Grades 3-5 Math Problem Solving in Action_ Getting Students to Love Word Problems

160 ◆ Assessment

Here areall the word problem types that you are expected to know this year. Which ones

do you know how to solve? Which ones are you ok solving? Which ones are you still

learning how to solve? Put a G for doing good, an ok for those that you are OK with and

NY for those you haven’t learned yet.

Division Equal

Groups

Mulplicaon

Array Groups

Mulplicaon

Equal Groups

Two-Step

Problems

Mul-Step

Problems with

adding, subtracng,

mulplying and

dividing

Division Array

Groups

Mulplicaon

(Comparison)

Difference

Mulplicaon

(Comparison)

Bigger Part

Unknown

Mulplicaon

(Comparison)

Smaller Part

Unknown

Elapsed Time

Problems

Mulplicaon

Mul-Step

Customary

Measurement

Problems

Area and

Perimeter

Problems

Metric

Measurement

Problems

Figure 11.10 Word Problem Survey

Zdonek wrote about a way to get students to self-reflect on their quiz-
zes (cited by Dyer, 2014). She had them fill in a form for each problem
that they got wrong. First, the students had to rewrite the problem. This
step ensured that they actually had to look at the problem and think about
it. Next, the students had to try to solve it again (this time correctly).
I would do this as a guided activity, talking through the various steps.
Finally, they had to explain what they did wrong the first time, so they
could reflect on the error patterns and learn from it.
Self-reflection allows students to think about where they are, where
they want to be and how they are going to get there. Self-reflection should