The Adventure of the Missing Number
Lesson Overview & Objective
This lesson encourages students to see math not just as numbers and operations, but as a tool for creating exciting stories. By the end of this lesson, students will have written and shared a short story where a mathematical concept is central to the plot. ๐โ
Objective: Students will be able to integrate a mathematical concept (e.g., fractions, geometry, multiplication) into a creative narrative to solve a problem.
Materials Needed
- Whiteboard or projector
- Markers or pens
- Paper or writing notebooks
- Optional: Art supplies (crayons, colored pencils) for illustrations
- A list of math-related story prompts (see examples below)
Lesson Procedure (60 minutes)
1. Warm-Up: Math Brainstorm (10 minutes)
Start with a quick, engaging activity to get students thinking about math in a creative way. Ask the class: “If a number were a character, what would its personality be?“
- For example, is Zero a superhero who can make other numbers disappear or a friendly ghost?
- Is the number 8 an adventurous octopus? ๐
- Is the fraction 1/2 always trying to find its other half?
Write their ideas on the board to spark imagination.
2. Introduction to Math Storytelling (10 minutes)
Explain that today, they will become math storytellers. Their mission is to write a story where a math problem is the main challenge the characters must overcome.
Provide a simple example: “Sir Circumference and Lady Di of Ameter had to figure out the distance around a dragon’s circular lair (C=ฯd) to know how much rope they needed to trap it.”
3. The Writing Adventure (25 minutes)
Step 1: Choose a Math Concept (5 mins) Provide a list of story prompts based on different math topics. Students can choose one or create their own.
Story Prompt Examples:
- Geometry: A group of shapes (a triangle, a square, and a circle) must work together using their unique properties (angles, sides) to build a bridge across a river.
- Fractions: A baker accidentally breaks the king’s favorite cookie into fractions (1/2,1/4,1/8). They must find all the pieces before the king arrives.
- Multiplication: A wizard’s spell goes wrong and now everything in the castle is multiplying by 3! Two young apprentices must find the reverse spell.
- Measurement: An explorer finds a treasure map where all the distances are in different units (inches, feet, yards). They must convert them correctly to find the hidden treasure. ๐บ๏ธ
Step 2: Plan and Write (20 mins) Give students quiet time to plan and write their stories. Encourage them to include:
- A main character: Who is the hero of the story?
- A setting: Where does the story take place?
- A problem: The math challenge.
- A solution: How the characters use math to save the day.
For younger students, a simple three-part story (beginning, middle, end) is perfect. Older students can develop more complex plots.
4. Story Sharing Circle (10 minutes)
Have a few volunteers share their stories with the class. This is a great way to celebrate their creativity and see how different math concepts were used. Encourage positive feedback from classmates. After each story, ask the audience: “What math concept did the storyteller use to solve the problem?“
Extension Activities & Differentiation
- For advanced learners: Challenge them to write a story that incorporates two or more different mathematical concepts.
- For visual learners: Allow students to create a comic strip or a picture book of their math story.
- For collaborative learners: Have students work in pairs to co-author a story.
- Connect to history: Research a famous mathematician like Pythagoras or Ada Lovelace and write a story about one of their discoveries.
- Learn more about Math Storytelling Day.