CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.3.MD.D.8 Solve real world and mathematical problems involving perimeters of polygons, including finding the perimeter given the side lengths, finding an unknown side length, and exhibiting rectangles with the same perimeter and different areas or with the same area and different perimeters.
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.4.MD.A.3 Apply the area and perimeter formulas for rectangles in real world and mathematical problems.
⏰LESSON TIME
45 minutes
📃 SUMMARY
In this lesson, students will learn how to compute perimeter of different polygons using multiplication and apply those skills in game-based practice problems. They will then learn about different Indigenous traditional dwellings. The lesson ends with students contributing to and solving problems that integrate the reading on dwellings and perimeter in an online assessment.
📲 TECHNOLOGY REQUIRED
Device with web-browser (Chromebook, laptop or desktop computer); or iOS (iPhone/iPad) with Google Drive apps.
📚 Lesson
1. Play GAME: Making Camp Premium
For 15 minutes, have students play the game Making Camp Premium.
Instruct them to specifically play the mini-game with this icon
If they need a refresher in how to compute perimeter, they should click this icon to watch a video
ALTERNATIVE: Perimeter is also covered in the second half of Spirit Lake: The Game, which is currently available for Windows and Mac computers.
2.READ: Home, Sweet Home: Tipis, Hogans, Wigwams and More
This activity draws from the “Home, Sweet Home” reading and lessons on perimeter to have students apply their understanding of how to compute the perimeter of rectangles, triangles and hexagons using multiplication. Get the Google slides presentation here. Students contribute numbers to create multiple problem options.
(Estimated time: 10 minutes)
ASSESSMENT
You can view your students’ progress on mastering these standards by viewing your teacher reports. Both Making Camp Premium and Spirit Lake Report links can be found on this reports page. You should have received a password during the Growing Math training. If you need the password, email growingmath@7generationgames.com from your school email account and we’ll get the password to you right away.
State Standards
Minnesota Math Standard 3.3.2.2 – Find the perimeter of a polygon by adding the lengths of the sides.
Minnesota Math Standard 4.3.2.4 – Find the areas of geometric figures and real-world objects that can be divided into rectangular shapes. Use square units to label area measurements.
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.4.NBT.B.5 Multiply a whole number of up to four digits by a one-digit whole number, and multiply two two-digit numbers, using strategies based on place value and the properties of operations.
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.4.OA.A.3 Solve multistep word problems posed with whole numbers and having whole-number answers using the four operation … Assess the reasonableness of answers using mental computation and estimation strategies including rounding.
⏰ Time
This lesson takes 40 minutes to an hour, depending on how long you allot your students to complete each of the 4 problem sets and whether you have students play the game.
📲 Technology Required
Computer with a projector, Smartboard or other device for your class to watch videos or videos can be shared in Google meet or other application for remote learning. Spirit Lake: The Game can be downloaded and played on Windows or Mac computers. An iPad version will be available by Fall 2021. Schools that are part of the Growing Math project or who have a 7 Generation Games site license will have access to all of these games for students to use at home or school.
Optional Recommended Resource
Use resources like the Helping Math Multiplication Worksheet Generator to make your own worksheet. Their worksheets look very much like this one on multiplication of two-digit numbers with Easter egg examples, except with many more activities in each worksheet. Note that the link will require you to register for a free download. Registration takes about 1 minute. You’ll then receive a link to download over 100 free worksheets on math topics from addition to rational numbers. Another resource we like is the Lizard Point math worksheet generator. Both will print the worksheets as well as the answer key. Note that sites using PRINT TO Google Drive may have that feature disabled after December, 2020. However, you can still from the PRINT menu select SAVE AS PDF, download a file as PDF and then upload it to your Google Drive. The Growing Math project has no affiliation with Helping Math or Lizard Point.
📃 Summary
You’ll need 20 math problems multiplying two-digit numbers. You can use math problems you already have or use one of the online worksheet generators. Based on research showing the effectiveness of distributed practice – that is, practicing a skill for more, shorter periods rather than one long session – we have students solve a few problems at a time, with videos in between. The lesson begins with a brief explanation of multiplying two digit numbers, followed by students solving 3-5 problems multiplying two-digit numbers. Students then watch a 3-minute video that works an example of multiplying a three-digit number by a two-digit number. They then solve 3-5 more problems, followed by another video, then more problems. We recommend giving a time frame – say, 7-10 minutes – to solve the problems rather than set number of problems because this allows you to begin and end each section of the lesson with all of the students at once.
📚 Lesson Plan
1. Introduction to Multiplying Two-digit Numbers
Begin with an example from Helping with Math, that gives an explanation of multiplication and a variety of types of problems. Then, have the students try to solve 3 to 5 problems. You can use those included in the Google slides linked or create your own.
2. Video : Multiplication and Estimation
Estimation is one of the most practical math skills!
There are a lot of math concepts that I use regularly when writing software or computing statistics in my day job. The one skill I use all the time is estimation. (I can tell you that the ability to accurately estimate an answer is not universal.)
Example 1: Long multiplication using “math reality checks.”
In the problem in the video above, we start out by multiplying 892 x 11, using the fact that any number multiplied by 10 is just that number with an added zero. To test our answer, we round 892 to 900 and can estimate that our answer should be near to – and less than – 9,900.
Let’s say you type the wrong number in your phone, hitting the 6 instead of the 9, since these two are pretty close and you have big fingers. Now your answer is 7,612. If you have a good grasp of estimation and multiplication, that is clearly wrong. If you’re computing how much money you need to charge a customer based on the 892 hours you expect to work at $11.00 per hour, you have just lost out on over $2,000!
3. More multiplication problems
Now that you have had a little practice and a little instruction, students solve another 3-5 problems.
4. Video : Multiplication and Estimation
This video works through a problem multiplying a 3 -digit number by a two-digit number . It also gives a strategy for solving difficult problems. That is, break the problem into smaller, easier problems.
Video 2: Use addition to solve a multiplication problem.
Here, because the last digit of one number is 7 and of the other number is 2, you know that 7 x 2 = 14. So, whatever else your answer is, it has to end in a 4.
5. Follow up to the video
As a math teacher, I heard approximately 4,897,234 times from students:
WHY do I have to do so many problems of the same type?
– Almost every student I ever taught math
Explain to students that all of those facts learned, like 2 x 7 =1 4 are the basis for the commutative property of multiplication, reducing numbers to lowest terms, or solving equations by multiplying or dividing both sides by a constant, and more. You need a BASE to work from, problems that can be examples.
The fact is that the more experience you have with numbers, the more problems you solve. The more problems solved, the easier it gets.
6. Finish off by a few more math problems
Now that you’ve watched another video, it’s time for the last set of math problems.
7. Optional – Game Play
Students can Spirit Lake: The Game . Multiplying two- and three-digit numbers comes up in Level 4. We recommend allowing students to play for 15-30 minutes each session. This gives them enough time to get started but not enough time to get bored.
Assessment
Answers to the 12 -20 math problems completed by the student provide one assessment. A second assessment is in the reports for the Spirit Lake game, which show whether students answered correctly the problems in Level 4, whether they read the hint before answering the problem, and whether they were correct on the first try or had to attempt the problem more than once.
State Standards
Minnesota Math Standard 4.1.1.3 – Multiply multi-digit numbers, using efficient and generalizable procedures, based on knowledge of place value, including standard algorithms.
Minnesota Math Standard 5.1.1.4 – Solve real-world and mathematical problems requiring addition, subtraction, multiplication and division of multi-digit whole numbers. Use various strategies, including the inverse relationships between operations, the use of technology, and the context of the problem to assess the reasonableness of results.
45 – 50 minutes depending on the time you allot to students for measuring objects and for playing the game.
📲 Technology Required
Making Camp Premium plays in any browser, so, of course, on Chromebooks. It can also be downloaded on phones or tablets and played offline by students who have limited Internet access. The teacher will need a computer, for showing to students learning from home, and a projector if showing videos in the classroom. If the classroom does not have access to a projector, the videos can be skipped. A phone or tablet with a measuring app is optional. If unavailable, students can use a ruler or tape measure instead. NOTE: The measure app comes on iPhone/ iPad by default but for an Android device you’ll need to install some type of measuring app.
Note: This is the first of three lessons using these apps, so once you have them installed, you will be set for the next two.
Measure: For iPhones or iPads
Measure app
If using an iPhone, the Measure app should already be installed. On iPads, it may not be. Before starting this lesson, we recommend you check and, if not, parents or teachers can download the app for free here.
For Android Devices
Ruler app
Android devices do not come with a measure app. I tried several free AR measurement apps and all were difficult to use. I can’t honestly recommend any. Not an augmented reality app, but students can use the Ruler app by NixGame. It is simply a ruler on a phone and you can only use it to measure items the length of the phone/ tablet. We tried a lot of ruler and measure apps on Google Play and this is the one we recommend as the easiest for elementary school students to use and with the least annoying ads.
📃 Summary
Finding the perimeter activities can be fun in school or out. This is an activity recommended for children learning at home, so the instructions below target what you would send to parents, but this activity can be easily adapted for in-school use as well. Best of all, it combines math with P.E. ! Students watch a video, find the length and width of 10 objects and compute the perimeter. After the hands-on activity, students watch another video to reinforce the concept and then play the Making Camp Premium game to practice their multiplication and division.
Materials needed:
A piece of paper
A pen or pencil
A phone or tablet – if not available, a measuring device like a ruler, measuring tape or yardstick can be used instead.
Making Camp Premium (available online and for download on iOS and Android devices)
📚 Lesson Plan
Step 1: Watch the perimeter video
How to find the perimeter of polygons – 2:21
As you might guess from the title, this video explains how to find the perimeter of an object and how to determine if a shape is a polygon.
Step 2. Make a table like in the example below
OBJECT
Length
Width
Top of a box
Seat of a chair
You can have a Google Doc you share with students with the table in the instructions. However, we recommend that students create their own table with a piece of paper because they are going to be wandering around the house or classroom and it is much easier to carry a piece of paper with you than a laptop.
For this exercise, every object should be a rectangle. Be prepared for the question,
“Is a square a rectangle?”
– every third-grader , ever
Yes. Yes it is. If you want to get technical about it, a rectangle is a quadrilateral with four 90 degree angles. Or you could just say yes, a rectangle is a shape with four sides that are not slanted and a square definitely has four sides and is not slanted.
This is where the physical education comes in. Tell the student he or she has 10 minutes to complete the table with 10 items. An item can be as small as a box of candy or as big as the floor of a room. For each rectangle, write down the name of the object, the length and the width. Just put the whole number. If it says 18 1/4 or 18 1/2 just put 18. You may be tempted to tell the student to just round it but remember, he or she may not have learned fractions yet. That’s a lesson for another day.
If you don’t happen to have a ruler, yardstick or tape measure, your phone may already have a Measure app. This comes by default with an iPhone and if you don’t see it right away look in the Utilities folder. Most kids this age take any opportunity they can get to get hold of a parent’s phone. In school, you can use iPads or go old-timer and use a ruler.
To use it, point at a surface and click to select a point. Then, move the phone until you are at the end of what you want to measure.
Depending on how much exercise you want your child to get, the size of your house and how much peace you need (I won’t judge you), you may want to add a few rules like:
None of the objects can come from the room you are currently in.
They need to find rectangles in at least 3 different rooms
They need to find at least one rectangle in the backyard/ garage/ basement.
Once you have shown your child how to use the measure app and they have the table and a pencil, set the alarm on your phone and tell them to go. The alarm will go off when the 10 minutes are up.
Check their number of rectangles and if they are a few short give an extra 2- 5 minutes to find the rest.
Don’t have an iPhone or iPad?
The Ruler app can be downloaded free from Google Play and used to measure small objects. It only works to the size of your device but it is still easy to use and fun. There are apps in Google Play similar to the iPhone Measure app but these are not available on all Android phones.
Step 4 Watch another video on perimeter
Why? Because experience shows that students often don’t remember something if they only heard it once.
Step 5: Compute the perimeter for each object you have measured
OBJECT
Length
Width
Top of a box
8
4
Seat of a chai r
18
12
Your student does this, not you. You’ve already completed elementary school.
Tell students that these videos came from Making Camp Premium and now that they have finished the rest of the assignment they have 10 minutes to play.
Assessment
This lesson includes three types of assessment, the table of measurement, the perimeter computations from those measures and the automated data collection and scoring from the Making Camp Premium reports.
Minnesota Math Standard 2.3.1.1 – Describe, compare, and classify two- and three-dimensional figures according to number and shape of faces, and the number of sides, edges and vertices (corners).
Minnesota Math Standard 3.3.2.2 – Find the perimeter of a polygon by adding the lengths of the sides.
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.3.OA.A.1 – Interpret products of whole numbers, e.g., interpret 5 × 7 as the total number of objects in 5 groups of 7 objects each.
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.3.OA.A.3– Use multiplication and division within 100 to solve word problems in situations involving equal groups, arrays, and measurement quantities.
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.3.OA.A.4-Determine the unknown whole number in a multiplication or division equation relating three whole numbers.
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.3.OA.C.7– Fluently multiply and divide within 100, using strategies such as the relationship between multiplication and division (e.g., knowing that 8 × 5 = 40, one knows 40 ÷ 5 = 8) or properties of operations. By the end of Grade 3, know from memory all products of two one-digit numbers.
⏰ Time
Each lesson will require 20-30 minutes. With the four lesson plans, total time is approximately 1 1/4 to 2 hours spread over one to two weeks.
📲 Technology Required
Making Camp Premium plays in any browser, so, of course, on Chromebooks. It can also be downloaded on phones or tablets and played offline by students who have limited Internet access. The teacher will need a computer, for showing to students learning from home, and a projector if showing videos in the classroom. If the classroom does not have access to a projector, the videos can be skipped. Spirit Lake: The Game can be downloaded and played on Windows or Mac computers. Schools that are part of the Growing Math project or who have a 7 Generation Games site license will have access to all of these games for students to use at home or school.
📃 Summary
Our single-digit multiplication series is for Grade 3, although some teachers find themselves doing this in grade 4. The lesson plans with PDF links for printing and Google slide presentations are provided below. We assume you have already completed multiplication tables for 0 through 5 and for the 10s table. While it may be tempting to do all lessons in one week, we have found it works better to spread this over a two-to three-week unit.
Students use visual drawings, manipulatives, and a number line to learn multiplication of one-digit numbers, coupled with their verbal explanations.
Students will create number sentences independently and with a partner.
Learning and memorizing multiplication patterns will improve later understanding of division.
Determine the unknown whole number in a multiplication equation relating three whole numbers.
Optional Brain Power activities have students write their own word problems.
Students play games that reinforce memory and apply multiplication in word problems.
📚 Lesson Plans
Learning from home / hybrid learning tip
Several lessons include an activity, “Work with a partner. Take turns creating your own number sentences and solving them.” This can be modified in three ways:
In a hybrid class, where students come in half of the days, have students leave the number sentences to be solved by the other half the following day. Of course, students can also do the activity with other students in their class that day.
If students are learning from home using Zoom or Google Meet, they can post their number sentences in the chat for other students to solve.
Students at home can include their number sentences in homework they return either in packets or electronically and receive number sentences submitted by other students returned in the same format (homework packets, email, etc.)
If students have unreliable Internet access, the Spirit Lake Demo can be downloaded on Mac or Windows computers and played off line. Installers are available for Windows and macOS.
Tell students that this week they are going to learn how to multiply numbers from 6 to 9. Now that they know most of their multiplication tables from 0-5, they are ready to play Making Camp at the end of the lesson. Start with this Google slides presentation that introduces multiplication and arrays. Feel free to modify the slides to provide more explanation as needed by your students.
Teaching students at home and need to print out the slides?Click here for a PDF.
End the lesson by playing Making Camp Premium or Spirit Lake for 15-30 minutes.
Lesson 7 – Multiplying by 7
Depending on your students’ progress and interest, you may want to hold off on this lesson for another day or jump right into it after the six tables. Personally, I find it works much better if these lessons are spread out across at least one day each. Today’s lesson starts with a Google Slides presentation that practices multiplying by 7.
Teaching students at home and need to print out the slides?Click here for a PDF.
End the lesson by playing Making Camp Premium or Spirit Lake for 15-30 minutes.
Lesson 8 – Multiplying by 8
Almost there! For a little variety, start the lesson with a game, either Making Camp Premium or Spirit Lake. After playing the games, for even more variety, this Google slides presentation shows students how to insert images in Google doc or slides files so they can create their own illustration of concept like 8 x 6 = 48 .
Teaching students at home and need to print out the slides?Click here for a PDF.
After the presentation, students should play Making Camp for 15-30 minutes. If you would like stickers, pencils or other incentives to give your students to congratulate them for learning their multiplication tables to 100, just email support@7generationgames.com and we’ll be happy to send you a teacher gift pack.
End the lesson by playing Making Camp Premium or Spirit Lake for 15-30 minutes.
Teaching students at home and need to print out the slides?Click here for a PDF.
Assessment
Each lesson includes multiple assessment:
Students complete the multiplication tables – these can be shown with a projector (in class), on a screen, if teaching remotely, and on paper for students learning at home.
Students write their own number sentences using the multiplication learned each lesson.
Students complete the problems written by their classmates.
Optionally, students write word problems.
Optionally, student complete word problems written by their classmates.
Making Camp Premium and Spirit Lake both have teacher reports showing the number of multiplication problems attempted and answered correctly.
State Standards
Minnesota State Standard 3.1.2.3 – Represent multiplication facts by using a variety of approaches, such as repeated addition, equal-sized groups, arrays, area models, equal jumps on a number line and skip counting. Represent division facts by using a variety of approaches, such as repeated subtraction, equal sharing and forming equal groups. Recognize the relationship between multiplication and division.
Minnesota State Standard 3.1.2.4 – Solve real-world and mathematical problems involving multiplication and division, including both “how many in each group” and “how many groups” division problems.
Minnesota Math Standard 3.2.2.2 – Use multiplication and division basic facts to represent a given problem situation using a number sentence. Use number sense and multiplication and division basic facts to find values for the unknowns that make the number sentences true.
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.3.OA.A.1 – Interpret products of whole numbers, e.g., interpret 5 × 7 as the total number of objects in 5 groups of 7 objects each.
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.3.OA.A.3– Use multiplication and division within 100 to solve word problems in situations involving equal groups, arrays, and measurement quantities.
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.3.OA.A.4– Determine the unknown whole number in a multiplication or division equation relating three whole numbers.
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.3.OA.C.7– Fluently multiply and divide within 100, using strategies such as the relationship between multiplication and division (e.g., knowing that 8 × 5 = 40, one knows 40 ÷ 5 = 8) or properties of operations. By the end of Grade 3, know from memory all products of two one-digit numbers.
⏰ Time
Each lesson will require 20-30 minutes. With the five lesson plans, total time is approximately 2 to 2 1/2 hours spread over one to two weeks.
📲 Technology Required
Making Camp Premium plays in any browser, so, of course, on Chromebooks. It can also be downloaded on phones or tablets and played offline by students who have limited Internet access. The teacher will need a computer, for showing to students learning from home, and a projector if showing videos in the classroom. If the classroom does not have access to a projector, the videos can be skipped.
📃 Summary
Our single-digit multiplication series is for Grade 3. The lesson plans with PDF links for printing and Google slide presentations are provided below. If you need to go back to basics, visit ‘Multiplication as Repeated Addition.’ While it may be tempting to do all lessons in one week, we have found it works better to spread this over a two-to three-week unit.
Students use visual drawings, manipulatives, and a number line to learn multiplication of one-digit numbers, coupled with their verbal explanations.
Students will create number sentences independently and with a partner.
Learning and memorizing multiplication patterns will improve later understanding of division.
Determine the unknown whole number in a multiplication equation relating three whole numbers.
Optional Brain Power activities have students write their own word problems.
Students play games that reinforce memory and apply multiplication in word problems.
📚 Lesson Plans
Learning from home / hybrid learning tip
Several lessons include an activity, “Work with a partner. Take turns creating your own number sentences and solving them.” This can be modified in three ways:
In a hybrid class, where students come in half of the days, have students leave the number sentences to be solved by the other half the following day. Of course, students can also do the activity with other students in their class that day.
If students are learning from home using Zoom or Google Meet, they can post their number sentences in the chat for other students to solve.
Students at home can include their number sentences in homework they return either in packets or electronically and receive number sentences submitted by other students returned in the same format (homework packets, email, etc.)
Lesson 1 – Multiplying by 0 or 1
Tell students that this week they are going to learn how to multiply numbers from 0 to 5. On Friday, they will be able to play games that use multiplication. They can watch the video below to see what’s coming up. It is deliberately a quick view to get students curious and motivated to get to the games coming up.
Teaching students at home and need to print out the slides?Click here for a PDF.
Lesson 2 – Multiplying by 2
Depending on your students’ progress and interest, you may want to hold off on this lesson for another day or jump right into it after lesson 1. Students learn the meaning of a number times two, or two times a number, both as regards to equal-size groups and number line jumps. Today’s lesson starts with a Google Slides presentation that shows how multiplication of 2 works. This is begun by talking about skip counting.
Teaching students at home and need to print out the slides?Click here for a PDF.
Lesson 3 – Multiplying by 3
Tell students that two more lessons and then, let the games begin! Here is another 30-second video to spark their interest.
It’s time for learning multiplication by 3s. After watching the video, here is another Google slides presentation. While each of these is somewhat similar, we find that can be attractive to students in that they feel it’s not too challenging, they are getting this multiplication idea. We do not recommend doing more than one of these lessons per day when students are first learning their multiplication tables. Practice 3 tables and then go on to another topic for the rest of the day.
Teaching students at home and need to print out the slides?Click here for a PDF.
Lesson 4 – Multiplying by 4
On lesson 4, we are mixing it up just a little. We introduce the idea that 4 x 5 = 5 x 4, so, really, you only have to learn half your multiplication tables. We also move past looking at just shapes and circles and look at multiplying fish, because, why not?
Teaching students at home and need to print out the slides?Click here for a PDF.
Lesson 5 : Multiplying by 5 and 10
Begin with reinforcing students on how much they have learned already. After today’s lesson you’ll be half-way to having learned your times tables for all the numbers from 0 to 100. Hurray! Let them know that at the end of today’s lesson they will be getting to play Making Camp. Also, today they will be learning TWO tables and a new trick. Start with this Google slide presentation.
After the presentation, students should play Making Camp for 15-30 minutes. If you would like stickers, pencils or other incentives to give your high scoring students, just email support@7generationgames.com and we’ll be happy to send you a teacher gift pack.
Teaching students at home and need to print out the slides?Click here for a PDF.
Assessment
Each lesson includes multiple assessment:
Students complete the multiplication tables – these can be shown with a projector (in class), on a screen, if teaching remotely, and on paper for students learning at home.
Students write their own number sentences using the multiplication learned each lesson.
Students complete the problems written by their classmates.
Optionally, students write word problems.
Optionally, student complete word problems written by their classmates.
In addition, at the end of lesson 5, students begin playing Making Camp, which has teacher reports showing the number of multiplication problems attempted and answered correctly.
State Standards
Minnesota State Standard 3.1.2.3 – Represent multiplication facts by using a variety of approaches, such as repeated addition, equal-sized groups, arrays, area models, equal jumps on a number line and skip counting. Represent division facts by using a variety of approaches, such as repeated subtraction, equal sharing and forming equal groups. Recognize the relationship between multiplication and division.
Minnesota State Standard 3.1.2.4 – Solve real-world and mathematical problems involving multiplication and division, including both “how many in each group” and “how many groups” division problems.
Minnesota Math Standard 3.2.2.2 – Use multiplication and division basic facts to represent a given problem situation using a number sentence. Use number sense and multiplication and division basic facts to find values for the unknowns that make the number sentences true.
CCSS.Math.Content.4.NBT.B.5 Multiply a whole number of up to four digits by a one-digit whole number, and multiply two two-digit numbers, using strategies based on place value and the properties of operations. (Common Core Standards)
H.3-5.3 Describe the North Dakota Native American Essential Understandings. (US State – ND – Social Studies 2019 Standards)
📃 Summary
In this integrated lesson, students learn about responsibilities of children in traditional Dakota society and discuss their responsibilities today. They learn a problem-solving strategy that can be applied to a wide range of situations, including mathematics. Students play Spirit Lake: The Game or watch videos solving multiplication problems set in the context of a story based on Dakota culture. Students can complete a written assessment in class and on-line classes can complete these problems in Google doc or other preferred method .
📲 Technology required
The game in this lesson plan, Spirit Lake, can be played on Mac or Windows computers. Once students have logged in, they can continue playing, even if the Internet drops. The program should be installed on devices before the lesson. Students will create a username and password the first time they play the game. If students need to play offline, they can play Spirit Lake Beginnings – Lakota . If students do not have access to a Mac or Windows computer they can watch similar content in the linked videos.
⏰ Time Required
30-40 minutes
📚 Lesson Plan
1. Presentation on responsibilities and problem-solving
Begin with the PowerPoint presentation discussing student responsibilities. Also available as Google slides. Discuss with students the responsibilities they have at home. Explain that whether students are baking a cake or solving a multiplication problem they can take the same four steps to solve their problems. You’ll also use this presentation for practice during the lesson and assessment at the end of the lesson.
Time: 5-10 minutes depending on length of student discussion.
Play the Spirit Lake game, In levels 1 and 2 of the game, players solve multiplication problems set in the context of a story based on the history and culture of the Dakota people. They learn a problem-solving strategy that can be applied to a wide range of situations, including mathematics. .After this lesson, students will be able to solve word problems using multiplication of one-digit numbers and understand the general application of problem-solving steps. (10-15 minutes)
Option for students without access to Mac/ Windows computers
3a. Game Play Video
For schools that want the game play and multiplication problems from Spirit Lake: The Game but now your students are at home, without a computer, what do you do? You can have them watch this four-minute preview up to the multiplication word problem. Your students will learn a few words in Dakota, see the game and be set for your lesson on multiplying one-digit numbers.
3b Instructional Video
In this six-minute video, students learn four steps in solving a problem: understand what’s required, select a strategy, do it, and test it. Multiplication word problems are used as examples, but these scaffolding strategies for Grades 3-5 can be applied to any problem in math.
Assessment
Individual Assessment
Have students work independently to solve the problem in the PowerPoint or Google slides linked above. Have students present their solutions. Show one recommended solution that is in the presentation.
If students will be completing the assignment in class, print out pages 11,12 and 14 for assessment. On-line classes can complete these problems in Google doc or other method used by the teacher for assignments.
Estimated time: 5 minutes
A second assessment is in the reports for the Spirit Lake game, which show whether students answered correctly the problems in Levels 1 and 2, whether they read the hint before answering the problem, and whether they were correct on the first try or had to attempt the problem more than once. Note that these reports are NOT available for Spirit Lake Beginnings, which is played offline.
Group Assessment
Continue with the PowerPoint presentation or Google slides. Students will work in groups to solve 4 multiplication problems. Estimated time: 5 minutes
State Standards
Minnesota Math Standard 4.1.1.3 – Multiply multi-digit numbers, using efficient and generalizable procedures, based on knowledge of place value, including standard algorithms.
