Cookies, Fractions and Decimals, Oh My!

Lesson Content

• Lesson Plan Template:

  Model Eliciting Activity (MEA)

• Formative Assessment

  
  

  See the Readiness Questions.

  Before starting this activity, the teacher should ensure that students have the prerequisite knowledge needed to be successful (ability to convert fractions with base 10 and 100 into decimals).

  The teacher can write practice problems on the board, and students can hold up whiteboards with the solutions on them.

  Formative Assessment Practice Problems and Answers

• Feedback to Students

  
  

  Students will receive continuous feedback. Teacher will ask Readiness Questions to ensure students are prepared to begin the problem. Students will receive feedback, before beginning the problem, in the form of a teacher led discussion. Teacher will discuss correct answers and field any questions which may arise. Teachers will circulate during the problem to answer questions and give feedback.

• Summative Assessment

  
  

  Upon completion of the MEA, teacher will assess the degree to which students fulfilled requirements and satisfied aligned standards using the answer key and rubrics provided.

  The students must convert the decimals notations and fractions with denominators of 100 into fractions with a denominator of 10, an answer key is provided.

  Summative Answer Key and Grading Scale

  Writing Rubric

• Learning Objectives

  
  

  The students will:

  • convert fractions to have like denominators so they can be used to solve a real world problem;
  • convert decimal notation into fractions with a denominator of 10;
  • write an opinion piece supporting a point of view with reasons.

• Prior Knowledge

  
  

  The students should have prior knowledge about:

  • how to read a data table;
  • creating equivalent fractions;
  • converting decimals into fractions;
  • writing a persuasive piece of text.

• Instructional Suggestions

  
  

  Day One:

  1. Before beginning this MEA, please give the students the Formative Assessment (see attachment for problems and answer key) to make sure students have the required prior knowledge.
  2. Use the data from the Formative Assessment to form groups so that students who scored lower are grouped with peers who can help support them.
  3. Teacher will pass out Reading Passage 1 (Lexile Measure 110L) and the Readiness Questions for students to answer after they have read the passage.
  4. Teacher will pass out Data Set 1 and allow the students some individual time to brainstorm a process for choosing the best cookie to add to their menu.
  5. Students will work in small groups to analyze Data Set 1 and to fill in the blank chart, which is the Summative Assessment.
  6. Students will develop a process for deciding which cookie should be added to The Cookie Jar's menu.
  7. Teacher will walk around and ask the comprehension/readiness questions and the guiding/reflection questions to the different groups.
  8. Students will write a letter (in response to Reading Passage 1) stating which cookie should be added to the menu and how they came to that conclusion; they will use the information in Data Set 1 to support their process.
  9. The teacher will pick up and grade the students' mathematical computations that they filled into the blank chart. This chart will need to be passed back tomorrow because they will need to analyze it along with the forthcoming data.
  10. The teacher will circulate to each team and ask the Reflection Questions, giving feedback to students.

  Day Two:

  1. Teacher will pass out Reading Passage 2 (Lexile Measure 920L), Data set 2 and Data Set 1(from yesterday with the students' calculations).
  2. Students will read Reading Passage 2 (a letter to the taste tester).
  3. Students will work in small groups to analyze Data Set 2 (new information about the cookies).
  4. Students will decide if the same process from yesterday still works given the new data, as well as deciding if their choice from yesterday is still the best option.
  5. Teacher will walk around and ask the comprehension/readiness questions and the guiding/reflection questions to the different groups.
  6. Students will write a letter in response to Reading Passage 2, using the information in Data Set 2 to support their process.
  7. The teacher will circulate around to the different groups and ask the Reflection Questions, giving feedback to students.

• Guiding/reflective Questions

  
  
  1. Why do you think that?
  2. How do you know if you have an answer to the problem?
  3. Would your solution work in a different situation?
  4. What are the most important things to consider in your procedure?
  5. What are the strengths and weaknesses of each?
  6. Do you agree or disagree with your classmates' ideas? Why or why not? 

• Reading Passage 1

  
  

  Reading Passage 1 Cookie Contest

• Readiness Questions

  
  
  1. What problem do you need to solve? (Answer: Which cookie should be added to The Cookie Jar’s menu?)
  2. Who is the client? (Answer: The Cookie Jar)
  3. What information will you use to solve the problem? (Answer: Data set 1; the number of people who chose each cookie as their favorite, the number of ingredients used to make the cookie, the time it takes to make a batch of each cookie and the grams of sugar in each cookie.)
  4. How will you use math to solve the problem? (Answer: convert all the fractions and decimals to fractions with a denominator of 10.)
  5. How will you present your answer? (Answer: Write a letter stating which cookie I would suggest be added to The Cookie Jar's menu and explain how I came up with that choice.)

  Readiness Questions

• Data Set 1

  
  

  Data Set 1

• Letter Template 1

  
  

  Letter 1

• Comprehension/readiness questions

  
  
  1. What is the most important part of the data set when making your decision?
  2. How much does the table where people chose their favorite cookie affect your choice? Why?
  3. What difficulties have you had when making your choice?

• Reading Passage 2

  
  

  Reading Passage 2 Letter to Taste Tester

• Data Set 2

  
  

  Data Set 2

• Letter Template 2

  
  

  Letter 2

• Reflection question 2

  
  
  1. Did you change your procedure after receiving the new data set? Why or why not? .
  2. Did you change your decision for which cookie should be added to The Cookie Jar's menu? Why or why not?