Let's Talk About the Solve and Share!

What is the Solve and Share?

              The Solve and Share is an instructional routine that promotes effective teaching practices. It opens each lesson with a rich problem for students to engage and explore in new mathematical concepts. Students will solve the problem any way they choose, using various math tools, which will allow them to connect prior knowledge with new ideas. Teachers will facilitate and allow time for productive struggle. Most often with the solve and share, important mathematics will come naturally from the classroom discussions around the students’ thinking and solutions from the problem.

Solve and Share: Before, During, After

Before: Whole class

·       Introduce the Solve and Share problem

·       Distribute math tools (ex. Counters, connecting cubes, fraction tiles, etc.)

·       Check for understanding of the Problem (use questions from the teacher manual)

During: Independent or small group

·       Students will lead the engagement and exploration.

·       Students will solve the problem any way they choose.

·       Teachers will observe students at work.

·       Teachers will support productive struggles.

·       Teachers will ask guiding questions that will elicit thinking, if necessary. (Guiding questions are in the teacher manual.)

After: Whole class

·       Discuss Solution Strategies and Key Ideas

·       Based on observations, teachers will have specific students share their solutions with the whole class.

·       If necessary, show the Solve and Share Solutions to discuss different representations and elicit student analysis.

·       Consider Instructional Implications for the Visual Learning Bridge part of the lesson.

·       Use the Extension as needed.

Tips for Facilitating Problem-Based Learning

·       Set expectations. Make sure students know you expect them to do the thinking.

·       Promote student discourse. Have students share their thinking with a partner, small group, or the whole class.

·       Be encouraging. Show that you value students’ thinking even when they struggle.

·       Use the language of the math practices during discussions

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