Of the many resources available in Teacher Resources, the Application Tasks are particularly noteworthy because they provide project-based learning opportunities with real-world STEM applications. Available for students in Grade 3 and up, they can be used during whole-group or small-group instruction to extend students’ understanding of essential math concepts and foster collaboration, meaningful discourse, and cross-disciplinary connections. These are printable materials that are used completely independently of the Imagine Math program.
Each Application Task includes:
- an essential question
- background information to activate prior knowledge
- a rich problem situation grounded in a real-world context
- academic vocabulary
- opportunities to use multiple problem-solving strategies
- multi-disciplinary connections
- prompts to explain and justify one’s thinking
- an extension activity
- a teacher lesson plan
To use the Application Tasks:
- Log in to Imagine Math.
- In the Content section of the left navigation pane, select Teacher Resources.
- In the Category filter, select Application Tasks. All Application Task resources appear.
- To open the first resource, STEM-Focused Application Tasks Guide, click on its title. You may then download or print it for future reference. This document explains the tasks, the research behind them, and gives an example lesson plan with pacing guidelines.
- Scroll down to find the Application Task Alignment document for the grade you teach; click on the title to open it, then download or print it for future reference. This document lists each task for the grade level as well as the standards to which it aligns, (CCSS for Common Core and TEKS for Texas), the Quantile Skill and Concepts (QSCs), the math and language objectives, and the prerequisite Imagine Math lessons and conceptual understandings.
As an example, here is the Application Task Alignment from Grade 8: - To find an Application Task, search for it by typing part of the name in the Resource filter.
- Click the names of both the Student Master and the Teacher Lesson Plan to open and print both documents.
- Follow the instructions in the Teacher Lesson Plan to implement the lesson with your students.
Tip
Search for "Vocabulary" in the Resource filter to download the Vocabulary Knowledge Rating Sheet, and have your students fill it out as part of their lesson.