Problem Solving Strategies and Skills Maths Cards

Embed Mathematical Problem-Solving and Reasoning.

The Problem-Solving Strategies and Skills Maths Cards provide a wide variety of motivating and high-interest problem-solving activities.

There are three boxes for each year level, Year 1 to Year 6, comprising:

•30 Number and Algebra cards, plus answers

•30 Measurement and Geometry cards, plus answers

•30 Statistics and Chance cards, plus answers

Each box also includes a problem-solving process card, and a problem-solving strategies card, to guide and provide support to children as they progress through each stage and box set.

The front of each card has a mathematics word problem for pupils to solve and the reverse of each card has an extension activity for more able pupils. The problems involve one or several steps, require the use of a variety of strategies and skills and are supported by colourful artwork.

The features of the Problem-Solving boxes include:

•Excellent resources to support problem-solving, an essential component of the maths curriculum;

•Varied, real-life and challenging problems;

•Activities that enable pupils to practise maths concepts taught in class through problems.

The Problem-solving cards also provide lots of opportunities for reflective teaching and focus on pupil thinking in problem-solving.

Year 3 Number and Algebra

•Subtraction and division are introduced at this level

•Use of timescales and timelines are incorporated into the problems and challenges set.

•Expanded language use is introduced to stimulate the interpretation of the query

•A more enhanced application of fractions is incorporated, whilst retaining the use of familiar objects and scenarios to support a progression into more complex situations in graded steps.

Year 3 Measurement and Geometry

•Development of skills at this level includes the introduction of the concepts of parallel and perpendicular, symmetry and time.

•More complex layouts and scenarios are incorporated, whilst relating the situations to many real life experiences.

•A combination of more formal mathematical related tables and formats is mixed with situations the pupil remains able to relate to, providing a balanced and gradual enhancement of the use of maths and its application.

•The problem-solving cards promote the development of spatial reasoning. By concentrating on geometry, the focus is on the development and application of spatial concepts through which children learn to represent and make sense of the world.

Year 3 Statistics and Chance

•This level encourages a more analytical approach to the problem-solving process, whilst retaining the ‘real life’ scenarios and situations that the pupil can relate to.

•Further scenarios are introduced, with a core mathematical setting, where the pupils are required to read and interpret a situation and apply their understanding to date of statistics and chance, to determine the more likely outcome

•The problem solving cards coach the pupil to further understand how statistics and chance can influence real world situations.