Task Writing Contest 4 for Illustrative Mathematics

/ Ashli
For our fourth round of our Standards Task Writing Contest, we are going to do something a little different. Our theme focuses on the development of geometric measurement and it’s applications K-12, and rather than asking for tasks related to individual standards, we  are putting up clusters. As such, tasks may be submitted for a specific standard within one of the clusters listed below, or for the overall cluster. Check out illustration for 8.EE Equations of Lines that illustrates the eighth grade cluster Understand the connections between proportional relationships, lines, and linear equations as an example of the latter.


  • K.MD Describe and compare measurable attributes.
  • 1.MD Measure lengths indirectly and by iterating length units.
  • 2.MD Measure and estimate lengths in standard units.
  • 3.MD Geometric measurement: understand concepts of area and relate area to multiplication and to addition.
  • 4.MD Geometric measurement: understand concepts of angle and measure angles.
  • 5.MD Geometric measurement: understand concepts of volume and relate volume to multiplication and to addition.
  • 6.G Solve real-world and mathematical problems involving area, surface area, and volume.
  • 7.G Solve real-life and mathematical problems involving angle measure, area, surface area, and volume.
  • 8.G Solve real-world and mathematical problems involving volume of cylinders, cones, and spheres.
  • G-GMD Explain volume formulas and use them to solve problems.
  • G-GMD Visualize relationships between two-dimensional and three dimensional objects.
  • G-MG Apply geometric concepts in modeling situations.

Authors of tasks selected for inclusion in the Illustrative Mathematics task bank will receive $200 per task, which must be emailed by Monday, February 13th, 2012 midnight in your local time zone to illustrativemathematics@gmail.com with subject line “Submission for Illustrative Mathematics Task Writing Contest Jan 30 – Feb 13, 2012.”

We have also created a permanent page with general information about the Illustrative Mathematics Contest that all who are thinking about submitting a task should check out.

Contest Winners

We are pleased to announce three of the winners of our first Contest!

Dan Meyer — Doctoral student, Stanford University, California. His task is titled “8.F High School Graduation” and is available on the Illustrative Mathematics website.

Travis Lemon — Teacher, American Fork Junior High School, Utah. He has four tasks in development. We’ll announce it here when they are ready.

James E. Bialasik and Breean Martin–Teachers, Sweet Home CSD, New York. Their task is titled “8.EE Cell Phone Plans”.

We have other people whose names will appear here as their tasks get closer to completion.

2 thoughts on “Task Writing Contest 4 for Illustrative Mathematics”

  1. Ashli, a quick question:
    Do you prefer tasks that use metric units, or customary/Imperial units?
    I know the Standards refer to both, so some advice on units to include when writing tasks would be helpful.
    Thanks!

    Reply

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.