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

68 ◆ Structures to Scaffold Success

Figure 4.15 Scaffolding Thinking

(Newton Education Solutions, 2016)

PROBLEM: Mr. Thomas

ordered 4 pizzas.

Each pizza was cut into

8 slices.

How many slices of

pizza did he get?

SOLUTION 1

SOLUTION 2

Solve the problem a different way

MODEL BANK

Dots and circles

Make a model

Open number line

Draw an array

Write an equation

Bar diagram

THINK ABOUT IT

What do you know?

What is the unknown?

What do you need to do?

Which strategies can

you use?

Name _____________________

Problem Type: Equal Groups

Explain

Here is another example of how to scaffold the thinking behind prob-
lem solving (see Figure 4.15). In this example, the students read the problem
and then think about the questions. As they decide the different solutions
they will use, they can refer to the model bank. These are the different
models that they have learned throughout the unit.