The following activities are designed for students to work together in pairs or small groups and think collaboratively about a certain problem. It is best that these problems are solved on vertical non-permanent surfaces (ie. a white board with students standing up). If this is not possible, have students work on larger sized pieces of paper or using white board pens on desks, if pen marks can be easily erased.
An important note: there is no right or wrong way to answer or complete these tasks. Students can answer the question or complete the task any which way they can!
Download all the full tasks with instructions and descriptions here: Thinking Tasks and Activities
Sample Task 1: Tricky Cards
Every student needs a deck of cards OR share a deck per 4 people and students can split the deck evenly.
Note: teachers can go to any casino and receive a box of used cards for free; an excellent resource for any teacher to have as an extra trick
Instructions:
- Each student should have 5 cards in their hand (A, 2, 3, 4, 5) – different suits is just fine
- Students will arrange the cards in their hand in a particular way so the cards come out in order from ace to 5
- Students will bunch the cards face down in their hand
- The method is to discard the top card to the bottom of the pile, and flip the next card face up on the table
- The new card on top and discarded to the bottom on the pile, and the top card is flipped onto the face up card which is already located on the table
- This trend continues until all 5 cards have been placed on the table and are in order from ace, 2, 3, 4, 5
- Once students are able to do this, tell them to add another card until they can do it
- Students can add up to as many cards as they wish
This is a great activity for students to complete individually while socializing with their peers. It is a great thinking game and gives students a bit of a competition.
Watch the video below for a demonstration of how this task works:
Task 2: Money Madness
The purpose of this task it to have students work together to come to a final solution. There is no correct way to solve the problem. An answer is not provided either. This is because we would like students to work towards a goal rather than work to find an answer.
The question:
I have lined up a row of 1000 quarters, every 4th quarter is replaced with a loonie, every 2nd coin is replaced with a dime, and every 3rd coin is replaced with a nickel. How much money is left?
Download the full version below!
Task 3: Bumble Bee Reproduction
The purpose of this task it to have students work together to come to a final solution. There is no correct way to solve the problem. An answer is not provided either. This is because we would like students to work towards a goal rather than work to find an answer.
Note: For this task, there are two option: easy and difficult. You may start with the easier version and move to the harder version OR you may judge groups according to how they are working and assign the harder one as necessary.
The question:
Easier version
A single pair of bumble bees reproduces to make 4 new bees. If each of these makes 4 more bees, how many bees are born after 10 reproductions?
Difficult version
A single pair of bumble bees, one male and one female, reproduce to make 4 new bees. Assume 50% male and 50% female are born. If only FEMALES can give birth, how many bumble bees are born after 12 reproductions? (assume 50% male and 50% female are born after each birthing)
Download the full version below!
Download: Thinking Tasks and Activities