This book is an amazing resource for teachers who are struggling to help students develop both procedural fluency and conceptual understanding.. --Dr. Margaret (Peg) Smith, co-author of5 Practices for Orchestrating Productive Mathematical Discussions Robert Kaplinsky, the co-creator of Open Middle math problems, brings hisnew class of tasks designed to stimulate deeper thinking and lively discussion among middle and high school students in Open Middle Math: Problems That Unlock Student Thinking, Grades 6-12. The problems are characterized by a closed beginning,- meaning all students start with the same initial problem, and a closed end,- meaning there is only one correct or optimal answer. The key is that the middle is open- in the sense that there are multiple ways to approach and ultimately solve the problem. These tasks have proven enormously popular with teachers looking to assess and deepen student understanding, build student stamina, and energize their classrooms. Professional Learning Resource for Teachers: Open Middle Math is an indispensable resource for educators interested in teaching student-centered mathematics in middle and high schools consistent with the national and state standards. Sample Problems at Each Grade: The book demonstrates the Open Middle concept with sample problems ranging from dividing fractions at 6th grade to algebra, trigonometry, and calculus. Teaching Tips for Student-Centered Math Classrooms: Kaplinsky shares guidance on choosing problems, designing your own math problems, and teaching for multiple purposes, including formative assessment, identifying misconceptions, procedural fluency, and conceptual understanding. Adaptable and Accessible Math: The tasks can be solved using various strategies at different levels of sophistication, which means all students can access the problems and participate in the conversation. Open Middle Math will help math teachers transform the 6th -12th grade classroom into an environment focused on problem solving, student dialogue, and critical thinking.

Balance Quest is a numeric progression puzzle consisting of a set of rectangles arranged within a hierarchical grid. Some of the rectangles contain positive or negative integers, while others are blank. The objective is to fill in each blank rectangle with an integer in a way that “balances” the puzzle mathematically. The puzzle features three skill levels (Easy, par, and challenging) with three grid sizes: BQ Sixteen (small-grid), BQ Thirty-two (medium-grid), and BQ Sixty-four (large-grid). Solve time can range from 5 minutes for the "easy" small puzzles to hours for the "challenging" large puzzles. This puzzle is for ages 10+.

Teach and reinforce essential early skills with these 20 self-checking, five-piece puzzles. Each puzzle features a center piece and four matching puzzle pieces. Unique die cuts on each puzzle make self-correction a snap! These 8" x 8" plastic-coated puzzles are durable and easy for small hands to manipulate. Includes an activity guide. For use with Grades K-2.

Provides an ... effective tool for implementing analysis skills ... necessary for success in all academic disciplines.