few_shots: 
Example 1:
Concept/skill: 
Represent addition and subtraction with objects, fingers, mental images, drawings (Drawings need not show details, but should show the mathematics in the problem. (This applies wherever drawings are mentioned in the Standards.)), sounds (e.g., claps), acting out situations, verbal explanations, expressions, or equations.

Problem/activity:
Task
Materials
One 10-frame per pair of students (see example below)
[IMG]
Counters, 10 per pair of students
Decks of number cards 0-5 (with 4 of each number) or two 0-5 dice
Setup
This activity is done in pairs. The students sit side by side with 10-frame and deck of cards or dice. If they have cards, the cards are shuffled and placed face down in front of them.
Action
Player 1 flips a card or rolls the die. They place that many counters on the 10-frame. Player 2 flips a card or rolls the die. They place that many more counters on the 10-frame next to the counters already on the ten frame. The students count the total together.
A recording sheet can be added when the students have been introduced to equations and number sentences. For those students who can handle higher numbers, a deck of 0-10 cards and two 10-frames can be used.
This game can also be played alone.


Answer: 
Yes. This task involves representing addition with objects such as number cards and dice.

Example 2:
Concept/skill: 
Explain equivalence of fractions in special cases, and compare fractions by reasoning about their size.
 Grade 3 expectations in this domain are limited to fractions with denominators 2, 3, 4, 6, and 8.

Problem/activity:
Task
 Arrange the fractions in order from least to greatest. Explain your answer with a picture.
 $\frac{1}{5}, \frac{1}{7}, \frac{1}{3} $
 $\frac{2}{5}, \frac{2}{7}, \frac{2}{3} $
 $\frac{5}{6}, \frac{3}{6}, \frac{1}{6} $
 $\frac{5}{12}, \frac{8}{12}, \frac{4}{12} $

Answer: 
Yes. By arranging the fractions in this problem, students learn to compare fractions by reasoning about their size.

Example 3:
Concept/skill: 
Fluently add and subtract multi-digit whole numbers using the standard algorithm.
Grade 4 expectations in this domain are limited to whole numbers less than or equal to 1,000,000.

Problem/activity:
Problem 1
Solve using the standard algorithm. If you get stuck, use an area model and/or the partial products algorithm to help. Then assess the reasonableness of your answer.
a.
$$5,803\times46$$
b.
$$63\times2,116$$
Problem 2
Dunkin' introduced a croissant doughnut in 2014. In the first three months of its debut, they sold 7,870 dozen of them per day. How many croissant doughnuts were sold in the first three months?


Answer: 
No. This set of problems does not directly involve adding or subtracting multi-digit whole numbers. Instead, it focuses on multiplying multi-digit whole numbers.

Now, determine whether the following problem or activity can enable students to understand the concepts or skills in the provided description.

shot_info: im_task_001477_pos_0

K

im_task_000157_pos_0

3

fl_problem_000674_neg_0

5
standard_description: Solve multi-step real-life and mathematical problems posed with positive and negative rational numbers in any form (whole numbers, fractions, and decimals), using tools strategically. Apply properties of operations to calculate with numbers in any form; convert between forms as appropriate; and assess the reasonableness of answers using mental computation and estimation strategies. For example: If a woman making $25 an hour gets a 10% raise, she will make an additional 1/10 of her salary an hour, or $2.50, for a new salary of $27.50. If you want to place a towel bar 9 3/4 inches long in the center of a door that is 27 1/2 inches wide, you will need to place the bar about 9 inches from each edge; this estimate can be used as a check on the exact computation.
problem_activity: Warm-up
By now, students understand that lengths in a scaled copy are related to the original lengths by the scale factor. Here they see that the area of a scaled copy is related to the original area by the
square
of the scale factor.
Students build scaled copies of a single pattern block, using blocks of the same shape to do so. They determine how many blocks are needed to create a copy at each specified scale factor. Each pattern block serves as an informal unit of area. Because each original shape has an area of 1 block, the
\(\text{(scale factor)}^2\)
pattern for the area of a scaled copy is easier to recognize.
Students use the same set of scale factors to build copies of three different shapes (a rhombus, a triangle, and a hexagon). They notice regularity in their repeated reasoning and use their observations to predict the number of blocks needed to build other scaled copies (MP8).
Digital
Launch
Arrange students in groups of 3–4. Distribute pattern blocks and ask students to use them to build scaled copies of each shape as described in the task. Each group would need at most 16 blocks each of the green triangle, the blue rhombus, and the red trapezoid. If there are not enough for each group to have a full set with 16 each of the green, blue, and red blocks, consider rotating the blocks of each color through the groups, or having students start with 10 blocks of each and ask for more as needed.
Give students 6–7 minutes to collaborate on the task and follow with a whole-class discussion. Make sure all students understand that “twice as long” means “2 times as long.”
Using real pattern blocks is preferred, but the Digital Activity can replace the manipulatives if they are unavailable.
Student Facing
Use the applets to explore the pattern blocks. Work with your group to build the scaled copies described in each question.
[IMG]
How many blue rhombus blocks does it take to build a scaled copy of Figure A:
Where each side is twice as long?
Where each side is 3 times as long?
Where each side is 4 times as long?
How many green triangle blocks does it take to build a scaled copy of Figure B:
Where each side is twice as long?
Where each side is 3 times as long?
Using a scale factor of 4?
How many red trapezoid blocks does it take to build a scaled copy of Figure C:
Using a scale factor of 2?
Using a scale factor of 3?
Using a scale factor of 4?
Make a prediction: How many blocks would it take to build scaled copies of these shapes using a scale factor of 5? Using a scale factor of 6? Be prepared to explain your reasoning.
Student Response
Teachers with a valid work email address can
click here to register or sign in
for free access to Student Response.
Print
Launch
Arrange students in groups of 3–4. Distribute pattern blocks and ask students to use them to build scaled copies of each shape as described in the task. Each group would need at most 16 blocks each of the green triangle, the blue rhombus, and the red trapezoid. If there are not enough for each group to have a full set with 16 each of the green, blue, and red blocks, consider rotating the blocks of each color through the groups, or having students start with 10 blocks of each and ask for more as needed.
Give students 6–7 minutes to collaborate on the task and follow with a whole-class discussion. Make sure all students understand that “twice as long” means “2 times as long.”
Using real pattern blocks is preferred, but the Digital Activity can replace the manipulatives if they are unavailable.
Student Facing
Your teacher will give you some pattern blocks. Work with your group to build the scaled copies described in each question.
[IMG]
How many blue rhombus blocks does it take to build a scaled copy of Figure A:
Where each side is twice as long?
Where each side is 3 times as long?
Where each side is 4 times as long?
How many green triangle blocks does it take to build a scaled copy of Figure B:
Where each side is twice as long?
Where each side is 3 times as long?
Using a scale factor of 4?
How many red trapezoid blocks does it take to build a scaled copy of Figure C:
Using a scale factor of 2?
Using a scale factor of 3?
Using a scale factor of 4?
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 come up with one of these arrangements for the first question, because they assume the answer will take 2 blocks to build:
[IMG]
You could use one pattern block to demonstrate measuring the lengths of the sides of their shape, to show them which side they have not doubled.
Students may also come up with:
[IMG]
for tripling the trapezoid, because they triple the height of the scaled copy but they do not triple the length. You could use the process described above to show that not all side lengths have tripled.
Activity Synthesis
Display a table with only the column headings filled in. For the first four rows, ask different students to share how many blocks it took them to build each shape and record their answers in the table.
|  scale factor   | number of blocks to build Figure A | number of blocks to build Figure B | number of blocks to build Figure C |
|-----------------|------------------------------------|------------------------------------|------------------------------------|
|        1        |                                    |                                    |                                    |
|        2        |                                    |                                    |                                    |
|        3        |                                    |                                    |                                    |
|        4        |                                    |                                    |                                    |
|        5        |                                    |                                    |                                    |
|       10        |                                    |                                    |                                    |
|      \(s\)      |                                    |                                    |                                    |
| \(\frac{1}{2}\) |                                    |                                    |                                    |
To help student notice, extend, and generalize the pattern in the table, guide a discussion using questions such as these:
In the table, how is the number of blocks related to the scale factor? Is there a pattern?
How many blocks are needed to build scaled copies using scale factors of 5 or 10? How do you know?
How many blocks are needed to build a scaled copy using any scale factor
\(s\)
?
If we want a scaled copy where each side is half as long, how much of a block would it take? How do you know? Does the same rule still apply?
If not brought up by students, highlight the fact that the number of blocks it took to build each scaled shape equals the scale factor times itself, regardless of the shape (look at the table row for
\(s\)
). This rule applies to any factor, including those that are less than 1.


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