At Concordia International School Hanoi, we are deeply committed to providing our students with an exceptional and forward-thinking education that equips them for success in an ever-evolving world. We continuously seek out innovative and research-backed teaching methodologies that not only meet but exceed educational standards, fostering a genuine love for learning within each student. We are thrilled to share an exciting development in our Elementary School mathematics program: the integration of Graham Fletcher’s 3-Act Tasks.

Mike Mills, who is one of Concordia Hanoi’s 5th grade teachers, recently attended Shaping Productive Mathematics Classrooms, a specialized training in the 3-Act Task framework hosted by Yokohama International School. He then shared this knowledge and experience with the rest of Concordia’s Elementary School faculty. 

This dynamic approach to mathematics instruction, readily available at gfletchy.com/3-act-lessons, has garnered significant attention within the educational community for its ability to ignite student curiosity, deepen conceptual understanding, and cultivate essential problem-solving skills. We believe that incorporating these tasks will significantly enhance our students’ mathematical journeys, aligning seamlessly with the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and nurturing their ability to think critically and apply mathematical concepts in meaningful contexts.

The beauty of the 3-Act Task lies in its simple yet powerful structure, designed to mirror how we encounter and solve problems in our daily lives. Each task unfolds in three distinct acts:

Act 1: Sparking Curiosity – The Hook

Imagine a scenario presented through a captivating image, a short video clip, or a compelling question. This is Act 1 – the “hook.” Its primary purpose is to pique the student’s interest, prompting them to wonder, to ask questions, and to identify what they notice and what they want to know. This initial engagement is crucial in fostering intrinsic motivation and setting the stage for mathematical exploration. Instead of passively receiving information, students are actively drawn into the problem, naturally wanting to find a solution. This phase encourages observation, critical thinking, and the formulation of initial estimates or predictions.

Act 2: Gathering Information – The Investigation

Once curiosity is ignited, Act 2 provides the necessary information to tackle the problem. This might include specific data, measurements, or constraints. However, unlike traditional word problems where all the information is presented upfront, in a 3-Act Task, students often need to ask for additional information, mirroring real-world problem-solving where we frequently need to seek out the data required. This active pursuit of information encourages students to think strategically about what they need to know and how that information will help them reach a solution. It fosters a deeper understanding of the problem's parameters and the relationships between different pieces of information.

Act 3: Revealing the Solution – The Resolution and Discussion

Finally, Act 3 reveals the solution to the problem. However, the learning doesn’t end there. This act is followed by a crucial phase of discussion and reflection. Students are encouraged to share their strategies, compare their approaches with those of their peers, and analyze the reasoning behind the solution. This collaborative environment fosters mathematical communication, allows students to learn from different perspectives, and solidifies their understanding of the underlying mathematical concepts. It’s not just about getting the right answer; it’s about the process of getting there and the insights gained along the way.

Mr. Mills said, “The Shaping Productive Mathematics Classroom's professional development at Yokohama International School was a fantastic learning experience. One of the highlights was diving into the 3-Act Task framework—an engaging, real-world approach to spark curiosity and support deep problem-solving in math. I’m excited to bring these strategies back to Concordia to help foster even more student-centered, meaningful learning experiences.

As an Elementary team, we had the opportunity to practice this model by working through a real-life math problem: determining the cost of a 100-patty hamburger from In-N-Out Burger. Collaborating in small groups to solve this was not only fun but also helped us experience the kind of mathematical thinking we want to cultivate in our students.”

The integration of 3-Act Tasks across our grade levels will be thoughtfully tailored to the developmental needs and learning objectives of each age group:

Reception to Grade 2: Laying the Foundation for Mathematical Thinking

For our youngest learners, 3-Act Tasks will be carefully crafted to build foundational skills in counting, addition, and subtraction. These tasks will focus on concrete, relatable scenarios that tap into their natural curiosity about the world around them. For instance, a task like “The Cookie Monster” might present a visual of a plate of cookies before and after the Cookie Monster’s visit, prompting students to estimate how many cookies were eaten and to reason about the change in quantity. These seemingly simple scenarios encourage early number sense, estimation skills, and the development of basic problem-solving strategies in an engaging and playful manner.

Grades 3 to 5: Developing Conceptual Understanding and Fluency

In the intermediate grades, 3-Act Tasks will support the development of more complex concepts such as multiplication, division, and fractions. Tasks will be designed to encourage students to visualize these operations in real-world contexts. For example, a task titled “Share the Love” might involve a scenario where a certain number of items need to be divided equally among a group of friends. This not only reinforces the concept of division but also connects it to the idea of fair sharing, making it more tangible and meaningful. Through these tasks, students will move beyond rote memorization and develop a deeper understanding of the underlying principles of these mathematical operations.

Grades 6 to 8: Exploring Complex Reasoning and Algebraic Thinking

Our Middle School program has already been implementing the 3-Act Tasks methodology, and Concordia Hanoi teachers have presented on the subject matter at an international conference previously. For our Middle School students, 3-Act Tasks delves into more sophisticated mathematical topics such as ratios, proportions, and the early stages of algebraic thinking. A task like “Geared Up” might present a scenario involving gears of different sizes and their rotational speeds, challenging students to apply their understanding of ratios and proportional reasoning to predict the outcome. These tasks encourage abstract thinking, the ability to identify patterns and relationships, and the application of mathematical concepts to solve complex, real-world problems, laying a strong foundation for future mathematical studies.

By intentionally integrating Graham Fletcher’s 3-Act Tasks into our mathematics curriculum, we are not only aligning with the rigorous standards of the CCSS Mathematical Practice Standards – which emphasize reasoning, problem-solving, argumentation, and modeling – but we are also fostering a vibrant, student-centered classroom environment. In this environment, our students will be encouraged to actively explore mathematical ideas, to ask insightful questions, to communicate their thinking clearly and confidently, and to collaborate with their peers to construct their own understanding.

We firmly believe that this approach will cultivate a deeper and more meaningful understanding of mathematical concepts, moving beyond memorization and empowering our students to become confident and capable problem-solvers in all aspects of their lives. 

We are excited about this innovative step forward in our mathematics program and the positive impact it will have on our students’ learning journeys.