Lesson 15

Problem Solving with Line Plots

Lesson Purpose

The purpose of this lesson is for students to make line plots and solve problems using the data.

Lesson Narrative

In this lesson, students use line plots to solve multi-step problems about the data presented in line plots. They add and subtract fractions and work together to solve problems about data using the Info Gap routine. The data for line plots can all be expressed using eighths, making the arithmetic accessible with the challenge being on partner communication to share the information needed to solve the problems. The second optional activity also uses data from a line plot and here students relate repeated addition of fractions to multiplication and estimate the sum of all of the data presented in the line plot.

  • Representation

Learning Goals

Teacher Facing

  • Create line plots to display fractional measurement data, and use the information to solve problems.

Student Facing

  • Let’s solve problems using a line plot.

Required Materials

Materials to Copy

  • Info Gap: Picking Fruit

Required Preparation

Activity 1:

  • Create a set of cards from the blackline master for each group of 2.

CCSS Standards

Lesson Timeline

Warm-up 10 min
Activity 1 25 min
Activity 2 10 min
Lesson Synthesis 10 min
Cool-down 5 min

Teacher Reflection Questions

As you finish up this section, reflect on the norms and activities that have supported each student in learning math. List ways you have seen each student grow as a young mathematician throughout this work. List ways you have seen yourself grow as a teacher. What will you continue to do and what will you improve on in the next section?

Suggested Centers

  • Creating Line Plots (2–5), Stage 4: Eighth Inches, Add, Subtract, and Multiply (Addressing)
  • Rectangle Rumble (3–5), Stage 4: Whole Number and Fraction Factors (Supporting)

Print Formatted Materials

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Additional Resources

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PowerPoint Slides

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