Now let's look at the "Products and Sums" video segment in some more detail. In this Observe Viewer, you can watch one group of students as they investigate a pattern between addition and multiplication of particular numbers. We've added annotations that highlight their reasoning process.
After you've watched the video segment, reflect on the following questions:
In what ways did the students in the video increase their ability to make observations and develop and discuss their conjectures?
How did the students use and extend their knowledge of using tables of values to organize information?
What comments or questions might you add that would help students extend their observations or test their conjectures?
Who are the students learning from -- themselves, their classmates, the teacher, or a combination? Give examples to support your answer.
The open-ended nature of this investigation both allowed students to begin at a level where they would be successful and enticed them to investigate increasingly complex ideas. Also, as the students practiced reasoning and communicating their ideas, the teacher obtained important assessment information.
