Creative Writing in the Math Classroom - Reading Rocks



Creative Writing in the Math Classroom

By Cate Sanazaro

Constructed Response writing and Performance Events are designed to keep pace with changes in assessment. Constructed Response questions require students to supply, rather than select, an appropriate response. Also referred to as Open-Ended Response, Constructed Response usually supports more than one solution process and a wider range of possible responses.  Performance events, requiring students to apply skills, also support a multi-solution process. This unit combines knowledge of current events with traditional math skills; culminating in a fun performance event that allows students to create their own solutions to the problem.

OBJECTIVE

Students Will:

1. Explore cause and effect in relation to gas prices.

2. Analyze information on a Pie Chart.

3. Working within defined parameters; develop a budget for a trip.

4. Estimate distances and costs.

5. Substantiate appropriate methods of calculations.

6. Create an appropriate constructed response.

LESSONS FOR THIS UNIT

[pic]Lesson 1: Interpreting Pie Charts

[pic]Lesson 2: Budgeting for a Trip

[pic]Lesson 3: Writing Constructed Responses

REPRODUCIBLES

Read a Pie Chart (PDF)

Project Outline Sheet (PDF)

Calculating Vacation Costs (PDF)

Calculating Vacation Costs Worksheet (PDF)

CULMINATING ACTIVITY

Design a travel brochure showcasing your itinerary. These can feature real photos, prices, maps, charts. Display these after they have been presented to the class

Lesson 1

Interpreting Pie Charts

By Cate Sanazaro

This portion of the lesson will cover a discussion on rising gas prices, including the cause and effect gas prices may have on budgeting for a vacation. Students will use the presented information to respond to a constructed response question.

OBJECTIVE

Students will: 

1. Explore cause and effect, and supply and demand in relation to gas prices.

2. Analyze information on a Pie Chart.

3. Create an appropriate constructed response.

MATERIALS

1. Articles, news videos, or any pertinent information regarding current gas prices

2. A class set of the Scholastic News: Read a Pie Chart (PDF)

SET UP AND PREPARE

• A review of constructed response answers should be done previous to this lesson if necessary. Constructed response can be defined to the students as an answer they ‘construct’ using their understanding of the question along with prior knowledge. The scoring guide should be reviewed to define what a top quality answer requires.

• Make copies of Scholastic News: Read a Pie Chart (PDF) for your class.

REPRODUCIBLES

1. Read a Pie Chart (PDF)

DIRECTIONS

Part I

Step 1: Introduce the unit by telling students that they will be responsible for planning a vacation.  Before they begin budgeting, they will need to consider where the money will be spent. Ask for volunteers to offer ideas of what items might be the most costly. If gas isn’t suggested, mention that this vacation will require a car trip. Discuss what the class already knows about rising gas prices.

Step 2: Share the articles, news videos, and other gathered information.

Step 3: Distribute the handout, Read A Pie Chart (PDF). Discuss that the chart represents a whole, in this case the world’s oil supplies. Encourage students to talk about which countries have the largest slice of the pie. Discuss why the Middle East oil supplies are a concern to some people.

Step 4: Ask students to answer the questions about the chart. Go over these in class, checking for understanding.

Step 5: Open up a discussion on how gas prices can affect the travel industry, and how travelers could conserve energy.

PART II

Step 6: If necessary, review constructed response answers. Go over your rubric.

Step 7: Pair up students to work on a constructed response question such as the following:

Think of your typical daily activities. If gasoline was no longer available, list at least five ways that would change your lifestyle. What could you personally do to conserve energy? Give Examples.

Step 8: Allow partners to create one response to the question. Encourage volunteers to share these in class.

Step 9: Discuss elements necessary for a top quality answer to this question. Model a top quality answer and evaluate according to the Constructed Response Scoring Guide. Encourage students to critique class answers by using the scoring guide.

SUPPORTING ALL LEARNERS

1.  Students will answer the questions at their own ability. Working with a partner will assist struggling learners

2.  ESL students may be allowed to answer the questions in their first language

LESSON EXTENSION

Scholastic News Online’s “You’re the President” game, allows students to create a balanced budget using percentages and pie charts. This is an excellent follow-up to this lesson. Information can be found at

ASSESS STUDENTS

Collect the Pie Chart handouts to check for understanding. 

Answers to PDF: 1. C; 2. B; 3. C; 4. A; 5. B; 6. B; 7. C.

Bonus: Saudi Arabia has about 250,000,000,000 barrels; Iraq has about 100,000,000,000 barrels; The U.S. and Canada together have about 30,000,000,000 barrels.

Assess the constructed response questions by checking for complete answers that contain information covered during discussion.

Use the Rubric Maker to create your own.

Sample Rubric for Scoring a Constructed Response Question

3—Response is successful in the following ways:

• It demonstrates an ability to analyze the stimulus material thoughtfully and in depth.

• It responds appropriately to all parts of the question

• It demonstrates proficiency with conventions of standard written English

2—Response demonstrates understanding of the topic, but is limited in one or more of the following ways:

• It may indicate a misreading of the stimulus material or provide superficial analysis

• It may respond to one or more parts of the question inadequately or not at all

• It may contain significant writing errors

1—Response is inadequate in one or more of the following ways:

• It may demonstrate weak understanding of the subject matter or of the writing task

• It may fail to respond adequately to most part of the question

• It may be incoherent or severely underdeveloped

• It may contain significant and persistent writing errors

0—Response is blank, off-topic, totally incorrect, or merely rephrases the question.

ASSIGNMENTS

• Provide answers to the questions on the Pie Chart (PDF) handout

• Create a response to the constructed response question with a partner.

HOME CONNECTION

Suggest that students ask parents and/or grandparents if they can recall a previous time in their lives when gas prices were in the news.

EVALUATE THE LESSON

• Do you think any part of this lesson was unclear?

• What can you provide to make the lesson more meaningful and personal to the student?

• How would you evaluate student’s understanding of constructed response answers? `

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Lesson 2

Budgeting for a Trip

By Cate Sanazaro

tudents will use the provided information to plan and calculate a round-trip vacation.

OBJECTIVE

Students will: 

1. Develop a budget for a trip, while working within defined parameters.

2. Estimate distances and costs.

3. Substantiate appropriate methods of calculations.

MATERIALS

1. Project Outline Sheet (PDF)

2. Calculating Vacation Costs (PDF)

3. Atlases

4. Calculators

SET UP AND PREPARE

1. Make copies of the Project Outline Sheets (PDF) and Calculating Vacation Costs (PDF) for the class

2. Prepare a list of 6 resort locations ranging in distance from approximately 700 to 2000 miles one way from your location

3. Provide students with the mileage one way to these 6 destinations

4. Gather atlases, road maps, and any other useful travel resources for class use

5. Copy the Calculating Vacation Costs (PDF) to a transparency for overhead display (optional)

REPRODUCIBLES

1. Project Outline Sheet (PDF)

2. Calculating Vacation Costs (PDF)

DIRECTIONS

Step 1: Distribute to the students:

Project Outline Sheets (PDF)

Calculating Vacation Costs (PDF)

Step 2: Review the project information with the class. Model a completion of Calculating Vacation Costs worksheet. It may be helpful to copy a sheet onto an overhead transparency.

Step 3: Allow two class periods to complete the performance event.

Step 4: Students submit the Calculating Vacation Costs Worksheet for a grade.

SUPPORTING ALL LEARNERS

1. Students who struggle with the math concepts in this lesson may work with a partner

2. ESL students may complete work in their first language

LESSON EXTENSION

Alternate trips can be calculated by giving the students other guidelines to follow. Example: With $500 gas money, plan a round-trip from your hometown to as many National Parks, State Parks, and State Capitals as possible. Atlases, maps, state brochures, etc. will be needed.

ASSESS STUDENTS

Use the Rubric Maker to create your own.

Sample Rubric for Scoring the Calculating Vacation Worksheet

40 points — Outstanding

30 points — Proficient

• Shows an appropriate method that supports the calculation of the costs of a fully developed vacation. Clearly shows that they stayed within the budget.

20 points — Emergent

• Part of the task is accomplished, but neither the total cost nor the method for calculation will accomplish the whole task

10 points — Attempted

• It is evident that the student engaged in the task, but the task was misconceived. 

0 points — Off task or no attempt.

ASSIGNMENTS

• Following instructions and using the resources and information provided, students complete a budget for a vacation

• Hand in the Calculating Vacation Worksheet for a grade

HOME CONNECTION

Students are encouraged to take this project home and request a parent to check their calculations.

EVALUATE THE LESSON

• Does the quality of the work show understanding and enthusiasm for the project?

• Can you think of any other information that would assist the student?

• Does the rubric fairly assess the project?

Lesson 3

Writing Constructed Responses

By Cate Sanazaro

Utilizing prior knowledge and experience gained from the previous lessons in this unit, students will complete a constructed response question providing top quality answers.

OBJECTIVE

Students will: 

1. Create an appropriate constructed response.

2. Develop an understanding of assessment for constructed response.

MATERIALS

1. Completed Pie Charts

2. Completed Calculating Vacation Costs Worksheets (PDF)

3. Constructed Response Scoring Guide (See assessment in this lesson)

SET UP AND PREPARE

1. Supply completed work from Lessons One and Two for each student

2. Prepare a top quality answer for constructed response questions for modeling

3. Provide copies of the Constructed Response Scoring Guide

REPRODUCIBLES

1. Calculating Vacation Costs Worksheet (PDF)

DIRECTIONS

Step 1: Give students the following assignment:

Utilizing all of the information and work previously completed in Lessons One and Two, provide a complete answer to a constructed response question. Refer to the Constructed Response Scoring Guide to check for completion.

Sample questions:

1) How could a pie chart be used to represent your budgeted vacation? Explain what the slices of your pie represent. Give examples. 

2) Give 3 examples of how you could have improved the budgeting of your trip?  How would you rate the success of your vacation on a scale of 1-5? Explain.

3) How did current gas prices affect the quality of your vacation? Give examples of ways your trip would have changed if gas cost $1.00 per gallon.

Step 2: Allow a full class session to answer questions. Encourage students to write a draft, edit and rewrite for completion. Students should refer to the scoring guide to check progress.

Step 3: Share answers in class and discuss how the answers would score on your grading scale. Allow students to voice opinion on scoring.

Step 4: Model top quality answers.

SUPPORTING ALL LEARNERS

1. Review the elements of constructed response answers if necessary

2. Assist students in converting information into an acceptable answer

LESSON EXTENSION

Invite students to create constructed response questions, and engage the class in providing answers.

ASSESS STUDENTS

Check for understanding during writing process.  Assess the answers according to the scoring guide. Use the Rubric Maker to create your own.

Sample Rubric for Scoring a Constructed Response Question

3—The response is successful in the following ways:

• It demonstrates an ability to analyze the stimulus material thoughtfully and in depth

• It responds appropriately to all parts of the question

• It demonstrates proficiency with conventions of standard written English

2—The response demonstrates understanding of the topic, but is limited in one or more of the following ways:

• It may indicate a misreading of the stimulus material or provide superficial analysis

• It may respond to one or more parts of the question inadequately or not at all

• It may contain significant writing errors

1—The response is inadequate in one or more of the following ways:

• It may demonstrate weak understanding of the subject matter or of the writing task

• It may fail to respond adequately to most part of the question

• It may be incoherent or severely underdeveloped

• It may contain significant and persistent writing errors

0—Response is blank, off-topic, totally incorrect, or merely rephrases the question.

ASSIGNMENTS

• Provide a constructed response answer to a question utilizing information from previous lessons

• Discuss completed answers and evaluate according to the scoring guide

HOME CONNECTION

Completed budgets can be taken home to compare with an actual family vacation.

EVALUATE THE LESSON

• How do you feel about the quality of the constructed response answers?

• Do your students understand what is necessary for a top score?

• In what other methods could you introduce constructed response questions to your curriculum?

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