Objective

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to apply arithmetic concepts in a fun and engaging way through plays.

Materials and Prep

• Pen/pencil
• Blank paper
• Calculator (optional)
• Access to a computer or tablet for research (optional)

No prior knowledge or preparation is required for this lesson.

Activities

1. Brainstorming Play Ideas: Think of a play you would like to create. It can be a story you already know or something completely original. Write down the title and a brief description of the play.
2. Character Count: Count the number of characters (including spaces) in the title of your play. Write down the count.
3. Scene Count: Decide on the number of scenes in your play. Write down the count.
4. Act Count: Determine how many acts your play will have. Write down the count.
5. Word Problems: Create word problems related to your play. For example, if your play has 5 scenes and each scene has 8 characters, how many characters are there in total? Solve the word problems using addition, subtraction, or multiplication.
6. Play Budget: Imagine you have a budget of $100 to create your play. Determine how much money you would allocate to different aspects, such as costumes, props, and set design. Write down your budget allocation using addition and subtraction.

Fourth Grade Talking Points

• "Plays are a form of storytelling that can be performed on a stage or in front of an audience."
• "Arithmetic is a branch of mathematics that deals with numbers and their operations, like addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division."
• "In our activity, we will be using arithmetic to explore different aspects of creating a play, such as counting characters, determining scene and act counts, and solving word problems related to the play."
• "By applying arithmetic concepts to our play, we can have fun while also strengthening our mathematical skills."