Winter Problem Solving

Before Winter Break, students worked vigorously on Problem Solving. One strategy they use to solve 2 digit by 2 digit addition/subtraction is the Empty Number Line. The number line allows students to visualize their thinking. For example, when adding 32+24, students will mark 32 as the starting point on their number line. They will then look at the number 24 and decide how many tens and ones they will need to jump to get the sum of the two numbers. The number 24 has 2 tens, so from 32 we would jump 2 'big ten jumps' to get to 52. From the 52, we would jump 4 'tiny 1 jumps' to get to the answer of 56.

Here is an example of a subtraction story problem that was solved using the empty number line:

 

In a subtraction problem, students must jump back instead of forward on the empty number line. I made a laminated sentence strip and drew an empty number line on it for the students. They use their dry erase markers to solve their problems.