STANDARDS-BASED PERFORMANCE MATERIALS

K–12 Math

Engaging Tasks
Stronger Problem Solvers

students smiling at desk

For more than 30 years, Exemplars has helped educators teach and assess problem-solving skills through authentic performance tasks in mathematics. 

Exemplars puts student thinking—not screen time—at the center of learning. Teachers access ready-to-use tasks and resources online, while students work off screen—thinking deeply, solving real-world problems, collaborating, and sharing their mathematical thinking. 

The result is a classroom where students move beyond simply getting the right answer. They learn to reason, communicate, persevere, and become capable, confident problem solvers prepared to meet 21st-century challenges. 

Our classroom-tested materials support instruction, assessment, and professional development, with rubrics, student anchor papers, and differentiated problems.

Explore one of our subscription options:

Math Problem Solving for the 21st Century

A suite of K-5 performance tasks and assessment tools based on 21st century math skills. 350+ problem-solving performance tasks organized by rich Units of Study inspired by the NCTM Focal Points and leading state standards.

More Info + Free Trial

Problem-solving for the 21st Century: Built for the Common Core

An extensive K-8 library of math performance tasks and assessment tools built to align with the Common Core standards. 700+ problem-solving tasks are organized by domain and standard. An interactive scoring tutorial is included to help teachers hone assessment skills.

More Info + Free Trial

Problem Solving for the 21st Century: Built for the New York Next Generation Learning Standards

Expressly created for New York classrooms to align with NYS Next Generation Learning Standards and build proficiency in problem-solving math skills. This K-8 collection includes 700+ performance tasks and assessment tools for teachers and students.

More Info + Free Trial

Problem-solving for the 21st Century: Built for the TEKS

Expressly created for K-5 Texas classrooms to align with the Math TEKS and build proficiency in problem-solving math skills. This collection includes 380+ performance tasks and assessment tools for teachers and students.

More Info + Free Trial

OR SELECT FROM OUR CLASSIC MATHEMATICS PRODUCTS:

  • PRE K–K

    Differentiated Math, Pre K–K

    This hard copy publication provides teachers and caregivers with creative material to interest and challenge young minds. 

    20 differentiated problem-solving tasks require counting, patterning, and combining of small groups of objects as well as the description of shapes. Assessment rubrics, student anchor papers, and scoring rationales are provided.

  • Middle Grades

    Differentiated Middle School Math, 6–8

    This browser-based software includes 100 differentiated problem-solving tasks designed to engage middle-level learners.

    Our tasks and rubric criteria provide teachers with a natural way to elicit the NCTM Process Standards with their students. Annotated student anchor papers are also provided. 

  • Secondary

    Secondary Math, 9–12

    This browser-based software offers 50 problem-solving tasks in the content areas of algebra, functions, geometry, trigonometry, statistics, discrete math, pre-calculus, problem solving, and connections. 

    Assessment rubrics, annotated student anchor papers, and detailed teaching notes are provided.

What Educators Are Saying

  • We have a lot of social/emotional needs in my school so I love that Exemplars helps students learn to work together, share ideas, critique each other in a meaningful way, while also developing some pretty awesome critical thinking and reasoning skills ... I feel like I could go on and on about how much I love using Exemplars.

    Tess McCafferty, Teacher, OH

    If I think about all the strategies teachers have used to try to improve student achievement in math, the Exemplars program was the most powerful.

    Diane Ullman, Assistant Superintendent, CT

    I am determined to improve in math. The years I used Exemplars with fidelity my scores jumped tremendously; teachers actually assessed and enjoyed the art of teaching and students were always self assessing.

    Nyree Dixon, Principal, NY

  • Exemplars tasks have proven to be engaging for our Title I students. Use of the student-scoring rubric helps students understand exactly what is expected of them as they solve problems. This knowledge carries over to other mathematics tasks.

    Deidre Greer, Ph D. , Asst. Professor & Program Coordinator, Early Childhood Education

    I was amazed to see the differentiation and the student examples. So many times we see the problems, but not actual student work. Thank you so much for allowing me to see student work and the DIFFERENT ideas so that it's not me creating "mini mes" but showing students how to arrive at the answer in many different ways!

    C. Kendrick, Teacher, IL

    This is an excellent resource! Thanks for making it available. Exemplars are a wonderful tool for our highly capable math students. They encourage them to show their work, explain their thinking, and label their answers.

    C. Hyndman, Enrichment Facilitator, ID

  • I really loved Exemplars. They really challenge my mind. Exemplars really helped me in math... At the beginning of Exemplars I was never good, because I was an Apprentice, now I'm really good...I learned from Exemplars that there are so many different kinds of math, for example, adding, multiplication, division and subtraction.

    Math Student

    I am a special education teacher, and I have been using the math Exemplars with my students. They enjoy doing them and have actually asked to do them. I have noticed that with each problem we solve more and more students are trying to stretch their thinking so they can become 'Experts'.

    J. Reardon, Special Education Teacher

    I have really enjoyed using Exemplars. Teaching students how to become better problem solvers has been easier and the students have a more concrete format in which to follow. The rubric is very user friendly. It has really allowed my high-achievers to reach a new level. Problem solving is usually a weakness for them, because they only want to get the right answer... this has opened their eyes to a new way to express themselves mathematically.

    J. White, Elementary Teacher, GA