- Login
- Home
- About the Initiative
-
Curricular Resources
- Topical Index of Curriculum Units
- View Topical Index of Curriculum Units
- Search Curricular Resources
- View Volumes of Curriculum Units from National Seminars
- Find Curriculum Units Written in Seminars Led by Yale Faculty
- Find Curriculum Units Written by Teachers in National Seminars
- Browse Curriculum Units Developed in Teachers Institutes
- On Common Ground
- Publications
- League of Institutes
- Video Programs
- Contact
Have a suggestion to improve this page?
To leave a general comment about our Web site, please click here
Crafting Word Problems Even a Child Can Do
byHuwerl Thornton, Jr.This unit covers the structure of addition and subtraction math word problems. It analyzes the different ways that addition and subtraction word problems can be created. The unit looks at how word problems strike fear in the hearts of many people and how teachers can help their students to develop ways to attack word problems. This in turn will hopefully help students develop a love for word problems. More importantly, the unit helps teachers realize that the creation of word problems is something that should be done with great care and should be created with a specific objective to be taught.
The second part of the unit looks at how to use reading strategies to help students solve word problems. It explores the use of making connections, asking questions, visualization, determining importance, inferring and predicting, and synthesizing. The unit focuses on a modified KWL chart called KWC. The KWC and using reading strategies to help solve word problems comes from Arthur Hyde's book Comprehending Math: Adapting Reading Strategies to Teach Mathematics, K-6. The lessons in the unit are about teaching the KWC to the class to use as a strategy and tool to solve word problems.