Using products with part part whole story problems helps students see the relationship between the whole and its parts. The part-part-whole strategy is easy to incorporate into your teaching and helps to improve their understanding of story problems. This strategy especially helped the students who just took the 2 numbers in a story problem and added them, regardless of what the problem was even about!
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Using the part-part model has helped me show students the relationship between the whole and its parts. It can also be related to a bar diagram. It can be used when we know the parts and are trying to find the whole or when we know the whole and are trying to find a part. I was tired of students just taking the two numbers in the problem and adding or subtracting them without regard for the problem. The part-part-whole model helped them visualize what was happening and make sense of the problem.
What is Part-Part-Whole Math?
The part-part-whole model is a pictorial representation of a problem that helps students see the relationship between a “whole” and its components. The act of splitting a number into parts is known as partitioning.
The part-part-whole diagram shows that you know some information but still need to find additional information. The bar can be split into as many parts as you need, depending on the amount of information you’ve been given. The whole or any of the parts can be missing.
Children using this model will see the relationship between the whole number and its parts, helping learners to make the connections between addition and subtraction.
In addition, the part-part-whole model can be connected to number bonds with the whole and its parts.
Why Use the Part-Part-Whole Box?
When learners have experience using the part-part-whole model in math, it will further develop their understanding of numbers. For example, they will realize that addition and subtraction are related and that word problems can often be solved by addition and subtraction.
By breaking down numbers into smaller chunks, they can learn how numeracy relates to other math skills, including addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. This helps them to become flexible and fluent with numbers and improve their number sense. Having a solid number sense helps them understand math concepts. It sounds like a win-win to me!
Examples of Part- Part-Whole
The part-part-whole model below shows that the whole is 5, and one of the parts is 3. Before learners use abstract numbers, using objects representing cardinality (the amount in a group) is essential, as this will be easier for young children to manipulate.
With part-part-whole models, it is essential to remember that the parts combine to make the whole. The parts and the whole should not be combined to create a new whole. Instead, the point of the part-part-whole model is to look at what the other missing part would be when combined with the other part that makes the whole. To write this model as a number sentence, it would be 3 + __ = 5 or 5 = 3 + __.
Part Part Whole Mat Printable
Printable and Digital part-part-whole mats to use with students.
Using Part Part Whole Story Problems
Problem-solving is always going to take a lot of work for primary students. Applying mathematical knowledge can be hard when learners don’t understand which operation they need to use. A part-part-whole model shows learners the problem in an accessible way.
It helps students to interpret, visualize, and solve word problems. For example, students can use the part-part-whole mat to identify the parts they know and what they need to find out.
This allows the students to visualize the problem and prevents them from adding or subtracting the numbers in the problem without understanding the relationship between them.
Part Part Whole Addition Resources
Word Problems of Addition and Subtraction: Google Slides for every season to use with students to practice word problems in addition and subtraction. Students model the problem with counters and a part-part-whole mat or ten frames to build conceptual understanding and model solving the word problem for addition and subtraction.
Multiple word problem structures for subtraction and addition word problems. Pick the slides that work for you and your students.
Part Part Whole Worksheet and Slides:
Two Step Word Problems Addition and Subtraction: 120 two step word problems addition and subtraction practice problems in digital and worksheet form. Teach Addition and Subtraction 2-step word problems within 100 with different word problem structures.
Students use the part-part-whole mats and place value blocks to model the problem or can type numbers into the boxes. Then, enter the number sentences into the text box and solve the two-step word problems.
Part- Part-Whole Activities
Using the part-part-whole mat to solve problems allows students to represent the problem. Digital and printable part-part-whole mat.
Concrete-Representational-Abstract (CRA) model is an effective instructional approach in teaching math concepts. Students use counters and a part-part-whole mat during the concrete stage. Then, progress to drawing the counters on the mat in the representational stage. Finally, progress to the abstract stage, where students write the numbers on the part-part-whole mat.
You can also use fact families to teach your children the part-part-whole method. For example, give your student a whole number and ask them to break the whole into all its possible parts. To help them, you can provide counters or blocks to represent the whole number. Then, encourage your children to split their whole number into as many different parts as possible and get them to count and record each possible pair.
Part-Part-Whole Mat Activity: Students identify the part that is shown and the part that is covered and enter the numbers into the part-part-whole mat. Students use addition or subtraction to find the missing part.
The graphic is movable, so you can check the answer or create a new problem. Leave the slides in order, or mix them up. In addition, this part-part-whole math activity helps build number sense and fact fluency.
Another fun resource using a part-part-whole mat is my free 71 Math Number Puzzles. Some have math counters, and students find the missing parts in a part part whole mat. What do you see? What part is missing? Click to get them emailed to you.
Part Part Whole Activities Kindergarten
In Kindergarten, begin with the Part-Part-Whole Mat Activity to 5. When students are ready, move to the larger number. Also, students can have their own part-part-whole mat and counters to be able to determine the part that is covered.
Additional Resources Using a Part-Part-Whole Mat:
Grade 1 Addition and Subtraction Word Problems: Google Slides to use with students to practice word problems for addition and subtraction within 10. These have several problem structures. Students model the problem using the part-part-whole mat, then fill in the number bond and equations.
Word Problems within 20: Google slides for word problems within 20 with several problems and formats. There is a part-part-whole mat, number bonds, movable pieces, and spaces to write the addition and subtraction equation. In addition, these addition and subtraction word problem slides can be printed and used as an addition and subtraction word problem worksheet or center.
part-part-wholePart- Part-Whole Model To Solve Problems
The part-part-whole model is a pictorial representation of a problem that helps students see the relationship between a “whole” and its components. They help students make sense of story problems.
☀Download this BONUS Guide with everything you need to cultivate a positive classroom community.
➕Includes definitions, lesson ideas, mindset surveys for students and teachers, and printable posters.
👉Includes everything you need to start cultivating a more positive math classroom and students who love math. Download and get started today! Click here to download the Mindset Guide & Survey.
By using part-part-whole mats, students can make sense of what is happening in the problem and identify what operation they need to use. Try these products if you want additional part part whole story problem resources.
