Going Deeper

At times, "content" can appear "too easy" for some. The best, research based way to extend thinking, is NOT to provide NEW content, or a content above grade level. Instead of going wider, we want to GO DEEPER...Going deeper requires children to:

• explore grade level concepts and how they connect in real life
• investigate the whys/hows of strategies, algorithms, and conjectures
• be able to critique, justify and prove with words and in writing
• look for patterns to enable them to think smarter, not harder
• use estimation as a tool for making sense
• develop the habits of mind of a patient problem solver
• engage in productive struggle (not too easy, not too hard)
• create models and representations, and make connections...not just perform calculations

Here you can find resources that encourage students to think "outside the box", apply what they know to authentic situations, and help to develop patient problem solvers. Think: How might you use these resources at home? At school? With ALL children?....

Estimation 180: Building Number Sense One Day At A Time

What you can do:

1. Click on a picture.
2. Read the question.
3. Look for context clues.
4. Make an estimate.
5. Tell us how confident you are.
6. Share your reasoning (what context clues did you use?).
7. See the answer.
8. See the estimates of others.

The most important part is step #6. It's so valuable to a classroom when students share their logic or use of context clues when formulating an estimate. After you make an estimate, feel free to give us a brief description.