What is it?

A compare and connect number talk is a targeted discussion in which we ask how two strategies from an open sharing number talk (a number talk in which many strategies for solving a computation are shared)  are the same or different.  

Examples: Planning a Compare and Connect Number Talk

Use the  Compare and Connect template to think through the following instructional plan:

• From your open sharing number talk, which strategies do you want your students to compare and connect?

• What connections are important for your students to notice between the strategies?

• Record the 2 strategies you want to compare and connect (as taken from a number talk) that you want to use (strategy 1 and strategy 2)

• Anticipate what your students might notice and how you might respond to support their ideas

• Record what mathematical idea you want to highlight at the end of the discussion

Key Components of Compare and Connect Number Talk

• Acknowledge that there were many different ways to previously solve the question _______, but that today you will focus on two particular strategies. 

• Post or project the two strategies you’ve chosen and ask the students who shared the 2 strategies previously, to explain their strategies again. As facilitators, teachers can highlight main ideas. 

•  After both strategies have been shared, have students turn and talk in pairs to find 3 things that are the same or different.

• Students then share their ideas with the whole class and again the teacher as facilitator works to highlight ideas and ask questions in order to pull out the main mathematical idea that will nudge students to the more efficient strategy

• Give students an exit ticket with the goal of using the more efficient strategy.

This strategy comes from chapter 3 of the book Intentional Talk: How to Structure and Lead Productive Mathematical Discussions by Elam Kazemi & Allison Hintz