Week #4

Welcome back to my math blog, this week, we will be focusing on creating rich tasks, and all that this entails. So sit back, get comfortable and begin reading!

A rich task is something that all students can attempt to do. For instance, showing the class a problem or task where they have to pick one thing that does not belong. When given the picture seen below, all students have the ability, no matter their grade level to find one thing that does not belong. Instantly, students notice the circle, and may choose that, yet they can also pick writing fonts that are different, font colours (Black Vs. White), the different coloured square (Purple Vs. Blue), etc… this activity allows anyone at any level to find something, and explain why it does not belong. 

 

                                                              (McEarchren, 2020)

Throughout the class this week, we were prompted with various questions/problems, similar to the photos below, and asked if we thought these were rich tasks, if not, how we could make them richer. According to this link, Link (CLICK ME) the following are qualifications for a rich task:

• “Step into activities even when the route to a solution is initially unclear
• Get started and explore because the tasks are accessible to pupils of wide ranging abilities
• Pose as well as solve problems, make conjectures
• Work at a range of levels
• Extend knowledge or apply knowledge in new contexts
• Work successfully when using different methods
• Broaden their problem-solving skills
• Deepen and broaden mathematical content knowledge
• See and make sense of underlying principles or make connections between different areas of mathematics
• Work within include intriguing contexts
• Observe other people being mathematical or see the role of mathematics within cultural settings” (Hewson, 2011).

When creating math problems or activities in other subject areas, it is important to take these into consideration. I find when teaching mathematics, providing students with rich tasks that they can solve in any way they see fit and teach each other how they arrived at that conclusion is most valuable. Although growing up I was taught there was only one method to the madness in solving questions, there most definitely was not. I want my students to be confident enough to make mistakes and test their method of thinking and solving problems. If each group and student does this, they all have the ability to learn new ways to problem solve, as well as work in a team/group setting. 

To assist all of you educators reading this blog, I have attached a how to guide, for creating rich tasks within your classroom. Hope this helps! I would love to hear how you have implemented this into your teaching! 

Teachers How To Guide