Making Sense of Problems
Make sense of a problem by identifying what is being asked, choosing concrete objects or pictures to represent the situation, and explaining a pathway to the solution
What a learner can do afterwards
- When given a word problem within 10, explain what the problem is asking before attempting to solve
- Choose objects, fingers, or drawings to represent a problem situation
- After finding an answer, check it makes sense (e.g. re-count objects to verify a total)
1 · Read
Before you solve a problem, stop and think first. What is the problem asking you to find? Think about that before you start.
Ben has 4 stars. His friend gives him 3 more stars. Ben draws all his stars and counts them together. He gets 7 stars in total.
After you get an answer, check it. Count again to make sure it makes sense. If it does not match, count once more.
Stop, think, draw or count, solve, then check your answer.
More to read
9.1 Use a Problem Solving Strategy
Sense making starts before any adding. Read the story and retell it in your own words. Six birds sat, two flew, the question asks how many stayed. Retelling proves you heard the ask.
At Home Learning: Solving Two-Step Problems: Word Problems
Show the story with objects, fingers, or drawings. Four fish plus three fish swims as seven counters on the desk. Move real things to copy the tale. Models never lie about the plot.
1.20: Word Problems for Linear Equations
Checking closes every problem. Nine take away seven leaves two, and two plus seven returns nine. Run the story backwards to test your answer. Answers must survive the return trip.
Fun with Math: Addition and Subtraction
Answers must fit the story size. Five plus four cannot be eleven, since both piles stay under ten. Spot silly answers by sizing them first. Small stories grow small answers.
Explore more
2 · Watch
En anglaisTake it off screen
Where it sits
Learn first
Nothing; this is a starting point.
Optional connections
This opens up
Where this leads
Jobs that lean on this skill. Follow one to see everything it is built on.
18 questions wait behind this lesson, each with its answer explained. Every answer feeds the sky: stars light as they are learned, and dim when it is time to come back.