“Show your work!” Math class often emphasizes completing steps correctly. What gets less attention is discourse around why the math works in the first place. We've curated three classroom-ready structures to get your students questioning concepts, sharing their thinking, and building a common understanding of mathematical ideas—so they can show their reasoning, not just their answers.
In this structure, students dive into the classic Debate about whether 0.999… is the same as 1. They enthusiastically use logic and first principles to defend their reasoning, challenge and support each other, and uncover the magic hidden in infinite decimals. Suddenly a slippery, abstract concept turns into a visible, discussable, and defendable mathematical idea. Use this Structure in your classroom!
In this Poll structure, students vote on which Pythagorean proof clicks for them, and which leaves questions unanswered. Seeing classmates’ votes and perspectives helps them notice gaps in their own understanding and rethink their logic. Suddenly proofs aren’t just memorized—they’re questioned, compared, and defended in real time. Use this Structure in your classroom!
This Connect structure links familiar proofs and concepts to the mathematicians who first developed them. It emphasizes how curiosity and logical reasoning drove discovery. Abstract ideas gain meaning when traced back to real thinkers—opening the door for students to imagine themselves adding to the story. Use this Structure in your classroom!
Have your own ideas you'd like to try out? With Soop's Structure Starter, you can tap into the power of AI to instantly generate a brand-new structure tailored to whatever your students are learning.