Another Structure: Tiered Tasks

Open-ended problem-solving tasks are a great way to differentiate instruction and provide students with rich learning opportunities, but these tasks alone are unlikely to help children develop computational fluency. In an effort to balance open-ended problem-solving work with practice in basic math facts, I turn to old stand-bys--worksheets--and new stand-bys--dice and card games. It has been fairly easy to gear these tasks for several different levels, since my math curriculum guides often introduced an activity in the first grade book, revisiting it in on a more advanced level in the second grade book. For example:

The winning number game can be played with one die or two dice.

Addition worksheets can feature double-digits or triple digits.