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Problem solving activities - new resources online

Tuesday, 10 May 2016
Finding appropriate activities and maths problems can be time-consuming and tricky for teachers. Good problem solving activities should match specific learning objectives, should be purposeful and should also apply the skills, concepts and procedures previously learnt. To help with this I have been working on teaching activities and problem solving questions that match to specific maths topics for each year.
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What is problem solving?

 
In Primary Mathematics: Teaching for Understanding (Barmby, Bilsborough, Harries and Higgins 2009) they look at  earlier definitions of problem solving and come up with a succinct sentence: '.... a problem has no obvious solution and also it has a 'goal' to be reached.'

Anghileri (2007) looks at diffferent types of number problem, which includes missing numbers or operations, multi-step calculations, logical thinking and problems leading to algebra. The methods used to answer these types of problems will vary and is not always obvious, but there is a goal to be achieved. 

In contrast many investigations are more open-ended, often with no specific goal or answer, so they can be seen as distinct from problems. However the processes children use may be similar - enquiring, reasoning, justifying, predicting, recording etc.
Solving problems can put children in a position where they are likely to get stuck and need to find their way to answer the problem, using their natural powers. Have a read of an earlier article for more information on this.

How can teachers integrate problem solving into their maths lessons?

 
Fluency, reasoning and problem solving are the three aims of the NC for maths and need to be the flavour of the maths experiences the children have in the classroom. If we take the idea of a varied (and not obvious) method to reach a solution, then problems can certainly be part of every lesson. They give opportunities to use and apply the skills and concepts children have developed and also give the vehicle for getting children to reason and use their understanding. All three go hand-in-hand - understanding, reasoning and problem solving.

So where do you begin? Well... gathering resources and ideas is a first step. Start with my bank of problem solving resources if you are a Broadbent Maths Planning Menu user, add your own favourites and take a look through older resources you may have in school for ideas - mathematics hasn't changed that much over the years! Primary Strategy problem solving resources and 'Challenging More Able Children' are still useful, the ATM (Association of Teachers of Mathematics) has some great books and online NRICH is full of great starting points for problems and White Rose Maths Hub also has some excellent problems. Rising Stars has published some Problem solving and Reasoning books and Badger Learning has some very good books by Paul Wrangles (Sparky Maths) called 'We have a Problem!'
 
Once you have a bank of problems to select from you can choose different types and then adapt them - change the numbers, the operations, the shapes or the contexts. Make the most of the ideas out there to make up your own problems, without reinventing the wheel.

Most importantly, spend time with the children looking at the methods and approaches they used to solve a problem. Model methods that are efficient and help understand the problem and then use those learnt methods to solve similar problems. Children will come across problems in all shapes and sizes, so resilience and a willingness to have a go using different approaches is something needed to help them become problem-solvers.
 

Take a look at the teaching ideas and problem activities from my Maths Planning Menu for Number Year 4:

Broadbent Maths Planning Menu schools

Number teaching activities and problems are now available, so take a look.


FS2/R          Year 1        Year 2

Year 3        Year 4         Year 5        Year 6

These can be found by selecting your year group from 'Class Planning'. There are links for each topic for that unit. 
Y4 problem solving
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