Act Out the Problem or Use Objects
Some students may find it helpful to act out a problem or to move objects around while they are trying to solve a problem. Small scraps of paper and colored ships or counters will usually work quite well.
Example Problem
Donna was putting six new bears in the display case at the toy store. The case had three shelves, one on top of the other, with two spaces on each shelf. Each bear had a name: Abby, Bobby, Cathy, Dorothy, Eric, and Forrest. She did not put Bobby next to Forrest. Donna put Dorothy next to Eric and above Forrest. She did not put Bobby next to Eric or Forrest. She did not put Abby next to Bobby. Where did Donna put each of the bears?
If you are having trouble, try acting out the problem using real objects or small scraps of paper to represent the bears.
If you are having trouble, try acting out the problem using real objects or small scraps of paper to represent the bears.