Skip to content

Miss Younger

Miss Younger's Math Musings

  • Wonders
    • News Letters and Notices
    • Term 1
    • Term 2
    • Term 3
    • Division 5
    • Langley Fundamental Elementary
  • Teaching
    • Teaching Through Inquiry
    • Inquiry
    • First People’s Principals
    • Lesson Plans
    • Language Arts
    • Science
    • Social Studies
    • Read Alouds
    • Inspiration
    • Math
    • Teaching Math in BC Elementary Schools
    • Assessment
    • Leadership
    • Technology
  • Math For All
    • Math Games
    • Leadership in Mathematics
    • Teaching Math in BC Elementary Schools
    • Mathematics Strategies for At Risk Students
    • Math
    • Lesson Plans
  • Math At Home
    • Math Games
  • About Me
    • Contact Me
  • Grade 4
  • Math and Technology
    • Cont 933
    • Technology
    • Flip Grid
    • Data
    • PIC RAT
    • SAMR Model
    • Financial Literacy
    • Coding
    • Unplugged Coding
  • Inquiry
    • Planning for Inquiry
    • Lesson Plans
    • Teaching Through Inquiry
  • Lesson Plans
    • UDL
  • STEM
    • Coding
    • Unplugged Coding
  • Toggle search form
  • Response to the Mathematician’s Lament Inspiration
  • Developing Proficiency Leadership in Mathematics
  • Must Have Math Tools Math
  • My Leadership Self Evaluation Leadership
  • Outdoor Math First People's Principals
  • The Jolly Rancher Lesson Lesson Plans
  • Math Tricks Math
  • Supporting ELL Students Math

Extending Thinking Questions

Posted on June 9, 2021June 9, 2021 By Amanda Younger No Comments on Extending Thinking Questions

I love the idea of Low Threshold High Ceiling (LTHC) tasks, something that all our students can begin and be successful at but allow students to go as far as they want with their understanding. I’ve noticed that many rich tasks fit this description, students can all find an entry point to the activity and it can be extended in multiple ways. Using LTHC tasks works well with the Building Thinking Classrooms approach championed and written about by Peter Liljedahl and the 5 elements of great math lessons from Dan Finkle from previous posts. I am really beginning to enjoy the resources from NRICH.  The question stems in the Using Questions to Stimulate Mathematical thinking article were clearly laid out and easy to follow. The questions are also ones that could be used as “keep thinking” questions and that will lead students to having some “struggle time” with new ideas and information.

I admit to not knowing much about Jump, it’s strongly discouraged in my district to the point that when brought up in a staff meeting for discussion my principal went as far as to say, “absolutely not”. However, every time I look at their resources or read the author’s work, I am underwhelmed, the work is a series of repeated problems with little context and their examples for bonus questions did the same. The more I am learning about teaching math the more I realize that context and connection to the world beyond the classroom are essential. Adding more digits to a problem does not extend thinking, while it may take a student more time it does not build their thinking skills to repeat an algorithm they already know. I also disagree with presenting word problems as the default for bonus questions. Rarely does life hand you equations already prepared.

Both approaches require students and teachers to have a growth mindset and be willing to attempt problems even if they are unsure. Presenting problems as a puzzle to be solved may help reduce student anxiety about the problem. I have noticed that using rich tasks many of which are LTHC tasks combined with Liiljedahl’s approach to build thinking skills math anxiety is decreasing, even my reluctant mathematicians and students who find math challenging are starting problem solving tasks.

Extension questions for equivalent fractions

  1. Draw and write three equivalent fractions for 3/6
  2. James ate 2/8 slices of pizza; Josh ate 4/16 slices did they eat the same amount of pizza how did you know?
  3. How many ways could you slice a cake so it can be split in thirds. Draw a diagram to show your thinking.
  4. Your principal wants half of the classes outside at a time, what ways could you divide your school for this to happen?
  5. Explain how you know if two fractions are equivalent using sentences and diagrams.
  6. Create a clip or short video explaining how you know two fractions are equivalent.

Math, Teaching Math in BC Elementary Schools

Post navigation

Previous Post: Math Difficulties and a slight tangent
Next Post: Embracing Gifted Learners

Related Posts

  • Mathematical Vocabulary Math
  • Collective Presentation Math
  • Family Numeracy Matters Math
  • Low Threshold – High Ceiling tasks Grade 4
  • Outdoor Math First People's Principals
  • Response to the Mathematician’s Lament Inspiration

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recent Posts

  • Critical Thinking – Student Created Rubrics
  • Blooms Taxonomy in Education
  • Why Math
  • Wonders Start Up Information
  • Three Act Math Tasks

Recent Comments

    Archives

    • November 2022
    • September 2022
    • August 2022
    • March 2022
    • February 2022
    • January 2022
    • November 2021
    • September 2021
    • August 2021
    • July 2021
    • June 2021
    • February 2021

    Categories

    • Assessment
    • Coding
    • Cont 933
    • Data
    • Financial Literacy
    • First People's Principals
    • Flip Grid
    • GDE 831
    • GDE 833
    • Grade 4
    • Innovation
    • Inquiry
    • Inspiration
    • Language Arts
    • Leadership
    • Leadership in Mathematics
    • Lesson Plans
    • Math
    • Math and Technology
    • Math Games
    • Mathematics Strategies for At Risk Students
    • Mindset
    • News Letters and Notices
    • Online Platforms
    • PIC RAT
    • Planning for Inquiry
    • Read Alouds
    • Reflections
    • Salish Sea
    • SAMR Model
    • Science
    • Social Studies
    • STEM
    • Teaching
    • Teaching Math in BC Elementary Schools
    • Teaching Through Inquiry
    • Technology
    • Term 1
    • Thinking
    • UDL
    • Uncategorized
    • Unplugged Coding
    • Videos
    • Who HQ
    • Wonders

    Meta

    • Log in
    • Entries feed
    • Comments feed
    • WordPress.org

    Recent Posts

    • Critical Thinking – Student Created Rubrics
    • Blooms Taxonomy in Education
    • Why Math
    • Wonders Start Up Information
    • Three Act Math Tasks

    Archives

    • November 2022 (3)
    • September 2022 (1)
    • August 2022 (5)
    • March 2022 (9)
    • February 2022 (11)
    • January 2022 (2)
    • November 2021 (8)
    • September 2021 (1)
    • August 2021 (1)
    • July 2021 (17)
    • June 2021 (44)
    • February 2021 (1)

    Categories

    • Assessment (11)
    • Coding (4)
    • Cont 933 (22)
    • Data (2)
    • Financial Literacy (1)
    • First People's Principals (10)
    • Flip Grid (1)
    • GDE 831 (5)
    • GDE 833 (2)
    • Grade 4 (19)
    • Innovation (5)
    • Inquiry (21)
    • Inspiration (14)
    • Language Arts (4)
    • Leadership (10)
    • Leadership in Mathematics (10)
    • Lesson Plans (18)
    • Math (64)
    • Math and Technology (22)
    • Math Games (4)
    • Mathematics Strategies for At Risk Students (5)
    • Mindset (2)
    • News Letters and Notices (1)
    • Online Platforms (2)
    • PIC RAT (1)
    • Planning for Inquiry (13)
    • Read Alouds (1)
    • Reflections (7)
    • Salish Sea (1)
    • SAMR Model (1)
    • Science (5)
    • Social Studies (6)
    • STEM (4)
    • Teaching (42)
    • Teaching Math in BC Elementary Schools (45)
    • Teaching Through Inquiry (19)
    • Technology (8)
    • Term 1 (1)
    • Thinking (8)
    • UDL (3)
    • Uncategorized (2)
    • Unplugged Coding (1)
    • Videos (2)
    • Who HQ (1)
    • Wonders (1)
    • BC Coast Photos to Prompt Thinking First People's Principals
    • Star Quilt Fractions First People's Principals
    • Video Feedback Assessment
    • Resilient Problem Solving GDE 831
    • Comparing Visions for Math Education Math
    • Debugging is Part of Problem Solving Math
    • Taking a Risk in Planning the Number Sense Unit Assessment
    • Response to the Mathematician’s Lament Inspiration

    Copyright © 2023 Miss Younger.

    Powered by PressBook News WordPress theme