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
Teachers with a valid work email address can
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: Order three objects by length; compare the lengths of two objects indirectly by using a third object.
problem_activity: Narrative
The purpose of this activity is to give students a concrete experience of building the boundary of shapes and quantifying that length of the boundary, allowing them to conceptualize perimeter as a measurable geometric attribute. Students use
\(1\frac{1}{4}\)
-inch paper clips as the units for measuring the distances around four shapes. The reasoning here prepares them to reason about equal-size intervals that can be marked on the sides of a shape to measure its length (as students will see in the next activity).
Required Materials
Materials to Gather
Paper clips
Materials to Copy
What Does It Take to Build the Shapes?
Required Preparation
Each group of 4 needs 25-50 paper clips that are
\(1\frac{1}{4}\)
-inch long each.
If using 1-inch paper clips, use 80% scale when making copies of the blackline masters.
Launch
Groups of 4
Give each group a copy of the blackline master and 25–50 paper clips.
“Make a prediction: Which shape do you think will take the most paper clips to build?”
30 seconds: quiet think time
Poll the class on whether they think shape A, B, C, or D would take the most paper clips to build.
Activity
“Work with your group to find out which shape takes the most paper clips to build. You may need to take turns with the paper clips.”
5–7 minutes: small-group work time
Monitor for students who:
place paper clips one at a time and then count the total
place paper clips one at a time and then add up the numbers on all sides
use multiplication (
\(3 \times 3\)
for B,
\((2 \times 4) + (2 \times 2)\)
for C, or
\((2 \times 6) + 2\)
for D)
use estimation
Student Facing
Your teacher will give you four shapes on paper and some paper clips.
Work with your group to find out which shape takes the most paper clips to build. Explain or show how you know. Record your findings here. Draw sketches if they are helpful.
A
B
C
D
Student Response
Teachers with a valid work email address can
click here to register or sign in
for free access to Student Response.
Activity Synthesis
Select previously identified students to share their responses and strategies for finding the number of paper clips. Record the different strategies for all to see.
“What we have done in this activity is to find the length of the boundary of shapes. The boundary of a flat shape is called its
perimeter
.”
“When we find the distance all the way around a shape, like we did with paper clips, we are measuring its perimeter.”
“To find the length of the perimeter of a shape, we can find the sum of its side lengths.”
“We can say that the perimeter of shape A is 13 paper clips long.”
“When we say ‘find the perimeter,’ we mean find the length of the perimeter.”


aligns: no