Curated OER
What Is It?
You have to love lessons that foster problem solving strategies. This one has upper graders devise and employ their own strategy to solve given problems after they have used classics like guess/check, substitution, make a table, and look...
Curated OER
Properties of Operations as Strategies
These multiplication problems give scholars a chance to display their knowledge of math properties. They use the zero property to solve one problem, write a related multiplication fact for a division problem, and complete a final...
Marilyn Burns Education Associates
Eighteen Flavors
Your learners will be tantalized by this inquiry-based, collaborative activity as they discover how to write an equation that represents the height of an ice cream cone. Given the scenario based on the poem, "Eighteen Flavors," and...
Curated OER
Using Code Words/Mixed Operations
In this problem solving worksheet, students determine the correct mathematical operation to use according to the 64 word problems. Students record the operation and solve the problem. There are an additional 50 multiple choice problems...
Pennsylvania Department of Education
Dividing with Fractions
Fifth graders explore the strategies to solve word problems using multiplication and division. In this problem solving lesson, 5th graders recognize the relationship between multiplication and division to solve problems. Students view...
Curated OER
Multiplying with Packages and Letters
Students explore multiplication. In this multiplication problem solving lesson, students view a video clip which demonstrates loading a truck with packages. Students fill in a blank array to represent 1"X 2" and the multiples when...
Curated OER
Choose the Operation: Problem Solving
In this mathematical operations activity, students use the problem solving strategy of understand, plan, solve, and look back to compare the number of birds seen in the Nature Clubs bird watching walk. Students find the correct...
Mathematics Assessment Project
Comparing Strategies for Proportion Problems
Having problems with proportions? Then solve these proportion problems with an exercise that asks learners to first individually solve a set of problems involving ratios and proportional reasoning. Groups then discuss provided sample...
Noyce Foundation
Miles of Tiles
Create number sentences and equations to solve geometric problems. Each activity in the series of five asks young mathematicians to consider different-sized tiles to build structures according to specific criteria. The first activities,...
Illustrative Mathematics
Building toward fluency
Here is a great learning task that focuses on the development of areas in computational fluency including strategies in mental math. Young learners are guided through a list of addition expressions that help them visually understand the...
Curated OER
On Target
In this number sentence learning exercise, 3rd graders decide whether they will add, subtract, multiply or divide to solve five word problems. Students write out the number sentence for each word problem on the lines provided.
Computer Science Unplugged
Tourist Town—Dominating Sets
As an introduction to using a network to determine the fewest number of nodes that meet a given condition, small groups work together to determine the fewest number of ice cream vans, and their locations, to be able to serve the people...
Concord Consortium
Line of Sight
There's no way around it—learners must use trigonometry to model the line of sight around a race track! Using the starting line as the origin, pupils model the straight line distance to any car using a trigonometric expression. The...
EngageNY
Efficacy of Scientific Notation
How many times could California fit into the entire United States? Pupils use scientific notation to find the answer to that question in the 12th installment of 15 lessons. It asks scholars to write numbers in scientific notation and...
101 Questions
Bean Counting
Don't spill the beans ... before the end of the lesson! Learners must predict how long it takes two people working together to fill a glass with beans. A video presents the rate it takes each person independently, and another video...
Concord Consortium
Bill the Ball Bearing Man
Just how durable could a hollow ball bearing be? Learners model the strength of the walls of a ball bearing as a function of the radius of its cavity. They use their models to make reasonable conclusions about the probability of failure...
Charleston School District
The Sum of Angles in a Triangle
An informative lesson contains a brief explanation of how the sum of the angles of a triangle is a line. The lesson continues with determining the missing angle in a triangle, or solving for a variable. Using the sum of the angles, the...
Radford University
Maximizing Light Through a Window
Let there be plenty of light. For a perimeter of 10 feet, scholars determine the maximum area of a window composed of a rectangle and a semicircle. They draw diagrams and then write and solve equations to find the height and radius for...
Curated OER
Solving Problems
For this solving problems worksheet, students answer twelve multiple choice questions about problem solving in science and the steps of the scientific method. These include identifying the problem, forming a hypothesis and setting up the...
Curated OER
Problem Solving Strategy: Find a pattern
In this patterns worksheet, students view a pattern and answer short answer questions about it. Students complete 4 questions about the pattern.
Curated OER
Daily Math Chapter Investigations
In this problem solving skills worksheet, student solve a math word problems that requires them to review problem solving strategies covered in a chapter of study.
Curated OER
Puzzled by Word Problems? See the Solution!
Students apply basic number concepts and computation skills while discovering problem-solving strategies. The contribute to a group activity, while demonstrating a knowledge of math problem solving with individual dry-erase boards so...
Curated OER
Hooked On Problem Solving
Fourth graders use properties of operations and problem-solving strategies to do mental calculations, and look for patterns in the solutions. They create an array, using each of the digits 1-9 exactly once to form addition problems...
Curated OER
Teddy Bear Subtraction
Do this exercise to prime early learners for a day of subtraction. They discuss problem-solving strategies, listen to a story problem involving teddy bears, then go to their assigned math station. This is a great way to prime the day.