Arthur's Perfect Pet MEA (Model Eliciting Activity)

Set includes lesson plan and guidelines for implementation, 2 data sets, 2 reading passages, 2 letter templates, graphic organizer, and rubric for grading.

Summary: In the story Arthur's Pet Business, Arthur shows his parents that he is responsible enough to deserve a pet dog and his mom gives him permission to get one. However, Arthur needs your help choosing the perfect dog. Help Arthur meet all the requirements needed to find the perfect pet for his family from the research he shares with you about the breeds they are considering, taking into consideration size, shedding, barking, friendliness, etc. Then write a justification to describe why you chose the perfect pet for Arthur and his family.

MEAs are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in these realistic activities. MEAs resemble engineering problems because students work in teams to apply their knowledge of science and mathematics to solve an open-ended problem, while considering constraints and tradeoffs and clearly documenting their thought process. This early elementary MEA based on a favorite Arthur book will require your students to put their problem solving skills to the test!