Tiny House: Cost
10 min
Narrative
The purpose of an Estimation Exploration is to practice the skill of estimating a reasonable answer, based on experience and known information.
Launch
- Groups of 2
- Display the image.
- “What is an estimate that’s too high? Too low? About right?”
- 1 minute: quiet think time
Teacher Instructions
- “Discuss your thinking with your partner.”
- 1 minute: partner discussion
- Record responses.
Student Task
What is the total cost of all the labeled items in the bus?
Record an estimate that is:
| too low | about right | too high |
|---|---|---|
Sample Response
Sample response:
- Too low: less than $350
- About right: $350–$400
- Too high: more than $400
Synthesis
- “What are some of the items you would need to buy to finish the rooms after you built a tiny house?” (furniture, cabinets, stove, lights, pictures, bed)
Standards
Addressing
- 3.OA.8·Solve two-step word problems using the four operations. Represent these problems using equations with a letter standing for the unknown quantity. Assess the reasonableness of answers using mental computation and estimation strategies including rounding.
- 3.OA.D.8·Solve two-step word problems using the four operations. Represent these problems using equations with a letter standing for the unknown quantity. Assess the reasonableness of answers using mental computation and estimation strategies including rounding.<span>This standard is limited to problems posed with whole numbers and having whole-number answers; students should know how to perform operations in the conventional order when there are no parentheses to specify a particular order (Order of Operations).</span>