Learning to Solve Math Questions in Different Ways By Jenna Shore

CONTEXT Students in School District #22 are struggling to use problem solving skills and different strategies in Math. Moreover, students lack perseverance and motivation when presented with a math problem that they cannot figure out right away. Due to this, it is clear that students are showing lower achievement rates in math across the grades.

Students lack not only problem solving skills and strategies when approaching a math problem, but they also lack perseverance and motivation. I want to see students confident in their mathematical abilities (strategies) to approaching math questions and to demonstrate perseverance and motivation with a drive to conquer any problem.

Students need: To understand that math problems can be approached in different ways To learn a variety of different strategies to solve math problems Opportunities to practice those strategies in a safe place To know that there is an answer and that they can come to a reasonable answer with perseverance and motivation Confidence in themselves NEEDS ASSESSMENT

Students will be given a Problem Solving Activity using a Tangram Puzzle to achieve the following learning outcome: Students will be able to approach and solve a math problem by looking at it in different ways. This is the first step in the process…

Instruction sheet given to students

Students will be given a Tangram Puzzle Tangram Puzzle Prototype for students Tangram Puzzles can be manipulated into hundreds of different designs.

Examples of Tangram Designs This was not given to students.

Students will create 3 designs with all 7 pieces.

Students will record their designs on a recording sheet.

Lessons I learned about this activity:  students need support in coming up with designs, therefore giving them a design first and then having them figure out how to create a given design with all the shapes would prove beneficial  students thrive using on hands-on manipulatives  students need explicit directions using tangrams (ex. you can’t stack them or make 3-D shapes etc.)  students need constant reminders to read ALL directions first and to refer to those directions throughout the activity

 How important it is to “test” a lesson in order to learn what could be changed, so that it can be as effective as possible  As teachers, we innately follow the design process  How important it is to create a “Needs Analysis” of the learners in order to best support them and their learning needs  How a “Big Idea” can and possibly should be broken down into smaller, more manageable pieces for students and teachers alike Lesson learned about the Designing Instruction Process:

Thank you for reading my project! ~ Jenna Shore

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