Lesson Plan
Content
The Math Curse and Crosswords Puzzles
Mrs. Molly Deck
Third Grade/Language Arts
Common Core Standards:
Mathematics Standards:
NUMBER AND OPERATIONS IN BASE TEN
Use place value understanding and properties of operations to perform
multi-digit arithmetic.
2. Fluently add and subtract within 1000 using strategies and algorithms
based on place value, properties of operations, and/or the relationship
between addition and subtraction.
3. Multiply one-digit whole numbers by multiples of 10 in the range 10–90
(e.g., 9 × 80, 5 × 60) using strategies based on place value and properties of
operations.
Multiply and divide within 100.
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.
Solve problems involving the four operations, and identify and explain
patterns in arithmetic.
8. Solve two-step word problems using the four operations. Represent these
problems using equations with a letter standing for the unknown quantity.
Assess the reasonableness of answers using mental computation and
estimation strategies including rounding.
9. Identify arithmetic patterns (including patterns in the addition table or
multiplication table), and explain them using properties of operations. For
example, observe that 4 times a number is always even, and explain why 4
times a number can be decomposed into two equal addends.
Language Arts standards:
3. Students apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate texts. They
draw on their prior experience, their interactions with other readers and writers, their knowledge of word
meaning and of other texts, their word identification strategies, and their understanding of textual features
(e.g., sound–letter correspondence, sentence structure, context, graphics).
4. Students adjust their use of spoken, written, and visual language (e.g., conventions, style, vocabulary) to
communicate effectively with a variety of audiences and for different purposes.
5. Students employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing process elements
appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes.
6. Students apply knowledge of language structure, language conventions (e.g., spelling and punctuation),
media techniques, figurative language, and genre to create, critique, and discuss print and nonprint texts.
7. Students conduct research on issues and interests by generating ideas and questions, and by posing
problems. They gather, evaluate, and synthesize data from a variety of sources (e.g., print and nonprint texts,
artifacts, people) to communicate their discoveries in ways that suit their purpose and audience.
11. Students participate as knowledgeable, reflective, creative, and critical members of a variety of literacy
communities.
12. Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for learning,
enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information).
Lesson Summary:
For this lesson, we will read as a class the book The Math Curse. We will discuss the various types of math
word problems presented in the book and some of the measurements presented as well. As a class, we will
write out some of the math problems from the book and break into groups to solve them. We will then use
iPads to solve a crossword puzzle together as a class. Finally, breaking into groups again, we will use the
crossword tool to create our own crosswords with math problems we’ve come up with ourselves.
Estimated Duration:
This lesson should take about 150 minutes. I will break it down into 3 sessions of 50 minutes, focusing on a
new portion of the task each day.
Commentary: This lesson will be a challenge because a few concepts are being introduced. Students are
learning how to make and solve word problems, how to solve a crossword, and also quite a bit of sentence
structure is involved. I think the lesson can be fun if it is taught in a fun way. Students should be included and
praised for their own input. The games should be fun and the atmosphere should be friendly. The challenge
will be to maintain a balance of fun activities and classroom discussion and also not so much chaos that the
students get off track.
Instructional Procedures:
Day 1: (50 minutes)
Discuss word problem structure and refer back to some of the word problems we have completed over
the course of the school year, solving a couple of simple word problems as a refresher if it is needed.
Use this time to ensure all of the students have a clear understanding of the mathematics involved in
solving the word problems by asking students to give a thumbs up as concepts are explained to show
they understand. Encourage students to ask as many questions as they like, having the class work
together to answer them and help each other.
Read aloud to the class The Math Curse, by Jon Scieszka.
As you read, take one or two of the problems presented in the book and solve them as a class. Also,
discuss the measurements presented in the book (How many inches in a foot, how many feet in a yard,
how many inches in a yard, etc.) and solve those.
Day 2: (50 minutes)
Read again The Math Curse, by Jon Scieszka. This time, stop and write on the board some of the word
problems presented in the book (about 8 to 10 problems).
Break into groups of about 3 to 4 students and solve all of the problems we’ve written.
Regroup as a class and discuss the answers the students have come up with. This is a great opportunity
for students to ask any questions they may have and for you to make sure that all of the students have a
good understanding of math word problems. Again, as the answers to the word problems are given,
have the students show a thumbs up to show that they understand how we’ve arrived at the answer.
Encourage questions as well.
Day 3: (50 minutes)
Using the crossword tool, have students use iPads to follow along as we solve The Math Curse
crossword puzzle together as a class. Give every student the opportunity to answer one of the problems,
encouraging questions as you go.
Break into groups of 3 or 4 students, depending on class size and have students make 10 of their own
word problems, like those in the crossword and the book. Provide the students with a graphic organizer
for this. Explain to the students that these will be used to build our own crossword puzzles when they
are finished.
As the students work together, circulate the room and be available for questions and ensure that
students are using good sentence structure and mathematics for the problems they design.
Once each group has 10 problems completed, have the students use the iPads again to create their own
crossword puzzle using the ‘create your own’ tab on the crossword tool.
Pre-Assessment:
Have students complete a word problem worksheet prior to beginning the lesson. A strong lecture on sentence
structure and its relatedness to word problems should be presented as well. Ensure students understand that
word problems have a clear question and answer, and should match the definition for multiplication or
division. Encourage questions in the classroom and make the environment a place where students feel free to
speak up if they are overwhelmed or do not understand the material.
Scoring Guidelines:
The word problem worksheet will be graded and students will be assessed not only on the number of right
answers they have given, but also their ability to show their work. Students will be asked to write the equations
for each of the word problems and label the components of the equation as well. Students will also be assessed
through observation.
Frequently during the pre-assessment lecture and throughout the lesson, students will be asked to give a
thumbs up or thumbs down to show their understanding or lack thereof for a concept. This should help gauge
what material should be pressed and what students might need a bit of one – on – one help.
Post-Assessment:
Once the students have created their own crossword puzzle with their groups, print them out. Instruct the
students to trade with one another, giving each student a printed version of another group’s crossword puzzle
and graphic organizer, since the crosswords don’t hold the entire word problem. Have the students work
independently to solve the crossword and turn it in for grading. The students should be able to show their
understanding of the word problems and display their knowledge of the spelling of the key terms involved in
the new crossword puzzle. The students can then be assessed further by some take-home word problems.
Scoring Guidelines:
The students will be graded for participation for completing a classmate’s crossword. The homework
assignment will count for a number of points toward their grade and should be treated as a standard homework
assignment.
Differentiated Instructional Support
The group portions of this lesson are fantastic opportunities to meet the needs of both gifted and struggling
students. For gifted students who seem to accelerate at word problems, it is the teacher’s job to recognize them
and to have them work as a teacher’s helper. They should circle the room with the teacher and offer help to
their fellow classmates. Students should be encouraged to peer tutor, with the help of the teacher if needed, to
ensure some extra help for the struggling students.
Another good way to allow a bit of extra help for struggling students is to allow them some extra practice with
the iPad, using Khan Academy as a tool to introduce some more word problems.
Extension
For further understanding, the teacher might assign some videos from Khan academy to be viewed, if
possible, from the student’s home computer. This will give students the opportunity to watch some of
the word problems being solved and will be a great resource for those struggling students.
Homework Options and Home Connections
Homework assignments will consist of word problems and crossword puzzles. Students should display an
understanding of word problems and an understanding of sentence structure. Students will be asked to solve
word problems by writing and labeling the corresponding equation and also to design word problems that
correspond to an equation that has been provided to them. Additionally, a Khan Academy video can be
assigned if further explanation and understanding is needed.
Ensure a good communication with parents for these homework assignments, making sure they are helping
their students with the math and sentence structure portions of their homework. Make sure parents understand
what is being asked of the students for these homework assignments. Encourage them to watch the videos with
their children.
Interdisciplinary Connections
This is a mathematics lesson, however, students will need a good understanding of sentence structure,
grammar, and various other components of writing to be successful in this lesson. Students should also
understand the scientific measurements that are discussed in the book. Finally, students will demonstrate good
communication skills when working together and aiding their peers.
Materials and Resources:
For teachers
For students
Math Curse by Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith (Viking, 1995)
A smart board
Ruler and yardstick
Crossword Tool
Additional word problem worksheets
Color printer
iPads
Pencils
Loose-leaf and scratch paper
Rulers
Graphic organizer
Key Vocabulary
Multiplication, division, addition, sum, product, dividend, divisor, sentence, various number-words, crossword,
curse.
Additional Notes
This lesson plan is flexible and can be altered to suit various classes depending on size, ability, conceptual
understanding of the topics presented, etc.
Mrs. Molly Deck
Third Grade/Language Arts
Common Core Standards:
Mathematics Standards:
NUMBER AND OPERATIONS IN BASE TEN
Use place value understanding and properties of operations to perform
multi-digit arithmetic.
2. Fluently add and subtract within 1000 using strategies and algorithms
based on place value, properties of operations, and/or the relationship
between addition and subtraction.
3. Multiply one-digit whole numbers by multiples of 10 in the range 10–90
(e.g., 9 × 80, 5 × 60) using strategies based on place value and properties of
operations.
Multiply and divide within 100.
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.
Solve problems involving the four operations, and identify and explain
patterns in arithmetic.
8. Solve two-step word problems using the four operations. Represent these
problems using equations with a letter standing for the unknown quantity.
Assess the reasonableness of answers using mental computation and
estimation strategies including rounding.
9. Identify arithmetic patterns (including patterns in the addition table or
multiplication table), and explain them using properties of operations. For
example, observe that 4 times a number is always even, and explain why 4
times a number can be decomposed into two equal addends.
Language Arts standards:
3. Students apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate texts. They
draw on their prior experience, their interactions with other readers and writers, their knowledge of word
meaning and of other texts, their word identification strategies, and their understanding of textual features
(e.g., sound–letter correspondence, sentence structure, context, graphics).
4. Students adjust their use of spoken, written, and visual language (e.g., conventions, style, vocabulary) to
communicate effectively with a variety of audiences and for different purposes.
5. Students employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing process elements
appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes.
6. Students apply knowledge of language structure, language conventions (e.g., spelling and punctuation),
media techniques, figurative language, and genre to create, critique, and discuss print and nonprint texts.
7. Students conduct research on issues and interests by generating ideas and questions, and by posing
problems. They gather, evaluate, and synthesize data from a variety of sources (e.g., print and nonprint texts,
artifacts, people) to communicate their discoveries in ways that suit their purpose and audience.
11. Students participate as knowledgeable, reflective, creative, and critical members of a variety of literacy
communities.
12. Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for learning,
enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information).
Lesson Summary:
For this lesson, we will read as a class the book The Math Curse. We will discuss the various types of math
word problems presented in the book and some of the measurements presented as well. As a class, we will
write out some of the math problems from the book and break into groups to solve them. We will then use
iPads to solve a crossword puzzle together as a class. Finally, breaking into groups again, we will use the
crossword tool to create our own crosswords with math problems we’ve come up with ourselves.
Estimated Duration:
This lesson should take about 150 minutes. I will break it down into 3 sessions of 50 minutes, focusing on a
new portion of the task each day.
Commentary: This lesson will be a challenge because a few concepts are being introduced. Students are
learning how to make and solve word problems, how to solve a crossword, and also quite a bit of sentence
structure is involved. I think the lesson can be fun if it is taught in a fun way. Students should be included and
praised for their own input. The games should be fun and the atmosphere should be friendly. The challenge
will be to maintain a balance of fun activities and classroom discussion and also not so much chaos that the
students get off track.
Instructional Procedures:
Day 1: (50 minutes)
Discuss word problem structure and refer back to some of the word problems we have completed over
the course of the school year, solving a couple of simple word problems as a refresher if it is needed.
Use this time to ensure all of the students have a clear understanding of the mathematics involved in
solving the word problems by asking students to give a thumbs up as concepts are explained to show
they understand. Encourage students to ask as many questions as they like, having the class work
together to answer them and help each other.
Read aloud to the class The Math Curse, by Jon Scieszka.
As you read, take one or two of the problems presented in the book and solve them as a class. Also,
discuss the measurements presented in the book (How many inches in a foot, how many feet in a yard,
how many inches in a yard, etc.) and solve those.
Day 2: (50 minutes)
Read again The Math Curse, by Jon Scieszka. This time, stop and write on the board some of the word
problems presented in the book (about 8 to 10 problems).
Break into groups of about 3 to 4 students and solve all of the problems we’ve written.
Regroup as a class and discuss the answers the students have come up with. This is a great opportunity
for students to ask any questions they may have and for you to make sure that all of the students have a
good understanding of math word problems. Again, as the answers to the word problems are given,
have the students show a thumbs up to show that they understand how we’ve arrived at the answer.
Encourage questions as well.
Day 3: (50 minutes)
Using the crossword tool, have students use iPads to follow along as we solve The Math Curse
crossword puzzle together as a class. Give every student the opportunity to answer one of the problems,
encouraging questions as you go.
Break into groups of 3 or 4 students, depending on class size and have students make 10 of their own
word problems, like those in the crossword and the book. Provide the students with a graphic organizer
for this. Explain to the students that these will be used to build our own crossword puzzles when they
are finished.
As the students work together, circulate the room and be available for questions and ensure that
students are using good sentence structure and mathematics for the problems they design.
Once each group has 10 problems completed, have the students use the iPads again to create their own
crossword puzzle using the ‘create your own’ tab on the crossword tool.
Pre-Assessment:
Have students complete a word problem worksheet prior to beginning the lesson. A strong lecture on sentence
structure and its relatedness to word problems should be presented as well. Ensure students understand that
word problems have a clear question and answer, and should match the definition for multiplication or
division. Encourage questions in the classroom and make the environment a place where students feel free to
speak up if they are overwhelmed or do not understand the material.
Scoring Guidelines:
The word problem worksheet will be graded and students will be assessed not only on the number of right
answers they have given, but also their ability to show their work. Students will be asked to write the equations
for each of the word problems and label the components of the equation as well. Students will also be assessed
through observation.
Frequently during the pre-assessment lecture and throughout the lesson, students will be asked to give a
thumbs up or thumbs down to show their understanding or lack thereof for a concept. This should help gauge
what material should be pressed and what students might need a bit of one – on – one help.
Post-Assessment:
Once the students have created their own crossword puzzle with their groups, print them out. Instruct the
students to trade with one another, giving each student a printed version of another group’s crossword puzzle
and graphic organizer, since the crosswords don’t hold the entire word problem. Have the students work
independently to solve the crossword and turn it in for grading. The students should be able to show their
understanding of the word problems and display their knowledge of the spelling of the key terms involved in
the new crossword puzzle. The students can then be assessed further by some take-home word problems.
Scoring Guidelines:
The students will be graded for participation for completing a classmate’s crossword. The homework
assignment will count for a number of points toward their grade and should be treated as a standard homework
assignment.
Differentiated Instructional Support
The group portions of this lesson are fantastic opportunities to meet the needs of both gifted and struggling
students. For gifted students who seem to accelerate at word problems, it is the teacher’s job to recognize them
and to have them work as a teacher’s helper. They should circle the room with the teacher and offer help to
their fellow classmates. Students should be encouraged to peer tutor, with the help of the teacher if needed, to
ensure some extra help for the struggling students.
Another good way to allow a bit of extra help for struggling students is to allow them some extra practice with
the iPad, using Khan Academy as a tool to introduce some more word problems.
Extension
For further understanding, the teacher might assign some videos from Khan academy to be viewed, if
possible, from the student’s home computer. This will give students the opportunity to watch some of
the word problems being solved and will be a great resource for those struggling students.
Homework Options and Home Connections
Homework assignments will consist of word problems and crossword puzzles. Students should display an
understanding of word problems and an understanding of sentence structure. Students will be asked to solve
word problems by writing and labeling the corresponding equation and also to design word problems that
correspond to an equation that has been provided to them. Additionally, a Khan Academy video can be
assigned if further explanation and understanding is needed.
Ensure a good communication with parents for these homework assignments, making sure they are helping
their students with the math and sentence structure portions of their homework. Make sure parents understand
what is being asked of the students for these homework assignments. Encourage them to watch the videos with
their children.
Interdisciplinary Connections
This is a mathematics lesson, however, students will need a good understanding of sentence structure,
grammar, and various other components of writing to be successful in this lesson. Students should also
understand the scientific measurements that are discussed in the book. Finally, students will demonstrate good
communication skills when working together and aiding their peers.
Materials and Resources:
For teachers
For students
Math Curse by Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith (Viking, 1995)
A smart board
Ruler and yardstick
Crossword Tool
Additional word problem worksheets
Color printer
iPads
Pencils
Loose-leaf and scratch paper
Rulers
Graphic organizer
Key Vocabulary
Multiplication, division, addition, sum, product, dividend, divisor, sentence, various number-words, crossword,
curse.
Additional Notes
This lesson plan is flexible and can be altered to suit various classes depending on size, ability, conceptual
understanding of the topics presented, etc.
