Weekly Rich Open Problems for Mathematical Problem Solving Grade 1

Bruce Williams. CreatingRealMathematicians.com

Grade 1

Problem Solving 1

Students use their own number line to make their own number story.

Give students a Sentence Strip and get them to write numbers 0-20.

Model one example problem to the class.

E.g. I had 4 candies then bought 5 more. How many do I have now?

Show the problem with a picture first. Draw 4 candies then draw 5 more. How many do I have now?

Circle 4 on a number line, then make 5 hops to end on 9 and circle. Ask so how many candies do I have now? (9)

Get students to make a number line, make up a problem of their own, draw a picture, and show on the number line.

Share students problems.

 

 

Problem Solving 2

Repeat Problem Solving 1.

 

 

Problem Solving 3

Ten Rings

I had ten rings on my fingers. Some were red and some were yellow.

How many red and how many yellow might I have?

Use Pictures / Numbers / Words.

 

 

Problem Solving 4

Ten Bugs

 

I had ten bugs in a box, but some escaped.

How many bugs are in the box and how many escaped?

Use Pictures / Numbers / Words.

 

Problem Solving 5

Ten Wheels

There are ten wheels in my driveway. What might be in my driveway?

Use Pictures / Numbers / Words.

 

Problem Solving 6

Traffic Patterns

On my way to school this morning I noticed there was a pattern in the traffic. What might the pattern have been?

Use Pictures / Numbers / Words.

 

Problem Solving 7

Ten Fish

I had two fish bowls. I wanted to put some fish in each bowl. How many fish do I need to buy?

Use Pictures / Numbers / Words.

 

 

Problem Solving 8

Ten

I saw 10 animals at the zoo lined up from smallest to largest. What animals might I have seen?

Use Pictures / Numbers / Words.

 

 

Problem Solving 9

The Worms

I found some worms outside. I put them in order from smallest to largest. What did they look like?

Use Pictures / Numbers / Words.

 

 

Problem Solving 10

Two Fish

I caught some fish this morning. Some were big and some were small.

Show the fish in order from largest to smallest. How much did each weigh?

Use Pictures / Numbers / Words.

 

Problem Solving 11

Two

How many eyes in your family?

Use Pictures / Numbers / Words.

 

Problem Solving 12

Moms Cookies

My Mum baked cookies for me and my friends. We ate some and left the rest. How many did she bake and how many are left? How many did we eat?

Use Pictures / Numbers / Words.

 

 

Problem Solving 13

The Postman

The Postman delivered 1 letter on Monday.

On Tuesday he delivered 2 letters.

On Wednesday he delivered 3 letters.

If the pattern continued, how many letters did he deliver last week?

Use Pictures / Numbers / Words.

 

 

Problem Solving 14

The Zoo

The animals in the zoo lined up for a party.

There were ten heads.

How many legs were there?

Use Pictures / Numbers / Words

 

 

Problem Solving 15

Playing Dice

On playing dice with my friend, I rolled an 7 with two dice.

What might have been on each dice?

Use Pictures / Numbers / Words

 

 

Problem Solving 16

Playing Dice

There were some animals in the zoo but some ran away. How many are there now?

Use Pictures / Numbers / Words

 

 

Problem Solving 17

Starfish

I found many five pointed starfish at the beach.

How many legs might I have been in all?

Use Pictures / Numbers / Words

 

 

Problem Solving 18

Cookie Shapes

We made cookies last week.

We cut them into many different shapes.

What might the cookies have looked like?

Use Pictures / Numbers / Words

 

 

Problem Solving 19

Sharing Cookies

Mum made us cookies on the weekend.

I shared them fairly with my friends.

How many might we each have eaten?

Use Pictures / Numbers / Words

 

 

Problem Solving 20

The Ant Farm

I had an Ant Farm with 20 ants.

There were more outside the farm than inside.

How many ants were inside and outside?

Use Pictures / Numbers / Words

 

 

Problem Solving 21

Holiday Toys

I put my 10 toys into three bags to take on holidays. How many toys might have been in each bag?

Use Pictures / Numbers / Words

 

 

Problem Solving 22

Zoo Ages

The zookeeper said the elephant is really old.

She said the turtle is one year older.

Sha said the seal is one year younger.

How old might each have been?

Use Pictures / Numbers / Words

 

 

Problem Solving 23

Park Shapes

My friend said she could see different shapes in the park.

What might she have seen?

Use Pictures / Numbers / Words

 

 

Problem Solving 24

Saving Money

Dad gave me 10 cents each day.

How much did I save?

Use Pictures / Numbers / Words

 

 

Problem Solving 25

Ten Apples Up On Top

My friends each had 10 apples up on top.

How many did we have in all?

(Read 10 Apples up on top. Theo LeSieg)

Use Pictures / Numbers / Words

 

 

Problem Solving 26

The Teacher

On Monday, the Teacher taught 10 students.

On Tuesday the teacher taught 9 students.

On Wednesday he taught 8 students.

How many students were left by the end of the week if the pattern continued?

Use Pictures / Numbers / Words

 

 

Problem Solving 27

Counting at the Zoo

When I went to the Zoo looking at all the different animals I counted 10 heads.

How many legs did I count?

Use Pictures / Numbers / Words