What types of connections do prospective middle grades teachers make when engaged in tasks meant to probe their mathematical connection making? In this colloquium, the results of two tasks meant to probe mathematical connections will be presented. The first is a problem solving task requiring prospective middle grades teachers to make connections between algebra, two-dimensional, and three-dimensional geometry. The other is a card sorting task designed to provide a glimpse into how prospective middle grades teachers tend to unpack, relate, and connect a set of mathematical topics within the domain of geometry and measurement. Implications for prospective teacher preparation and instruction will be discussed.