February's Strategy: Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.

Word problems are often a challenge for students. Help them make sense of the problem by asking the following questions:

• What's the problem: What is the question asking me to do? What will my answer look like?
• Give me the details: What information is given? What do I already know that could help me? What information don't I need?
• Make a plan: What steps will I need to take to find the answer? Do I see a pattern? Can I write an equation?
• Figure it out: Did I answer the question? Does my answer make sense?

February's Vocabulary Links:

Expression - may include variables, constants, operators and grouping symbols; does NOT include = < >

Function - can be represented as an equation, a table, a set of points, or a graph. Every input must have exactly one output!

Strategy - a plan, a method or a way to solve a problem or reach an answer.