Today's class explored the ever important topic of problem solving. I really enjoyed solving math problems in class (definitely more so in elementary compared to secondary!) so I was excited to tackle this topic. But first, a quick review on the pros and cons of the workshop model.
This list, constructed with my table mates, was actually quite similar to the list uploaded to last week's post. There is clear emphasis on the "fun" associated with this type of workshop and I think that it is important for students to see in a hands on way that math is everywhere and that it is enjoyable.
Speaking of fun... on to problem solving now! The class was presented with various multiplication representations which really got our minds working. There was an initial sense of resistance associated with leaving the familiar multiplication strategy and adapting to newer, more visual methods of solving multiplication equations. This resistance was also felt when exploring addition/subtraction with two and three digit numbers a few classes back.
Speaking of fun... on to problem solving now! The class was presented with various multiplication representations which really got our minds working. There was an initial sense of resistance associated with leaving the familiar multiplication strategy and adapting to newer, more visual methods of solving multiplication equations. This resistance was also felt when exploring addition/subtraction with two and three digit numbers a few classes back.
With our minds chugging along, we then discussed and tackled a few small problems. I am eager to see what some of the responses to problems I give to my future students will look like - thinking outside of the box demonstrates creativity and may even teach me a thing or two. With the abundance of different problem solving strategies, it will be neat to see which ones my future students will use to resolve math problems and to get a sneak peak inside their heads as they write down their thought process.
Although the story of Grandma Lena's Big Ol' Turnip may not initially appear to have any apparent connection to an elementary school math class, that is not the case. With a little bit of creativity and thinking outside of the box (which I take pride in doing very well in many everyday situations... not sure yet if this is a good thing) connections can be made to the math curriculum. Let's take a closer look:
My initial thought was to compose a task relating to measuring the turnip since the book's main point was about emphasizing the enormous size of it. While grazing through the measurement outcomes, I noticed the introduction of calendars and the passage of time. Perfect! The book clearly states certain times of the year and incorporates calendar dates. My task for this book will involve problem solving - coincidence that this class was all about problem solving?
Below is the Specific Curriculum Outcome and the Performance Indicators for the Measurement Unit in Grade 3:
M02 Students will be expected to relate the number of seconds to a minute, the numbers of minutes to an hour, the numbers of hours to a day, and the number of days to a month in a problem-solving context.
Performance Indicators
My initial thought was to compose a task relating to measuring the turnip since the book's main point was about emphasizing the enormous size of it. While grazing through the measurement outcomes, I noticed the introduction of calendars and the passage of time. Perfect! The book clearly states certain times of the year and incorporates calendar dates. My task for this book will involve problem solving - coincidence that this class was all about problem solving?
Below is the Specific Curriculum Outcome and the Performance Indicators for the Measurement Unit in Grade 3:
M02 Students will be expected to relate the number of seconds to a minute, the numbers of minutes to an hour, the numbers of hours to a day, and the number of days to a month in a problem-solving context.
Performance Indicators
- Determine the number of days in any given month using a calendar.
- Solve a given problem involving the number of seconds in a minute, the number of minutes in an hour, the number of hours in a day, or the number of days in a given month.
- Create a calendar that includes days of the week, dates, and personal events.
In order to assess the students' understanding of the concepts listed above, I have constructed some problems relating to the story. Students will each be given a two-paged document with the problems to solve after a whole-class activity involving reading the story and discussing the story.
Remember how in my previous reply I mentioned that Scribd was fairly easy to navigate. All you had to do was create a Word document and upload it via Scribd. Well, I take back my answer and I would like to say that it is NOT user friendly. I created a neat little Word document with tables all grouped together and when I went to upload it *POOF* all gone: everything was distorted. I am hoping this is just due to my lack of knowledge of Scribd. So I apologize for the messy screen shots of my Word document. Ah well. There they are in their blurry glory.