Teacher: Jessica Crisafulli
Grade Level: 4th Grade
Area: Math/Problem Solving
Lesson Title: Solving Multiple-Step Problems
Timeframe: 35-40 minutes

Standard
4.4, 4.5

Objectives/Goals
-Students will demonstrate the ability to solve problems with multiple-steps
-Students will demonstrate the ability to use problem solving steps to help identify the key components of the problem, the question the problem is asking, their plan to solve the problem, and how they can check their work

Materials
SMART board
Worksheet Packets
Pencils/Highlighters

Lesson
The teacher will begin the lesson by stating that the students will be solving problems that require multiple steps. The teacher will also state that they will be using certain steps to identify key components of the problem, the question the problem is asking, their plan to solve the problem, and how they can check their answer.
Before modeling an example, the teacher will ask the students why we practice problem solving. After a short discussion, the teacher will ask the students to think of/recall the different steps to take when problem solving. The teacher will ask the students to turn to their partner and share their answers. The teacher will then review the steps with the students on the SMART board. (What is the problem really about? What is my answer going to look like? What is my plan? How can I prove that I am right?) The teacher will discuss what these questions are really asking. The teacher will discuss the importance of using these steps when problem solving. The teacher will remind the students to look for clue words that will hint the kind of computation needed to solve the problem. The teacher will remind the students to use the appropriate operations when they are looking for an answer that is bigger than the components given and when the answer is smaller than the components given.
The teacher will then share a word problem that requires multiple steps to solve using the SMART board. The teacher will model how to answer the question, using the problem solving steps. The teacher will model how to identify the components with a highlighter, underline the questions being asked, and show their work while solving the problem.
The teacher will then explain the partner/independent practice to the students; hand out the worksheet packets, and conference with the students while they are working with partners and independently.

Partner/Independent Practice
The students will be asked to answer several multiple-step word problems with a partner and independently. The students will be asked to highlight the components of the problem, underline the question being asked, solve the problem by showing their work, and check to see if their answers are correct.

Closure
The teacher will call the students back to the carpet for review. The teacher will ask students to share their answers to various multiple-step word problems from their packet. The teacher will ask the students to recall the different steps needed to take when problem solving and how they should identify them before solving the problem (underline/highlight). The teacher will ask the students the importance of using the problem solving steps. Using the problem solving steps will keep them organized with their information, will help them find out what the question is really asking, and will help them check their work, are all suitable answers.

Assessments
The teacher will assess the students’ understanding during discussion of the problem solving process. The teacher will assess the students by reviewing their worksheet packets as a group and while conferencing with individual students or partners.

Differentiation
During partner practice, the students will work with partners according to ability. During practice, the teacher will conference and guide students through the problem solving steps if they are having trouble. The worksheets will have challenge questions for early finishers. The teacher will also have a copy of a challenging word problem and an easier for those who need.