Using A K-W-C Chart

In Michelle's Junior HSP class they've begun to tackle problem solving in a way that makes a math / literacy connection: A K-W-C chart.

A K-W-C chart uses three different headings to help students make sense of the information in the problem that they are working on. Each heading has a specific purpose:

K - stands for "What do I know from the question?" This could be specific items such as "There were 4 cats and 3 birds" or "Each scarf was 100 cm long."

W - stands for "What is the question asking?" Basically, you have the students restate the question in their own words. Sometimes this is really a short sentence, sometimes it is a bit longer.

C - stands for "Are there any special considerations or conditions?" This section can be a little tricky to fill out because sometimes the conditions are also things that we know. When doing the chart with your students, feel free to go back and forth between the K and the C when you first start. Eventually, you can move onto the discussion of is that a K or is it a C? A condition would be something that must be remembered in order to complete the problem. For example, a condition could be "there were 20 pairs of shoes in total" or "You can not create the same shape more than once."

In using this tool when problem solving, it helps students to comprehend the problem better, and then solve it better. The first few times you complete a K-W-C chart with your students may be difficult, but in time they will really adapt to it and find it a useful tool in problem solving.

This idea was taken from Arthur Hyde's book called "Comprehending Math: Adapting Reading Strategies to Teach Mathematics, K-6" it is filled with other good teaching strategies and problems to use in your classroom. He has a second book called "Understanding Middle School Math" which focus' on Grades 6 and above.