Key Math Terms for Problem Solving Foldable

Before my students and I launched into our division unit and problem solving unit, I wanted us to take a step back and organize all of the terms and symbols we know into the discreet operations.

We first gathered in the Meeting Area and did a simple Mirror and Teach-Okay with the four operations. It went something like this:

     - In math, there are four operations we have learned (hold up four fingers). They are:

1. Addition (make a plus sign with both forearms)
2. Subtraction (hold one forearm across your body)
3. Multiplication (make a "x" with your forearms)
4. Division (hold one forearm at a diagonal)

My kids also knew that division could look like the sign with the dot above and below the line, so we added an "or" at the end of the division and held one forearm out like subtraction and moved our other fist above and below it to signify this sign.

We then made a quick foldable with two pieces of copy paper and wrote these operations along the bottom of each layer.

We then talked as a group about what terms, signs, or examples we could provide for each operation. I used a very helpful website HERE that explained many more examples than I could ever come up with!

By the end, we had written down something for each operation and had colored over most of our words to make it look nice :)

This little guy noticed he could write "m-a-t-h" down the side :)

It was a fun, quick, and easy way to review these terms and also create something that will be close by throughout our next problem solving unit when these words are showing up all over the place!