Page 29 - Six_Bricks_Activity_Mats_Teacher_Guide

Activity Mat 32: The Six Bricks Problem Solving Circle

The Six Bricks Problem Solving Circle Activity Mat 32

© CPD College - CPDCollege.com To access the teacher guide & software for this board, more Six Bricks products or teacher training, visit: sixbrickseducation.com

The Six Bricks Problem Solving Circle can be used with children of any age. It is an
instructional framework for problem-solving.

We think it works best when children are using the problem solving circle mat in pairs or
in groups of three, while the teacher is setting challenges, illustrating, guiding and probing
using the IWB Software problem solving circle tool.

Example 1
Pose an oral question to the pupils, “I have 3 bricks, how many more do I need to have
8 altogether?” Some may know the answer already, others may not. As a teacher I’m
interested in investigating how to work out the answer and talking though the process.

The children have their mats and bricks. How can we use the activity mat and bricks to

work out the problem? Talk about possible solutions and ways that can be used to solve the
problem.

“Well, I have 3 bricks. Let’s bring 3 into the circle and keep them to one side. Next, we count
on, bringing in 1 brick at a time until we get to 8, keeping this group separate for now –
4,5,6,7, 8. We brought in 5 more. So, we had 3, we need 5 more to make 8, 3 +5 = 8.”

SixBrickseducation.com 29

16-06-2021 21:37:43
Six Bricks Activity Mats Teacher Guide.indd 29 16-06-2021 21:37:43
Six Bricks Activity Mats Teacher Guide.indd 29