Lesson 3
Questions and Stories About Shapes
Lesson Purpose
The purpose of this lesson is for students to ask and answer mathematical questions about shapes composed of pattern blocks.
Lesson Narrative
In previous lessons, students have answered “how many” questions and comparison questions about shapes composed of pattern blocks. In this lesson, students create a shape out of pattern blocks and brainstorm questions that they could ask about other students’ shapes. Students create and solve story problems about shapes made out of pattern blocks (MP2, MP4).
- Engagement
- MLR7
Learning Goals
Teacher Facing
- Tell and solve addition or subtraction story problems involving shapes.
Student Facing
- Let’s ask questions about shapes.
Required Materials
Materials to Gather
- Colored pencils, crayons, or markers
- Connecting cubes or two-color counters
- Materials from previous centers
- Pattern blocks
Materials to Copy
- Pattern Blocks Stage 7 Recording Sheet
Required Preparation
Activity 3:
- Gather materials from:
- Geoblocks, Stages 1 and 2
- Grab and Count, Stage 1
- Find the Pair, Stages 1 and 2
Lesson Timeline
| Warm-up | 10 min |
| Activity 1 | 15 min |
| Activity 2 | 15 min |
| Activity 3 | 15 min |
| Lesson Synthesis | 5 min |
| Cool-down | 0 min |
Teacher Reflection Questions
Students shared their thinking multiple times in this lesson. What have you noticed about the language students use? What support can you offer to students who struggle to communicate their ideas orally?