Inspired by a TED talk I recently watched, I threw together an impromptu math problem on the fly today while out with the boys.
We love Melona iced milk pops, available here in Barrio Chino. Today on the way home from church, we stopped to pick up three to eat on our walk between train and subway (8 blocks).
I told the boys I had gotten 50 pesos change... so how much does each popsicle cost?
"How much did you give him?" piped up Simon, indicating his understanding of needing to obtain relevant information to the problem. I responded, "$104".
From there, they were able to figure out that three pops cost $54, and so each one must be more than $15 but less than $20. Eventually, the discerned that the cost per pop was $18.
Not to negate the beauty and importance of exposing children to pure math, but if we're going to teach at least part of our math program as "authentic" problem solving, then the questions ought to be, well, authentic, rather than contrived.
Right?
Mmmmm.... Melona! Yum!
We love Melona iced milk pops, available here in Barrio Chino. Today on the way home from church, we stopped to pick up three to eat on our walk between train and subway (8 blocks).
I told the boys I had gotten 50 pesos change... so how much does each popsicle cost?
"How much did you give him?" piped up Simon, indicating his understanding of needing to obtain relevant information to the problem. I responded, "$104".
From there, they were able to figure out that three pops cost $54, and so each one must be more than $15 but less than $20. Eventually, the discerned that the cost per pop was $18.
Not to negate the beauty and importance of exposing children to pure math, but if we're going to teach at least part of our math program as "authentic" problem solving, then the questions ought to be, well, authentic, rather than contrived.
Right?
Mmmmm.... Melona! Yum!