3 Amazingly Cool Activities to Help Master 5th Grade Math Word Problems

For many children, the bigger challenges they face with 5th grade math word problems can trip them. Even when word problems were easy in earlier grades, the multiple steps and bigger numbers in fifth grade can create problems for many students. Here are some cool ways you can help your child learn 5th grade math word problems.

Word Problem Bingo

For Word Problem Bingo, you will need a total of 24 fifth grade math word problems. Figure out the answers ahead of time, and give the child the answers along with a five-by-five Bingo grid. Then, instruct your child to fill in the grid using the answers however he sees fit. You do the same. Remember that the center space is a “free” space. Mark it with a star or smiley face.

To play, select a random word problem and solve it independently, placing a marker on the answer. Your child will be able to self-check because he will know that he did not get the right answer if it is not on his grid. The first person to fill five in a row is the winner.

Perform a Survey

Surveys provide excellent opportunities to explore percents, ratios, tables, graphs and averages. Kids love to take surveys and gather the data, then you can use the data to determine many facts about the question you ask. You can survey relatives, classmates, neighbors or even random people you meet around town. Some good ideas for survey questions include:

• How many cups of coffee do you drink every day?
• How many cars do you own in your family?
• How many children or grandchildren do you have in your family?
• How many pairs of shoes do you own?

The key to making this a successful project is to choose questions that will get a range of answers, and then to get a sampling of answers from many different people. Once you have gathered the data, ask the child to average it, find the percent of people who answered with a particular number, find ratios of two values to each other or two percents to each other and graph the information.

Smacking Keyword Bugs

If your child is having a hard time remembering the keywords used in 5th grade math word problems, this activity can help. Draw some simple bugs on a large piece of butcher paper. The bugs should be about the size of a fly swatter. Then, on each bug write an operation sign or word, such as + or “addition.” Say a key word from a word problem, like “Each,” which means multiplication. When you say the word, your child should hit the appropriate bug with a fly swatter.

Remember, 5th grade word problems are entirely possible with a little bit of learning. Yes, in fifth grade the problems get more challenging, but your child is up for the challenge. Give him additional help and support by enrolling him with Thinkster Math. This proven iPad-based learning system will ensure he knows everything he needs to know about solving math word problems, so you, and he, can have success.