Math Curse
Activities
Based on the book
Math Curse
By
Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith
Created by
Bethany @
MathGeekMama.com
Teaching Tips:
• This book is fun for all ages! Here are some tips to incorporate this
into your elementary clas sroom:
o Read the story to the class, and then have students help “break
the curse” by solving some of the math problems in the story.
o Use the “Write Your Own Problem” page to give students a chance
to brainstorm how they see and use math in their life and then
write and solve their own story problem.
• Here are some tips to incorporate this story into your middle school
clas sroom:
o Read the story together. (Even if students are older, this is
still a fun story, and will help give them ideas for their own “Math
Curse” project).
o Together, let students use the “Write Your Own Problem” page
to start brainstorming and sharing ideas. Use this as an
opportunity to make sure they understand what your requirements
are for the problems they will use in their “Math Curse” story
(i.e. types of problems or level of difficulty, etc.).
o Assign students the “Math Curse” story project. I have included
a rubric, but tried not to make it too specific, so that you can
tailor the problems to something specific if you’d like. For
example, if you want your students to use all time problems or
distance problems, you can. Or, if you want to leave the
creativity completely up to them, you can do that as well! I have
also included a story plan for students to work out an outline of
their story. I don’t usually collect these, but you could if you
wanted it to be a requirement.
o You could even allow students to work with a partner to create
their stories (an author and an illustrator) but I would still
suggest each student turn in separate “problem solutions” so you
know they both participated and understood the math. J
I hope you find this resource useful and FUN!
Name:
_______________________________
Help break the Math Curse!
Help break the math curse by solving some of these math problems found in the
book Math Curse ! Show your thinking in the space provided, and record your
answer in the blank.
1. I wake up at 7:15. It takes 10 minutes to get dressed, 15 1. _____________
minutes to eat breakfast and 1 minute to brush my teeth. What
time am I ready for school?
2. I have 1 white shirt, 3 blue shirts, 3 striped shirts and 1 plaid 2. _____________
shirt. How many sh irts would I have if I threw away the plaid
shirt?
3. When I get on the bus, there are 5 kids already on the bus. 5 3. _____________
kids get on at my stop, 5 get on at the next stop, and 5 get on at ________________
the last stop. How many kids ride my bus? Write a number
sente nce to represent this problem.
4. If my pizza at lunch is cut into 8 equal slices, and I want 2 4. _____________
slices, what fraction of the pizza will I eat?
5. List the next 3 digits of the Fibonacci sequence: 1, 1, 2, 3, 5. _____________
5, 8…(hint; find the pattern!)
6. Use your money sense to solve this riddle: If George 6. _____________
Washington is on the quarter AND the $1 bill, and Abraham Lincoln
is on the penny AND the $5 bill, which of the following is true :
A. 1 Washington = 25 Lincolns
B. 5 Washingtons = 1 Lincoln
C. 1 Washingotn = 100 Lincolns
D. 1 Lincoln = 20 Washingtons
©
www.MathGeekMama.com
Name:
____Answer
Key__________
Help break the Math Curse!
Help break the math curse by solving some of these math problems found in the
book Math Curse ! Show your thinking in the space provided, and record your
answer in the blank.
1. I wake up at 7:15. It takes 10 minutes to get dressed, 15 1. __7:41 am___
minutes to eat breakfast and 1 minute to brush my teeth. What
time am I ready for school?
2. I have 1 white shirt, 3 blue shirts, 3 striped shirts and 1 plaid 2. ___7 shirts__
shirt. How many sh irts would I have if I threw away the plaid
shirt?
3. When I get on the bus, there are 5 kids already on the bus. 5 3. __20 kids____
kids get on at my stop, 5 get on at the next stop, and 5 get on at __5+5+5+5 = 20_
the last stop. How many kids ride my bus? Write a number or_5x4 = 20__
sente nce to represent this problem.
4. If my pizza at lunch is cut into 8 equal slices, and I want 2 4. __2/8 or 1/4__
slices, what fraction of the pizza will I eat?
5. List the next 3 digits of the Fibonacci sequence: 1, 1, 2, 3, 5. __13, 21, 34__
5, 8…(hint; find the pattern!)
6. Use your money sense to solve this riddle: If George 6. All of the above!
Washington is on the quarter AND the $1 bill, and Abraham Lincoln A. 1 quarter= 25
is on the penny AND the $5 bill, which of the following is true: pennies
A. 1 Washington = 25 Lincolns B. 5 $1 = 1 $5
B. 5 Washingtons = 1 Lincoln C. $1 = 100 pennies
C. 1 Washingotn = 100 Lincolns D. 1 $5 = 20
D. 1 Lincoln = 20 Washingtons quarters
Name:
________________________________
Write Your Own “Problem”
Think about your day (things you do, questions you have,
situations you face) and write your own “problem” to solve.
• My ideas:
• My Math Problem:
Draw a picture to represent your problem: The Solution to my
problem is:
© www.MathGeekMama.com
Name:
________________________________
Math Curse Project Overview:
“You know, you can think of almost everything as a math
problem…”
Requirements:
You r As signment: • Cover Page
You have been struck with the math • Introduction
curse and there are numbers • 10 story problems
everywhere! Now you must write • Solutions to problems
and solve all the problems you face (either solved in your story,
in a day in order to be free from or given at the end)
the curse! • Conclusion
Grading Rubric:
Criteria Points Possible Points Earned
Cover
Page
10
Introduction
and
20
Conclusion
included
Includes
10
(appropriate)
30
story
problems
Solutions
to
10
problems
are
correct
and
work
is
30
shown
Story
is
creative
(i.e.
10
thought
went
into
it!)
TOTAL
100
©
www.MathGeekMama.com
Story Plan for “Math Curse”
Name: _________________
Characters:
Setting:
The problem (how did you get the curse?):
Events (10 problems you encounter):
Resolution (how do you escape the curse?):
©
www.MathGeekMama.com
Thank you for downloading this
resource from
www.MathGeekMama.com!
I sincerely hope you find this resource to be helpful and enjoyable for you and your
students! I only ask that you abide by Math Geek Mama’s terms of use, as this
resource is intended for personal use in the home or classroom only. Please do not
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All clip art and fonts courtesy of:
Brittney Murphy Design
