Problem Solving

PROBLEM SOLVING STRATEGIES: Make a list or table. Draw a picture or diagram. Act it out. Look for a pattern. Simplify. Work Backwards. Break it up. Guess & Check.

Draw a picture or diagram. How to use the strategy ‘draw a picture or diagram’ to solve problems. What types of problems we might use this strategy to solve. Children practising the strategy. Using the think board to show your thinking. Drawing a picture helps you to see the problem. Draw a picture or diagram helps you to find the solution to the problem. Look for clues in the problem that you think suggest that you will need to see parts of the problem to find a solution.

PROBLEM SOLVING STEPS: The 4 steps : 1. Understand the problem SEE 2. Devise a plan PLAN 3. Carry out the plan DO 4. Look back (reflect) CHECK

Think Board. 2. Devise a plan. 1. Understand the problem. 3. Carry out the plan. 4. Look back (reflect ).

While I am working through this question, I will think aloud. I Do Problem……. Azziza invited six friends to her birthday party. Each person at the party received a cup with five chocolate lollies and two sticks of chewing gum. How many chocolate lollies and how many sticks of chewing gum were given at the party? I Do While I am working through this question, I will think aloud.

1. Understand the Problem. What am I being asked to find out or show? Can I restate the problem in my own words? What pieces of information do I need to help me to answer the question? I Do

1. Understand the problem. I Do How many chocolate lollies and how many sticks of chewing gum were given at the party? 6 friends plus Azziza at the party. Each got 5 chocolate lollies. Each got 2 sticks of chewing gum.

2. Devise a plan. 2. Devise a Plan. I Do Using the information from the problem, I need to choose a strategy that will help me to solve the problem. Today I will use ‘Draw a Picture or Diagram’ to help me to solve this problem.

2. Devise a plan. I Do Draw a picture of a cup with 5 chocolate lollies and 2 sticks of chewing gum for each guest.

3. Carry out the plan. 3. Carry out the plan. · Carrying out the plan is usually easier than devising the plan · Be patient – most problems are not solved quickly nor on the first attempt · If a plan does not work immediately, be persistent · Do not let yourself get discouraged · If one strategy isn’t working, try a different one I Do

3. Carry out the plan. I Do

4. Reflect. 4. Look Back (Revise) Does my answer make sense? Did I answer all of the questions? Could I have done this problem another way – maybe even an easier way? I Do

4. Reflect. I Do 35 chocolate lollies and 14 sticks of chewing gum were given at the party.

Now try this one together… We Do Problem……. Now try this one together… A school has 10 boxes of footballs. Four boxes have 6 footballs in each box. The other boxes have 5 footballs in each box. How many footballs are there altogether? You Do

Now we will do this one in your group or on your own… You Do Problem……. Isabella owns 2 pairs of shorts, 3 pairs of jeans, 2 shirts and 2 singlets. How many different combinations of outfits can she make? We Do

1. Understand the Problem. What are we being asked to find out or show? Can we restate the problem in our own words? What pieces of information do we need to help us to answer the question? We Do

2. Devise a plan. 2. Devise a Plan. Using the information from the problem, we will choose a strategy that will help us to solve the problem. Today we will use the ‘Draw a Picture’ to help us to solve this problem. We Do

3. Carry out the plan. 3. Carry out the plan. Things to Remember! Carrying out the plan is usually easier than devising the plan Be patient – most problems are not solved quickly nor on the first attempt If a plan does not work immediately, be persistent Do not let yourself get discouraged If one strategy isn’t working, try a different one We Do

4. Reflect. 4. Look Back (Revise) Does our answer make sense? Did we answer all of the questions? Could we have done this problem another way – maybe even an easier way? We Do

Draw a picture or diagram. How to use the strategy ‘draw a picture or diagram’ to solve problems. What types of problems we might use this strategy to solve. Children practising the strategy. Using the think board to show your thinking. Drawing a picture helps you to see the problem. Draw a picture or diagram helps you to find the solution to the problem. Look for clues in the problem that you think suggest that you will need to see parts of the problem to find a solution.

Draw a picture or diagram. Drawing a picture helps you to see the problem. Draw a picture or diagram helps you to find the solution to the problem. Look for clues in the problem that you think suggest that you will need to see parts of the problem to find a solution.

PROBLEM SOLVING STEPS: The 4 steps : 1. Understand the problem SEE 2. Devise a plan PLAN 3. Carry out the plan DO 4. Look back (reflect) CHECK

Lesson Reflection. Think about how well you have understood the lesson today…. How confident do you feel using the ‘Draw a Picture or Diagram’ strategy? Is there any step in the problem solving process you need more help with?