Try it yourself: designing your own Bar Model task

You are now going to think on how you might use the Bar Model method in your own teaching practice. You will do this by adapting an existing task of choice in such a way that the Bar Model can be used in solving it.

To scaffold the task, you could use the following steps:

1. Think about a context or situation where you might be able to use the Bar Model method. Can you find a specific resource or curriculum topic you think would work for bar modelling? You can think about the themes of the examples we have already shown. For example, proportions and/or ratios, might be suitable.

2. Pick one or more tasks from this topic. Think whether the wording of the tasks need to be changed to make it more ‘Bar Model’-like.

3. Now imagine you are one of your students and complete the tasks with some bar modelling.

You could then describe these examples in this discussion step, so they are shared with other learners. We can then build a library of Bar Model method examples, which will help all learners develop their understanding of the concept. You could reply to examples left by other learners with some constructive comments. You could even share scans, images or other visual materials via this padlet. You can add a contribution by double-clicking on the canvas. The row at the bottom allows you to add files, images, links and various other sources.

Don’t forget, you can open the padlet in a new window by right-clicking and selecting ‘open in a new window’.