As we continue to grow as math-magicians, we are constantly adding to our bag of tricks. Place value charts, number lines, and… strip diagrams are just a few we have been working with over the course of the last few weeks. Strip diagrams are a great way to visualize problems; they are especially helpful in developing algebraic thinking.
One resource you might find interesting is Math Playground’s Thinking Blocks. This site will help you create a model to represent word problems, so you can more effectively and efficiently solve them.
After you master addition and subtraction models, you might want to challenge yourself with some multiplication and division.