The problem-solving we do in January sets the stage for the big celebration on I Love Math Day. February 14, as everyone knows, is I Love Math Day. Since it falls on a Sunday this year, we will celebrate on the last school day beforehand, which is Thursday, February 11. You will hear a great deal more about I Love Math Day as the day approaches.
Until then, there will be lots of creative problem-solving, as students struggle for a week at a time to prepare submissions for the judges. They work in cooperative teams, so there is lots of practice talking about problems, developing alternative strategies, drawing pictures, organizing information, making mistakes, correcting mistakes, and coming up with creative ways to explain their thinking and their solutions.
So here is The Strawberry Ice Cream Problem
This is a rich and wonderful problem for middle school students. It involves an array of math skills that students this age should be thinking about: factoring, products, sums, uniqueness, proof, efficient counting, and organizing data. It requires careful use of clues, that don't seem relevant, but are! And the solution brings great satisfaction.
Over the course of one week, every middle school team found the solution! Wonderful!
Right now, students are working on a very different challenge: The Two Missiles Problem. Parents are encouraged to discuss this problem with their children, and work together to solve it. Enjoy!
