Target 9: Word Problems

This workbook will be the first in the Target Practice series dealing with word problems.

If your students have mastered the most difficult calculation skills using addition, subtraction, multiplication and division, they are now ready to connect these to real-life situations.

Target 9 begins by challenging students to recognise sensible answers. Quite often a child will find the correct answer to a difficult calculation. However, it was not the calculation they should have performed. It is therefore important that they are trained to see if an answer makes sense.

They will then focus on addition/subtraction vocabulary such as ‘sum’ and ‘difference’, after which they will answer addition/subtraction word problems connected to information tables.

Multiplication/division language is explored next (spotting words like ‘product’ or looking for words like ‘each’ or ‘per…’). Children should also be encouraged to recognise which number is divided by which in a word problem (it is not always the greater number by the smaller number).

The purposes of these challenges so far is to see if your students choose the appropriate calculations.

Only after successfully navigating these challenges should children attempt the multi-step problems: questions that must be solved by several calculations.

Target 9 finishes with the one of the most challenging types of word problem: using clues to identify numbers and codes.

Each Target Practice workbook is divided into ten challenges, with target scores and time limits. The Target Extra section at the back of each book contains several repeat challenges, enabling your students to hit that target score should they miss out the first time.

This is a colourful 122-page PDF download, with explanation pages for each concept, and quick links to each chapter and the answer pages.

Not only that, this Target Practice workbook contains links to 77 minutes of teaching video, created by Catapult (only available to those who purchase the workbook).

Target 9’s ten steps are as follows:

Target 9a: Sensible Answers

Target 9b: Addition/Subtraction Vocabulary

Target 9c: Information Tables

Target 9d: Bus Passenger Problems

Target 9e: Multiplication/Division Vocabulary

Target 9f: Rows & Columns

Target 9g: Putting it all Together

Target 9h: Multi-Step Problems

Target 9i: Working Backwards Through a Story

Target 9j: Clues, Codes & Mystery Numbers

Launch their potential.

Trevor Veale

Target Practice author

Owner and full-time tutor at Catapult

Primary school teacher for nine years