In case you are trying the MARS MAP Classroom Challenges for the first time, it is recommended that you read the Brief Guide for teachers and administrators before you get started.
After a brief lesson introduction, students respond individually to the questions on their work.
Then, in groups of 2 or 3, students compare their different approaches and examine and comment on some sample student responses. They identify features of these responses that may help them with their own work.
In the same small groups, students now work together to produce a collaborative solution in the form of a poster.
In a whole-class discussion, students explain and compare the strategies they have seen and used.
Finally, students reflect on their work and their learning.
To help students to select appropriate mathematics to solve a problem.
To help students to compare and evaluate different methods for solving a problem and make generalizations about the appropriateness of different approaches.
To help students to understand the Pythagorean Theorem and how it can be used to solve problems in the real world.