Part II: Student Practice - Construct Viable Arguments & Critique the Reasoning of Others

Purpose

The Student Practice part of the Math Practices Toolkit provides math-based activities to practice arguing and critiquing skills at the different grade levels. Students will have learned and practiced this skill in Part I of the toolkit and can now formalize their knowledge in Part II with specific math practice. 

Below you will find opportunities for students to practice the Math Practice Standard while engaged in grade-level math skills and concepts.  Student practices are organized by grade band and offer various ways and skills to practice.  Directions for each activity are included with the individual activities.  Feel free to explore and let students choose activities that might interest them.  They can pick and choose which activities to jump into! 

Student Practice Activities

Grade Band Kindergarten - 5th Grade

The activities for K-5 students involve hands-on tools such as manipulatives, actions, and drawings. Making and defending choices involves tangible objects and simple representations, allowing young learners to grasp fundamental concepts and develop into more concrete tools such as reading and writing. As they critique others' reasoning, the focus is on understanding through concrete examples and counterexamples. The integration of MP3 practice with grade-level standards content ensures that these foundational skills are nurtured in a developmentally appropriate manner.

Student Practice Activities

Grade Band 6th - 8th Grade (Middle School) 

Moving into Middle School, the activities provide a chance for students to diversify their mathematical expression tools, incorporating actions, diagrams, and writing alongside manipulatives. Making and defending choices now involves a more comprehensive approach, utilizing a wider range of mediums to articulate mathematical thoughts. As students critique the reasoning of others they focus on what makes sense and what doesn’t. Providing examples and counterexamples requires more sophistication, requiring students to express their understanding through multiple channels. The incorporation of MP3 practice with grade-level standards content ensures a multifaceted development of mathematical expression and critique.

Student Practice Activities

Grade Band 9th -12th Grade (High School) 

The activities for High School students support the refining of their tools, emphasizing precision in mathematical discourse. While they continue to make and defend choices, the tools now primarily include equations, advanced writing, and symbolic representations. Constructing arguments becomes more abstract, emphasizing the use of mathematical language to justify decisions. Providing examples and counterexamples requires high precision, reflecting the advanced nature of the mathematical discourse at this stage. The incorporation of MP3 practice with grade-level standards content ensures that High School students are adept at navigating complex mathematical language and concepts in preparation for advanced mathematical challenges.