Within this packet, you will find picture cards that show problems of varying sizes: small problems, medium problems, & big problems. There are two variations of the picture cards: the first variation has only the problems we came up with; the second variation has empty boxes for the teacher to sketch/write in a few of the kinds of problems they are noticing among their particular group of students. If you choose to use the second variation of the picture cut out cards, simply sketch/write in the empty boxes and then make your copies. Within this product, you will also find two kinds sorting mats. The first variation of sorting mat requires students to glue their picture cards to show the size of the problem. I would encourage you to print this version front and back, as several problems could be either small or medium, depending on the student’s individual interpretations, which means a student may run out of room in a particular column; he/she could continue to sort on the back. In the second variation of sorting mat, students who finish early or are ready for an added challenge can create their own problem ideas and record them in the appropriate column by drawing a picture and/or writing words about what that problem is. Identifying the size of a problem is the first step in helping students learn to react to and solve problems appropriately. A FREE poster to support the teaching of this lesson can be found in our store. These posters can also act as a guide for identifying whether a problem is small, medium, or big. Additional activities on this and similar topics can be found for purchase in our store. In my own classroom, after I teach about problem sizes, I go on to teach students about reaction and solutions that match problem sizes; an activity for that can also be found in our store. Whichever tools you choose, we hope you find them helpful!
