I have just been asked for this activity. It was one I used extensively while working with teachers in an endeavour to use more investigations and problem solving in the maths classroom.
With the recent pronouncements by the Govt about our declining Math's abilities at year 8-10 perhaps it is time for more of these to be included in our programs.
The beauty of this activity is that:
- it can be used with individuals, pairs, small groups.
- it can be acted out with children, and hoops, in the playgound
- it can be modelled using stones and circles.
- it can be done with pencil and paper (and lots of crossings out!!!
- it may not have one unique answer
- it lends itself to students to create similar problems(work backwards etc
Please post some of the ways your students solve the problem. Teachers-not too much direction please.
Hi there! Do you have a solution sheet for this problem?
ReplyDeleteHi Mrs McDonald
ReplyDeleteIn my 20+ years of being a maths adviser/consultant I was known as “ the person who does not give answers”
There are a number of reasons for this approach
. Often if we know the answer we tend to suggest paths for students to follow
.we need to encourage students to take responsibility for their own thinking, mistake making reviewing etc
For us as educators when students come up with an answer we should be saying “justify or explain your answer” and if they can explain it to you satisfactorily then accept the process and answer.
Then hide the answer from other students so they can continuing working
Len
my class loved working on Diffy
ReplyDelete