Problem+Solving+and+Critical+Thinking+Ideas

=Problem Solving and Critical Thinking Ideas=

Website has an idea for how to incorporate restaurant menus to help create critical thinking. []

Bulletin Board Idea- []

Math Stars Newsletter (Grades 1-8) Website with links to "newsletters" with problems requiring critical thinking for various grade levels. As the website explains, "The purpose of **Math Stars** is to challenge students beyond the classroom setting. Good problems can inspire curiosity about number relationships and geometric properties. It is hoped that in accepting the challenge of mathematical problem solving, students, their parents, and their teachers will be led to explore new mathematical horizons. **Math Stars** are in sets for Grades 1-8 and include commentaries for teachers. All **Math Stars Newsletters**are ready for classroom use and available for downloading as PDF files." []

It is important to get the kids to have discourse about their problem solving. Get the kids in the computer lab and instead of them having partners from their own class let them have Skype partners from a different school to team with to solve their problem. That will be incentive enough to get them talking and sharing ideas/work!

On pp. 303-306 in //Teaching Student Centered Mathematics Grades 3-5//, John Van de Walle and LouAnn H. Lovin explore one of the five process standards in the //NCTM Principles and Standards document//, representation. They quote the document as saying, "Representations should be treated as essential elements in supporting students' understanding of mathematical concepts and relationships in communicating mathematical approaches, arguments, and understandings to one's self and to others; in recognizing connections among related, mathematical concepts; and in applying mathematics to realistic problem situations through modeling" (NCTM, 2000, p. 67).

Older Version Newer Version

On pp. 53-55 Hazel Russell, author of //Practical TEKS Activities to A.I.R.R Out Your Curriculum//, offers activities that could enhance process skills instruction (4.14, 4.15, and 4.16). Teachers could use these activities in small groups or centers. (I only have a copy of the older version of the book so the pages may vary in the newer version.)