math problem solving strategies posters pdf

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Stellar Teaching Co.

Engaging Resources for Teaching Literacy

Problem Solving Strategies Math Posters

Math problem solving can be so challenging for students. These math strategy posters will help you teach effective problem solving strategies, and they are a great reference tool for students to keep in their math notebooks. The 10 posters include helpful tips and reminders for students to keep in mind when approaching word problems. I include 6 problem solving strategies you can easily teach your students!

Filed Under: *All Non SLC Resources , *Non SLC Resources (Math) , 3rd , 4th , 5th , Anchor Charts and Posters , Homeschooler , Math , Math Centers , Printables , Summarizing , Under $5

More about this resource

*This resource also includes a digital version created using Google Slides which makes it really easy to share with your students during distance learning.

Anchor chart set includes:

• Black and White Mini Anchor Charts
• Color Accents Mini Anchor Charts
• Fill-in Mini Anchor Chart
• Black and White Full Page Anchor Chart
• Color Accents Full Page Anchor Chart
• Fill-in Full Page Anchor Chart
• Digital version created using Google Slides
• Full page is a vertical 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper.
• Mini page is one half of a horizontal 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper (two on each page).

Posters cover the following:

• Problem Solving Strategies
• Math Talk Stems
• Problem Types
• Math Key Words
• CUBES Strategy
• STAR Strategy
• CAR Strategy
• UPS-Check Strategy
• RICE Strategy
• WIK, WINK, & WIMP Strategy

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With over a decade of experience working as a classroom teacher and school administrator, I understand the joys and challenges of teaching. That’s why I’m on a mission to make an impact by serving stellar upper elementary teachers just like you. Get ready, because I’m pulling out all the stops to ensure that you have the tools and confidence you need to build a literacy block that you’re proud of. One that excites you and your students while also meeting the standards. Oh yes, it’s totally possible to have both!

Problem Solving Strategies Posters and Bulletin Board

By: Author Sarah Carter

Posted on Published: August 10, 2012  - Last updated: March 16, 2023

Categories Math Posters , Math Bulletin Boards

This blog post contains Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.

Want to check out my favorite Amazon items for the classroom? Check out my Amazon favorites page !  

Less than a week until school starts.  I still have so much to do.  I did complete one of my bulletin boards today. This is my new Problem Solving Strategies Posters and Bulletin Board.

I got to use my new toy: a Laminator !  The school has a giant laminator in the teacher’s lounge, but you have to get the person with the key to help you use it.  And, every time I’ve tried to get the person with the key to help me use it, they haven’t been at school. 

So, I ordered my own small laminator .  It’ll be perfect for when I have an epiphany at ten pm and decide that I need something laminated for my lesson the next day.   

MATH = LOVE RECOMMENDS…

A laminator is a MUST-HAVE for me as a math teacher! I spent my first six years as a teacher at a school with a broken laminator , so I had to find a way to laminate things myself.

I’ve had several laminators over the years. I currently use a Scotch laminator at home and a Swingline laminator at school.

• Scotch Laminator
• Swingline Laminator
• Nuova Laminating Pouches

I highly recommend splurging a bit on the actual laminator and buying the cheapest laminating pouches you can find!

I’m seriously addicted to laminating .  I pretty much want to laminate everything in my house right now.  I’d show you all the other cool stuff I laminated , but it’ll have to wait until I can actually put it up in my classroom. 

I laminated my door decorations , but I can’t put them up until they finish staining my door…

But, I did get to finish my Problem Solving Strategies Bulletin Board today.  And, yes, I hate the pipes and cable running in front of my bulletin board as much as you do.  This is what happens when you teach in a school that was built in 1919.  I have random pipes all over my room. 

I love the building, but it definitely comes with its challenges.  The original slate chalk boards are still on the wall.  They’ve just been covered up.  And, I’ve got a radiator along one wall.  Does it still work?  I have no clue.  I guess I’ll figure that out come winter time…  So much to learn!    

If you want to create your own, I uploaded the problem solving strategies posters I made as a PDF file.  I just printed them on Astrobrights paper (another new favorite!)  

I’ve also hung these posters on the wall below my Smart Board before.

You might also be interested in a page of problem solving strategies I created for students to glue in their interactive notebooks.

Free Download of Problem Solving Strategies Posters

Problem Solving Strategies Posters (PDF) (2171 downloads )

Want more posters to decorate your classroom? Check out my posters page !

More Free Printable Math Posters

Mrs. Hinson

Saturday 10th of June 2017

Ms. Hagan You are amazing! Thank you so much for your posts and sharing your resources. As a new teacher I appreciate it!

Saturday 26th of September 2015

Just found these...Thanks for sharing!!

Sarah Carter (@mathequalslove)

Monday 5th of October 2015

You're welcome! I posted an updated set a few weeks ago if you're interested!

Wednesday 21st of August 2013

these are so awesome!! thank you!

Wednesday 28th of August 2013

You're welcome!

Friday 16th of August 2013

Since reading your blog, I've gotten the laminator out of the closet and have gone wild laminating everything I can (even begging the baseball coach next door to me if I can laminate stuff for him).

I completely understand. :) I just ordered 300 more laminating sheets. I think I'm addicted...

Saturday 11th of August 2012

Thanks for including the PDF of the posters!! I'm going to use a couple in my room :)

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Differentiated Teaching

Exploring the Power of the CUBES Math Strategy for Word Problems

Math problem-solving is one of the most challenging things we teach. The CUBES strategy is all about helping students tackle those tricky word problems with ease. Whether you're dealing with pesky volume or area questions, or trying to figure out how many more apples Sally has than Timmy, the CUBES math strategy can be a great way to help those learners who struggle with word problems develop a systematic method to approach these problems. By breaking down the problem into smaller, more manageable chunks, you can quickly solve even the most complicated math problems.

So if you've ever found yourself scratching your head in frustration over your struggling learners' battle with story problems, fear not! The CUBES math strategy is here to make your life a whole lot easier. Stick around to learn more about how this awesome strategy can help you help your struggling students become math problem-solving pros!

What is the CUBES Math Strategy?

The CUBES math strategy is a tool designed to help give students a systematic approach to breaking down and solving math word problems. The acronym C.U.B.E.S stands for:

• C ircle key numbers & units
• U nderline the question
• B ox math action words
• E valuate the problem
• S olve the problem & check your work

By breaking down the problem into these steps, students can better understand the context of the problem and effectively solve it.

Benefits of using the CUBES strategy in math word problems

While CUBES is not the ideal method for all math problem solving, especially as word problems become more complex, you can use the strategy as a starting point to guide struggling students in being more attentive and systematic when tackling word problems.

Many struggling learners struggle with executive functioning and need a clear-cut plan for tackling this next-level math skill, and incorporating a strategy like CUBES into your teaching can give them steps to approach word problems rather than leaving them overwhelmed and unsure where to begin. This can help students build confidence in their ability to successfully solve math story problems and prepare them to solve multi-step problems, ultimately enhancing their problem-solving skills.

Step-by-Step Guide to Using the CUBES Strategy

Implementing the CUBES strategy means teaching students the key steps and working through a gradual release process until they can effectively do this themselves. This systematic approach helps students understand the problem and empowers them to tackle word problems with confidence. Here's a little more about each step your students will need to achieve:

C- Circle the numbers & units

C stands for “circle the key information.” This includes the numbers, units, and core information needed to solve the problem. This includes identifying math vocabulary that represents a number, such as “several,” “half,” or “a dozen.” Some questions may not involve numbers at all, in which case you would circle each instance of the word “none.” It is also important to identify units (such as feet, miles, or kilograms) and whether there is a decimal point.

While we don't want students solely relying on keywords when faced with a word problem, it can be helpful for them to recognize which words are references to mathematical symbols. For example, “+” means addition, and “-” means subtraction.

U- Underline the question

After students read the problem and circle numbers/units, they must underline the question. While this may seem silly, if students aren't attending to what is being asked, they won't get the right answer. Helping students stay on target is a key component of the CUBES strategy for solving math problems.

Once your student has underlined the question and knows exactly what he or she needs to solve, it's time to move on to step B: boxes and bullets.

B- Box math action words

Notice this doesn't say keywords…Again, we don't want students focused solely on using keywords for math problem solving. Research has shown time and time again this is an ineffective strategy once problems become more complex.

That said, students need to look at word problems through the lens of critical readers. What in the problem gives them a clue as to what they need to do to solve it?

Just like the author of a story gives us details to help us infer and get to the story's resolution, the author of a word problem helps us find the path to the solution. We need to be critical readers to get there. This is where boxing key information can be helpful. Here are some common examples that are often viewed as keywords but are critical for students to attend to to solve problems accurately:

• Addition: add, added, both, sum, total
• Subtraction: difference between, less than
• Multiplication: times twice as many/much as of every
• Division: split equally among/between each share out of

E- Evaluate or Equation

At this stage, it's time to implement your strategy to solve. For some students, this will be writing and solving the equation. Others may need to evaluate by drawing a picture or using manipulatives to model the problem.

Either way, by this stage your learners should have broken down the problem to the point that they feel confident implementing a method that will lead them to the final step – solving.

S- Solve & Check

Once the strategy has been chosen, guide your students through the process of solving the problem. This may involve writing out the equation, solving for the unknown variable, and checking their work to ensure they have found the correct solution.

Encourage your students to show their work and explain their reasoning as they solve the problem. This will not only help them understand the process better but also allow you to provide feedback and support if needed.

It's important to emphasize the importance of checking their work to ensure they have found the correct solution. This may involve plugging the solution back into the original problem to verify it or checking their work for errors in calculations.

Once your students have successfully solved the problem, congratulate them on their hard work and encourage them to reflect on the process. Ask them questions such as what strategies worked well for them, what challenges they encountered, and how they can apply what they have learned to similar problems in the future.

By guiding your students through the process of problem-solving and encouraging them to reflect on their work, you are helping them develop essential critical thinking skills that will serve them well in all areas of their education and beyond. 

Tips for Implementing the CUBES Math Word Problem Strategy

Whenever you're preparing to implement a strategy with your struggling learners, it can be helpful to get some tips from teachers who have been there. In asking for advice from colleagues, here's what they had to say.

To teach the cubes strategy, you should:

• Teach the strategy as a whole. Because this is such a visual strategy, it’s useful to provide multiple examples of how to solve problems with CUBES on a poster or anchor chart. You can use the chart below as an example of what to include.
• Use a standard problem as an example. Before having students practice on their own, have them watch and listen as you model how to use the CUBES strategy on the board using a Problem of the Day or by writing in student journals. Visual learners will appreciate watching you write out each step and manipulate your complex number sentence cube.
• Use anchor charts you make together in class. Then transfer that knowledge into modeling one or two more examples with students using cubes they create out of construction paper, or if necessary, manipulatives like buttons or dry beans.
• Don't fall into the trap that the standard algorithm is the only way to solve once the strategy has been used. Let students draw pictures, use manipulatives, make number lines, or whatever other strategies you've taught. The CUBES math strategy is to help them break up the problem. It isn't the guiding principle of the math calculations.
• Students can use CUBES to filter out irrelevant details and focus on the essential details needed to solve the problem. By guiding students to evaluate the problem systematically, you can help students make informed decisions and tackle complex math challenges. It is great for learners who might get bogged down in all the details.