Insights Into Teaching Children How to Solve Math Word Problems – 4

Using mathematical ideas from Singapore Math and Cognitively Guided Instruction (CGI), along with research from Randall Charles, George Polya, and Liping Ma, I have developed a program that I call Structures of Equality (SoE). Structures of Equality are graphic organizers that map out a math story. There are three different types of SoE: “Parts Equal Total”, “Compare”, and “Repeated Equal Groups”. The first several blog posts will focus on the Parts Equal Total” SoE..

This math story is special because it can be represented using a Parts Equal Total SoE and/or a Repeated Equal Groups SoE. We will come back to this story in an upcoming Repeated Equal Groups blog.

The situation in this story involves composing 4 parts to make a total.

Try solving this story using a Parts Equal Total Structure. Remember-

A SoE is made up of three very important elements.

· SoE must contain values (numbers).

· SoE must have labels (units of measure, the thing you are counting…).

· SoE must represent equality.

Please submit your solutions be clicking on the “comment” button.