Rich Tasks in Math
By: Sangeeta Khattar
What is a Rich Task?
A Rich Task:
- pertains to a big idea
- fits into the core of the curriculum
- has many possibilities
- multiple avenues of approach
- leads to other problems
- engaging
- more than one right answer
- students are able to apply the processes related to acquisition and application of skills (seven processes from the math curriculum)
- values student voice
- equitable
My Opinion about Photographs:
After reading these highlights, I can't decide which photograph I'd consider showing the rich task. Here are the photographs of one of the problems done by my students. I could definitely see most of the elements of a rich task.
Problem:
Daejon wants to share sixteen marbles with his friends. How many marbles will each friend get? How many different ways can he share them equally? Show all possible ways.
(I had not even introduced division. We had only discussed multiplication.)
Rich Assessment Task
This chart I got from the following website. It is also helpful to design rich assessment tasks. This website is a great resource for further reading.
http://www.oame.on.ca/main/index1.php?lang=en&code=presmessage&chapter=32