Successful Strategies for Guided Math Groups: Generating and Testing Hypothesis

Posted on February 26, 2013. Filed under: Common Core | Tags: generating and testing hypothesis, mathematical practice 3 |

Marzano (2001) has stated that generating and testing hypothesis is one of the strategies that move student achievement.  This intersects with Mathematical Practice 3.  In this practice students are supposed to “understand and use stated assumptions, definitions, and previously established results in constructing arguments.”

So as students are thinking through math activities, we need to remind them to tap into prior knowledge. 

Next, “They make conjectures and build a logical progression of statements to explore the truth of their conjectures. They are able to analyze situations by breaking them into cases, and can recognize and use counterexamples.”

Do you have your students to do this?  Use counterexamples…It’s a practice.  Make sure you discuss counterexamples.

Furthermore, students “justify their conclusions, communicate them to others, and respond to the arguments of others.”

Do you use the words “justify your thinking.”  Do you provide structures like small guided math groups where everyone gets a chance to communicate their thinking to others? And do you set up structures where students can “respond” to others…. How often do you give your students the opportunity to do that?

Moreover, students “reason inductively about data, making plausible arguments that take into account the context from which the data arose. Mathematically proficient students are also able to compare the effectiveness of two plausible arguments, distinguish correct logic or reasoning from that which is flawed, and-if there is a flaw in an argument-explain what it is.”

Do you give your students the opportunity to read and listen to different arguments and then decide which one makes sense?

Happy Mathing,

Dr. Nicki

References: CCSSM 2010