Exciting Introduction to Adding and Subtracting Word Problems

Lesson Hook: The Mystery of the Missing Cookies

Objective:

Today, we are going to dive into the world of word problems, specifically focusing on adding and subtracting. Get ready to solve a cookie mystery that will put your math skills to the test!

Setting the Scene:

Imagine you are at a birthday party, and your friend baked a delicious batch of cookies. Here’s the fun, interactive twist: a few cookies have gone missing!

The Scenario:

As you walk into the party, you see the following:

Total number of cookies baked: 36
Cookies already eaten by the guests: 19

But wait! You notice 5 cookies have mysteriously disappeared from the table!

Your Mission:

As budding mathematicians, it’s your job to figure out how many cookies are left for the guests to munch on.

First, let’s figure out how many cookies were actually eaten.
- How many cookies were eaten before those 5 disappeared?
Next, calculate the remaining cookies.
- How many cookies are left on the table after the guests have eaten their share, and after accounting for the missing cookies?

The Challenge:

Write down all the information you have gathered and use addition and subtraction to solve the mystery. We will discuss your strategies and solutions as a class!

Engagement:

To make it even more exciting, once we solve the problem together, we can discuss what other kinds of word problems you have encountered. Let’s get our detective hats on and solve the cookie mystery!

By framing the lesson in a fun and relatable context, we can capture the students' attention and make the topic of adding and subtracting word problems both engaging and educational.

aidemia--modules-lessonstartideas_type	Give a creative idea how to begin a lesson
Which subject	Mathematics
What age group	Year or Grade 6
What topic	Adding and subtracting word problems
Quantity	1
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