[saraebeth]

OK, I am new to 5th grade. Does anyone know of a really good resource for teaching word problems? I am HORRIBLE at them. I can get them myself (usually) but I'm at a loss on how to effectively help my students understand them. The ones that we are struggling with right now are fraction and division of fractions.

I was first grade for 11 years and the word problems I did there do not come close to what we are doing in 5th.

Does anyone know of even a book that might help refresh ME so that I can understand it better to help them???????

[denisealice]

Hi,

We just had a math teachers meeting and talked about this very thing. I teach first but we all agreed that one of the best ways to deal with word problems is: multiple readings of the problem, determine what you're going to do (are we adding, sub, etc.), draw pictures, use manipulatives, and/or whatever need be - and work out each layer of the problem so that it can be seen(showing all your work kind of thing.) Also - make the kids talk through the steps (even if they are wrong it helps to know what they thought in the process.) It also makes it all stop at the teacher because ultimately the teacher has to be able to walk the kids through the process. What helped us was that we are all using the same basic strategies so the kids will hear it from year to year. I sure hope this helps. As a child I hated word problems - and now I love teaching them and getting the kids to enjoy them.

[SunnyGals]

When I taught 4th, the kids struggled with word problems. I used the book DAILY WORD PROBLEMS 4th grade by Evan Moor and this really helped. I would have 3 kids voluntarily come up to the white board and "explain their thinking" and how they got their answer. As you could imagine, some used #'s, pictures, manipulatives, etc. This did wonders in with my class as they began to understand how to pull apart the word problem to decide exactly what it is asking. I am a very visual problem solver and always used pictures. It really helped some kids to "see" the problem.

*Daily Word Problems does come in a 5th grade version

My daughter who was in 4th last year, was having a hrd time with words problems so I started having her "draw" out the problem- she thought that was so "baby-ish". It really helped her and she still uses visuals to "see" the problem as a mini story.

[yesteach]

Problem solving strategies:
http://www.mathstories.com/strategies.htm

I think these are good examples to maybe help you "talk through" the problems - then hit your teacher supply store and look for books on Problem solving. I have one (I can't put my hands on it at the moment.. I looked!). It's is a black cover, with bright colored vertical stripes... if I find it soon, I'll come back and post the name. But - it gives a variety of problems for each strategy.

Also, Math Quest from Interact is a good resource...

[AMac]

We had a guy named Joshua Horton come and do a math workshop for our lower elem. math teachers. The strategies that he showed could easily be transferred to the higher elem grades. His basic premise was "draw it out". Not sure what state you are from but he is from Texas. You could google his name and see if you come up with anything.

What strategies do you guys use?