Word Problems from Literature: An Introduction to Bar Model Diagrams

You can help prevent math anxiety by giving your children the mental tools they need to conquer story problems.

Young children expect to look at a word problem and instantly see the answer. But as they get older, their textbook math problems also grow in difficulty, so this solution-by-intuitive-leap becomes impossible. Too often the frustrated child concludes, "I'm just not good at math."

But with practice, any student can learn to master word problems.

Word Problems from Literature features math puzzles for elementary and middle school students inspired by classic books such as Mr. Popper's Penguins and The Hobbit. Denise Gaskins demonstrates step by step how to use the problem-solving tool of bar model diagrams, a type of pictorial algebra. For children who are used to playing with Legos or other blocks - or with computer games like Minecraft - this approach reveals the underlying structure of a math word problem. Students can make sense of how each quantity in the story relates to the others and see a path to the solution.

And when you finish the puzzles in this book, Denise shows you how to create your own word problems from literature, using your child's favorite story worlds.

Prepare your children for mathematical success. Order your copy of Word Problems from Literature today.

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If you're using these word problems with your children, check out the companion Word Problems Student Workbook: Word Problems from Literature.