Unit 6: Grade 2 Lessons

This activity focuses on covering outlines with 2-D shapes in more than one way. To start, students explore covering Pattern Blocks with other blocks to discover the relationships among different Pattern Blocks. In pairs, students take turns spinning the pointer on the spinner and placing the block on the outline of a boat, if it fits. Play continues until the boat is completely covered with blocks. Students then compare boats with another pair. To consolidate, students look at the different ways the boat was covered, then share the strategies they used to cover it. Students discover that there are many ways to cover an outline with shapes.

This activity focuses on relating the size and number of equal parts in a whole. To start, students discuss everyday situations where they share fairly. Students then read a story about sharing bannock, then use pictures of circular bannock to model sharing it with 2 and 4 people. In pairs, students cut or fold squares into 2, 4, and 8 equal parts, then compare one part from pairs of squares to determine which is bigger. To consolidate, students show how they compared the sizes of the different parts, Then, using the same whole, students decide whether one half, three fourths, or one whole is biggest and explain how they know.

This activity focuses on comparing the sizes of different unit fractions of the same whole. To start, students explore parts of a whole by covering a yellow Pattern Block with smaller blocks to show halves, thirds, and sixths, then repeat the activity using Cuisenaire Rods. In pairs, students use the dark green Cuisenaire rod to show halves, thirds, and sixths, then use the brown rod to show eighths, fourths, and halves. Students use the rods to answer questions and talk about what they notice about the number and size of the different parts. To consolidate, students use the rods to decide whether one half or one fourth, then two thirds or one half, is bigger. Students discuss how they can only compare parts of the same whole (same colour rod).

This activity focuses on regrouping fractional parts into wholes. To start, students use the relation between red and green Pattern Blocks to determine how many wholes they can make with eight thirds. In pairs, students determine the relation between red and yellow Pattern Blocks, then take a handful of red blocks and find how many wholes can be made. Students use other blocks to find how many wholes can be made with eleven sixths and ten thirds. To consolidate, students share the strategies they used to make wholes from equal parts. They then discuss how the leftover parts are described using their fractional names.

Split, the squirrel, shares his seeds - in this lesson, students learn to create equivalent sharing situations of one-third and two-sixths between 3 squirrels.

This activity focuses on grouping items in 2s, 5s, and 10s. To start, students are shown 8 linking cubes and they explore how many ways they can be arranged in equal groups with no leftovers. In groups of three, each student takes a bag of items and organizes the items to see if they can be counted by 2s, 5s, and/or 10s with no leftovers. To consolidate, students share the numbers they found that could be grouped in 2s, 5s, and 10s, then discuss how they can tell if a number can be grouped in 2s, 5s, or 10s without using materials.