Have you just begun your Bar Model journey? Looking for an independent way for your students to practise their Bar Model strategies? The Bar Model Task Cards are the perfect resource to help your students build confidence and fluency in applying this powerful visual problem-solving method. Whether you’re introducing bar models for the first time or looking for extra practise, these task cards provide the perfect opportunity for targeted, flexible learning.

This set includes six pages of task cards, with two cards per page. Each card features two word problems - giving you a total of 24 Bar Model problems to explore. The problems focus on both additive and multiplicative strategies, helping students develop a deeper understanding of part-part-whole relationships and scaling within different contexts. The flexible format allows you to display the cards on your interactive whiteboard for whole-class modelling or print them out for students to use independently, in pairs, or as part of a rotational lesson.

The Bar Model Task Cards are ideal for building your students’ visual problem-solving skills and encouraging them to clearly represent their thinking. The simple and structured layout makes it easy for students to focus on the mathematical relationships and practise applying the bar model strategy across a variety of problem types. It’s a great addition to your Bar Model teaching sequence and works beautifully alongside our Bar Model Worksheets.

Key Learning Outcomes:

• ✅ Develop understanding of the bar model method for visual problem solving
• ✅ Strengthen part-part-whole thinking and scaling strategies
• ✅ Build fluency in applying bar models to additive and multiplicative problems
• ✅ Promote clear and structured problem-solving approaches
• ✅ Encourage independent practise and application of visual strategies

What’s Included:

• Bar Model Task Cards set
• 6 pages of task cards, with:
  • - 2 task cards per page
  • - 2 questions per card (24 problems in total)
  • - Focus on additive and multiplicative strategies

Materials Needed:

• Printed Bar Model Task Cards (optional, for small group or independent use)
• Interactive whiteboard or display screen (for whole-class use)
• Pencils and erasers
• Maths books or Bar Model recording sheets for working out

How to Use:

1. Print the Bar Model Task Cards or display them on your IWB as needed.
2. Introduce each card by modelling how to represent the problem using a bar model.
3. Provide opportunities for students to practise solving the problems independently or in pairs.
4. Encourage students to draw clear bar models and write number sentences to support their solutions.
5. Use completed task cards or student work as discussion points to reinforce strategies and build reasoning skills.

Ideas for Classroom Use:

• 💡 Use in Maths rotations to provide targeted bar model practise.
• 💡 Display task cards on your IWB for whole-class modelling and guided practise.
• 💡 Provide for fast finishers ready to tackle deeper problem-solving challenges.
• 💡 Use in small groups for scaffolded practise with visual problem solving.
• 💡 Pair with Bar Model Worksheets to create a comprehensive sequence of learning activities.

Top Teacher Tips:

• 💛 Encourage students to label the parts and the whole clearly in their bar models.
• 💛 Differentiate by selecting problems that suit the learning level of each student or group.
• 💛 Use the task cards as informal assessment tools to monitor students’ progress with bar models.
• 💛 Provide opportunities for students to discuss and explain their bar models with classmates.
• 💛 Build a display wall of student-created bar models to showcase their growing problem-solving skills.

The Bar Model Task Cards provide an easy-to-use, flexible way to build your students’ confidence and fluency with the bar model method - helping them develop strong visual problem-solving strategies they can apply across the Maths curriculum!