"Numbers, Pictures, Words!" I am a broken record as I walk around the room and gently remind students that when completing word problems, they should have all of these three criteria by using the Read Draw Write process. As we all know, if students can use the skill successfully in a word problem, chances are they have mastered it. In 6th grade, I have come to realize, few lessons introduce a new concept without a word problem or two, so as I collect their exit tickets or tests, I am looking for these three criteria. I expect students to struggle, but the part that amazes me is what the struggle is. Some students complete the problem correctly, but their picture does not match their numeric solution. Others provided a perfect model with an inaccurate and illogical answer. The worst scenario is when they all seem to get it just to present you with wide eyes the next day when you give them a similar problem to the day before! *Cue sad music here*. Students haven't internalized the connection between their pictures and numbers, which leads to difficulty when they are trying to provide reasonableness to their answer. Is this important? Yes, because as well all know, it wouldn't be Eureka or common core if it didn't have a picture or strategy when teaching a skill. The great thing is that the solution requires 1 question and some old fashion color coding! 
When I look at our program, I am thankful that we teach multiple methods and models to assist our students in their understanding of something as simple as addition. Models were something I wish I had growing up. As a visual learner, multi-step word problems were tricky if I was unable to picture it. I still remember the problems that sounded like this "Now Jerry lives 3. 8 miles from school and 2.6 miles from his house lives Sherry in the opposite direction. Jack can travel to the school and back in 8.6 miles. If they walked to school tomorrow, how many miles would they walk all together to arrive to school? So there I was, drawing squares to represent buildings and arrows to represent paths to their destination. Most students today could solve this problem with three simple tape diagrams and a few labels. So why the disconnect? After countless examples of a problem side by side with a tape diagram/model, they still didn't see it! So I did what I do best when I want things to stand out--I color-coded, and the students helped me. When you make the students find the connection, they are more likely to see it and internalize it on their own.
Bridging the GAP and making the connection
Bridging the GAP and making the connection
Incorporating this strategy can be completed or every lesson. The following steps to incorporating this into your lesso is simple. This is how I embed it into my daily lesson.
1. Complete problem with your picture and your drawing.
2. Once your model is side by side with its corresponding drawing, you break up the equation and ask students to connect it to their picture by using the following stems using my example.
"I see 45 in my equation, but where do I see it in my picture/model?"
3. Have students look at the picture and tell me once they see the 45. Once they have done this I color code them the same color-in the example it is represented in pink.
4. I continue this process with all the pieces within the equation. "I see 3/4 as my divisor, where do you see it in my picture?" and then color code it--in the example it is represented in blue.
5. I continue this process with the answer of my problem. " I see 60 as my quotient, where do you see it within my picture?"
6. Now lets look at my answer and see if based on my picture if it logically makes sense. During this time I discuss that the whole tape is bigger than the 45 which makes sense because it is only 3/4 of the tape and 15 + 15+ 15+ 15= 60.
7. Once we have completed this together then I reveal my overall anchor chart for that lesson that have the same colors. I then leave this up throughout the entire lesson for students to refer to. You can complete this on any following problems and that way throughout the entire lesson you are building that connection.
8. In my class I wll have students complete a seperate problem color coding their work OR provide them with a copy of my anchor chart that we colored together to glue in. Students can continue to refer to it as the module progresses.
I have seen a big change in my students when they are required to make connections between their numbers and pictures. This is a valueable tool that not only allows for class discussion and reasonableness.
Lively Teaching,
1. Complete problem with your picture and your drawing.
2. Once your model is side by side with its corresponding drawing, you break up the equation and ask students to connect it to their picture by using the following stems using my example.
"I see 45 in my equation, but where do I see it in my picture/model?"
3. Have students look at the picture and tell me once they see the 45. Once they have done this I color code them the same color-in the example it is represented in pink.
4. I continue this process with all the pieces within the equation. "I see 3/4 as my divisor, where do you see it in my picture?" and then color code it--in the example it is represented in blue.
5. I continue this process with the answer of my problem. " I see 60 as my quotient, where do you see it within my picture?"
6. Now lets look at my answer and see if based on my picture if it logically makes sense. During this time I discuss that the whole tape is bigger than the 45 which makes sense because it is only 3/4 of the tape and 15 + 15+ 15+ 15= 60.
7. Once we have completed this together then I reveal my overall anchor chart for that lesson that have the same colors. I then leave this up throughout the entire lesson for students to refer to. You can complete this on any following problems and that way throughout the entire lesson you are building that connection.
8. In my class I wll have students complete a seperate problem color coding their work OR provide them with a copy of my anchor chart that we colored together to glue in. Students can continue to refer to it as the module progresses.
I have seen a big change in my students when they are required to make connections between their numbers and pictures. This is a valueable tool that not only allows for class discussion and reasonableness.
Lively Teaching,
Jessica Magana
I love this! It is so important to make those connections visible to our students to help them internalize them. Thanks for sharing!
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