I created this series entitled, The Deadly Pit for my students who need to know how to work with Rations and Proportions. This article offers a number of free samples that teach the essential concepts of how to write ratios and then use those ratios to solve proportional problems. Each problem is designed in a manner that encourages participation and makes learning about ratios & proportions FUN! But that is not even the best part – Each problem is linked to a video tutorial, which ensures successful completion of this entire series.
Why do children love The Deadly Pit?
This series has children imagine that they have fallen into a “deadly pit”. The deadly pit contains a ratio of animals. In order to escape the pit, students must solve ratio and proportional problems. This makes The Deadly Pit more a game than a math problem. My students love solving Deadly Pit Problems!
I have scaffold these problems:
- The first problem is a Watch ME.
Students should read the problem and then click on the video to watch how the problem is solved.
Students should copy the entire problem into their notebook. - The second problem is a WORK WITH ME.
Students should read the problem then gather all their materials, so that they can do the problem with me.
Students should play the math tutorial video and pause it when told.
Finally, Students should copy the problem down on their own paper, and solve it with me.
When the math tutorial video is complete, students should review the problem with their teacher or parent. - All the following problems are ON YOUR OWN.
Students should solve the problems just as they did in the first two.
Once you they completed the problem, they should watch the math tutorial video.
Students should keep their paper with them while they watch the video.
If they made a mistake, they should pause the math tutorial video and fix their mistake.
That’s the fastest way to learn!
Would you like a FREE notebook on Ratios & Proportions before you get started on this Article?
Click here to get this notebook for FREE!
Once you download this Book, you can upload it into Google Classroom.
Then you can assign this Video Notebook to your students.
Cyclical Learning Approach
I have incorporated a cyclical learning approach with math tutorial videos. Each educational concept is introduced, then reinforced, then revisited again and again to ensure success. Children solve word problems that teach them how to solve for ratios and then use those ratios to solve proportional problems. .
This series is broken into three books. The Following offers a free sample of each book.
The Deadly Pit – Book 1
Challenge 1 – Watch Me
Your only hope of escape is to solve this problem!
Your Deadly Pit contains grizzly bears, and poisonous frogs. The pit contains 9 times as many frogs as bears.
1.Write an equation that represents the total number of frogs in your pit. Let the letter b represent bears and f represent frogs.
2.If there are 54 frogs, how many bears are in your pit?
3.If there are 70 creatures in all, how many frogs and bears are in your deadly pit?
Challenge 2 – Work with Me
Your only hope of escape is to solve this problem!
Your Deadly Pit contains leopards, and alligators. The pit contains 4 times as many alligators as leopards.
1.Write an equation that represents the total number of alligators in your pit. Let the letter l represent leopards and the letter a represent alligators.
2.If there are 20 alligators, how many leopards are in your pit?
3.If there are 55 creatures in all, how many leopards and alligators are in your deadly pit?
Challenge 3 – On Your Own
Your only hope of escape is to solve this problem!
Your Deadly Pit contains vampire bunnies You know, (like Bunnicula), and killer pups. They may look cute, but trust me; They’re deadly! The pit contains 7 times as many killer pups as vampire bunnies.
1.Write an equation that represents the total number of puppies in your pit. Let the letter b represent bunnies and p represent puppies.
2.If there are 42 killer pups, how many vampire bunnies are in your pit?
If there are 72 creatures in all, how many bunnies and puppies are in your deadly pit?
Here are a few more samples from this booklet.
I have not included the videos for these samples, but I wanted to you see a variety of ratio and proportion problems within this book.
Would you like to purchase this Book?
Click here to purchase this book!
Each Book contains 11 problems and 11 corresponding video tutorials.
All of my books includes include video tutorials like the ones you see here. If you would like to purchase this book, click the Photo above.
The Deadly Pit – Book 2
Challenge 1 – Watch Me
Your only hope of escape is to solve this problem!
Your Deadly Pit contains polar bears and tarantulas. The pit contains 2/9 times as many polar bears as tarantulas.
1.Write a ratio that represents the animals in your pit.
2.If there are 27 spiders, how many bears are in your pit?
If there are 77 creatures in all, how many bears and spiders are in your deadly pit?
Challenge 2 – Work with Me
Your only hope of escape is to solve this problem!
Your Deadly Pit contains gorillas and skunks. The pit contains 5/7 times as many gorillas as skunks.
1.Write a ratio that represents the animals in your pit.
2.If there are 21 Skunks, how many gorillas are in your pit?
3.If there are 96 creatures in all, how many gorillas and skunks are in your deadly pit?
Challenge 3 – On Your Own
Your only hope of escape is to solve this problem!
Your Deadly Pit contains buffalo and wasps. The pit contains 3/4 times as many buffalo as wasps.
1.Write a ratio that represents the animals in your pit.
2.If there are 16 wasps, how many buffalo are in your pit?
3.If there are 84 creatures in all, how many buffalo and wasps are in your deadly pit?
Would you like to purchase this Book?
Click here to purchase this book!
Each Book contains 11 problems and 11 corresponding video tutorials.
All of my books includes include video tutorials like the ones you see here. If you would like to purchase this book, click the Photo above.
The Deadly Pit – Book 3
Challenge 1 – Watch Me
Your only hope of escape is to solve this problem!
Your Deadly Pit contains lions, vampire bats, and poisonous snakes. The pit contains 5 times as many vampire bats as lions, and 3/5 as many snakes as vampire bats.
1.Write a ratio that represents the animals in your pit.
2.If there are 9 snakes , how many lions are in your pit?
If there are 63 creature in all, how many lions, vampire bats, and poisonous snakes are in your deadly pit?
Challenge 2 – Work with Me
Your only hope of escape is to solve this problem!
Your Deadly Pit contains bison, crazed monkeys, and cheetahs. The pit contains 9 times as many monkeys as bison, and 4/9 as many cheetahs as monkeys.
1.Write a ratio that represents the animals in your pit.
2.If there are 36 monkeys, how many cheetahs are in your pit?
3.If there are 98 creature in all, how many bison, crazed monkeys, and cheetahs are in your deadly pit?
Challenge 3 – On Your Own
Your only hope of escape is to solve this problem!
Your Deadly Pit contains jaguars, scorpions, and snapping turtles. The pit contains 7 times as many scorpions as jaguars, and 2/7 as many turtles as scorpions.
1.Write a ratio that represents the animals in your pit.
2.If there are 28 scorpions, how many jaguars are in your pit?
3.If there are 100 creature in all, how many jaguars, scorpions, and snapping turtles are in your deadly pit?
Would you like to purchase this Book?
Click here to purchase this book!
Each Book contains 11 problems and 11 corresponding video tutorials.
All of my books includes include video tutorials like the ones you see here. If you would like to purchase this book, click the Photo above.
Would you like a FREE notebook on Algebraic Expressions?
Click here to get this notebook for FREE!
Once you download this Book, you can upload it into Google Classroom.
Then you can assign this Video Notebook to your students.
Are your students ready for some Algebra?
I have two series that teach Algebra. One is Algebra Expressions & the other teachers how to create and solve for variables.
Do you know someone who needs help with multiplication?
Click on the photo below!
Do you know someone who needs help with long division?
Click on the photo below!
Do you know someone who needs help with Fractions?
Click on the photo below!
Thank you for reading this article!
One Last Thing
If you like this post and found it helpful, please leave a brief comment. As a teacher, perhaps the greatest reward I receive is from parents, children, and fellow teachers who use my strategies of education and succeed.
My mission in life and as an educator is to make people feel empowered, self-assured, and happy about who they are in this world! We all have gifts to bestow upon our world. Go forth and do so, and know that you are awesome!
This is amazing! Very useful. Thank you.