Problem Solving Online Resources
THE STANDARD (NCTM - PSSM)
- instrumental understanding (carrying out procedures)
- relational understanding (understanding the meaning of mathematical words and symbols; connections among ideas)
- build new mathematical knowledge through problem solving;
- solve problems that arise in mathematics and in other contexts;
- apply and adapt a variety of appropriate strategies to solve problems;
- monitor and reflect on the process of mathematical problem solving.
MASTERMIND
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Uses inference and logic to play a game and guess a hidden pattern of pegs. This virtual manipulative is a version of the classic Mastermind game of logic. There is the option of choosing how any colors students want to play with and the game is won by discovering the order and number of colors of the pegs. Students have 8 chances to correctly guess the answer. After each guess, feedback is provided consisting of black and white pegs. The number of black pegs is the number of correct pegs in that guess, but you don't know which one is correct. The number of white pegs is the number of pegs in the guess that are the correct colors but that are not placed in the correct positions.
CIRLCE 21
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A problem-solving puzzle involving adding positive and negative integers. A ring of overlapping circles creates a Venn Diagram of three overlaps, and numbers are provided for students to decide where they should be placed in order to have each circle add up to 21.
COFFEE SHOP
This online game is designed to have students work with a budget and unit rates in order to purchase supplies, create a coffee recipe, set a price... and start selling with the goal to keep supplies stocked and to make a profit. Each day builds on what the coffee shop “owner” decided for their product. Once the sales decisions have been made, the coffee shop opens for business. The student can monitor stock, sales, and how the weather or customer opinions affect the profit and what adjustments need to be made in order to stay within a budget and increase profits for the next business day.
BLOXORZ
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This is a fun, interactive, and DYNAMIC problem-solving game that utilizes geometry objectives (transformations). The aim of the game is to move the stone block toward the end of the playing field and drop it through the square hole. The player has to learn how the square block moves and how it should be rotated or flipped in order to line it up so that it can fall through the hole. There are 33 stages to complete that get successively more difficult. The player uses the arrow keys to move around the board.