199 Math Project or More Practice? Stop Making It an Either/Or

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When Should You Use Math Projects? 4 Signs a Topic Is Ready for PBL

Not every math standard needs a project.

Yep. I said it.

Sometimes students need an authentic problem to solve, decisions to make, and an opportunity to actually USE the mathematics they're learning.

And sometimes? They need practice.

In this episode of The Modern Math Teacher, we're talking about how I decide which parts of my curriculum have real project potential—and which ones I'm perfectly happy teaching, practicing, and moving on from.

I'm sharing four things I look for when deciding whether a topic is a good fit for a project:

- Does the math have a natural real-world application?

- Does it give students something meaningful to reason about or decide?

- Is the content meaty enough to justify the instructional time?

- Can I connect it to something my students will actually care about?

We'll also talk about why real-world doesn't automatically mean relevant, why forcing every standard into a project isn't the goal, and how some of the best math projects actually have procedural practice baked right into them.

Because projects and practice aren't opposites. The goal is knowing when each one is the right tool for the learning.

🎧 In this episode:

- How I identify standards with strong project potential

- Why modeling, interpreting, comparing, and decision-making are project green flags

- When procedural practice really IS the better instructional choice

- Why a real-world context isn't enough if students don't care about it

- How my Spheres of Relevance help me evaluate project ideas

- Why strong projects can—and should—include opportunities for practice

- How to find one realistic place to start adding projects to your curriculum

🆓 RESOURCE: Project or Practice Guide

Want help figuring out where projects make sense in your math curriculum?

Grab my free Project or Practice Guide. I've gone through the secondary standards to help you identify which ones lend themselves naturally to projects and which ones may be better suited for practice.

👉 moorethanjustx.com/guide

Ready to Design Your First PBL Unit?

Once you've found the right place in your curriculum, PBL Kickstart will help you turn that idea into an actual project-based learning experience.

This $17 on-demand workshop walks you through planning your first PBL unit in three simple steps—without turning your entire curriculum upside down.

👉Join the Kickstart: PBL Kickstart

Until next time, keep it real!

This podcast is a member of the Teach Better Podcast Network. Better Today. Better Tomorrow. And the Podcasts to Help You Get There.

Connect with Kristen:

• Follow on Instagram @moorethanjustx
• Join the Facebook Community: The Modern Math Teachers Movement

More About the Modern Math Teacher Podcast

Kristen Moore, classroom teacher and instructional coach at Moore Than Just X, empowers modern secondary math teachers to transform the student experience with the strategies and the confidence to implement project-based learning, mastery-based assessment, and student engagement strategies in their classrooms.

Whether you're a math education newbie or a seasoned veteran, you'll find something new and inspiring in every episode. You’re already a listener, why not join the Movement inside ✨The Modern Math Teachers Movement Facebook group. Join the community of math teachers who are not afraid to shake things up and make math class the best part of the day for our students. So tune in each Tuesday, have some fun, and let's elevate our math teaching game together!

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