Bar Models: Do you struggle with understanding or
solving word problems?
If so, you are not
alone. Our teachers instruct students to
use visual representations to model the
problem. Rectangular "bars" are used to
represent numerical relationships between
the known and unknown quantities and to
solve the problem. The use of bar models
is introduced in 2nd grade and is used
throughout the remaining elementary years
as a tool to assist students in visualizing the
problem. Each grade level addresses
distinct operations and number
relationships? addition and subtraction in
second grade, multiplication and division in
third, fractions and ratios in fourth and
fifth? so students can visualize and solve
increasingly complex problems. As the process of bar modeling is so
different than the way we were
taught, we are sharing a video on the right with
you. This is being presented by Andy
Clark, a consulting author for Math in
Focus - our current math series.
Information from Math in Focus: Singapore Math: AVisual
Approach to Word Problems.
For more information on bar models, click HERE.