Let's Talk About Math! - Using Partners to Help Solve Word Problems

I'm actually getting a post done on a Tuesday.

It's a perfect day to link up with Holly for
 

Last week in 3rd grade we worked on multi-step word problems.

I know some you will disagree with me,

but my kids understood them and I believe it is because 

of the CCSS we implemented this year.

This my fifth year teaching 3rd grade

and it's the first time everyone in the class

was able to solve these problems.

 I mean everyone including my resource students!

This year I was able to spend more time 

working on multiplication and division stories

and this helped with the multi-step stories.

One fun activity we used was a genius idea from

Laura Candler called Math Buddy Chat.

 This activity is great because the kids did work on

their own and with a partner.

Step 1:  On your own, read the word problem.

If you want, highlight the important info 

and underline the question.

Think about how you would solve the problem.

Step 2:  Meet with your partner and discuss

how to solve the problem.

Step 3:  Go back to your seat and on your own, solve the problem.

Step 4:  Get back with your partner and compare answers.

If you got different answers, review  your strategies and work.

If you got the same answer, discuss how you solved it.

My kids loved this!

This strategy really helped my kids that weren't 

sure about how to solve these problems.

I could see they felt confident going back

and trying to figure out the answer

after they had discussed it with their partner.

What are some strategies, techniques or activities you use with word problems?

Five for Friday - Guess my Garbage, Math Videos and WBT

You know it's a long week when you doze off as your husband reads

bedtime stories to your two little ones.

I napped for two minutes and now I feel better.

 

I feel good enough to share my

1.  I found a fun way to get all the kids to help clean up the room...

Basically, choose one item in the room

that you would like to see fixed/cleaned up.

Don't tell the kids what you are thinking!

Ask everyone to help clean up.

The student who fixes/cleans up

the "mystery garbage" gets a prize.

I've already given away a pencil and some playdough.

It makes cleaning up a little bit more fun.

 

2.  My students made word problem videos.

Each small group wrote a problem

and then acted it out.

On Monday we will watch them

and give everyone a chance to solve the problems.

They really had a lot of fun.

It's also a great way to show that word problems

are actually very short stories.

 

3.  Idea #2 was created by the classroom aide in my room.

She was hired to assist with some particular students in my room,

but she has helped me so much.

She always has new ideas to share with me

and I have been able to ask her for advice about certain students or lessons.

I wish these professionals were paid more

and recognized more for the huge difference they can make in a classroom. 

 

4.  We are exactly a month into school.

How many more to go?

Just kidding!

 

5.  I started trying some Whole Brain Teaching strategies in my classroom.

We've done - Class, Yes

Mirror

Teach (I just say - Talk to your buddy).

 

What are some other WBT strategies that I need to use?

 

Hope your week went well.

 



Multiplication and Division Word Problem Activities

My district is moving to math Common Core this year.

A HUGE part of the third grade standards is

multiplication and division.

I started applying some of the standards

last year just so I wouldn't be so

overwhelmed this year.

 

One skill I don't always love teaching is

word problems.

I try to make it fun by having the kids write the problems.

Sometimes we act them out.

But I just can't get into the excitement of them!!

Plus, I'm not always a big fan of the problems in the

materials we are given from the district.

So I went ahead and made my own. 

 

This product includes:

* 16 Task Cards and a Recording Sheet

 * Multiplication/Division Sort 

Read the problems and sort them as multiply or divide.

 *Story Problem and Equation Match-Up

Read the story and match it with the equation

that you can use to solve the problem.

 

I've included answer keys and recording sheets

for all the activities.

Use these activities in centers or whole class.

They can be used as any type of assessment.

 

So share with us...

What are some fun ways you teach math story problems?

 

 



Multiplication and Division Word Problems

We started multiplication and division last week in third grade. Our math series has the students working on facts and word problems at the same time. My students do well with facts, but I think we moved too fast with the word problems. So this week I'm slowing it down. I started by making two anchor charts - multiplication and division.

                      

We are going to fill in the key words for each operation.  Then we will review what they mean and the symbols that are used for each one.

I also made some fun activities for the kids.  I have 8 task cards that I will hang up around the room.  Each card has either a multiplication or division story.  I'll have my students write down if the problem is multiplication or division.  Then we will go over the problems together.  I try to make the stories funny so that they aren't boring like the ones in the workbook.  I usually will have animals eating pizza or teachers in the school doing funny things.  I like seeing the smiles on the kids' faces as they read the stories.

After we go over the problems, I'll have the students complete a worksheet with a few problems on their own.

The next day we are going to review the charts.  I'm thinking of making a foldable for both multiplication and division for us to add to our math journals.  I'm then going to have the students complete a sort.  They will need to read the problem and then place it in the correct category - multiply or divide.  Once I see that they sorted correctly, they will have to solve the problems on the sort card.

I know my students will like this type of practice because they stories are a bit different and they aren't just filling in a worksheet.

If you are interested in these activities, you can find them at my Tpt store.

Hope you have a nice weekend.