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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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: Mentally add 10 or 100 to a given number 100–900, and mentally subtract 10 or 100 from a given number 100–900.
problem_activity: Optional activity
In both subsequent lessons and units, students will work extensively with similar right triangles. This activity gives students opportunities to practice the Pythagorean Theorem, and apply similar triangles in a contextual problem.
Launch
If students struggled to use the Pythagorean Theorem in a previous lesson:
Begin by asking students what they notice and wonder about the image from this activity.
Draw students’ attention to the right triangles, and ask them what must be true about the side lengths.
Provide some possible lengths for sides and have students practice finding an unknown side length in an isosceles right triangle to allow students to practice working with the square root of 2.
Speaking, Reading: MLR5 Co-Craft Questions.
Use this routine to increase awareness of the language used to talk about similar right triangles. Before revealing the questions in this activity, display the image of the quilt design made of right isosceles triangles. Ask students to write down possible mathematical questions that could be asked about the image. Invite students to compare their questions before revealing the actual questions. Listen for and amplify any questions about the features of the right triangles. For example, “Are all the right triangles similar?”, “What is the scale factor between the small and large right triangle?”, and “What are the side lengths of the right triangles?”
Design Principle(s): Maximize meta-awareness; Support sense-making
Student Facing
Here is a quilt design made of right isosceles triangles. The smallest squares in the center have an area of 1 square unit. Find the dimensions of the triangles.
[IMG]
Are the triangles similar? If so, what are the scale factors?
This quilt is meant for a baby (1 unit = 6 inches). To make a quilt for a queen-size bed, it needs to be 90 inches wide. What dimensions should the center squares of the big quilt have to reach that width?
Student Response
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for free access to Student Response.
Student Facing
Are you ready for more?
Here is a quilt design made of right triangles. Find as many different size triangles as you can.
[IMG]
Write similarity statements for 2 pairs of triangles.
The smallest triangles have legs 2 units and 3 units long. Write some equivalent ratios or equations that will help you determine the dimensions of triangle
\(LCQ\)
. Use your equivalent ratios or equations to find the dimensions of triangle
\(LCQ\)
.
Student Response
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for free access to Extension Student Response.
Anticipated Misconceptions
Students who struggle with the number of similar triangles in the image can trace each size triangle separately onto tracing paper and label the corresponding sides using colored pencils.
Activity Synthesis
A key point to emphasize in this discussion is that ratios in which each ratio compares side lengths within each figure are also equivalent across similar figures. That is, for a triangle with side lengths
\(a, b, c\)
, and a similar triangle with corresponding side lengths
\(x,y,z\)
, we have equivalent ratios such as
\(\frac{a}{b} = \frac{x}{y}\)
.
Invite students to share strategies for scaling the figure up from a baby blanket to a quilt for a queen-size bed.


aligns: no