Overview of Session 4 The Candy Jar Problem

• Overview of the session The candy jar shown contains Jolly

• Completion of Pretest Ranchers (the rectangles) and
• The Case of Marie Hanson--The Candy Jawbreakers (the circles). Use this
Jar Problem candy jar to solve Problems 1-3 in two
– Solve the problem different ways. For the strategies you
– Examine each others’ work use, be sure you are able to label what
– Read the case the results of your computations
– Analyze the case represent.
• Wrap Up
1 2

Focus Questions
Candy Jar Problem
• Solve the Candy Jar problem in • What strategies can be used to
two different ways. solve the problem?
• For the strategies you use, be sure
to label what the result of each of • What are the mathematical goals
your computations represent. for the lesson?

3 4
 Cognitive Demand of the Reflect in Notebooks
Candy Jar Problem

• Memorization task
• Procedure without connections • What does it feel like to do this kind
of work?
• Procedure with connections
• “Doing” mathematics
• What stood out for you today?

5 6
 Session 4 GVSU 7/29/08

Factors That Influence Maintaining the

Cognitive Demand of a Task

! Maintaining problem complexity: Assisting through scaffolding

! Sustaining a press for justification

! Building on student knowledge and thinking

! Making conceptual connections

! Modeling high-level thinking

! Encouraging communication

! Providing enough time

Implementing Standards-based Mathematics Instruction: A Casebook for Professional Development

Authors: M. K. Stein, M. Henningsen, & E. A. Silver
Teachers College Press (2005)
 Session 4 GVSU 07/29/08

Opening Activity for The Case of Marie Hanson

The candy jar shown contains 5 Jolly Ranchers (the rectangles) and
13 Jawbreakers (the circles). Use this candy jar to solve Problems 1-3 in two
different ways. For the strategies you use, be sure you are able to label what the
results of your computations represent.

• Suppose you have a larger jar with the same ratio of Jolly Ranchers to
Jawbreakers as shown in the picture. If the jar contains 100 Jolly Ranchers,
how many Jawbreakers are in the jar?

• Suppose you have an even larger candy jar with the same ratio of Jolly
Ranchers to Jawbreakers as shown in the candy jar above. If the jar contains
720 candies, how many of each kind of candy are in the jar?

• Suppose you are making treats to hand out to trick-or-treaters on Halloween.

Each treat is a small bag that contains 5 Jolly Ranchers and 13 Jawbreakers.
If you have 50 Jolly Ranchers and 125 Jawbreakers, how many complete
small bags could you make?

• What is the relationship between the two approaches you used to solve each
problem?

Adapted from Improving Instruction in Rational Numbers and Proportionality

Authors: Smith, Silver, & Stein
Teachers’ College Press (2005)
 Session 4 GVSU 07/29/08

MATRIX 1: Examining Students’ Mathematical Understanding in the Marie Hanson Case

Questions April, Jerry, and Sharee [Paragraphs 12 - 17]

1. What inferences can you draw

about these students’ understanding
or misunderstanding? Cite
paragraphs from the case for each
inference.

2. What did Marie Hanson do to

assess student understanding or
misunderstanding? (Cite paragraphs
to support your conclusions)

3. Identify Marie’s instructional

decisions in this segment and:

a) indicate how these moves

either maintained or
undermined the cognitive
demand of the tasks

b) speculate on the rationale

Marie may have used to
inform her instructional
moves and its relationship
to the mathematical goal(s)
of the lesson?

Adapted from BIFOCL p. 1 of 3

7/12/07
 Session 4 GVSU 07/29/08

MATRIX 2: Examining Students’ Mathematical Understanding in the Marie Hanson Case

Questions Jordan, Sarah, and Jerry [Paragraphs 24 - 26]

1. What inferences can you draw

about these students’ understanding
or misunderstanding? Cite
paragraphs from the case for each
inference.

2. What did Marie Hanson do to

assess student understanding or
misunderstanding? (Cite paragraphs
to support your conclusions)

3. Identify Marie’s instructional

decisions in this segment and:

a) indicate how these moves

either maintained or
undermined the cognitive
demand of the tasks

b) speculate on the rationale

Marie may have used to
inform her instructional
moves and its relationship
to the mathematical
goal(s) of the lesson?

Adapted from BIFOCL p. 2 of 3

7/12/07
 Session 4 GVSU 07/29/08

MATRIX 3: Examining Students’ Mathematical Understanding in the Marie Hanson Case

Questions Angelica, Danielle, and Joshua [Paragraphs 37 - 41]

1. What inferences can you draw

about these students’ understanding
or misunderstanding? Cite
paragraphs from the case for each
inference.

2. What did Marie Hanson do to

assess student understanding or
misunderstanding? (Cite paragraphs
to support your conclusions)

3. Identify Marie’s instructional

decisions in this segment and:

a) indicate how these moves

either maintained or
undermined the cognitive
demand of the tasks

b) speculate on the rationale

Marie may have used to
inform her instructional
moves and its relationship
to the mathematical
goal(s) of the lesson?

Adapted from BIFOCL p. 3 of 3

7/12/07
- Michigan Mathematics and Science Teacher Leadership Collaborative -
- Michigan Mathematics and Science Teacher Leadership Collaborative -
- Michigan Mathematics and Science Teacher Leadership Collaborative -
- Michigan Mathematics and Science Teacher Leadership Collaborative -
- Michigan Mathematics and Science Teacher Leadership Collaborative -
- Michigan Mathematics and Science Teacher Leadership Collaborative -
- Michigan Mathematics and Science Teacher Leadership Collaborative -
- Michigan Mathematics and Science Teacher Leadership Collaborative -
- Michigan Mathematics and Science Teacher Leadership Collaborative -
- Michigan Mathematics and Science Teacher Leadership Collaborative -