Question 1:
Lou’s sandwiches are made with either wheat or white bread and have only one type of cheese- Swiss, Cheddar, American, or Mozzarella. How many different kinds of sandwiches can Lou make?
Question 2:
Four cities are on the same road that runs east to west. Fleming is west of Bridgewater, but east of Clinton. Union is between Fleming and Bridgewater. It is 21 miles from Fleming to Union. It is 55 miles from Union to Clinton. How far is it from Clinton to Fleming?
Question 3:
The 2012 Super Bowl had an attendance of just 68,658 people. If the headline in the newspaper the next day read, “About 70,000 People Attend Super Bowl,” how did the newspaper round to estimate the total number of people in attendance?
Source: Share by Jane Del Gobbo, Julia Herman, and Jamie Love from Bedford Public Schools, MA
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These were the first three problems that my students were exposed to in order to build the habit of the Three Reads. The student reactions were positive, though have not become independently applied at this point. We were able to use these problems at the beginning of 4th grade in conjunction with our math program (EnVision). Additionally, we were able to combine the structure of the Three Reads with problem-solving organizers for Special Education and ELL students (i.e. Know-Find-Solve chart).
I used these word problems with my fourth grade class. Each word problem requires students to pay attention to phrasing and read carefully. I teach in an inclusive classroom with both special education and general education students. The three reads routine allowed the class to tackle these word problems collaboratively. Students worked in mixed level partnerships in order to help one another break down and understand these complex word problems, which allowed students to effectively apply problem solving strategies to complete this work.
The first time introducing this routine to the students they complained that it was extra steps! They did not want to do it and felt like there was nothing meaningful behind the routine. However, after a few times, some of the hesitant students are liking the routine and feel like it is really helping them to slow down and figure out what he actual question is asking!