All the resources on this page come from the GADOE Framework 1st Grade Unit 4 Overview. Reviewing this information before or during planning can help ensure your instruction is aligned with the standards and is at the depth expected.

Unit 6 Overview

In this unit, students will:

• study and compose two- and three-dimensional figures

• identify basic figures within two- and three-dimensional figures

• compare, contrast, and/or classify geometric shapes using position, shape, size, number of sides, and number of angles

• solve simple problems, including those involving spatial relationships

• investigate and predict the results of putting together and taking apart two- and three dimensional shapes

• create mental images of geometric shapes using spatial memory and spatial visualization

• relate, identify, partition, and label fractions (halves, fourths) as equal parts of whole objects

• apply terms such as half of, quarter of, to describe equal shares.

Although the units in this instructional framework emphasize key standards and big ideas at specific times of the year, routine topics such as counting, time, money, positional words, patterns, and tallying should be addressed on an ongoing basis through the use of calendar centers and games.

STANDARDS FOR MATHEMATICAL PRACTICE

The Standards for Mathematical Practice describe varieties of expertise that mathematics educators at all levels should seek to develop in their students. These practices rest on important “processes and proficiencies” with longstanding importance in mathematics education. Students are expected to:

1. Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.

2. Reason abstractly and quantitatively.

3. Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others.

4. Model with mathematics.

5. Use appropriate tools strategically.

6. Attend to precision.

7. Look for and make use of structure.

8. Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning.

***Mathematical Practices 1 and 6 should be evident in EVERY lesson***

STANDARDS FOR MATHEMATICAL CONTENT

Reason with shapes and their attributes.
MGSE1.G.1 Distinguish between defining attributes (e.g., triangles are closed and three-sided) versus non-defining attributes (e.g., color, orientation, overall size); build and draw shapes to possess defining attributes.

MGSE1.G.2 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.1 This is important for the future development of spatial relations which later connects to developing understanding of area, volume, and fractions.

MGSE1.G.3 Partition circles and rectangles into two and four equal shares, describe the shares using the words halves, fourths, and quarters, and use the phrases half of, fourth of, and quarter of. Describe the whole as two of, or four of the shares. Understand for these examples that decomposing into more equal shares creates smaller shares.

BIG IDEAS

• The properties of shapes make them alike or different.

• Some shapes have sides, angles, and faces which can be counted.

• Patterns can be created, extended, and transferred through the use of geometric shapes.

• Location of shapes can be described using positional words.

• Equal means being of the same size, quantity, or value.

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

• What are attributes?

• How can shapes be sorted?

• How are shapes used in our world?

• What makes shapes different from each other?

• How can I create a shape?

• How do shapes fit together and come apart?

• Where can we find shapes in the real world?

• What is a 2-dimensional shape?

• What is a 3-dimensional shape?

• How are shapes alike and different?

• How can we divide shapes into equal parts?

• How do we know when parts are equal?

• How can we divide shapes into equal parts?

CONCEPTS/SKILLS TO MAINTAIN

• Sorting shapes into groups

• Positional terms

• Find and name shapes in the environment

• Compose and decompose shapes

• Identify two and three dimensional geometric shapes

STRATEGIES FOR TEACHING AND LEARNING

Students should be actively engaged by developing their own understanding. Mathematics should be represented in as many ways as possible by using graphs, tables, pictures, symbols, and words. Appropriate manipulatives and technology should be used to enhance student learning. Students should be given opportunities to revise their work based on teacher feedback, peer feedback, and metacognition which includes self-assessment and reflection.

Math journals are an excellent way for students to show what they are learning about a concept. These could be spiral bound notebooks in which students could draw or write to describe the day’s math lesson. First graders love to go back and look at things they have done in the past. Journals could also serve as a tool for a nine-week review and for parent conferencing.

Reason with shapes and their attributes.
MGSE1.G.1 Distinguish between defining attributes (e.g., triangles are closed and three-sided) versus non-defining attributes (e.g., color, orientation, overall size); build and draw shapes to possess defining attributes.

Instructional Strategies
Students will determine which attributes of shapes are defining compared to those that are nondefining. Defining attributes are attributes that must always be present. Non-defining attributes are attributes that do not always have to be present. The shapes can include triangles, circles, squares, rectangles, hexagons, cubes, cones, cylinders, spheres and trapezoids. Students will determine which attributes of shapes are defining compared to those that are non-defining. Defining attributes are attributes that help to define a particular shape (number of angles, number of sides, length of sides, etc.). Non-defining attributes are attributes that do not define a particular shape (color, position, location, etc.). The shapes can include triangles, squares, rectangles, and trapezoids. MGSE1.G.2 includes half-circles and quarter-circles.

Students can easily form shapes on geoboards using colored rubber bands to represent the sides of a shape. Ask students to create a shape with four sides on their geoboard, then copy the shape on dot paper. Students can share and describe their shapes as a class while the teacher records the different defining attributes mentioned by the students.

Pattern block pieces can be used to model defining attributes for shapes. Ask students to create their own rule for sorting pattern blocks. Students take turns sharing their sorting rules with their classmates and showing examples that support their rule. Then classmates draw a new shape that fits the same rule.

Students can use a variety of manipulatives and real-world objects to build larger shapes. The manipulatives can include paper shapes, pattern blocks, color tiles, triangles cut from squares (isosceles right triangles), tangrams, canned food (right circular cylinders) and gift boxes (cubes or right rectangular prisms).

Folding shapes made from paper enables students to physically feel the shape and form the equal shares. Ask students to fold circles and rectangles first into halves and then into fourths. They should observe and then discuss the change in the size of the parts.

Reason with shapes and their attributes.
MGSE1.G.2 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.2 This is important for the future development of spatial relations which later connects to developing understanding of area, volume, and fractions.

Instructional Strategies
Students will compose (build) a two-dimensional or three-dimensional shape from two shapes. This standard includes shape puzzles in which students use objects (e.g., pattern blocks) to fill a larger region. Students do not need to use the formal names such as ―right rectangular prism.

Develop spatial sense by connecting geometric shapes to students’ everyday lives. Initiate natural conversations about shapes in the environment. Have students identify and name twoand three-dimensional shapes in and outside of the classroom and describe their relative position.

Ask students to find rectangles in the classroom and describe the relative positions of the rectangles they see, e.g. This rectangle (a poster) is over the sphere (globe). Teachers can use a digital camera to record these relationships.

Have students create drawings involving shapes and positional words: Draw a window ON the door or Draw an apple UNDER a tree. Some students may be able to follow two- or three-step instructions to create their drawings.

Use a shape in different orientations and sizes along with non-examples of the shape so students can learn to focus on defining attributes of the shape.

Manipulatives used for shape identification actually have three dimensions. However, First Graders need to think of these shapes as two-dimensional or “flat” and typical three-dimensional shapes as “solid.” Students will identify two-dimensional shapes that form surfaces on threedimensional objects. Students need to focus on noticing two and three dimensions, not on the words two-dimensional and three-dimensional.

Reason with shapes and their attributes.
MGSE1.G.2 Compose two-dimensional shapes (rectangles, squares, trapezoids, triangles, halfcircles, 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.3 This is important for the future development of spatial relations which later connects to developing understanding of area, volume, and fractions.

Instructional Strategies
Students will begin partitioning regions into equal shares using a context such as cookies, pies, pizza, blocks of wood, brownies, construction paper, etc. This is a foundational building block of fractions, which will be extended in future grades. Students should have ample experiences using the words, halves, fourths, and quarters, and the phrases half of, fourth of, and quarter of. Students should also work with the idea of the whole, which is composed of two halves, or four fourths or four quarters.

For more detailed information about unpacking the standards, unpacking a task, math routines and rituals, maintenance activities and more, please refer to the Grade Level Overview document.

Fluency: Procedural fluency is defined as skill in carrying out procedures flexibly, accurately, efficiently, and appropriately. Fluent problem solving does not necessarily mean solving problems within a certain time limit, though there are reasonable limits on how long computation should take. Fluency is based on a deep understanding of quantity and number.

Deep Understanding: Teachers teach more than simply “how to get the answer” and instead support students’ ability to access concepts from a number of perspectives. Therefore, students are able to see math as more than a set of mnemonics or discrete procedures. Students demonstrate deep conceptual understanding of foundational mathematics concepts by applying them to new situations, as well as writing and speaking about their understanding.

Memorization: The rapid recall of arithmetic facts or mathematical procedures. Memorization is often confused with fluency and automaticity. Fluency implies a much richer kind of mathematical knowledge and experience.

Number Sense: Students consider the context of a problem, look at the numbers in a problem, make a decision about which strategy would be most efficient in each particular problem. Number sense is not a deep understanding of a single strategy, but rather the ability to think flexibly between a variety of strategies in context.

Fluent students:

● flexibly use a combination of deep understanding, number sense, and memorization.

● are fluent in the necessary baseline functions in mathematics so that they are able to spend their thinking and processing time unpacking problems and making meaning from them.

● are able to articulate their reasoning.

● find solutions through a number of different paths.

For more about fluency, see: http://www.youcubed.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/FluencyWithoutFear-2015.pdf and: https://bhi61nm2cr3mkdgk1dtaov18-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/nctmtimed-tests.pdf

SELECTED TERMS AND SYMBOLS

The following terms and symbols are often misunderstood. These concepts are not an inclusive list and should not be taught in isolation. However, due to evidence of frequent difficulty and misunderstanding associated with these concepts, instructors should pay particular attention to them and how their students are able to explain and apply them.

The terms below are for teacher reference only and are not to be memorized by the students. Teachers should present these concepts to students with models and real life examples. Students should understand the concepts involved and be able to recognize and/or demonstrate them with words, models, pictures, or numbers.

• attribute

• circle

• cone

• cube

• cylinder

• fourths

• fractions

• halves

• partition

• quadrilateral

• quarters

• rectangular prism

• sphere

• triangle

• whole

http://www.corestandards.org/Math/Content/mathematics-glossary/glossary

COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS

Students may think that a square that has been rotated so that the sides form 45-degree angles with the vertical diagonal is no longer a square. They need to have experiences with shapes in different orientations. For example, in the building-shapes strategy above, ask students to orient the smaller shapes in different ways.

Some students may think that the size of the equal shares is directly related to the number of equal shares. For example, they think that fourths are larger than halves because there are four fourths in one whole and only two halves in one whole. Students need to focus on the change in the size of the fractional parts as recommended in the folding shapes strategy. The first activity in the unit Introduction to Fractions for Primary Students: http://mathforum.org/varnelle/knum.html includes a link, Parts of a Whole, to an interactive manipulative. It allows students to divide a circle into the number of equal parts that they choose.

FALS

At this time, there are no Formative Assessment Lessons available for this unit.

NUMBER TALKS

In order to be mathematically proficient, today’s students must be able to compute accurately, efficiently, and flexibly. Daily classroom number talks provide a powerful avenue for developing “efficient, flexible, and accurate computation strategies that build upon the key foundational ideas of mathematics.” (Parrish, 2010) Number talks involve classroom conversations and discussions centered upon purposefully planned computation problems.

In Sherry Parrish’s book, Number Talks: Helping Children Build Mental Math and Computation Strategies, teachers will find a wealth of information about Number Talks, including:

• Key components of Number Talks

• Establishing procedures

• Setting expectations

• Designing purposeful Number Talks

• Developing specific strategies through Number Talks

There are four overarching goals upon which K-2 teachers should focus during Number Talks. These goals are:

1. Developing number sense

2. Developing fluency with small numbers

3. Subitizing

4. Making Tens

Although there are no Number Talks specific to this unit, the teacher should continue with those suggested in Unit 2. Suggested Number Talks for Unit 2 are fluency with 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10; and counting all and counting on using dot images, ten-frames, Rekenreks, double ten-frames, and number sentences. Specifics on these Number Talks can be found on pages 74-106 of Number Talks: Helping Children Build Mental Math and Computation Strategies.

WRITING IN MATH

The Standards for Mathematical Practice, which are integrated throughout effective mathematics content instruction, require students to explain their thinking when making sense of a problem (SMP 1). Additionally, students are required to construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others (SMP 2). Therefore, the ability to express their thinking and record their strategies in written form is critical for today’s learners. According to Marilyn Burns, “Writing in math class supports learning because it requires students to organize, clarify, and reflect on their ideas--all useful processes for making sense of mathematics. In addition, when students write, their papers provide a window into their understandings, their misconceptions, and their feelings about the content.” (Writing in Math. Educational Leadership. Oct. 2004 (30).) The use of math journals is an effective means for integrating writing into the math curriculum.

Math journals can be used for a variety of purposes. Recording problem solving strategies and solutions, reflecting upon learning, and explaining and justifying thinking are all uses for math journals. Additionally, math journals can provide a chronological record of student math thinking throughout the year, as well as a means for assessment than can inform future instruction.

The following website provides a wealth of information and grade specific activities for math journaling: http://www.k-5mathteachingresources.com/math-journals.html. Though this is not a free site, there are some free resources that are accessible.