Description
This is a set of 90 puzzles (30 at each level) of Advanced "Square Knot" Puzzles focused on practicing problems solving for 1st through 3rd graders using addition and subtraction. The format is the same as other square knot puzzles, with larger numbers.
Why you should try these: One of the things that we should be emphasizing from the very earliest of ages is mathematics as problem solving. This is more than writing a bunch of word problems: problem solving is about using various techniques for finding the correct answer. In this set of puzzles, students have to arrange four numbers so that it reads correctly in four different ways: 2 across and 2 down. This is a much more complex problem than just finding the solution to a single problem, agreed?
Three Levels of Differentiation: This set of puzzles has been differentiated in three different ways. For the greatest amount of support, students are given all four correct numbers and they have to find the correct placement. Because many students get frustrated by writing numbers, erasing incorrect answers and trying again, the numbers are supplied as "tabs" that can be cut out quickly and then arranged on the board. They can paste the solutions into place for even less writing, which is great for your kids who may be struggling with using a pencil.
By focusing on the numbers and not the writing, your students will get more out of the problem solving experience.
In my classroom (for I am a working teacher, and I've tried this activity out on my students), I give the students a set of laminated number tiles that use the numbers in the puzzles and have them record their solutions in the answer sheets I provided.
The second level of differentiation is to supply the 4 correct answers, but also have an "extra" solution which doesn't belong. This is a bit more difficult, because the student has to figure out which number does NOT belong, which adds a bit of challenge (but not too much.)
The third level of differentiation is to supply none of the answers: the student can only use the clues in the problem to figure out the solution. You may want to supply a set of 5 - 10 tiles so that students can still move the numbers around, but they won't know which numbers to use, so it's going to be pretty hard (although knowing that each box is 5 - 10 is clue enough, right?)
There are 30 different puzzles of each type, answers to all the puzzles (although they are self-checking, if you think about it) and a "DIY" page so students can make their own puzzles, and a recording sheet if you want to laminate the puzzles and use them over and over again.
Square Knot Advance Addition Subtraction Puzzles: Prob Solving, Differentiated
Highlights
Description
This is a set of 90 puzzles (30 at each level) of Advanced "Square Knot" Puzzles focused on practicing problems solving for 1st through 3rd graders using addition and subtraction. The format is the same as other square knot puzzles, with larger numbers.
Why you should try these: One of the things that we should be emphasizing from the very earliest of ages is mathematics as problem solving. This is more than writing a bunch of word problems: problem solving is about using various techniques for finding the correct answer. In this set of puzzles, students have to arrange four numbers so that it reads correctly in four different ways: 2 across and 2 down. This is a much more complex problem than just finding the solution to a single problem, agreed?
Three Levels of Differentiation: This set of puzzles has been differentiated in three different ways. For the greatest amount of support, students are given all four correct numbers and they have to find the correct placement. Because many students get frustrated by writing numbers, erasing incorrect answers and trying again, the numbers are supplied as "tabs" that can be cut out quickly and then arranged on the board. They can paste the solutions into place for even less writing, which is great for your kids who may be struggling with using a pencil.
By focusing on the numbers and not the writing, your students will get more out of the problem solving experience.
In my classroom (for I am a working teacher, and I've tried this activity out on my students), I give the students a set of laminated number tiles that use the numbers in the puzzles and have them record their solutions in the answer sheets I provided.
The second level of differentiation is to supply the 4 correct answers, but also have an "extra" solution which doesn't belong. This is a bit more difficult, because the student has to figure out which number does NOT belong, which adds a bit of challenge (but not too much.)
The third level of differentiation is to supply none of the answers: the student can only use the clues in the problem to figure out the solution. You may want to supply a set of 5 - 10 tiles so that students can still move the numbers around, but they won't know which numbers to use, so it's going to be pretty hard (although knowing that each box is 5 - 10 is clue enough, right?)
There are 30 different puzzles of each type, answers to all the puzzles (although they are self-checking, if you think about it) and a "DIY" page so students can make their own puzzles, and a recording sheet if you want to laminate the puzzles and use them over and over again.
