Teaching Conceptual Knowledge through the use of Real-World,

Problem Solving Tasks

Kristin Kanaskie GrotewoldMaple Grove ElementaryWaukee, IA

Nice to Math You!

Introduce yourself to people at your table in the form of a fraction, decimal, and a percent.– 1/7 of my day I teach math – .4 of my family is girls – 98% of my day is spent thinking about school and

what I have to do!

Why Problem Solving?

Textbook Problems not enough Critical need to collaborate and solve problems

together Differentiation

Student Survey

Questions True Not True

I like math

I think I’m good at math

I prefer to work with others on math problems

I get easily frustrated when working on math

“I think I’m good at math”

Traditional Class Problem Solving Class

12 out of 16 before 15 out of 21 before

9 out of 16 after 19 out of 21 after

Decrease of 3 students, 19%

Increase of 4 students, 18%

“I get easily frustrated when working on math”

Traditional Class Problem Solving Class

4 out of 16 before 11 out of 21 before

6 out of 16 after 6 out of 21 after

Increase of 2 students, 12%

Decrease of 5 students, 23%

Complete the following problem how your students would…

It is 664 miles from Waukee, IA to Denver, CO. If I drive 349 miles the first day, how many do I have left to drive the second day?

Problem Solving Checklist

● What I know● What I want to find out● ATTACK: Maybe I’ll Try● Stuck!● Aha!● Check● Reflect

How introduced to students…

Try it!

How long would it take you to spend one million dollars? If you spent $1,000 each day of this month, would you spend one million? What about $10,000 each day? $100,000 each day? If you spent $100 each day the first week, $1,000 each day the for the second week, $10,000 each day the third week, and $100,000 each day the fourth week, would you spend one million dollars this month?

Examples of Problems:

How many bubbles can you and your partner blow in a minute? In an hour? In a week? In a year?

You are planning a BBQ for your friends. Your mom doesn’t want any leftovers. You go to the store and find that hot dog buns come in packages of 8, but hot dogs come in packages of 10. How many of each package will you need to buy so that you have the least amount of leftovers? (You determine amount of people, or have students)

Family Vacation

• You have the opportunity to plan a week trip to a destination of your choice. You will be working on adding, subtracting, multiplying, dividing and rounding to get ready for ITBS week. You will have one week to complete this project.

Entrepreneurship

• You and your partner have the opportunity to open up your own restaurant! You will get to decide the materials you purchase and how much of each. You will be given a loan from the bank to start off your business, but will have to present all of your spending. It will be your job to present your store’s menu ideas, money spent, income, as well as interest paid throughout the year.

Traditional Textbook Problem

Our fifth grade class will be making enchiladas for our parents. We make them in a casserole dish that holds 32. We have 389 people coming. How many pans will we need?

Changed to…

The students at Minburn Elementary are setting up tables for their parent dinner. Students can use either the rectangular or the round tables. Each of the rectangular tables will seat 12 people. How many rectangular tables will they need to seat 389 people? Each of the round tables will seat 10 people. How many round tables will they need to seat 389 people? Create a diagram of the room using a combination of both. Write a paragraph describing why you set it up the way you did.

Continued…

Alexis, Edward, and Irma are making centerpieces for each table. Each centerpiece will use 24 inches of ribbon. They have a spool with 864 inches of ribbon. How many centerpieces can they make? Will they have enough for your diagram?

The plates students use come in packages of 48. How many packages will they need to buy to serve 389 people? How many will be left over?

The Water Sports Center has reservations for 4 groups of 4 and 1 group of 8 people who want to go kayaking. If they only rent 2-person kayaks, how many are left for others?

Water Sports Rentals

Type of Boat Number Available

2-person kayak 16

1-person kayak 12

3-person canoe 8

4-person rowboat 8

10-person raft 8

6-person raft 8

Differentiation Strategies

Just Right Numbers Groups Extensions Prompting Questions

Just Right Number Problems

Sarah had twice as many books as John did and 4 times as many as Cindy. If John had ________ books, how many did Sarah, John and Cindy have altogether?

5 18 32 

 

Just Right Number Problems

Tim had 4 packages of candy with ______ pieces in each package. She bought 2 packages of jolly ranchers with _______ pieces in each package. How many pieces of candy did Tim have in all? 

6, 3 12, 9 31, 27

Prompting Questions

Can you use the result, or the method in solving another problem?

Can you use the problem in a way to create a new problem in which you could use the solution to help you solve it?

Could you solve part of the problem? Can you solve a simpler problem? What can you assume?

Grading Rubrics:

Lower Elementary Checklist

Questions?

Contact me at anytime: Kristin.kanaskie@gmail.com