Instructional Sequence

Notice the pedagogical sequence from Launch to Explore to Summarize.

• Launch—This teacher-directed piece introduces the ideas and clarifies the task. The Launch should take no more than 10 minutes.
• Explore—This portion should be the bulk of the class period where students are thinking, talking, reading, writing, and experimenting, while working with peers in groups with the teacher conferencing groups as needed. The teacher asks questions that encourage students to extend and clarify their thinking, probe deeper, and make connections.
• Summarize—The last 10 minutes should be a large-group closure where the teacher ties the exploration period back to the mathematics underlying the investigation. Students share and present their thinking to the class, while other students are actively listening and posing questions, suggesting alternatives, and building on the presented ideas and solutions. Individual student journaling may also take place during the Summarize portion.