Thinking Blocks

Thinking Blocks: Visuals Models for Math Problem Solving

One excellent resource to develop your deductive reasoning skills when it comes to the dreaded math story problem is Thinking Blocks. Thinking Blocks is an interactive website that develops algebraic reasoning by creating visual models. This is a website you’ll definitely want to check out. Below you’ll find an overview of the site.

Under the “Try It” section students are instructed on in three broad areas of problem solving. First there are lessons on addition and subtraction. Then students move on to multiplication and division problem solving. Finally there are lessons on ration problem solving. Each area is broken down into subsets. Video introductions explain how to complete the work in each lesson. After the video introduction, students complete 8 problems

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Addition/subtraction problem solving has six sets of lessons. These lessons are:

1.                Part/Whole with Two Parts

2.                Part/Whole with Three Parts

3.                Compare Two Amounts – One Step

4.                Compare Two Amounts – Two Steps

5.                Change – Two Steps

6.                Compare Three Amounts – Multiple Steps

Multiplication/division problem solving also have six lessons. They are:

1.                Compare – One Step

2.                Compare – Two Steps

3.                Compare – Two Steps Advanced

4.                Division – Partitive and Measurement

5.                Division – Interpreting the Remainder

6.                Algebraic Problems

Ratio word problems follow the same format with six lessons. These lessons are:

1.                Part-Part Ratios 1

2.                Part-Part Ratios 2

3.                Part-Part Ratios 3

4.                Comparing Three Quantities

5.                Part-Total Ratios

6.                Advanced Problems

The “Model It” section of Thinking Blocks allows teachers to enter their own word problems and model the solution. A video introduction explains how to use the model. The model can be projected on the wall or even better used in conjunction with a whiteboard.

I originally planned to suggest a grade or age range for this website. However the more I use it, the more I realize this site can be used from elementary school through college. It can be an introduction to problem solving at the elementary and middle school level. It can be used as a tutorial at the high school and college level. There are many ways to adapt this use of the site to meet the needs of various students.

Take time to explore all the possibilities Thinking Blocks provides.

Until next time,

Edison U. Ratio Smart