiplication.
Summative Assessment
The students will complete a "Ticket out the Door" real-world word problem involving elapsed time on a sticky note or index card.
The teacher will write this word problem on the board. "Talia practices gymnastics on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Her practice begins at 5:30 p.m. and ends at 7:15
p.m.. Her coach explained that he needed to add 30 minutes to ONLY Thursday's practice. How many total minutes will Talia spend practicing gymnastics this week?
(Answer-4 hours)
They will place this on the chart as described in the formative assessment section.
page 2 of 4 The teacher will take the "tickets" and better plan for the next day's lesson.
If a student has difficulty, the teacher may remediate in a small group or pair the struggling student with one that clearly understands the skill.
The teacher may use the attached Assessment Checklist.
Formative Assessment
After the teacher uses the hook to introduce the lesson, students will be asked to complete a "Ticket in the Door" involving elapsed time as a formative assessment.
The teacher will display a word problem and the student will complete the question on a sticky note or index card. The teacher will write the following word
problem on the board. "Riley lives on a farm and has daily morning chores. On Monday, he begins his chores at 4:30 a.m. and finishes before school at 5:20 a.m..
On Saturday, he gets to sleep in until 5:30 a.m. and begins his chores then and finishes at 6:45 a.m.. How many total minutes does Riley spend on his morning
chores on those two days, Monday and Saturday? (Answer-2 hours and 5 minutes)
For anonymity, if each student in your class is assigned a number based on alphabetical order, the student will place their "ticket" on a chart beside their number. If
you don't assign numbers, students can write their name on the card and turn it into the teacher.
The teacher will collect the "tickets" and review in order to check for student understanding.
The teacher may use the Assessment Checklist attached to get an overall clearer picture of student understanding.
Feedback to Students
The teacher is circulating around the room, observing how students in cooperative groups are making attempts to solve problems.
While working in cooperative groups, the students will each have a "Dialogue Starter" card, whiteboard, dry-erase marker and eraser.
The teacher will ask the group to show how they solved their word problem on the whiteboard.
When they are finished, the teacher will have one student explain and justify how they came up with their solution.
The students will use a practiced method of self-assessment-Thumbs Up if you agree, Thumbs down if you disagree, and Thumbs sideways if "you just don't know."
The students will then use their "dialogue starter" card (i.e. A "dialogue starter" card has sentence starters that assist the student in having a meaningful and
productive talk about math, without feeling as though they must come up with everything themselves.)
If a student cannot justify their answer, the teacher and student may have a dialogue using open ended questions and responses.
Possible Teacher Probing Questions:
When you read the word problem, what was the first thing you did?
Are you sure?
Possible Student Responses:
Well, yes, because of...
The first thing I did was…
Next, I thought of...
The teacher will ask the students to continue the race using some of the strategies discussed.
If they did not solve the first problem correctly, this will give them the opportunity to persevere and try again. If they did answer the question correctly, they might
be able to better justify how they came to that conclusion.
ACCOMMODATIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS
Accommodations:
Struggling students could be given the Judy Clock and review units of time.
Allow struggling students more time to explore with moving the hands on a clock.
Provide struggling students word problems that deal with larger increments of time. For example, instead of a problem dealing with 5-minute increments, choose
problems with 30-minute increments.
Reduce the amount of problems to work on.
Extensions:
To challenge students, pose this task: A friend of yours has finished their homework, exercise for the day, eaten dinner, and showered. They are so excited
because they get to choose what to watch on TV tonight! Create a TV-Guide for your friend to help them decide what to watch. Choose at least 6-10 shows/movies
of varying lengths.
Suggested Technology: Document Camera, Computer for Presenter, Internet Connection, LCD Projector, Overhead Projector, Adobe Flash Player, Adobe Acrobat
Reader, Microsoft Office
Special Materials Needed:
4-6 Pictures-Amazing Places
Sticky notes/index cards Math notebook/ paper
Assessment chart-Attached you find a picture of the one that I use in my classroom.
Judy Clock
Number line-ruler
6 labeled bins or containers
Six situational story problems (Race)
“Dialogue Starter” cards (class set/each student will have a laminated card)
Chart for tracking progress (Race) - The chart will have columns for each of the four teams. It will have 6 rows and spaces for stickers to be placed for each
problem completed.
Going to the Movies worksheet (class set)
Assessment Checklist (for Formative and Summative Assessments)
Further Recommendations:
The word problems attached will use addition, subtraction, and multiplication.
On the "Dialogue Starter" cards they mention the word bounce. When a student is explaining or justifying their answer, another student may "bounce" off of what
they said. Bounce refers to "adding on or continuing what another student has talked about in a new and/or different way.
page 3 of 4 Additional Information/Instructions
By Author/Submitter
This lesson supports the following mathematical practices:
MAFS.K12.MP.1.1- Make sense of problems and persevere in solving problems.
MAFS.K12.MP.3.1- Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others.
MAFS.K12.MP.4.1- Model with mathematics.
MAFS.K12.MP.6.1- Attend to precision.
SOURCE AND ACCESS INFORMATION
Contributed by: Jessica Sams
Name of Author/Source: Jessica Sams
District/Organization of Contributor(s): Marion
Is this Resource freely Available? Yes
Access Privileges: Public
License: CPALMS License - no distribution - non commercial
Related Standards
Name
MAFS.4.MD.1.2:
Description
Use the four operations to solve word problems1 involving distances, intervals of time, and money, including problems
involving simple fractions or decimals2. Represent fractional quantities of distance and intervals of time using linear
models. (1See glossary Table 1 and Table 2) (2Computational fluency with fractions and decimals is not the goal for
students at this grade level.)
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