1. Problem Solving: Draw a Picture and Write an Equation
Lesson 4-6
CCSS 4.NBT.4, 4.OA.3
Literature Link: The Action of Subtraction by Brian Cleary

2. MATH Essential Questions
Why is it important to be able to solve math word problems?
MATH
Essential
Questions

3. MATH Essential Questions
How do I know where to begin when
solving a problem?
MATH
Essential
Questions

4. MATH Essential Questions
How does explaining my process help me to
understand a problem’s solution better?
MATH
Essential
Questions

5. MATH Essential Questions
How do I decide what strategy will work
best in a given problem situation?
MATH
Essential
Questions

6. MATH Essential Questions
What do I do when I get stuck?
MATH
Essential
Questions

7. MATH Essential Questions
How do I know when a result is reasonable?
MATH
Essential
Questions

8. Warm Up
Write these numbers in standard form. 2,
30, ,
400, ,
One hundred forty nine thousand six hundred eighty-two

9. Today’s Lesson
In this lesson, you will draw a picture and write an equation to solve a problem.

10. Think and Write
How can looking at a picture give you information about how to solve a problem?

11. Word Problems Can Be Fun!
If word problems seem tricky, you might want to think of them as puzzles or brainteasers.
We are going to begin with six different methods that are often used to tackle word problems.
Each of you will keep the strategies in your Daily Math Puzzlers folder.
There are four basic steps for solving almost any word problem: Read, Think, Solve, and Check.
Each of you will also keep these Problem Solving Steps in your Daily Math Puzzlers folder.

12. Sample Problems Here is a sample problem:
Marta’s dog weighs 60 lbs. Susan’s dog 14 lbs. less than Marta’s dog. How much does Susan’s dog weigh?
Problem Solving Questions
What information are you given?
What are you being asked to find?
What operations can you use to solve?
Can you draw a diagram to solve?

13. Let’s Try It! Use the four basic steps as we look at this problem:
Read: Vicky made 6 pancakes and ate two of them. How many pancakes were left? (Highlight clue words and underline the question)
Think: I’ll draw a picture showing all the pancakes. Then I’ll cross off the ones she ate. I’ll count the pancakes left over. (Do this on your white board.)
Solve: There are __________ pancakes left.
Check: I’ll check my work with a number sentence. ____ - _____ = 4. Does this answer make sense?

14. Let’s Try Another One Together
Use the four basic steps as we look at this problem:
Read: Jane bought 3 apples for 50₵ each. How much will she pay in all? (Highlight clue words and underline the question)
Think: I’ll draw a picture showing 50₵ for each apple and then I’ll count the money. (Do this on your white board.)
Solve: I will ______________ for a total of _______.
Check: I’ll check my work with a number sentence. ____ x _____ = _______. Does this answer make sense? I could check on the calculator.

15. Work with a partner to solve. You can use the white boards.
Partner Time Problem 1
The Maasai Mara Safari Reserve in Kenya was built in 1961 and was 1,861 km. large. In 1984, it was reduced to 1,510 km. to give back to communities for land. How many kilometers did the reserve lose? Draw a picture to help you solve.
Work with a partner to solve. You can use the white boards.

16. Work with a partner to solve. You can use the white boards.
Partner Time Problem 2
At the Maasai Mara Reserve, there is an estimated 470 different bird species. Of these species, 62 are classified as raptors, or birds that hunt prey. How many bird species at the reserve are not considered raptors? Draw a picture to solve.
Work with a partner to solve. You can use the white boards.

17. Work with a partner to solve. You can use the white boards.
Partner Time Problem 3
If a male lion can weigh up to 558 lb. and a female lion can weigh up to 286 lb., how much would a male and female lion weigh altogether? Draw a picture to solve.
Work with a partner to solve. You can use the white boards.

18. Partner Time Problem 4 Name of Animal Weight of Male Leopard 195 lb.
Cheetah
148 lb.
Hyena
159 lb.
How much would a male leopard and a male hyena weigh altogether?
How much more does a male leopard weigh than a male cheetah?

19. Work with a partner to solve. You can use the white boards.
Partner Time Problem 5
Every year there is a great migration in Africa. Scientists have estimated that about 1,500,000 wildebeest, 350,000 gazelles, and 200,000 zebras migrate in this great migration. How many animals are estimated to migrate in all?
Work with a partner to solve. You can use the white boards.

20. Game Time Find a Partner.
Work together to solve the problems in the Problem Solving Card Deck.

21. Lesson Wrap Up
In this lesson, you learned how to use different kinds of pictures to represent everyday problems, and how to use these pictures to write an equation.
Continue to use the Draw a Picture problem solving strategy and follow the problem solving steps as you complete Practice 4-6 or Re-teaching 4-6 for homework.

22. Reflection
How do you know the “Draw a Picture” strategy is the right strategy for these types of problems?