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plan the lesson 1 , I took the RM chapter and began to reverse engineer the lesson plan to produce what was being described in the chapter. This process included an iterative and reflexive process of think ing, “ What would I have to do as a teacher to set up my classroom and my instruction so that [this out come printed in the book chapter] was being pro duced by my students? ” I also adjusted the particu lars of the lesson, for example, adjusting the mini mum wage from $8.25 in the RM chapter down to $7.25 in my lesson plan, to contextualize it for the state of Virginia in the year 2016, when I originally wrote the lesson plan. I spread the lesson over four 55 - minute class peri ods. The day before the lesson began, I reserved the Computer Lab so that we would have the first two days for research and investigation; I also de cided on partner groups and intentionally paired up strong students with ones who need extra support. When students came into class the first day, I in structed them that we were beginning an inquiry project and that I was putting them into groups. I announced the partner groups and instructed stu dents to sit with their partner. I then began handing out copies of the Student Handout (see Lesson Plan file) and introduced the lesson with the introducto ry questions provided above. We had a brief Q&A about jobs, making money, and what it meant to have a certain “ quality of life. ” Students offered varied information about their own lives and the choices their families made, but all agreed that it ’ s very important to have enough money in life to support one ’ s livelihood and family. Next, I asked some leading questions about Wal - Mart and Chick Fil - A: “ Who here likes Chick - Fil - A? Who shops at Wal - Mart? Who shops at Target? All those work ers who serve you your food or ring up your items at the store make minimum wage. This project is about them. As you ’ re going through the calcula tions, think about them. This is what their lives are like. ” Implementation of the Lesson Day 1

I explained the expectations of the lesson under the outline of the three tasks: (1) income, (2) bills, and (3) how their theoretical minimum wage income would compare to the average earner in our city. I explained that the students would imagine they were a fast - food worker, retail cashier, or some other minimum wage worker, and they needed to envision what life would be like if they were that person. Would they be able to live the life they wanted? Would they have enough money to get by? To create a context for these thoughts, I asked the class, “ Imagine you worked a minimum wage job and made $7.25 per hour. How much would you make in one hour? ” The class answered $7.25 confidently. Then I asked, “ Then how much in two hours? ” After a second of thinking, most said $14.50. “ Ok, how about three hours? ” A bit more hesitation yielded some $21.75 answers. Then they were ready to take the reins: “ Ok, now you ’ re on your own. Make sure you read everything on the Handout and follow all the directions. It ’ s an in quiry project, so expect to face some concepts you aren ’ t totally sure about. ” As an inquiry - based teacher, it is important for me to be sure the students remember that this lesson activity is inquiry, meaning that each group ’ s meth od or process may be different. It doesn ’ t matter what order they address the tasks, just that they get them all done and incorporated into the final presentation. I told the class that their homework for that night (the night of the First Day) was to talk to parents or caregivers and discuss, in detail if possible, what their bills and expenses were. I made sure to underscore that income was a person al matter and students should never ask their par ents about their income; rather, they were to only ask the parents about bills and expenses. I want the students to learn what it costs for their parents to provide the life they live. The class then walked over to the Computer Lab and began working. It wasn ’ t long before I heard discussions commence and questions being asked. “ Ok, so how much do we make each day? Ok what about the week? The month? ” and “ Is that all? That doesn ’ t seem like a lot. I wonder how much our parents make? What does it cost for us to live? ” Students began opening the Wikipedia site to look

1 The Lesson Plan file is available online at http:// amoore.net/files/couldyousurvive.pdf

Virginia Mathematics Teacher vol. 47, no. 2

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