Te Whare Tapa Whā: CUBES

Overview

Today students begin the new school year by learning the CUBES problem-solving strategy. They will explore word problems related to planting and harvesting, starting with simple problems and gradually working towards more challenging ones throughout the week.

Learning intentions

WALT understand and use the CUBES problem-solving strategy to solve word problems.

WALT apply CUBES to planting and harvesting related problems.

WALT build confidence by starting with simple problems and progressing to harder ones over the week.

Success criteria

• I can describe the steps involved in planting seeds.
• I can explain why planting and harvesting are important.
• I can participate in planting activities and share my observations.
• I can listen and contribute to discussions about planting and harvesting.

Curriculum links

• Science (Living World): understanding how plants grow and the importance of harvesting.
• Social Studies (Community and Participation): exploring local planting and harvesting practices.
• English (Speaking and Listening): sharing ideas and participating in group discussions.
• Health Education (Personal Growth and Development): developing routines and responsibility through planting activities.

Lesson structure (60 minutes)

1. 0–10 min · Introduction to CUBES problem-solving strategy. Teacher explains each step of CUBES (Circle numbers, Underline question, Box key words, Evaluate and draw, Solve) with examples.

2. 10–25 min · Guided practice with simple planting-related word problems. Teacher models solving problems using CUBES, students follow along.

3. 25–40 min · Scaffolded practice with gradually harder word problems. Students work in pairs or small groups to solve problems, teacher supports.

4. 40–50 min · Group discussion and sharing solutions. Students explain their thinking and how they used CUBES.

5. 50–60 min · Reflection and planning for continued practice. Students set goals for solving more challenging problems during the week.

Resources

• Word problem worksheets related to planting and harvesting with varying difficulty
• Chart paper or whiteboard for modeling CUBES steps
• Markers or pencils for circling, underlining, and boxing
• Visual aids explaining each step of CUBES
• Suggested video search: "CUBES problem solving strategy for kids"

Assessment

• Teacher observation of student participation in planting and discussions.
• Informal questioning to check understanding of planting steps and harvesting importance.
• Student reflections on how they will care for their plants and follow routines.
• Review of routine checklist completed by students.

Differentiation

• For students below level: provide worked examples of planting-related word problems and sentence starters for explanations. Use physical counters like seeds or beans to support counting.
• For students who need movement breaks: incorporate short planting-related movement tasks (e.g., pretend to plant seeds) between problem-solving steps.
• For EAL and all learners: use visuals of seeds, plants, and harvesting tools alongside word problems. Allow partner talk before writing.
• For students needing extra challenge: encourage creating multi-step planting and harvesting word problems and solving using CUBES with explanations of their reasoning.

Extension (for advanced learners)

• Create multi-step word problems involving planting and harvesting quantities (e.g., "If Tama plants 12 seeds and 7 grow into plants, how many seeds did not grow?"). Solve using CUBES and explain reasoning.
• Design a short planting or harvesting story problem and present it to the class, demonstrating the use of CUBES to solve it.
• Explore estimation by predicting how many seeds will grow and comparing with actual results.

Dyslexia-friendly reading options

• Provide enlarged print with generous spacing and dyslexia-friendly font if available.
• Use a “read-along” option: teacher reads planting and harvesting word problems aloud once, students follow with finger tracking.
• Highlight key question sentences in a coloured overlay or marker to focus attention.
• Allow oral answering and recording choices (voice-to-text or teacher scribe) while still requiring CUBES steps to be shown (circle/underline can be done with coloured pencils or stamps).
• Use visuals of seeds, plants, and harvesting tools to support comprehension.