← Lesson Design

Complex Tasks

Tasks that work across many content areas and emphasize *complexity* rather than mere difficulty.

Printable List

Difficult vs Complex Tasks
Difficult vs Complex Tasks
What separates difficulty from complexity? And why do complex tasks lead to much more natural differentiation?
Complex Task: What Would X Think of Y?
Complex Task: What Would X Think of Y?
Here’s a simple task that will add complexity to any content from any grade level!
Inductively Analyze Website Reliability
Inductively Analyze Website Reliability
Rather than giving students rules to apply to websites, let them analyze websites to create rules.
Can Students Solve Your Classroom Layout Problems?
Can Students Solve Your Classroom Layout Problems?
What if your students designed your classroom layout?
Building “Not Like The Others” Tasks
Building “Not Like The Others” Tasks
A delightfully ambiguous framework that is quick to prepare, but can last forever!
Complex Task: Academic Tournaments
Complex Task: Academic Tournaments
Who would win in the Tournament of Least Useful Geometric Shapes or Bravest Shakespearean Characters? Create an academic tournament and watch your students’ brains sweat!
Complex Task: Subjective Graphs
Complex Task: Subjective Graphs
What would it be like if students graphed characters from stories? Historic leaders? Elements from the period table? Objects in space?