We Love Problem Solving!

Yesterday we worked through a fun word problem about decorating a snowman!

We have been learning about the four-part problem solving model, which we call RIDE, to solve the problem.

R - Read it. Circle key numbers and words.

I - Imagine and plan. I know... I need to know... I must... What strategies could help me?

D - Do it. Solve the problem. Use pictures, numbers, and words to show your thinking.

E - Explain your thinking. What did you find out? How do you know?

Here is the problem:

Marlice built a snowman over the holidays. She used a carrot for his nose, a scarf to keep his neck warm, and 5 pebbles to decorate his body. When she was finished, she drank 2 cups of hot chocolate to warm up. How many things did she use to decorate her snowman?

Students were buzzing with excitement about possible ways to find out this answer!

Some topics of discussion included:

- Should we count the hot chocolate? Why it why not?

- Was the answer 1+1+1 for three types of decoration or 5+2 or 5+1+1? Which answer was right and why?

- How could a picture show the idea the most clearly?

We also decided to make a strategy card called "Read the question or words again" because we decided that rereading the words would help us to support our opinions and / or clarify any problems we were having.

I am so proud of the math talk happening in our groups! Well done Grade 1's!

Today we looked at the importance of the information we are given in a word problem. Here is today's problem and our notes and ideas:

We decided to think of our own numbers to figure out an answer. Each group of students chose a starting number of gogos and the amount of gogos that Anil gave away. Take a look at our work! Can you see our ideas with pictures, numbers, and words? Which strategies do you see here?

Wow! What amazing mathematicians! Tomorrow we will have time to discuss the strategies we used, the clarity of our work, and to learn more about subtraction!