Meaningful Math TasksWakefield Elementary School
Early Release November 8, 2013
Examine the components of meaningful math tasks and the connection to the Standards for Mathematical Practice
Reflect upon math instructional practices taking place in your classrooms to set goals
Determine your next steps
Goals:
Meaningful Math Tasks
No Big Gulp in the Big Apple?
http://www.salon.com/2013/03/12/new_york_can_continue_to_guzzle_its_big_gulps/
Do you agree with Mayor Michael Bloomberg -- Should the sales of soft drinks be limited to 16 ounces or less?
Turn and Talk
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_sOWDSgqv7Lk/SvZcDFobhrI/AAAAAAAAABU/6lyEcGyHGBU/s320/sugar.jpeghttp://productnutrition.thecoca-colacompany.com/images/packagings/KO%2020%20oz.jpg
How many packets of sugar are in a 20-oz. Coke?
How many packets of sugar do YOU think are in a 20-oz. Coke?
Give an answer you know is too high.
Give an answer you know is too low.
What information do you need to solve?
Making Conjectures
How many packets of sugar are in a 20-oz. Coke?
Be sure to explain your reasoning in 2 ways:• Manipulatives• Computations• Pictures• Words
http://productnutrition.thecoca-colacompany.com/products/coca-cola
http://www.dominosugar.com/sugar/sugar-packets
Helpful Resources
http://voodookitchennet.blogspot.com/2012/06/65-say-no-to-ban-on-super-size-sugary_12.html
Share Your Work
Explain your
reasoning!
A 20 oz. Coke contains 65g of sugar
Grams of Sugar in a Coke
= 1g of sugar
A packet of sugar contains 4 grams of sugar
=
Grams of Sugar in a Packet
• Where do you go from here?
How many packets are in 65 grams?
Now What?!
16 packets, 1g left over
Let’s reflect back to the original question:
Should the sales of soft drinks be limited to 16 ounces or less?
Constructing Viable Arguments
Choose ONE of the following:
Write a letter to the editor for or against the sale of large soft drinks.
Create a television commercial for or against the sale of large soft drinks.
Create a campaign slogan/speech for or against the sale of large soft drinks.
Constructing Viable Arguments
Making Connections
Standards for Mathematical Practice1. Make sense of problems & persevere in solving them2. Reason abstractly & quantitatively3. Construct viable arguments & critique the reasoning
of others4. Model with mathematics5. Use appropriate tools strategically6. Attend to precision7. Look for & make use of structure8. Look for & express regularity in repeated reasoning
How are these different?
Task Reflection
http://www.kidslearningstation.com/math/division-remainders.asp
How do we move from a culture of “answer getting” to one of “learning the mathematics?”
* Who’s doing the talking and who’s doing the math? *
-Cathy Seeley, former President of NCTM
Meaningful Mathematical Tasks
The Butterfly Method
The Butterfly Method
Components of Math Tasks
Useful mathemati
cs
Higher level
thinking & problem solving
Promotes conceptual developme
nt
Allows teacher to
assess understandi
ng
Multiple entry points
Various pathways &
solutions
Encourages discourse & collaboratio
n
Makes connections of math concepts
Relevance &
Application
Useful mathemati
cs
-The NCTM Brief, April
2010
What about EOGs?
What is the area of this rectangle?
What are the dimensions of the rectangles that can be made with a perimeter of 30? Which rectangle results in the greatest area?
How do you know?
What do you notice about the relationship between area and side lengths?
http://sampleitems.smarterbalanced.org/itempreview/sbac/index.htm
The Value of Challenging our Students (1) Spoon-Feeding our Students (2) The Need for Complexity (3) Constructive Struggling (4)
Jigsaw
Perhaps the way to help them most both in terms of success and attitude, lies in the counterintuitive notion of finding the right level of struggle or challenge – a level that is both constructive and instructive. The business community tells us the ability and willingness to tackle a problem that is not easily solved is one of the most important traits of a well-educated adult in the 21st century. If we do our job well and make students think just a little harder, we can prepare them to take on some of the most difficult problems we face today as well as the unknown problems we are likely to face tomorrow.
-Cathy Seeley, author of Faster Isn’t Smarter: Message About Math, Teaching and Learning in the 21st Century
Constructive Struggling
Constructive Struggling?!
Next Steps