Mathematics through Inquiry in PYP
Transform mathematics teaching through inquiry-based learning approaches.
🌟 Workshop Overview
What if math wasn't just about right answers, but about asking the right questions? This workshop is for every teacher who has ever wondered how to make math truly engaging, concept-driven, and relevant to real life.
🌟 What to Expect
- Discover how math inquiry goes beyond worksheets and drills, and sparks curiosity and creativity
- Learn to design lessons using the inquiry cycle that are rooted in exploration, collaboration, and student agency
- Get hands-on practice with scope and sequence integration, planning with conceptual understanding, skills, and transdisciplinary links
- Explore ready-to-use strategies, reflection routines, and assessment techniques
- Create your own inquiry-based math lesson plan during the session!
✨ Why It's Exciting
When math is taught through inquiry, it transforms. Students begin to see patterns in everyday life, question the logic behind systems, and build real-world problem-solving skills.
Example:
Instead of teaching area and perimeter through formulas alone, imagine presenting this scenario:
"You've been hired to redesign our school garden. What shape will give you the most area for planting, with the least fencing needed?"
Now math is connected to purpose, design, and real-world application.
🧩 Key Takeaways
- How to align inquiry tasks with your school's math scope and sequence
- How to differentiate for diverse learners through open-ended investigations
- A practical template for creating concept-based, inquiry-driven math units
- Inspiration from real classrooms and visible thinking routines
Practical Math Inquiry Strategies
Strategy 1: Real-World Problem Scenarios
- Present authentic problems that require mathematical thinking
- Connect to students' lives and interests
- Allow multiple solution pathways
Strategy 2: Mathematical Investigations
- Pose open-ended questions that lead to mathematical exploration
- Encourage students to notice patterns and make conjectures
- Use manipulatives and visual representations
Strategy 3: Number Talks and Mathematical Discourse
- Create opportunities for students to share their mathematical thinking
- Build on student strategies and reasoning
- Develop mathematical vocabulary naturally through discussion
Strategy 4: Cross-Curricular Math Connections
- Integrate math with science, social studies, and arts
- Show how math is a tool for understanding the world
- Create meaningful contexts for mathematical learning
🎯 Key Takeaway
Let's turn math into a journey of discovery — not just a subject to teach, but a language to explore the world! When we approach mathematics through inquiry, we help students develop deep conceptual understanding, critical thinking skills, and a genuine appreciation for the beauty and utility of mathematics in their lives.