Grant Math Month
Math Month has arrived! Throughout the month of February, children are being encouraged to brush up on their
problem solving skills and their basic fact practice. Attached you will find a grade specific math problem for your child to
solve. Every Friday during the month of February, your child should turn in one problem solving sheet (due dates are
listed at the top of each page) and a fact practice slip to his/her teacher. Those children who participate will be eligible
for “Math Monday Spirit Days”. In order to participate in the planned events, your child must turn in the problem
solving page and the basic fact practice slip by the designated date. To be considered eligible, sufficient work must be
shown on the problem solving page. Children can write an equation (number model), draw a picture, write words to
explain their thinking, make a list, draw a table or graph, or use any other strategy that may help them be successful.
Children who participate in all 4 weeks of math month (problem solving AND fact practice) will be invited to our Math
Month Celebration. Thank you for supporting the learning that is taking place in school. Enjoy Math Month!
**If you misplace a Math Month problem solving sheet or the fact practice slips, they can be found on the Grant
Elementary Website
Weekly Problems Due
Math Monday Spirit Days
Week # 1:
February 5th
Week # 1:
Monday, February 8th/Slipper Day
Week # 2:
February 12th
Week # 2:
Wednesday, February 17th /Stuffed Animal Day
Week # 3:
February 19th
Week # 3:
Monday, February 22nd /Junk Food Snack Day
Week # 4:
February 26th
Week # 4:
Monday, February 29th /Math Month Celebration
The Four Steps to Problem
Solving…
1.
2.
3.
4.
Understand
Plan
Work
Look back
4 Steps to Problem Solving
“How to Solve it,” George Polya (1945)
1. UNDERSTANDTHE PROBLEM
 Can you state the problem in your own words?
 What are you trying to find or do?
 What are the unknowns?
 What information do you obtain from the problem?
 What information, if any, is missing or not needed?
2. DEVISE A PLAN
 Look for a pattern.
 Examine related problems, and determine if the same technique can be applied.
 Examine a simpler or special case of the problem to gain insight into the solution of the
original problem.
 Make a table.
 Make a diagram.
 Write an equation.
 Use guess and check.
 Work backward.
 Make a model/picture to represent the problem.
3. CARRY OUT THE PLAN
 Implement the strategy or strategies in step 2, and perform any necessary actions or
computations.
 Check each step of the plan as you proceed. This may be intuitive checking or formal
calculations.
 Keep an accurate record of your work.
4. LOOK BACK
 Check the results in the original problem.
 Interpret the solution in terms of the original problem. Does your answer make sense?
Is it reasonable?
 Determine whether there is another method of finding the solution.
 If possible, determine other related or more general problems for which the techniques
will work.
 *Evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of your method.
Name: _____________________________________ Grade: THIRD
Teacher: ___________________________________ Due Date: 2/5/16
Solve the Problem. Try your hardest. Show your work. Don’t give up!
GO TIGERS!
The price of a Detroit Tiger hat and t-shirt
is $32. If you get two hats and three shirts,
the total price would be $86. What is the
price of one hat and one shirt?
Name: _____________________________________ Grade: THIRD
Teacher: ___________________________________ Due Date: 2/12/16
Solve the Problem. Try your hardest. Show your work. Don’t give up!
Shovel, Shovel, Shovel!!
Enough snow! All of the melting snow is causing damage to
Dr. Richmond’s house. She needs to hire people to shovel
off her deck.
Doctor Richmond says when the job is completed to her
satisfaction, she will pay $48 to the shovelers to share as
they see fair.
If there are 3 decks and 6 shovelers (Maloy, Shawn, Jesse, Tanner, Bradley and
Hadley), how should the work and money be shared?
The deck sizes:
Deck A – Half the size of deck B
Deck B – 80 square feet
Deck C – 120 square feet
Name: _____________________________________ Grade: THIRD
Teacher: ___________________________________ Due Date: 2/19/16
Solve the Problem. Try your hardest. Show your work. Don’t give up!
Name: _____________________________________ Grade: THIRD
Teacher: ___________________________________ Due Date: 2/26/16
Solve the Problem. Try your hardest. Show your work. Don’t give up!