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

Problem Types Across the Curriculum ◆ 57

Figure 3.27 Decimal Grid

Figure 3.28

Decimal Squares®

These are a great manipulative created by Bennet (2009). He has hands-

on manipulatives, books and interactive games. Check them out at

http://www.decimalsquares.com/.

There are also many sites that use the decimal grids—just Google

“printable decimal grids.” You can download ones, tenths, hundredths

and thousandths.

It is important to use decimal grids and not base ten blocks when
teaching decimals because using base ten blocks can confuse students (see
Figures 3.27 and 3.28). They have already learned it as a representative of
one system, and then suddenly they have to rename everything. Using
number grids allows students to work with a new model. The next prob-
lem is another example of getting students to reason about decimals. In
this problem students are asked to think about the thinking of others,
which is an excellent strategy and one that students should do often.
Students need to know how to follow the logic of others and determine
whether or not it makes sense and be able to speak about their thought
process (see Figure 3.29).