Teachers: Resources for Middle Grades (6-8)

Sequences of Tasks

The NC²ML team recognizes the importance of strong, high cognitive demand mathematical problems (also known as tasks). According to the Task Research-Practice brief, good problems are low-floor, high ceiling, wide wall tasks that allow everyone access, no matter ability. They also push all students to go beyond their current understanding. The team also recognized that one task, alone, cannot teach a concept at depth. Thus, files include a set of 3 or more tasks sequenced in such a way as to build understanding progressively. The sequence of tasks build students’ mathematical reasoning, procedural fluency and conceptual understanding.