Customer Reviews

Get It Together: Math Problems for Groups Grades 4-12

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Erickson's book (as well as "United We Solve") is a fabulous tool for teachers of math (as well as some social sciences). The activities are for small groups and the "rules" for solving the problems make it a good basis for evaluating both individual and group work.

I use these activities with my third and fourth graders, but the activities are also good for much older students. The topics are varied, including geometry, equations, logic, and even some social studies topics. My students love working on these, and I love watching them as they work to solve the creative problems.

I highly, highly, highly recommend this book AND "United We Solve".

I think of myself a traditional teacher. As a sixth-grade teacher of math, I believe that students need a strong foundation in the basics of mathematics. However, with Get It Together by Mr. Erikson, I found myself motivated by activities that go beyond the trendy 'math games.' There are many acitivites that have real learning value. Also, the students enjoy working together in small groups to find the answer. At least once a week, I find myself using an activity or two out of this book. It has been an excellent resource in the classroom.

I use this book in my 5th grade classroom and have really enjoyed it. Whenever possible, I start my math class with a puzzle which my students solve in small groups. The puzzles promote higher-order thinking and group work. Here are some other thoughts:

*There are no answers in the book. Therefore, when a group thinks they have solved it, I always have to say "Let's check if your answer makes sense." Then I walk through it orally with them. If they are right, I write the answers in the book with a yellow marker (yellow will not be picked up on future copies).

*Most puzzles are organized into groups of 6. I do not have a number of students divisible by six, so I must always give two groups an extra question.

*The puzzles correlate well to my curriculum. They are organized into puzzles for number relationships, geometry, graphing, and grouping.

*Some puzzles require manipulatives: counters, blocks, shapes, etc. Things as simple as crayons work for many of the needed items. My students also like to work on their individual white boards to work out their ideas.

*On average, my students take 3-5 minutes to work out one puzzle.

*After using Get It Together: Math Problems for Groups, I am looking into other books by the author!

This is a wonderful book for cooperative group work on math strategy and logical thinking. Each problem has six different clues. Students usually work in groups of four. Each student reads his/her clue(s), and the group tries to find the answer together. There are problems for different grade levels and for different math strands. There is an index that helps you find a concept quickly, such as geometry or number sense. Each of the six clues are coded so that you can easily tell if groups have accidentally mixed them. The only thing that might make you uneasy is that there is no answer key. The point is for the group to agree on an answer, and this ensures that the teacher doesn't "spill the beans" too soon. It encourages the kids to justify and explain their reasoning to the teacher before they move on to the next problem, which is a good thing. This book makes a great addition to your regular curriculum.

An absolute fabulous book. I shared it with my team and they were as excited with it as I was. We are implementing it into our curriculum this school year. I highly recommend this book for any teacher that teaches math.

I have been using Get it Together since it was new, both as a middle level mathematics teacher and now in my work in professional development. The range of math strands that are addressed are wide and the choices almost limitless. Even though the book says grades 4 - 12, there are a few problems that would work with grades 2 and 3. Buy this now and put it to use as YOUR kids "get it together". One caviat: there are no answers in my edition (1989), something I found to be unfortunate. So, give the cards to your students, and, when they get the solutions, ask them to show you how the solution fits each clue. You will know right away if it is correct. Congratulate them on a job well done...and then RIGHT THE ANSWER DOWN!!!!

This type of collaborative grouping is an example of positive interdependence. Other students are positively interdependent on other members of the group. These activities provide students an opportunity to participate with their peers, talking about math. Students will initially struggle with this kind of work, but through guidance, there is a big pay-off. This should be in your library as an Algebra Readiness teacher.

Fantastic maths activities - very easy to follow and apply. Jam packed with ideas for learning support, extension and relief.

This book is full of challenging and engaging group number problems. Highly recommended for classroom use or an enrichment program.