BIG Pumpkins!
Grades 3-8 Read a Chart and Solve Word Problems about Big Pumpkins
from Education World ®
Subjects: Mathematics, Science
Grade Levels: 3-5, 6-8
Objectives
Students will
- read a chart about ten of the biggest pumpkins in the world, and
- determine what math operation needs to be used to solve word problems based on the chart.
Keywords
word problems, story problems, pumpkins, Halloween, October, chart, fall, autumn, September, harvest, farm
Materials Needed
- BIG Pumpkins work sheet (PDF, 12K), one per student
Before the Lesson
Before teaching this lesson, you might want to review math word (story) problems with students. Talk about key words students might read in a problem that will help them decide whether to add or subtract.
Procedure
Provide students with a copy of the BIG Pumpkins work sheet (PDF, 12K). Talk about the chart with students before asking them to solve the problems. If this is their first experience this year with word (story) problems, you might have students complete the work sheet with a partner. Otherwise, let them solve the "big pumpkin" word problems on their own. (See the Answer Key in the Assessment section below.)
Extension Activities
Teach the concept of "rounding numbers" by having students round off numbers on the work sheet to the nearest hundred pounds.
Challenge students to create a picture or bar graph to illustrate information on the chart.
Teach the concept of "tons."
Share with students photographs of some very large pumpkins. Have them write a story about the day they woke up to find that overnight a 1,300-pound pumpkin had grown in their gardens!
Have students make up their own word problems about the chart.
Assessment
Students will correctly solve at least four of the five word problems.
Answer Key:
- 76 pounds
- 2,600 pounds
- Dave Stelts's pumpkin weighed 9 pounds more
- 3,752 pounds
- 63 pounds. Challenge Question! The pumpkins weighed 12,161 pounds, which is close to 6 tons.
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