Welcome to Magma Mondays! Each week, you’ll receive a fresh problem designed to spark curiosity, build problem-solving skills, and bring mathematical joy to your classroom.
These problems are meant to encourage authentic mathematical thinking, student discussion, and multiple ways of solving. Let’s get you set up for a great launch.
Getting Started Videos:
Ready to jump in? These quick videos will walk you through everything you need to kick off Magma Mondays with confidence.
Welcome: Watch Me First! (Password: fvd%W6BJ)
3 Reads Protocol (Password: j@%5^vm^)
Once your assignment is created, click the three dots next to it on your homepage and select Solve which shows you the student’s view so you can explore it as a class, model strategies, and remind students of the tools they can use. Click here to watch a step-by-step walkthrough. (Password: MagmaTeacher )
How to Get Started:
Create an Assignment
Choose this week’s Magma Mondays problem and assign it to your students from the teacher dashboard. Need help creating assignment? Here's a guide.
Consider Using the 3 Reads Protocol
If you’d like to build engagement and deeper comprehension, try launching the problem using the Three Reads strategy.
Steps for 3 Reads (with problem in Solve Mode):
From Teacher View:
Click on the problem to switch to the Solve mode
Drag the problem onto the screen.
Cover the numbers and the question, so students only see the context/story.
Then read the problem three times:
Read 1: Teacher reads aloud (substitute numbers with “HMMM”). Ask: What is this problem about?
Read 2: Reveal the question. Students restate the question in their own words.
Read 3: Reveal the numbers. Read aloud together. Ask: What quantities matter here?
Resources:
Tips for Implementation
Quiz Mode by Default
Problems are assigned in Quiz Mode to encourage deeper thinking and classroom discussion. This gives students space to:
Revisit their thinking
Justify their approach
Revise their work based on feedback
Encourage Revision
Students may benefit from routines like:
Stronger & Clearer Each Time (students discuss their solutions with others)
Rough Draft Math (by Dr. Amanda Jansen) – helping students shift from “good enough for me” to “clear for others”
👉 Prompt to ask: Will your written solution convince a friend? A teacher? A skeptic?
Celebrate Student Work
We'll post selected student solutions weekly on the Magma Math website! You can also:
Showcase work on a bulletin board
Share in class newsletters
Create a “Math Wall of Fame”