How to teach students to EXPLAIN in math!

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• I'm working on the 3.OA standards. And I found a blog in Bright Hub that explained how to teach subtraction with the strategy of breaking-it-down in context, focusing on how teachers should be relevance to math problems.

  Isn't that the rigor of common core standards in math?

  But then, students need to explain and/or justify their solutions.

  I found there are two levels that students need to organize for writing in math. First, they need to have a structured problem solving process. You've probably seen a 4-step problem solving process before that labeled the steps with Understand, Make a Plan, Try it Out, and Look Back. Or, it might say Explore, Plan, Solve, Examine. However, I found an alternative 4-step process that looks less wordy (complicated) and most Common Core of all that I previewed. I call it the SUPER SLOOTH process because it includes the same language used in reading comprehension skills (who, what, how). You can read more about this problem-solving process here.

  Here's a school resource that has links for problem solving with graphic icons, templates, a problem-solving song and testing samples. It doesn't follow the SUPER SLOOTH process, but it's all good stuff.

  The second level includes helping students write an explanation for their work. They need a list of strategy tools. How many strategies are there? Common Core standards strive for rigor and depth. Student writing is evidence of strategy ownership. My previous question should be revised. How many strategies does Johnny have in his toolbox?

  I'm working on a list of statements for students to use to explain math problem solving work.

  I put the problem in my own words.

  I decided to ______________.

  I drew a picture.

  I checked to make sure it was right by _____________.

  I noticed a pattern.

  I added.

  I subtracted.

  I multiplied.

  I divided.

  I made a list.

  I made a table.

  I made a graph.

  I wrote a number sentence.

  I wrote an equation.

  I used the fact family.

  I used the inverse operation.

  I worked backwards.

  This pdf list sample responses.

  Do you need problem solving graphic icons to use in your class? Click here to visit FCPS and download.

  Here's a template I made (with some 3.OA specific icons) to show student work and help with written explanations. (There's a color jpeg and a BW!)
  
  
  
  
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Situations that require writing explanations: EXEMPLARS

I appreciate the tasks included in these samples on a WIKI . . . even thought the old typed copy is difficult to read in places.

Here are some EXEMPLARS and rubrics for grade levels.

Here are some NYC EXEMPLARS (listed by grade level).

Ontario EXEMPLARS and rubrics (3rd grade)

IOWA EXEMPLARS

NYSED Peformance Indicators and samples of student work

Math Stories

Pin It Teaching Math with Stories

This article gives excellent examples. How can we make our lessons to teach problem solving more interesting and relevant to 4th and 5th graders?


Turn word problems into good stories and watch the results.

Its guaranteed that the kids won't be bore.

Do your students complain when you give them story or word problems? Are they bored with problems about Susie's garden or Farmer John's harvest or rowboats traveling upstream or downstream? Part of the difficulty lies in the way problems are written.

Most word or story problems are not really stories at all - or at least they're not very good stories. Good stories have interesting characters and plots. They may start with a conflict and build to a climax or, like newspaper stories, they may describe the five W's: Who, What, Where, When and Why.

Read more . . . .

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3666/is_200001/ai_n8884009

Math Mind - Pacemaker Curriculum

Pin It PDF Files; Units for word problems and computation - supports Pacemaker Curriculum - Click the title link for explanation of chapter topics. Includes Visuals to use on SmartBoard such as number lines, tables, Place Value Charts, etc.

 AnswerKey.pdf          
 Chapter01.pdf          
 Chapter02.pdf         
 Chapter03.pdf         
 Chapter04.pdf         
 Chapter05.pdf         
 Chapter06.pdf         
 Chapter07.pdf           
 Chapter08.pdf         
 Chapter09.pdf          
 Chapter10.pdf          
 Chapter11.pdf           
 Chapter12.pdf           
 Chapter13.pdf         
 Chapter14.pdf         
 Chapter15.pdf         
 Chapter16.pdf          
 Chapter17.pdf          
 Chapter18.pdf           
 TestPrep.pdf          
 Visuals.pdf           

Word Problem Strategies at WASL

Pin It Port Angeles, WA edu site - Lists sample word problems by grade levels, with lesson ideas using writing with math problems and answer key.

Mathematics questions contain the following content: number sense measurement geometry algebraic sense probability and statistics logic strategies

and the following processes: problem solving reasoning communications connections

Problems presented in the web site are recommended for student use to communicate (in written form) understanding of math content.

SAMPLE 4TH GRADE NUMBER SENSE:

4N-23) 17,26,35,44,53,62,71,80

What numbers less than 100 make eight when the digits are added together? (example 17 is a solution because 1+7=8) Write to help explain your best thinking using words, numbers, or pictures.

Click these links to view Grade 4 questions:

number sense

measurement

geometry

algebraic sense

probability and statistics

logic

strategies
(strategy description)

Click these links to view Grade 5 questions:
Grade 5

number sense

measurement

geometry

algebraic sense

probability and statistics

logic

strategies
(strategy description)

Tool Box

Pin It Do you have any ideas for tools that are necessary for students to be able to draw such as the multiplication grid, place value chart, and measurement function table?

Sites to preview:

• Problem Solving Toolbox: http://letsplaymath.files.wordpress.com/2007/10/problem-solving-tool-box.pdf
• Creating Stories for Math Problems: http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=144
• Let's Play Math Blog with games http://letsplaymath.wordpress.com/2006/12/29/the-game-that-is-worth-1000-worksheets/