Hello everyone!

This is my week two discussion response and thank you for

taking the time to read it. I hope you all have a great week!
I chose “Option A”, specifically, to apply the Backwards Approach. I chose
the 3 grade standard, CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.3.NBT.A.1 Use place value understanding
rd

to round whole numbers to the nearest 10 or 100. The original closed-ended question I selected
was, “Round to the nearest ten. Use the number line to model your thinking”. In the original
question, students are given a number line already labeled along with a number to round to the
nearest 10. They must first place the given number correctly on the number line and then
provide the correct rounded number in the answer space. After watching the example with Dr.
Dickenson using Google Jamboard, I decided this would work great for the standard and concept
I chose. After looking at the concept, skill, and task expected in the closed-ended question, I
chose a task that uses the same skill and same general type of answer, but because it now
becomes open-ended they are able to come up with many more answers instead of a single
correct one. They are also able to use number talk to explain how they got their answers.
My idea is to create an open ended question that reads, _____ rounds to_____, because it is
_____ numbers away from_____. Students are then able to choose form a list of numbers
provided and can come up with many different solutions to the question. Another Idea I had was
to provide a blank number line and then ask the question, round to the nearest 10, given
______+______ = ______. Students could then use any numbers they want to come up with
their answers. They could then use the number line to explain their answers. Both of these
options allow for students to come up with multiple answers and also provide verbal evidence on
how they came to those conclusions. A multi-answer problem with a wide variety of pathways
becomes much more attainable, interesting, and requires significant cognitive effort, (Diskenson,
2021).

Equity and access for all learners is achieved with this method in several ways. Open-
ended tasks support all learners in your classroom from the gifted and talented, to students who
are working below grade level, to second-language learners. Open-ended tasks provide you with
an opportunity to make mathematics culturally relevant and highly contextualized in the lives of
your students. Open-ended tasks are a powerful assessment tool that can show you what students
know and where they need to grow, (Dickenson, 2021). Thank you again for taking the time to
read my response and I hope everyone has a wonderful week!
For students, open-ended tasks are inherently interesting and are more appealing and engaging
since they require an inquiry approach to learning (Sullivan, Warren, & White, 2000). Students
may find open-ended tasks to be more relevant, meaningful, and connected to real life.,