Problem Solving

  During the course of this year your child will focus on PROBLEM SOLVING.  Mathematical problem solving is central to mathematics learning.  Students must acquire and apply concepts and skills in a range of situations, including non-routine, open-ended and real-world problems.  Math in Focus instruction develops problem-solving skills by:

• Teaching for problem solving

• Teaching about problem solving

• Teaching through problem solving

    In teaching for problem solving, students are learning mathematics in order to apply it to solve problems.  We will be in engage-learn-try focus cycles.  Engage gives content-domain specific tasks that help students learn concepts and skills through mental reasoning or manipulation of concrete representations.  This process allows students to think about the concepts they will learn.  In Learn, students construct new knowledge in a guided or teacher-led inquiry, supported by questioning techniques.  In Try, students practice newly acquired knowledge with guidance from the teacher.

     Teaching about problem solving emphasizes processes, strategies and metacognition.  Students will be introduced to "Put on Your Thinking Cap" problems.  These non-routine probelms will help develop students' higher -ordering thinking skills.  The four-step problem-solving model makes students' thinking processes more visible.

     Teaching through problem solving emphasizes learning mathematical concepts and skills through inquiry or open-ended questions.  "Think" problems stimulate students' thinking, cause them to search for and connect information to uncover new ideas, and explore solutions through thinking critically and creatively.

Tutorial Videos 

CUBES strategy
Explain your thinking  Problem solving steps and prompts to communicate thinking  

Great site for practicing problem solving! 

http://mathwire.com/problemsolving/probs34.html 

Daily Sudoku

http://www.dailysudoku.com/sudoku/kids/