Math Inquiry with 101 Questions

Math inquiry encourages students to guide themselves through the exploration of a mathematical problem or statement.  With math inquiry, students learn to ask questions, draw conjectures, develop their ideas in collaboration with their peers, and challenge their reasoning abilities to prove their results.

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A LETTER FROM YOUR STUDENTS (via www.101qs.com/blog/)

We don’t care how well you lecture. We don’t care how well you engage us. We aren’t impressed by your fancy slide transitions or your interactive whiteboard. We care how well you perplex us.

Can you perplex us? Can you show us something that’ll make us wonder a question so intensely we’ll do anything to figure out the answer, including listen to your lecture or watch your slides? ...

Signed,

Your Students

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Technology creates opportunities for students to be curious, ask questions, and be motivated to find the answers.  One website, http://www.101qs.com/, attempts to do this for the subject of Mathematics, using images and short videos to promote math inquiry and problem solving.  

Here are a few examples:

Early Elementary - Geometry Building Triangles

Intermediate Elementary - Fraction Black Box

Middle Elementary - Money Bottomless Mug

Consider using this website to prompt mathematically questioning with your students.  Some images and videos can be used as part of a quick 5 minute discussion at the beginning of class or to introduce a new topic or concept.  Others images and videos may require a full class period to explore the problem and find its solution.  

This website is set up to randomly select images and videos for you but I would suggest using the Search option to find material related to a specific concept.  You will need to set up a free account in order to submit questions and see questions posted by others as well as any supplemental images or videos posted that accompany the initial image or video.  Some images and videos have lesson plans or handouts.

*One thing that I found a little tricky is when you submit a question, the website generates a new image or video.  If you scroll down, below it is a link (in blue) to any previous posts where you submitted a question.  You will have to select this link in order to continue.  (If anyone finds an easier way, please share. Thanks!)  

If you like to learn more about the mind behind 101 Questions, Dan Meyer, check out his Ted Talk Math Class Needs a Makeover  (Advance video to time 6:30 and watch...ah ha moment comes in around at 8:06).  Enjoy!