What we like about this task

Mathematically:

• Addresses standards: 2.NBT.A and MP.2
• Attends to all three components of the place value system: base-ten units, bundling/unbundling, and positional notation (2.NBT.A)
• Relates concrete quantities and abstract symbols (MP.2)

In the classroom:

• Prompts students to share their developing thinking and understanding
• Uses concrete representations to make the mathematics explicit
• Allows the teacher to check for understanding throughout students' work 

This task was designed to include specific features that support access for all students and align to best practice for English Language Learner (ELL) instruction. Go here to learn more about the research behind these supports. This lesson aligns to ELL best practice in the following ways:

• Provides opportunities for students to practice and refine their use of mathematical language.
• Allows for whole class, small group, and paired discussion for the purpose of practicing with mathematical concepts and language.
• Elicits evidence of student thinking both verbally and in written form.
• Includes a mathematical routine that reflects best practices to supporting English Language Learners in accessing mathematical concepts.
• Offers the opportunity for students to act out the problem when the task features complex real-world situations.