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
Activity Synthesis (Teacher Notes)
  • “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>

35 min