Open-Ended Problem Pictures

ESM410 Assignment 1:
Problem Pictures Task - Creating openended questions

Student Name: Thu Thao Christine Ngo
Student Number: 212143725
Campus: Burwood
PLAGIARISM AND COLLUSION Plagiarism occurs when a student passes off as the students own work, or
copies without acknowledgement as to its authorship, the work of any other person. Collusion occurs when a student
obtains the agreement of another person for a fraudulent purpose with the intent of obtaining an advantage in
submitting an assignment or other work. Work submitted may be reproduced and/or communicated for the purpose of
detecting plagiarism and collusion.
DECLARATION I certify that the attached work is entirely my own (or where submitted to meet the requirements of
an approved group assignment is the work of the group), except where material quoted or paraphrased is
acknowledged in the text. I also certify that it has not been submitted for assessment in any other unit or course.
SIGNED: Christine Ngo
DATE: 23/8/2015
An assignment will not be accepted for assessment if the declaration appearing above has not been signed by the
author.
YOU ARE ADVISED TO RETAIN A COPY OF YOUR WORK UNTIL THE ORIGINAL HAS BEEN
ASSESSED AND RETURNED TO YOU.
Assessors Comments: Your comments and grade will be recorded on the essay itself. Please ensure your name
appears at the top right hand side of each page of your essay.
Checklist
All points must be ticked that they are completed before submission.
Requirements checklist:
Tick
complete
d
The rationale addressed the rationale prompts in the assignment description.
The rationale included relevant citations/references which are stated.
Created 3 quality problem picture photos.
The photos MUST be original photos taken by yourself.
Location of photos are stated, e.g. Taken at Deakin foreshore.
Developed an original question for each photo with an accompanying enabling and
extending prompt.
If your photo has numbers that you are referring to in the problem, the numbers MUST
be clearly visible to be able to read in the photo.
Open-ended questions are creative and engaging.
Matched each problem with the appropriate mathematical content, year, definition and
code from the Australian Curriculum: Mathematics
Each question is accompanied by three possible correct responses.
Cross-curriculum links are made to each photo.
Reflecting on the trialling of the questions with an appropriately aged child or children.
The trialling reflection included relevant citations/references which are stated.
There is evidence of reference to problem-picture unit materials.
Problem pictures were collated into a word document using the assignment template.
File size of the word document is under 4mb.
Assignment is uploaded to the Cloud Deakin dropbox.
In order to pass this assignment you must have fulfilled all aspects of the checklist.
Rationale for the use of problem pictures in the classroom

An open-ended problem picture engages students in a number of different ways and presents
tremendous benefits in catering to all different learning abilities. Pictures present a touch of
realism (Sparrow & Swan 2005, p.2) where students are able to make the connection and
realise that mathematics is all around us. Gutstein (2006 as cited in Bragg & Nicol 2008,
p.201) argues that good tasks include those that are culturally relevant, namely, those that
connect to students lives. A picture problem provides a perfect model of how mathematics
can be a visual connection to students lives as the photos we can use in an open-ended
problem can be taken from places that students are familiar with. Bragg & Nicol (2011)
suggest that it is significant for students to be able to make connections between
mathematics they learn in class and outside of the classroom and not to view them as
separate entities. Open-ended questions also gives students the freedom to engage with the
task as students are presented with opportunities to explore varied strategic approaches and
encouraged to think flexibly about mathematics (Bragg & Nicol 2011, p.3), students can
choose to answer the question in a way they feel most comfortable with or students can
choose to be creative with their solutions, maximizing their full potential making
comprehensive use of their skills and knowledge in mathematics. Therefore there are high
levels of active participation, as students of varying abilities are able to participate because of
the flexibility of answers that the question provides, therefore students can feel confident in
providing a unique answer. Confidence is an important element of motivation, research tells
us that confident students will be more cognitively engaged in their learning (Caine & Caine
2001; Pintrich 2003b as cited in Churchill et al. 2012, p.133), therefore providing students
with an open-ended problem picture allows that reach of competence for all students.
The use of open-ended problem pictures will help to support the diverse needs of students in
my classroom. It is our role as a teacher to help every child develop their maximum
potential (Reys et al 2012, p.15) therefore, by providing different ways to cater for these
needs. An example by Sullivan, Mousley & Zevenbergen (2005) demonstrated how it was
possible for teachers to pose appropriate various to the open-ended tasks, therefore allowing
the task to crate opportunities for extension of mathematical thinking (Sullivan, Mousley &
Zevenbergen 2005, p.106) as well as providing opportunity for teachers to enable the
question to reduce the complexity for those who are not quite competent in answering the
original posed question.
References for the rationale:

Bragg, L. A., & Nicol, C. (2008). Designing open-ended problems to challenge preservice
teachers views on mathematics and pedagogy. In O. Figueras, J. L. Cortina, S. Alatorre, T.
Rojano & A. Sepulveda (Eds), Proceedings of the 32nd Conference of the International Group
for the Psychology of Mathematics Education (Vol. 2, pp. 201208). Mexico: Cinvestav-UMSNH:
PME.
Bragg, L. A. and Nicol, C. (2011). Seeing mathematics through a new lens: Using photos
in the mathematics classroom. The Australian Mathematics Teacher, 67(3), 3-9
Churchill, R., Ferguson, P., Godinho, S., Johnson, N., Keddie, A., Letts, W., Mackay, J.,
McGill, M., Moss, J., Nagel, M., Nicholson, M. V. (2011). Teaching Making A Difference. John
Wiley & Sons
Reys, R.E., Lindquist, M.M., Lambdin, D.V. and Smith, N.L. (2012, 10th Edition). Helping
children learn mathematics. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley and Sons.
Sparrow, L., & Swan, P. (2005). Starting out: Primary mathematics. Victoria: Eleanor
Curtain Publishing.
Sullivan, P., Mousley, J. & Zevenbergen, R. (2005). Increasing access to mathematical
thinking. Australian Mathematical Society Gazette,32(2), 105-109. The Society, St Lucia, Qld
Problem Picture 1
Location: Burwood Kmart
Problem Picture 1 - Questions

Grade level: 2
Question 1
Using the photograph, find out the total value of any two items of your choice. Show 3
different ways you can make up that value using up to 4 notes and up to 5 coins.
Answers to Question 1
1. $24 + $59 = $83
I. $50, $20, $10, $2, $1
II. $50, $10, $10, $10, $1, $1, $1
III. $20, $20, $20, $20, $2, 50c, 50c
2. $15 + $39 = $54
I. $50, $2, $2
II. $20, $20, $10, $1, $1, $1, $1
III. $20, $10, $10, $10, $2, $1, $1
3. $65 + $10 = $75
I. $50, $20, $5
II. $20, $20, $20, $10, $2, $2, $1
III. $50, $10, $10, $5
AusVELS - Number and Algebra

Content strand/s, year, definition and code
Level 2:
Number and place value: Solve simple addition problems using a range of efficient mental
and written strategies (ACMNA030)
Money and financial mathematics: Count and order small collections of Australian coins
and notes according to their value (ACMNA034)
Enabling Prompt
Using the photograph, find out the total value of any two items of your choice. Show 3
different ways you can make up that value using any notes ($100, $50, $20, $10, $5) and any
coins ($2, $1, 50c, 20c, 10c, 5c).
Answers to Enabling Prompt

1. $24 + $20 = $44
I. $20, $20, $2, $2
II. $10, $10, $10, $10, $1, $1, $1, $1
III. $20, $20, $2, $1, 50c, 50c
2. $15 + $39 = $54
I. $50, $2, $2
II. $20, $20, $10, $1, $1, $2
III. $10, $10, $10, $10, $10, $2, $2
3. $10 + $15 = $25

I. $20, $5
II. $10, $10, $5
III. $10, $5, $5, $5
AusVELS
Level 2:
Number and place value: Solve simple addition problems using a range of efficient mental
and written strategies (ACMNA030)
Justification for change to the original question

State the modification you made to the original question:
Allowed students to use as many notes and coins as they want

Prompted students with the possible notes and coins they can use
Why did you select this modification to make to the problem?

As the main objective was to acquire students to count and order collections of Australian
coins and notes, it was possible to remove the restriction of how many notes and coins they
were allowed to use for the freedom and ease of calculation. This modification allows students
to use any notes and coins they are comfortable with without the restrictions, giving students
the opportunity to truly focus on counting money to get to a particular value. The enabling
prompt also provided students with the values of the Australian coins and notes for those who
may be still unfamiliar with them.
Extending Prompt
Using the photograph, find out the total value of three items. When you received change, you
received a $10 note and some coins back. Work out how much you gave the cashier (in notes)
and what coins you received back. Show 3 different ways you could have received your
change.
Answers to Extending Prompt

** Note that the question says coins, therefore responses must contain more than one coin
1. $39 + $15 + $20 = $74
I. I gave the cashier $50, $20, $20 ($90), therefore I could have received back
a. $2, $2, $2
b. $2, $2, $1, $1
c. $1, $1, $1, $1, $1, $1
2. $59 + $65 + $24 = $148
II. I gave the cashier $100, $20, $20, $20 ($160), therefore I could have received back
a. $1, $1
b. 50c, 50c, 50c, 50c
c. $1, 50c, 50c
3. $39 + $65 + $49 = $153
III. I gave the cashier $50, $50, $50, $20 ($170), therefore I could have received back
a. $2, $2, $2, $1
b. $2, $2, $2, 50c, 50c
c. $1, $1, $1, $1, $1, $1, $1
AusVELS
Year 2:
Number and place value: Solve simple addition and subtraction problems using a range of
efficient mental and written strategies (ACMNA030)
Year 3:
Money and financial mathematics: Represent money values in multiple ways and count
the change required for simple transactions to the nearest five cents (ACMNA059)

Working out specific values to receive a certain amount of change

Additional item added finding out the value of 3 items

Another item was added to the total to increase the difficulty of working with larger numbers.
This equation goes beyond just doing simple addition to acquire a provided value and gets
students to use quick mental subtraction strategies to think about how much they need to
give in order to receive a specific amount back. Only an extra item was added to the value, as
the main focus is the mental subtraction strategy they apply when calculating the change,
adding extra items will lead to the same strategy.
Cross-Curriculum Links
English
Students can create their own multimodal narrative using the image as their starting point.
The image may be used in a number of ways to assist students in developing their story such
as the character or setting development. For example, the Minions may be used as a main
character or their setting could be someone in a shopping centre looking at toys.
Firstly, students will be asked to develop a plan for their narrative noting down their
characters, the setting, a problem or conflict and a resolution. Next students will be required
to write out their story, with a beginning middle and end. Once the story is completed, and
students have gone back and reread and edited their piece they will have a chance to draw
their scenes on a piece of paper, 4-5 scenes will be drawn. Then once students have
completed their drawings they will photograph their images on their iPad/tablet and load it
onto a story making application (e.g. Story Creator), where they will be able to add audio and
text to their images.
AusVELS - Cross-curriculum
Cross-curriculum area, Content strand/s, year, definition and code
English, Level 2
Writing
Literature
Create events and characters using different media that develop key events and
characters from literary texts (ACELT1593)
Literacy
Create [a] short imaginative text using growing knowledge of text structures and
language features for familiar and some less familiar audiences, selecting print and
multimodal elements appropriate to the audience and purpose (ACELY1671)
Reread and edit text for spelling, sentence-boundary punctuation and text structure
(ACELY1672)
Write legibly and with growing fluency using unjoined upper-case and lower-case letters
(ACELY1673)
Construct texts featuring print, visual, audio elements using software (ACELY1674)
Report of Trialling Problem Picture 1

Childs pseudonym, age and grade level:
Evelyn, Age 8, Grade 2
Original Question:
Find out the total value of any two items of your choice. Show 3 different ways you can make
up that value using up to 4 notes and up to 5 coins.
Childs response to the question:

Answer to original Question 1:
The student had no problem doing the original question so I trialled the extending prompt
Reflection on childs response:

My original question was Find out the total value of any two items of your choice. Show 3
different ways you can make up that value using up to 4 notes and up to 5 coins. which
required Evelyn to recall the Australian dollar denominations and apply addition strategies to
obtain the cost of two items. With the restrictions Evelyn had no difficulty working out a
different solution every time. I asked her how she solved the problem and she said well I
picked any note and wrote that number down and then I picked another note and did the sum
in my head first before I wrote it down in case the total went over, so first I picked $20 and
then I thought I would add another $20 and I calculated that in my head and it was $40 so I
wrote down $10 and then I knew to get to $50 I would only need $10 and since there is a $10
note I knew I could write down that too. The level of mental strategies that were exhibited
throughout the calculation of this problem already demonstrates her strong number sense.
Shumway (2011) describes someone who has a strong number as someone who understand
numbers, ways to represent numbers, relationship among numbers, and number systems.
Students who make reasonable estimates, computes fluently and who uses reasoning
strategies to figure out a problem.
As it was evident through Evelyns thinking strategies on the original question that she posed
a strong number sense, it was anticipated that she was capable of answering the extended
prompt. The question was answered as expected, where responses varied with their potential
to show equivalent values of small change. For example Evelyn was able to demonstrate her
knowledge that 50 cents is the same as two 20-cent coins and a 10-cent coin. I asked her
what her strategy was for answering this question and she said I added 10 to the answer
because the question said I got back $10 and some coins, then I went to the nearest 10s
number so 89 + 10 equals 99 so the nearest number was 100. This example further
establishes the fact that she possesses a strong number sense.
Much of Evelyns strengths in her mathematical understandings were highlighted through
these questions. She had a strong understanding of Australian currency and was able to
identify equivalent values in collections of coins and notes (Australian Curriculum
Assessment and Reporting Authority [ACARA], 2013) and was able to recognise when
subtraction or addition was required to solve the problem. Through each of her answers she
demonstrated that she is able to work from any given number. She challenged herself
numerous times as she worked out different combinations as well as working out a new total
for her enabling prompt to get a different value. It is apparent that Evelyn is comfortable
working with larger numbers, and when children learn the verbal count list and understand
cardinal values for numbers, they learn to represent larger numbers exactly and see that each
number has a unique successor (LeCorre & Carey, 2007; Sarnecka & Carey, 2008 as cited in
Jordan, Glutting & Ramineni 2009, p.82). The dots she used under her third answer of the
enabling prompt revealed that she is capable of skip counting. Evelyns use of mental addition
and subtraction strategies that she used before writing the answer down showed that she
thought about the problem before rushing into writing numbers down, meaning shes an
effective problem solver (Reys et al. 2012, p.113) as she planned ahead what she would do
in order to solve a problem. She also used a guess-and-check strategy (Reys et al. 2012,
p.126) where she made repeated educated guesses, using what has been learned from earlier
guesses to make subsequent guesses well. Throughout her problem solving, she realized the
value of the money she was adding on so she added a smaller value on.
The mathematical intent of the question was addressed, as Evelyn was required to solve
simple addition to obtain the value of two items as well as count collections of coins or
notes (ACARA, 2013) to make up that particular value. She understood that there were many
combinations she should create that make up the same value.
References for reflection on the trial of question 1:

Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority. (2013). The Australian
Curriculum. Retrieved July 30, 2015, from http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au
Jordan, N.C., Glutting, J., Ramineni, C. (2009). The importance of number sense to
mathematics achievement in first and third grades. Learning and Individual Differences. 20,
82-88. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2009.07.004
Shumway, J.F. (2011). Number sense routines: building numerical literacy everyday in
grades K-3. Portland: Stenhouse Publishers
Problem Picture 2
Location: Bogong Park, Glen Waverley
Grade level: 2
Question 2
Identify and describe all the 2D and 3D shapes you can see in the photo and draw all the 2D
shapes. Choose a shape and show two different types of transformations.
AusVELS - Measurement and Geometry

Level 2:
Shape:
Describe and draw two-dimensional shapes, without digital technologies (ACMMG042)

Describe the features of three-dimensional objects (ACMMG043)
Location and transformation:
Investigate the effect of one-step slides and flips without digital technologies
(ACMMG045)
Identify and describe half and quarter turn (ACMM6046)
Enabling Prompt
What 2D and 3D shapes you can see? How many faces, edges and corners does each shape
have? Draw all the 2D shapes and choose one and show two different types of
transformations (reflection, slide or rotation).

Shapes are the same as question 1 Here are other possible transformations.
AusVELS
Level 2:
Shape:

Identify the features of three-dimensional objects (ACMMG043)
(ACMMG045)

Simplified language and direct instruction for describing the shape

Prompted students with the 3 types of possible transformations

This modification allows for the students who are not yet familiar with the terms of describing
and transforming to be guided with direct instruction. The prompts allow students to focus on
remembering and applying the technique that they have previously learned.
Extending Prompt
Identify, draw and describe all the 2D and 3D shapes you can see in the photo. What other 3D
shape (one you have not mentioned) can be made using one of the 2D shapes as a base?
Describe it and how two different types of transformations using this 3D shape.

All the 2D listed in the original answer. 3D Shape drawings are shown below.
AusVELS
Level 2:
Shape:

Describe the features of three-dimensional objects (ACMMG043)
(ACMMG045)

Extended students thinking by getting them to think of other 3D shapes using the 2D
shapes they found as base

The modification moves students beyond what 3D shapes they can see and apply their
knowledge of other 3D shapes, using the 2D shapes they found in their picture as a catalyst to
their thinking. The prompt also extends students thinking on how the 3D objects would look
when they have been transformed.
Science
The focus of the science lesson will be to investigate the physical sciences of the push and
pull affects. Using the image as a starting point students will describe what happens to the
shape of the left swing chair when someone sits on it, and again describe what happens when
someone pushes the person sitting on the swing. Students will then be asked to see if there is
anything else in the image of the playground, where a push and full affect can be applied (e.g.
swing, ropes etc). They will then investigate what happens when they pull a rubber band and
let it go (doing this against a wall, away from students). While completeling a POE (predict,
observe and explain) sheet, students will firstly predict what happened and write their
observations down then test their theory by pulling on the rubber band and finally writing
their observation and explanation down. Once the whole class is finished, they will
communicate through a class discussion, sharing their hypothesis and explanations.
Science, Level 2
Science Understanding
Physical sciences
A push or pull affects how an object moves or changes shape (ACSSU033)
Science as a Human Endeavour
Nature and development of science
Science involves asking questions about, and describing changes in, objects and events
(ACSHE034)
Science Inquiry Skill
Questioning and predicting
Respond to and pose questions, and make predictions about familiar objects and events
(ACSIS037)
Planning and conducting
Participate in different types of guided investigations to explore and answer questions,

such as manipulating materials, testing ideas, and accessing information sources.
(ACSIS038)
Evaluating
Compare observations with those of others (ACSIS041)
Communicating
Represent and communicate observations and ideas in a variety of ways such as oral
and written language, drawing and role play (ACSIS042)

Original Question:
Identify and describe all the 2D and 3D shapes you can see in the photo. Draw all the 2D
shapes. Choose a shape and show two different types of transformations.
Extending prompt answers

My original question was Identify and describe all the 2D and 3D shapes you can see in the
photo. Draw all the 2D shapes. Choose a shape and show two different types of
transformations. Evelyn had no problem connecting the shapes she knew and identifying
them in the playground.
The problem was answered as expected, it was evident that she has had a lot of practice and
experience in describing the properties of shapes as she used the correct terminology as she
counted the edges and corners of the 2D shapes, as well as faces for 3D shapes. Her
ability to apply previous knowledge of describing shapes using the correct terminology
demonstrated that she was moving toward a more precise description of classes of shapes
(Reys et al. 2012, p.376). Evelyn also exhibited great capability in her knowledge of
transformations, where she was able to successfully reflect the shape on the x-axis.
Evelyns answer on the extending prompt was what I was expecting. I asked her how she was
able to draw the 3D shapes and she said she had used the image to help her and she copied
the way it was drawn in the image, and simply connected the lines together to form a closed
3D shape. She was also able to make the connection between what she knew about 2D
shapes and 3D shapes and applied her understanding through her answer, that the bottom of
a cone is a circle.
Many strengths of her mathematical understanding were highlighted through her answers to
these questions. As children begin forming concepts of shapes long before they enter school
(Clements & Sarama 2000a, p.82), it is apparent that she has had a high capability of making
continuous connections with shapes to real life objects as she is learning. Her thinking moved
beyond simply distinguishing shape features to actually describing them with detail. Clements
& Sarama (2000b) describe this thinking level as the descriptive level, where children
recognise and can characterize shapes by their properties. Evelyn was also able to apply the
relationship between 2D and 3D shapes in the enabling prompt, and this is important, as
students need concepts from 2-dimensional shapes in order to more completely describe 3dimensional objects (Reys et al. 2012, p.376). Her competent knowledge of 2D shapes also
helped her to describe and count the edges, faces and corners of the 3D shapes in the photo.
Overall, the question did address the mathematical intents of describing 2D shapes as she
was required to find different shapes in the photo and identify key features by counting the
edges and corners (ACARA, 2013).

Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority. (2013). The Australian
Curriculum. Retrieved July 30, 2015, from http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au
Clements, D.H., & Sarama, J. (2000). The Earliest Geometry. Teaching Children
Mathematics, 7(2), 82-86
Clements, D.H., & Sarama, J. (2000). Young Childrens idea About Geometric Shapes,
Teaching Children Mathematics, 6(8), 482-488
Problem Picture 3
Location: My house

Grade level: 2
Question 3
Using the photograph of the fruits, generate a question to conduct a survey with your peers.
With the data gathered, represent your findings in the best possible way and interpret them.
1. Which one of these fruits is your most favourable?
Fruit
Orange
Banana
Apple
Pear
Mandarin
Student
s
||||||
||||
||||||||
||
|||
My Classs Most Favourable Fruit

Orange
Banana
Apple
Pear
Mandari
n
Fruit
Orange
Banana
Apple
Pear
Mandarin
Student
s
||||
||||||||
|
||||
||||
Apples are the most favourable fruit in the class

= 1 student
2. Which one of these fruits is your least favourable?
Least Favourable Fruit

12
10
8
6
4
Number of Students 2
0
Bananas are the

least favourable
fruit in the class
3. On average, how often do you eat bananas?
Fruit
Frequen
cy
Everyday
1-2 times
a week
3-4 times
a week
5-6 times
a week
Never
Student
s
|||
||||
More people
in the class
never eat
bananas
|||
||||
||||||||
Number of Students
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
Times a week
AusVELS - Statistics and Pro
bability

Level 2
Data representation and interpretation
Identify a question of interest based on one categorical variable. Gather data relevant
to the question (ACMSP048)
Collect, check and classify data (ACMSP049)
Create displays of data using lists, table and picture graphs and interpret them
(ACMSP050)
Enabling Prompt
Using the photograph of the fruits, think of a question you can ask the class. Gather the data
and record the information you collect in a table, and represent the information in a graph.
Looking at the graph, explain what you have found out.

1. Do you prefer eating oranges or mandarins?
Fruit
Oranges
Mandarin
s
Student
s
|||||||
||||||||||||||
Oranges or Mandarins?
20
15
People in the class

prefer eating
mandarins than
oranges.
5
0
Oranges
Mandarin
Fruit
2. Would you prefer eating an apple, banana or pear?

Fruit
Apple
Banana
Pear
Student
s
||||||||||
||||||
|||||
Which do you prefer?

15
10
Students
The students in the

class prefer eating
apples out of the 3
fruits.
5
0
Apple
Banana
Fruit
3. Looking at the photo, which fruit do you think is the heaviest?
Pear
Fruit
Orange
Banana
Apple
Pear
Mandarin
Student
s
||||||||||||||
|
||||
||
Heaviest Fruit
Most of the
students in the
class think that the
orange is the
heaviest fruit and
no one in the class
thinks the
mandarin is the
heaviest.
10
8
6
Number of Students
4
2
0
Red
Orange
Yellow
Green
Fruit
AusVELS
Level 2
(ACMSP050)

Communication of strategies were more explicit

Language of the problem is simplified

The terminology was simplified as students are still learning these terms. The prompts guide
students in a more obvious direction where the steps control the students to record and
represent their data in a particular way.
Extending Prompt
With the data gathered, represent your findings in the best possible way. From your
interpretation of the data, explain whether the results represent the whole school.

1. Which fruit is your most favourable?
Fruit
Orange
Banana
Apple
Pear
Mandarin
Student
s
||||||
||||
||||||||
||
|||
Most Favourable Fruit

10
9
8
7
6
Number of Students
The most favourable

fruit in the class are
apples and the least
are pears. The results
cannot determine
whether the most
favourable fruit in the
school would be
apples because there
are 600 students in
the school, so
surveying 25
5
4
3
2
1
0
Red
Orange
Yellow
Fruit
2. Would you prefer the colour red, yellow, orange or green?
Colour
Red
Orange
Yellow
Green
Student
s
||||||
||||
||||||||
|||||
Preferred Colour
10
8
6
Students
4
2
The most preferred

colour is yellow; these
results cant
represent the whole
school as only a small
fraction of the school
was asked.
Red
Orange
Yellow
Green
Colour
3. Which fruit do you mainly see at your house the most?
Green
Fruit
Orange
Banana
Apple
Pear
Mandarin
None
Student
s
||||
||||||
|||||||
||||
Most students in
the class see apples
at home. These
results cant
represent the whole
school as different
households buy and
consume different
things.
Fruits Mostly Seen at Home

9
8
7
6
5
4
2
1
0
Fruits
AusVELS
Level 2
(ACMSP050)

Extending the interpretation of data

The interpretation requires them to think beyond their classroom and to consider the
appropriateness of the data collection method in regards to whether the results they have
collected can represent the whole school. It focuses students to think about the relationship
between their generated question and the data collection method (only asking peers), and
whether it is enough to make a generalised statement.
Health
As students learn about healthy eating and having a healthy life style, the image of fruits can
be incorporated into a health lesson where the students learn to make healthy food choices.
As the food pyramid gets introduced into the lesson, students can think about where the fruit
goes into the pyramid. Using the image as a starting point, students are to list other similar
foods that would fit in the same category. Then a discussion can be formed around the
benefits of eating fruit daily, examining the vitamins, minerals and nutrients that fruits can
provide. The lesson will further explore the number of servings of particular food groups that
children their age should be consuming daily, the 4 food groups will be broken into vegetables
and fruit, grain products, milk and alternatives and meat and alternatives, and the types of
foods in that group students should choose to consume (for example, grain products which
are low in fat, sugar or salt). Which will lead to a further discussion of the benefits of eating
other food groups.
Health and Physical Education Level 2
Learn to make healthy food choices according to healthy eating models, and to consider the
factors that influence their choice of foods. They begin to recognise the importance of variety
and frequency of food consumption for an active and healthy life (VCAA, 2013)

Original Question:
With the data gathered, represent your findings in the best possible way and interpret them.
Extending prompt was also asked From your interpretation of the data, explain whether the
results represent the whole school.
[Transcript of conversation]
Me: Whats your interpretation of the data?
Evelyn: There are more people in the class who prefer eating bananas
Me: Could these results represent the whole school?
Evelyn: I dont think we can say the whole school would prefer to eat bananas because
theres so many people and so many classes in the school and I only asked the people in one
class and in grade 2, maybe the older or younger kids might like something else
Me: If we didnt have time to ask everyone, what would be a good way to see what the whole
school prefers?
Evelyn: ummm maybe we could ask some students in each class but then what if we
happen to only ask the people who like a certain fruit then it wouldnt be very fair
Me: So do you think there would be any other way?
Evelyn: Maybe it would be best to just ask most people because then it would be more fair
we cant just say everyone in the school prefers like say bananas if we only asked some
students

My original question was Using the photograph of the fruits, generate a question to conduct
a survey with your peers. With the data gathered, represent your findings in the best possible
way and interpret them., Evelyn had no difficulty in interpreting the question, she
immediately knew that conducting a survey meant she had to use some form of a table and a
tally to collect the data. This understanding meant she answered the question as expected as
she was able to represent her findings in some easily understood form, and that using tally
marks is extremely useful. I was rather impressed by her efforts in creating the graph; she has
obviously had some great experience in creating graphs in the past. I noticed she was looking
around at the graphs they had previously created in the class, which means she uses her
resources around her very well. When interpreting the data, she was able to understand the
relationship between the data and the context of the graphic display in which they appear
(Ontario 2007, p.24), therefore being able to see that the number 6 next to bananas means
nothing if you look at it alone, and that it is required of her to look at the whole table to get a
holistic understanding that 6 is the highest number, therefore bananas is the most preferred
fruit in the class.
Reys et al. (2012) describes how data analysis and statistics provide a meaningful context for
promoting problem solving and critically thinking. The extending prompt was answered as
expected and allowed Evelyn to go beyond just interpreting what the data says and extends
her thinking to how the data can/cannot represent the whole school. Learning should focus
on the process of exploration (Pratt 2006, p.16), not simply just finding an answer. The
extending prompt allows students to critically think and provide reason to a question,
students are able to explore possible solutions to what it means to look at data in a different
way.
Throughout Evelyns answers she has provided a strong mathematical understanding on
representing and interpreting data. It is an important part of mathematics learning to have
the knowledge related to constructing and interpreting data (Reys et al. 2012, p.436) as
students encounter ideas of statistics outside of school every day. It is evident through my
conversation with Evelyn about the data that she has a strong understanding of how data is
looked at, she reads beyond the data and makes inferences about the data (Ontario 2007,
p.25) where she applies background knowledge to interpret information that is not explicitly
stated in the graph. It is important for teachers to support learners in coming to understand
these ideas in new ways (Pratt 2006, p.16, therefore someone with the critically skills like
Evelyn would need to be extended even further, to promote a deeper level of understanding
on how data can be interpreted.
I believe the question has addressed the mathematical intention of the question, as students
were required to generate a question and gather relevant data to create a graph. Bohan, Irby
& Vogel (1995) discuss how it is beneficial for students to identify their own questions as it
gives them that ownership of the analysis, therefore their motivation for the study will be
high. The open-endedness of the task is highly engaging and fosters more important aspects
of learning mathematics (Sullivan, Mousley & Zevenbergen 2005, 106).

Bohan, H., Irby, B. & Vogel, D. (1995). Problem solving: Dealing with data in the
elementary school. Teaching Children Mathematics, 1(5)(January), pp.256-260
Ontario (2007). A Guide To Effective Instruction In Mathematics, Kindergarten To Grade
3 - Data Management and Probability. Ontario Education
Pratt, N. (2006). Interactive Maths Teaching in the Primary School. London: Paul
Chapman Publications
Sullivan, P., Mousley, J. & Zevenbergen, R. (2005). Increasing access to mathematical
thinking. Australian Mathematical Society Gazette,32(2), 105-109. The Society, St Lucia, Qld

Open-Ended Problem Pictures

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Open-Ended Problem Pictures

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ESM410 Assignment 1:

Problem Pictures Task - Creating openended questions

The rationale addressed the rationale prompts in the assignment description.

The rationale included relevant citations/references which are stated.

Created 3 quality problem picture photos.

The photos MUST be original photos taken by yourself.

Location of photos are stated, e.g. Taken at Deakin foreshore.

Open-ended questions are creative and engaging.

Each question is accompanied by three possible correct responses.

Cross-curriculum links are made to each photo.

The trialling reflection included relevant citations/references which are stated.

There is evidence of reference to problem-picture unit materials.

File size of the word document is under 4mb.

Assignment is uploaded to the Cloud Deakin dropbox.

Rationale for the use of problem pictures in the classroom

References for the rationale:

Problem Picture 1 - Questions

AusVELS - Number and Algebra

Answers to Enabling Prompt

3. $10 + $15 = $25

Justification for change to the original question

Allowed students to use as many notes and coins as they want

Why did you select this modification to make to the problem?

Answers to Extending Prompt

Justification for change to the original question

Working out specific values to receive a certain amount of change

Why did you select this modification to make to the problem?

Report of Trialling Problem Picture 1

Childs response to the question:

Reflection on childs response:

References for reflection on the trial of question 1:

Problem Picture 2 - Questions

AusVELS - Measurement and Geometry

Describe and draw two-dimensional shapes, without digital technologies (ACMMG042)

Location and transformation:

Answers to Enabling Prompt

Describe and draw two-dimensional shapes, without digital technologies (ACMMG042)

Location and transformation:

Justification for change to the original question

Simplified language and direct instruction for describing the shape

Why did you select this modification to make to the problem?

Answers to Extending Prompt

Describe and draw two-dimensional shapes, without digital technologies (ACMMG042)

Location and transformation:

Justification for change to the original question

Why did you select this modification to make to the problem?

Participate in different types of guided investigations to explore and answer questions,

Report of Trialling Problem Picture 2

Childs response to the question:

Extending prompt answers

Reflection on childs response:

References for reflection on the trial of question 2:

Problem Picture 3 - Questions

My Classs Most Favourable Fruit

Apples are the most favourable fruit in the class

Least Favourable Fruit

Bananas are the

3. On average, how often do you eat bananas?

AusVELS - Statistics and Pro

Content strand/s, year, definition and code

Answers to Enabling Prompt

People in the class

2. Would you prefer eating an apple, banana or pear?