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Embed Prior Content in Math Problem Sets (Activate Prior Knowledge)

Tags

Mathematics All Ages Strategy

Skills

Flexible Thinking Abstract Reasoning Visual Memory Spatial Perception

Embed Prior Content in Math Problem Sets (Activate Prior Knowledge)

If your student struggles when new math topics are introduced or struggles to remember specifics of past lessons

Instruction And Practice

  1. Objective: Students will build on prior understanding so they are prepared to process new information when they see the similarities and differences between familiar and new material.
  2. Use a Daily Warmup: Begin by giving students problems you believe they understand well and that are relevant as core knowledge for understanding the new topic you will be teaching. (For example, when starting to teach multiplication use an addition warm-up to build confidence and increase relevance. Include problems with doubles (e.g. 8+8) or triples, e.g. 7+7+7, that you will use to link to multiplication.) b) Review: If students have difficulty with the warm-up, review the concepts again. Address any misconceptions so they do not build new knowledge on faulty reasoning. c) Discuss: Discuss the problem set either in small groups or as a class. What do they know about addition? When and why do they use it? What is the hardest part? Pose questions that unite the previous knowledge with the new concept to be taught. d) Lesson Objective: Continue with your lesson objective and goals tying in the relevant points brought up in the class discussion.
  3. Consider using entry or exit slips as a way to formatively assess students prior knowledge and to help construct lessons.

Why It Works (the Science Of Learning)!

Activating background knowledge before being introduced to new information supports both memory and understanding and increases the relevance for students. In addition, since students are starting from a concept they have mastered, students are more likely to have confidence in their ability to learn the new material.