options: Operations & Algebra: students learn to solve problems using algebraic thinking and operations such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. They may learn to identify and explain arithmetic patterns, evaluate or manipulate numerical expressions, and reason with equations and inequalities.

Functions: students learn to define, use, and evaluate functions to model relationships between quantities.

Counting & Cardinality: students learn to know number names and the count sequence, count to tell the number of objects, and compare numbers.

Geometry: students learn to classify geometric figures by their properties, and understand and compare the relationships between them. Students develop and use formulas to compute lengths, areas, and volumes, and they use transformations to generate new shapes and compare existing ones. Geometry can be studied with and without coordinates.

Number & Operations in Base Ten: students learn to work with the base-ten system and build place value understanding.

Modeling: students learn to choose and use appropriate mathematics and statistics to analyze real-world empirical situations, improve decisions, and report on their conclusions and the reasoning behind them.

Number & Operations - Fractions: students learn to understand fractions as numbers and may work with them using addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.

Number Systems and Quantity: students learn to understand the complex number system and reason quantitatively.

Measurement & Data: students learn to work with data and measure attributes such as time, money, length, area, and volume. They may learn to compare measurements to operations and convert between different units of measure.

Ratios & Proportional Relationships: students learn to recognize, describe, represent, and reason with ratios, rates, proportional relationships, and percent.

Statistics & Probability: students learn to analyze and produce data distributions, and build understanding of univariate and bivariate data. They learn to interpret data, make statistical inferences, justify conclusions, understand rules of probability, and use probability to make decisions.
problem_activity: Narrative
The purpose of this activity is to represent and solve a measurement problem with fractions. Students may approach this activity in multiple ways and are invited to apply what they know about operations with fractions, comparing fractions, and fraction equivalence to make sense of and solve the problems (MP2). Throughout the activity, listen for the ways students use what they know about comparing fractions and fraction equivalence as they make sense of the problem. Although students may consider ways to subtract fractions with unlike denominators, this is not a requirement for grade 4. Focus the conversation during the activity and the synthesis on how students can solve the problem by reasoning about equivalent fractions and the representation they use to make sense of the problem.
MLR8 Discussion Supports.
Synthesis: Create a visual display of the diagrams. As students share their strategies, annotate the display to illustrate connections. For example, next to each representation, write how the diagram relates to the situation.
Advances: Speaking, Representing
Launch
Groups of 2
Activity
5 minutes: independent work time
5 minutes: partner work
Monitor for different representations of the situation (for example, equations, drawings, and number lines).
Student Facing
In science class, Noah, Tyler, and Jada are building a model of a roller coaster out of 1-foot-long paper straws.
Noah needs a piece that is
\(\frac{7}{12}\)
foot long.
Tyler needs one that is
\(\frac{1}{4}\)
foot long.
Jada needs one that is shorter than the other two.
Jada says, “We can just use one straw for all these pieces.”
[IMG]
Draw a diagram to represent this situation and explain to your partner how it matches the situation. Then, find the length of the piece of straw that could be Jada’s piece.
Did Noah use more than
\(\frac{1}{2}\)
foot or less than
\(\frac{1}{2}\)
foot of straw? Explain or show your reasoning.
Tyler says, “If Jada uses a piece that is
\(\frac{1}{6}\)
foot long, there would be a piece of straw that is
\(\frac{1}{12}\)
foot left.”
Do you agree or disagree with Tyler? Explain your reasoning.
Student Response
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Advancing Student Thinking
If students create representations that do not match the quantities in the problem, consider asking:
“How does your representation show the length of the straw? How does it show Noah and Tyler’s pieces?”
“How does your representation show the action in the situation?”
Activity Synthesis
Invite previously selected students to share their arguments and allow peers to extend and add ideas to the conversation.
“How does each representation match this situation about the straw?” (They each show the total length of the straw and ways it could be broken into smaller parts. They each show the length of Noah and Tyler’s pieces. They show how long Jada’s piece could be.)


correct_option_index: 6