Problem of the Day Dovetail Project
McGuffey Montessori Upper Unit

Why do a Problem of the Day?

• Daily practice in mathematical thinking.
• Making connections among various math skills.
• Math as a series of exciting puzzles to solve.
• Encourage 4th, 5th and 6th graders to work together.
• Supplements regular math curriculum.

Problems are part of morning work and take about 5 minutes each.

We use two or three difficulty levels each day for grades 4-6

Students turn in problems for corrections, or do them as a small group.

Problems are only available when planners have been done

Problems are a surprise, and can be of many different types.

Manipulatives help. So do other interesting tools for problem-solving.

Collaboration makes math more fun, though students also choose to work alone.

We used problems from many sources. (Thanks, Bia!)

The most successful format has been a short problem with plenty of empty space.

The empty space encourages students to show their work.

"How would the world be different if we didn't have any round objects?"

The Dartboard Problem: Let's try it!

We also had students write problems for each other

So far, we've discovered...

• Students' ability to read and solve word problems improved greatly.
• Students reviewed skills they were not currently studying, which helped them with retention.
• Use as an assessment tool is limited.
• Problems of the day can indeed be fun!

Thanks for listening!