This instructional routine is intended to support students in using mathematical modelling to solve contextual problems and to learn how to have mathematical discussions with each other. It was created by Dan Meyer.
In the routine students are prompted to develop a mathematical question, generally through the use of a video or photo to pique their mathematical curiosity. Students are asked to provide a “just right” guess as to the solution, then determine what they need to know to solve the problem. Students then work to create a solution to the problem and finally the answer is revealed, again through the use of multimedia.
Here is a video of Dan Meyer leading a Three Act Math task in a conference setting.
The flow of the instructional routine is
|
Orient to the task: |
|
Tell students why they are doing this activity and how the activity will run. |
|
Develop a Question: |
|
Students look at an example of multimedia, share their possible questions with a partner. |
|
Share Questions: |
|
Selected pairs of students share their questions with the whole class. Students are then prompted to consider an answer that is too low, an answer that is too high, and a “just right” answer to one of the questions. |
|
Model the Problem: |
|
Students develop a model for the problem, asking for more information if they feel they need it while the teacher circulates around the room. |
|
Share Solutions: |
|
Selected students share their solutions to the problem and then the answer is revealed. |
|
Meta-reflection: |
|
Students write independently, students share what they wrote with a partner, then selected students share their reflections with the whole class. |
|
Learn more about the routine: |
Resources: |
Adapted from Dan Meyer’s blog and Teacher Education by Design: https://tedd.org/three-act-tasks/
Here is a list of additional resources for the Three Act Math tasks available via WCLN. The template for the slides was produced by New Visions for Public Schools.
- Apple Mothership [ task | source | slides ]
- Bet Your Coffee [ task | source | slides ]
- Car Caravan [ task | source | slides ]
- Circle-Square [ task | source | slides ]
- Coca Cola Pool [ task | source | slides ]
- Coin Counting [ task | source | slides ]
- Ditch Digger [ task | source | slides ]
- Domino Skyscraper [ task | source | slides ]
- Double Sunglasses [ task | source | slides ]
- Falling Glowsticks [ task | source | slides ]
- Ferris Wheel [ task | source | slides ]
- Fry's Bank [ task | source | slides ]
- Hot Coffee [ task | source | slides ]
- Lucky Cow [ task | source | slides ]
- Meatballs [ task | source | slides ]
- Money Duck [ task | source | slides ]
- Nana's Paint Mixup [ task | source | slides ]
- Obscure Geometry [ task | source | slides ]
- Penny Circle [ task | source | slides ]
- Pixel Pattern [ task | source | slides ]
- Playing Catch Up [ task | source | slides ]
- Pool Bounce [ task | source | slides ]
- Pyramid of Pennies [ task | source | slides ]
- Rotonda West, FL [ task | source | slides ]
- Scrambler [ task | source | slides ]
- Shipping Routes [ task | source | slides ]
- Super Stairs [ task | source | slides ]
- Taco Cart [ task | source | slides ]
- Thanksgiving Taters [ task | source | slides ]
- The Incredible Shrinking Dollar [ task | source | slides ]
- Ticket to Ride [ task | source | slides ]
- Toothpicks [ task | source | slides ]
- Water Tank [ task | source | slides ]
- Will It Hit The Hoop [ task | source | slides ]
- World Record Air Bag [ task | source | slides ]
- World Record Balloon Dog [ task | source | slides ]
- You Pour, I Choose [ task | source | slides ]