Math+POW

=(Problem of the Week) = ====This year, we will take part in a mathematics program that will build your child’s problem solving strategies and thinking. It is tied to a simulation game called “MathQuest” and the weekly activity will be called “Problem of the Week” or “POW”. We will spend 18 weeks learning and revisiting 6 strategies for solving mathematics “word problems.” Beyond that, we will use those strategies to learn new concepts as well as review others. ====

====On an ordinary week, each student will be given a purple half-sheet with a “story problem” to solve. Each problem will be solved with 5 important steps which will help them to identify what the problem is asking them to do, work through the process, and explain their thinking. The five steps are as follows: ====

I. __Problem Statement __
====Students are to read the problem carefully, decide what the problem is asking them to solve, and write a single sentence. For example: “**//I need to find out//** how many people can sit around 8 square tables if each table can fit 4 people.” ====

II. __Process __
====This is the section where the students will show their work. I want to see ALL attempts at solving the problem, and even recommend that the students do their POWs in pen! PLEASE DO NOT ERASE. Even if the student does not solve the problem accurately, s/he can still receive some credit for multiple attempts. ====

III. __Solution __
====Once the students have come to an answer, they are to write a single sentence that expresses the answer in words. For example: “32 people can sit around the tables.” Their answers should “match up with,” or answer, the Problem Statement in Step I. ====

IV. __Extension __
====This is a step provided for students to extend their thinking. They may choose to solve the problem in a different way or change the problem somehow //and show how the new problem would be solved//. ====

====In this final step, students are to explain, in words and/or pictures how they know that their answer in Step 3 is reasonable. This might be done by comparing their answer to a smart estimate, or explaining how their answer makes sense, given the information and circumstances of the problem. ====

====<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 1.066em; line-height: 1.5;">Each section is worth 2 points. How a student scores on each section will be shown on their paper. Scores will be out of ten for the game’s purposes, and will be converted to a percent for grading purposes. For example, an 8/10 will be an 80% for a “4”. Students are also able to complete an “extra credit” POW each week. Their extra credit score will help their grades as well as help their team’s score. ====

====<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">POWs will always be due on Tuesdays, unless there is a holiday or other day off. In those cases, students //may// //not// have a POW or they may be due on another day, depending on other scheduling issues. ====

====<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">Although students will receive instruction on strategies and should not //need// too much help to solve the problems, families are encouraged to work through the problems together. Students are also encouraged to seek and give help from/to their classmates, particularly those on their MathQuest “team”. As long as the students are working through the steps, they will do well and you will definitely see an improvement as they become more confident problem solvers. If s/he is still “stumped” on Monday (I *do* want them to attempt the problem for a few days before seeking help), be sure to have your child ask for help. I am happy to give it … before Tuesday morning. J ====

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">As always, if you have any other questions, please ask!
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