Marvelous Math with Mrs. Rose

I’ve been using a great site with students to solve word problems and I’d like to spread the word.   It’s an effective way to use technology to identify the “parts” and “whole” or “total” amounts in story problems and our students have found great success with it; plus it’s fun!

 Click here to try it out.  The part/part/whole strategy uses “thinking blocks” which students can manipulate to solve word problems.  They identify the various parts of the problem and then decide which operation will help solve it.  A Math “tutor” on the site gives hints and lets students know when they have solved the problem correctly.

This site from Math Playground is also listed on my “Wonderful Websites” page.  Please share your comments to let me know how it works for you!

Our students are busy exploring and expanding their repertoire of Math problem solving strategies.  Here, students work with objects to represent and solve a Math story problem.

Other problem solving strategies include:

• Make a picture or diagram
• Make an organized list
• Use or make a table
• Use or look for a pattern
• Act out or use objects
• Work backwards
• Guess and check
• Make it simpler
• Use logical reasoning

These strategies are part of a 4-Step Problem Solving Process that includes:

1. Find out: What is the question you have to answer?  What information does the problem give you?
2. Choose a Strategy (see list above).
3. Solve it.
4. Look Back: See if your answer fits with what the problem tells you and asks you to find.  Read the problem again.  Look back over your work.  Does your answer fit?