Hi {{custom.firstName}},

 

This is one of my favorite screens in all of Unit 4.

It’s also a great place for you to encourage students to . . .

 

Start with a wrong answer.

 

For many students, math class can feel like a single-minded pursuit of correct answers, where anything short of correctness represents failure. But we’ve designed screens like this so you can encourage failure. So you can say, “Hey, if you don’t know where to start, start with an answer you know is definitely wrong. See what you can learn from it.”

 

Move the cursor to the corner. It’s definitely going to be wrong. But why?

 

When you destigmatize and even encourage wrong answers, you’ll dial down math anxiety for many students, invite more student thinking, and prepare them to learn more later.

 

I’m so excited to hear how this goes for you!

 

Dan & the Desmos Classroom Team

PS. Please give us feedback on the last lesson.

Use the feedback form or just click your answer below then click "Submit" on the form!

 

How likely is it that you would recommend this lesson to a friend or colleague?

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Great advice from other teachers.

Baltimore, MD

 

For the first few slides, I gave my students an x value to get started because some of them didn't really know where to start.

 

Chicago, IL

 

Suggest to students [that they] try the balanced hanger before looking at the graph for the systems of equations

Previous Previews

• [8.4.2] Keep it Balanced — You can’t break math.
• [8.4.3] Balanced Move — Start with their senses.
• [8.4.8] When Are They the Same? — Start with the question, not the answer.