This task was used with second graders to understand place value. Students are asked to critique Lydia’s Idea on writing a number in expanded form and explain their reasoning. Lydia’s Idea involves the hundreds, tens, and ones place values and the expanded number contains a 0 in the tens place.
Microsoft Word version: 2_NBT_PlaceValue_Problem_Critique_LydiasIdea
PDF version: 2_NBT_PlaceValue_Problem_Critique_LydiasIdea
This task is geared towards second graders. Students are asked to critique a comparison of two numbers using what they know about place value. Students are asked to explain how they compare the two numbers using content knowledge. The task addresses a common misconception in which students simply look at the left-hand digits and compare them rather than looking at place values of the digits.
Microsoft Word version: 2_NBT_PlaceValue_Problem_Critique_BensThinking
PDF version: 2_NBT_PlaceValue_Problem_Critique_BensThinking
I used this task early on for my 3rd grade class. The reason for giving this task was to allow students to see and recognize the commutative property of addition. The problem is very basic, and allows space for students to give their claim and argument, and also to have a discussion with a partner. Students struggled with understanding what the word “equals” means. They were not used to seeing an equation after the equal sign. Once students understood that equals actually means “the same,” they had a better understanding of how the commutative property works.
Microsoft Word version: 2_NBT_PropertiesCommutative_ThinkPairShare_Construct
PDF version: 2_NBT_PropertiesCommutative_ThinkPairShare_Construct