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I’m a big user of math tasks in my classroom. They’re engaging, a way for my students to truly show their math thinking in different ways, encourage collaboration and learning from one another, and help my students strengthen their communication skills.

In a perfect world, all math tasks are low floor, high ceiling tasks – offer an entry point for all learners, regardless of their math ability, and challenge all learners!

Over the years I’ve found some great websites that offer tasks that do just that (or can be tweaked a little to make that happen)! Here are some of my go-to websites for finding engaging, creative, and rigorous tasks to use in the classroom:

Check out this website for standards-based math tasks! — Illustrative Mathematics

My number one go-to for standards-based tasks. I know these tasks will truly show me how well my students are mastering the standard!

Check out this website for performance assessment tasks. These math tasks are standards-based too! — Inside Mathematics

This website not only offers standards-based tasks based on grade levels but also provides a ton of insight on math learning and problem solving! Nothing fancy but definitely very useful! I often use these tasks as end-of-unit assessments!

Engaging, rigorous math tasks — G Fletchy Three Act Lessons

These tasks are short and sweet, but super engaging and challenging for students! Love them for days where I want to do a shorter task that will still offer a powerful punch!

Creative and fun math tasks! — Open Middle

Love the creativity of these math tasks! They’re super challenging and students love them!

One of the BEST math websites in my opinion. 1) it offers some amazing tasks 2)it provides tons of resources for teachers to truly help students build their mathematical mindsets and identity!

Okay, that’s all for now! Tune in every Monday for more math tips! Happy teaching!

We all know using math tasks in our classrooms is important. They encourage multiple perspectives, improve perseverance by having students struggle productively, and make for rich discussions and learning.

But sometimes…quality math tasks can be hard to find. So here are some ways you can use what you find or have access to and elevate any math task! They’re quick and easy changes but sure to have a major impact.

For the purposes of this post, here is the task we’ll be using!

Leave Out the Questions

A super quick and easy change! Leave out the questions and have your students formulate them!

Here’s why I like doing this:

It gets students thinking about the information and making decisions on what can actually be answered by the given information
Puts the sense making in the hands of your students
Encourages multiple responses and entry points for all
The heavy lifting is put on the students

Give the Answers

I love this one! Pick a section of the task and give the answer! Then students are able to create multiple responses based on this information.

Here’s why I like doing this:

Encourages multiple perspectives and an entry point for all
Encourages estimation and making revisions
Allows for divergent thinking

Connect, Compare, Critique

This one is great because it really focuses on SMP 3: Justify and Critique. I also love that the math being put in front of students is correct, so the focus isn’t on deciding whether it’s accurate or not but the process.

Here’s why I like doing this:

Students are able to see different math representations
Encourages students to critique for efficiency, etc
Gives students the opportunity to give and receive feedback and make connections

Find the Error and Justify

Another one that focuses on SMP 3: Justify and Critique but this times students are finding the error and justifying their response with their own math!

Here’s why I like doing this: