few_shots: 
Example:
Problem/activity:
Narrative
The purpose of this activity is for students to create composite shapes and compose new shapes from composite shapes. For example, students may find that a rectangular prism can be made from four triangular prisms or from eight smaller cubes. Students then discover that they can combine two of the composed rectangular prisms to make a new rectangular prism.
Required Materials
Materials to Gather
Geoblocks
Launch
Groups of 4
Give each group geoblocks.
Display a large cube.
“This cube can be built from other shapes. See how many ways you can build a cube using other shapes.”
3 minutes: partner work time
Share responses.
Activity
“Choose a different shape. Try to find smaller shapes you can use to build that shape.”
5 minutes: partner work time
Student Response
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click here to register or sign in
for free access to Student Response.
Activity Synthesis
Display a cube and a composite cube—for example, a cube composed of four small cubes and one rectangular prism.
Demonstrate putting the shapes together.
“What new shape did I make with the cube and the cube I made?”
“Put your shapes together to make a rectangular prism.”
Display a rectangular prism and two triangular prisms.
“Find these shapes. Put them together. What new shape can you make?” (a cube, a rectangular block)


Concept/skill: 
Compose two-dimensional shapes (rectangles, squares, trapezoids, triangles, half-circles, and quarter-circles) or three-dimensional shapes (cubes, right rectangular prisms, right circular cones, and right circular cylinders) to create a composite shape, and compose new shapes from the composite shape. (Students do not need to learn formal names such as “right rectangular prism.”)

Answer: 
Yes. This activity asks students to compose three-dimensional shapes, using geoblocks, to create composite shapes.

Now, does the problem or activity shown below enable students to learn the full intent of the following concept or skill?

shot_info: im_lesson_009431_pos_0

1
standard_description: Use volume formulas for cylinders, pyramids, cones, and spheres to solve problems.
problem_activity: Warm-up
Students calculate a scale factor given the areas of the circular base of a cone and the base of its dilation. This connects the concept of surface area dilation to cross sections, and gives practice with non-integer roots.
Monitor for pairs of students who initially consider an answer of 20.25 but come to a consensus that the scale factor is 4.5.
Launch
Arrange students in groups of 2. Provide access to scientific calculators. After quiet work time, ask students to compare their responses to their partner’s and decide if they are both correct, even if they are different. Follow with a whole-class discussion.
Student Facing
The image shows a cone that has a base with area
\(36\pi\)
square centimeters. The cone has been dilated using the top vertex as a center. The area of the dilated cone’s base is
\(729\pi\)
square centimeters.
[IMG]
What was the scale factor of the dilation?
Student Response
Teachers with a valid work email address can
click here to register or sign in
for free access to Student Response.
Anticipated Misconceptions
Some students may struggle to find the square root of 20.25. Remind students that their calculators can find square roots, and prompt them to use an estimate to check the reasonableness of the calculator output.
Activity Synthesis
Select a pair of students to explain their reasoning. If the pair considered 20.25 but moved to an answer of 4.5, ask how they knew 20.25 wasn’t correct.
Discuss with students how they can decide if 4.5 is a reasonable value for the square root of 20.25, considering the fact that 4
2
= 16 and 5
2
= 25. If time allows, ask students to calculate the scale factor for the solid’s volume (4.5
3
= 91.125).


aligns: yes