Creative Writing in the Math Classroom

By Cate Sanazaro

Constructed Response writing and Performance Events are designed to keep pace with
changes in assessment. Constructed Response questions require students to supply, rather
than select, an appropriate response. Also referred to as Open-Ended Response,
Constructed Response usually supports more than one solution process and a wider range
of possible responses. Performance events, requiring students to apply skills, also support
a multi-solution process. This unit combines knowledge of current events with traditional
math skills; culminating in a fun performance event that allows students to create their
own solutions to the problem.
OBJECTIVE
Students Will:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Explore cause and effect in relation to gas prices.

Analyze information on a Pie Chart.
Working within defined parameters; develop a budget for a trip.
Estimate distances and costs.
Substantiate appropriate methods of calculations.
Create an appropriate constructed response.

LESSONS FOR THIS UNIT

Lesson 1: Interpreting Pie Charts
Lesson 2: Budgeting for a Trip
Lesson 3: Writing Constructed Responses
REPRODUCIBLES
Read a Pie Chart (PDF)
Project Outline Sheet (PDF)
Calculating Vacation Costs (PDF)
Calculating Vacation Costs Worksheet (PDF)
CULMINATING ACTIVITY
Design a travel brochure showcasing your itinerary. These can feature real photos, prices,
maps, charts. Display these after they have been presented to the class

Lesson 1

Interpreting Pie Charts

By Cate Sanazaro

This portion of the lesson will cover a discussion on rising gas prices, including the cause
and effect gas prices may have on budgeting for a vacation. Students will use the
presented information to respond to a constructed response question.
OBJECTIVE
Students will:
1. Explore cause and effect, and supply and demand in relation to gas prices.
2. Analyze information on a Pie Chart.
3. Create an appropriate constructed response.
MATERIALS
1. Articles, news videos, or any pertinent information regarding current gas prices
2. A class set of the Scholastic News: Read a Pie Chart (PDF)
SET UP AND PREPARE
A review of constructed response answers should be done previous to this lesson if
necessary. Constructed response can be defined to the students as an answer they
construct using their understanding of the question along with prior knowledge. The
scoring guide should be reviewed to define what a top quality answer requires.
Make copies of Scholastic News: Read a Pie Chart (PDF) for your class.
REPRODUCIBLES
1. Read a Pie Chart (PDF)
DIRECTIONS
Part I
Step 1: Introduce the unit by telling students that they will be responsible for planning a
vacation. Before they begin budgeting, they will need to consider where the money will
be spent. Ask for volunteers to offer ideas of what items might be the most costly. If gas
isnt suggested, mention that this vacation will require a car trip. Discuss what the class
already knows about rising gas prices.
Step 2: Share the articles, news videos, and other gathered information.
Step 3: Distribute the handout, Read A Pie Chart (PDF). Discuss that the chart represents a
whole, in this case the worlds oil supplies. Encourage students to talk about which
countries have the largest slice of the pie. Discuss why the Middle East oil supplies are a
concern to some people.

Step 4: Ask students to answer the questions about the chart. Go over these in class,
checking for understanding.
Step 5: Open up a discussion on how gas prices can affect the travel industry, and how
travelers could conserve energy.
PART II
Step 6: If necessary, review constructed response answers. Go over your rubric.
Step 7: Pair up students to work on a constructed response question such as the following:
Think of your typical daily activities. If gasoline was no longer available, list at least five
ways that would change your lifestyle. What could you personally do to conserve energy?
Give Examples.
Step 8: Allow partners to create one response to the question. Encourage volunteers to
share these in class.
Step 9: Discuss elements necessary for a top quality answer to this question. Model a top
quality answer and evaluate according to the Constructed Response Scoring Guide.
Encourage students to critique class answers by using the scoring guide.
SUPPORTING ALL LEARNERS
1. Students will answer the questions at their own ability. Working with a partner will
assist struggling learners
2. ESL students may be allowed to answer the questions in their first language
LESSON EXTENSION
Scholastic News Onlines Youre the President game, allows students to create a
balanced budget using percentages and pie charts. This is an excellent follow-up to this
lesson. Information can be found at
http://teacher.scholastic.com/scholasticnews/tguide/math.htm
ASSESS STUDENTS
Collect the Pie Chart handouts to check for understanding.
Answers to PDF: 1. C; 2. B; 3. C; 4. A; 5. B; 6. B; 7. C.
Bonus: Saudi Arabia has about 250,000,000,000 barrels; Iraq has about 100,000,000,000
barrels; The U.S. and Canada together have about 30,000,000,000 barrels.
Assess the constructed response questions by checking for complete answers that contain
information covered during discussion.
Use the Rubric Maker to create your own.
Sample Rubric for Scoring a Constructed Response Question
3Response is successful in the following ways:

It demonstrates an ability to analyze the stimulus material thoughtfully and in

depth.
It responds appropriately to all parts of the question
It demonstrates proficiency with conventions of standard written English

2Response demonstrates understanding of the topic, but is limited in one or more of

the following ways:

It may indicate a misreading of the stimulus material or provide superficial analysis

It may respond to one or more parts of the question inadequately or not at all
It may contain significant writing errors

1Response is inadequate in one or more of the following ways:

It may
task
It may
It may
It may

demonstrate weak understanding of the subject matter or of the writing

fail to respond adequately to most part of the question
be incoherent or severely underdeveloped
contain significant and persistent writing errors

0Response is blank, off-topic, totally incorrect, or merely rephrases the question.

ASSIGNMENTS
Provide answers to the questions on the Pie Chart (PDF) handout
Create a response to the constructed response question with a partner.
HOME CONNECTION
Suggest that students ask parents and/or grandparents if they can recall a previous time in
their lives when gas prices were in the news.
EVALUATE THE LESSON
Do you think any part of this lesson was unclear?
What can you provide to make the lesson more meaningful and personal to the student?
How would you evaluate students understanding of constructed response answers? `

Lesson 2

Budgeting for a Trip

By Cate Sanazaro

tudents will use the provided information to plan and calculate a round-trip vacation.
OBJECTIVE
Students will:
1. Develop a budget for a trip, while working within defined parameters.
2. Estimate distances and costs.
3. Substantiate appropriate methods of calculations.
MATERIALS
1.
2.
3.
4.

Project Outline Sheet (PDF)

Calculating Vacation Costs (PDF)
Atlases
Calculators

SET UP AND PREPARE

1. Make copies of the Project Outline Sheets (PDF) and Calculating Vacation Costs
(PDF) for the class
2. Prepare a list of 6 resort locations ranging in distance from approximately 700 to
2000 miles one way from your location
3. Provide students with the mileage one way to these 6 destinations
4. Gather atlases, road maps, and any other useful travel resources for class use
5. Copy the Calculating Vacation Costs (PDF) to a transparency for overhead display
(optional)
REPRODUCIBLES
1. Project Outline Sheet (PDF)
2. Calculating Vacation Costs (PDF)
DIRECTIONS
Step 1: Distribute to the students:
Project Outline Sheets (PDF)
Calculating Vacation Costs (PDF)
Step 2: Review the project information with the class. Model a completion of Calculating
Vacation Costs worksheet. It may be helpful to copy a sheet onto an overhead
transparency.
Step 3: Allow two class periods to complete the performance event.

Step 4: Students submit the Calculating Vacation Costs Worksheet for a grade.
SUPPORTING ALL LEARNERS
1. Students who struggle with the math concepts in this lesson may work with a partner
2. ESL students may complete work in their first language
LESSON EXTENSION
Alternate trips can be calculated by giving the students other guidelines to follow.
Example: With $500 gas money, plan a round-trip from your hometown to as many National
Parks, State Parks, and State Capitals as possible. Atlases, maps, state brochures, etc. will
be needed.
ASSESS STUDENTS
Use the Rubric Maker to create your own.
Sample Rubric for Scoring the Calculating Vacation Worksheet
40 points Outstanding
30 points Proficient

Shows an appropriate method that supports the calculation of the costs of a fully
developed vacation. Clearly shows that they stayed within the budget.

20 points Emergent

Part of the task is accomplished, but neither the total cost nor the method for
calculation will accomplish the whole task

10 points Attempted

It is evident that the student engaged in the task, but the task was misconceived.

0 points Off task or no attempt.

ASSIGNMENTS

Following instructions and using the resources and information provided, students
complete a budget for a vacation
Hand in the Calculating Vacation Worksheet for a grade

HOME CONNECTION
Students are encouraged to take this project home and request a parent to check their
calculations.
EVALUATE THE LESSON
Does the quality of the work show understanding and enthusiasm for the project?
Can you think of any other information that would assist the student?
Does the rubric fairly assess the project?

Lesson 3

Writing Constructed Responses

By Cate Sanazaro

Utilizing prior knowledge and experience gained from the previous lessons in this unit,
students will complete a constructed response question providing top quality answers.
OBJECTIVE
Students will:
1. Create an appropriate constructed response.
2. Develop an understanding of assessment for constructed response.
MATERIALS
1. Completed Pie Charts
2. Completed Calculating Vacation Costs Worksheets (PDF)
3. Constructed Response Scoring Guide (See assessment in this lesson)
SET UP AND PREPARE
1. Supply completed work from Lessons One and Two for each student
2. Prepare a top quality answer for constructed response questions for modeling
3. Provide copies of the Constructed Response Scoring Guide
REPRODUCIBLES
1. Calculating Vacation Costs Worksheet (PDF)
DIRECTIONS
Step 1: Give students the following assignment:
Utilizing all of the information and work previously completed in Lessons One and Two,
provide a complete answer to a constructed response question. Refer to the Constructed
Response Scoring Guide to check for completion.
Sample questions:
1) How could a pie chart be used to represent your budgeted vacation? Explain what the
slices of your pie represent. Give examples.
2) Give 3 examples of how you could have improved the budgeting of your trip? How
would you rate the success of your vacation on a scale of 1-5? Explain.
3) How did current gas prices affect the quality of your vacation? Give examples of ways
your trip would have changed if gas cost $1.00 per gallon.

Step 2: Allow a full class session to answer questions. Encourage students to write a draft,
edit and rewrite for completion. Students should refer to the scoring guide to check
progress.
Step 3: Share answers in class and discuss how the answers would score on your grading
scale. Allow students to voice opinion on scoring.
Step 4: Model top quality answers.
SUPPORTING ALL LEARNERS
1. Review the elements of constructed response answers if necessary
2. Assist students in converting information into an acceptable answer
LESSON EXTENSION
Invite students to create constructed response questions, and engage the class in providing
answers.
ASSESS STUDENTS
Check for understanding during writing process. Assess the answers according to the
scoring guide. Use the Rubric Maker to create your own.
Sample Rubric for Scoring a Constructed Response Question
3The response is successful in the following ways:

It demonstrates an ability to analyze the stimulus material thoughtfully and in

depth
It responds appropriately to all parts of the question
It demonstrates proficiency with conventions of standard written English

2The response demonstrates understanding of the topic, but is limited in one or more
of the following ways:

It may indicate a misreading of the stimulus material or provide superficial analysis

It may respond to one or more parts of the question inadequately or not at all
It may contain significant writing errors

1The response is inadequate in one or more of the following ways:

It may
task
It may
It may
It may

demonstrate weak understanding of the subject matter or of the writing

fail to respond adequately to most part of the question
be incoherent or severely underdeveloped
contain significant and persistent writing errors

0Response is blank, off-topic, totally incorrect, or merely rephrases the question.

ASSIGNMENTS

Provide a constructed response answer to a question utilizing information from

previous lessons
Discuss completed answers and evaluate according to the scoring guide

HOME CONNECTION
Completed budgets can be taken home to compare with an actual family vacation.
EVALUATE THE LESSON

How do you feel about the quality of the constructed response answers?
Do your students understand what is necessary for a top score?
In what other methods could you introduce constructed response questions to your
curriculum?