Day 157 Vacation Project Introduction

6th Grade Math Standards: 6.NS.2 Fluently add, subtract, multiply, and divide multi-digit decimals using the standard algorithm for each operation.

The Objective: Subtract decimals from whole numbers in a real-world context

Agenda:

1. Collect all weekly quizzes from students
2. Explain the vacation project I changed the directions to say calculators were not allowed and it was five nights instead of four nights
3. Let students pick their destinations
4. Let students pick their flights including departure dates
5. Students had to calculate the difference between the $3000 they spent and the cost of the flight was
6. Let students pick their hotels 
7. Students subtract the hotel price from the remaining money in their budget
8. Let students pick their rental car
9. Students subtract the rental car price from the price remaining in the budget

Glass Half-Full Take: The number of choices the students have makes this a very engaging lesson. It's also an excellent learning experience for students. They are budgeting, gaining experience with vacation planning, utilizing the web to shop, etc.

One Regret: I met with the other three teachers after the classes today and we each shared valuable takeaways from today's classes. The other teachers did not have the students start their checkbook ledgers and I did. I wish that I could have taught students how to write a check first.

Another adjustment we needed to make is to find a consistent place to label and show the work. For instance, students should have a place where they write "flight" and then do the subtraction within that space. It could be on the back of the checkbook ledger.

I also on the fly decided it would be a good idea to assign mini deadlines as "homework." It would be really classwork, but would give the students the opportunity to know what is expected of them and further have an incentive to deliver on the expectations. I did not formally assign today, but will tomorrow as we move onto day two of the assignment.

Link of the Day: Ontario teachers refusing to give standardized testing. I never made the connection before, but what would happen to real estate without standardized tests?