Lesson 12

Compare Measurements

Warm-up: Notice and Wonder: 6, 8, and 14 (10 minutes)

Narrative

The purpose of this warm-up is to elicit the idea that addition and subtraction are related operations, which will be useful when students solve subtraction story problems with unknown addends. 

Launch

  • Groups of 2
  • Display the image.
  • “What do you notice? What do you wonder?”
  • 1 minute: quiet think time

Activity

  • “Discuss your thinking with your partner.”
  • 1 minute: partner discussion
  • Share and record responses.

Student Facing

What do you notice?
What do you wonder?

\(6 + 8 = 14\)

\(8 + 6 = 14\)

\(14 - 6 = 8\)

\(14 - 8 = \boxed{\phantom{\frac{aaai}{aaai}}}\)

Student Response

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Activity Synthesis

  • “Use these equations to explain how addition can help with subtraction.” (If you know an addition fact like \(6 + 8 = 14\), then you also know two subtraction facts, \(14 - 8 = 6\) and \(14 - 6 = 8\).)

Activity 1: Friendship Bracelets (15 minutes)

Narrative

The purpose of this activity is for students to make sense of and solve a new type of story problem, Compare, Smaller Unknown, using the Three Reads instructional routine. The routine helps students make sense of the quantities in the problem and their relationship before they try to represent and solve the problem (MP2).

In the activity synthesis, students make sense of different representations of the problem. They may use connecting cubes or drawings to represent their thinking as they solve the problem. Since this is a Compare problem, monitor for representations in which each bracelet length is represented, similar to what students will see in the lesson synthesis.

Diagram. Two rectangles. Bottom rectangle, 10 white cubes. Top rectangle, 10 white cubes and 4 blue cubes. Same size cubes.

This activity uses MLR6 Three Reads. Advances: reading, listening, representing

Representation: Develop Language and Symbols. Synthesis: Maintain a visible display to record vocabulary relating to comparing lengths such as: fewer than, less than, longer, more than. Invite students to suggest details (words or pictures) that will help them remember the meaning of the words or phrases.
Supports accessibility for: Language, Memory

Required Materials

Launch

  • Groups of 2
  • Give students access to connecting cubes in towers of 10 and singles.

MLR6 Three Reads

  • Display only the problem stem, without revealing the question.
  • “We are going to read this problem three times.”
  • 1st Read: “Priya and Han are comparing the lengths of their friendship bracelets. Han’s bracelet is 14 cubes long. The length of Priya’s bracelet is 4 cubes fewer than Han’s bracelet.”
  • “What is this story about?”
  • 1 minute: partner discussion
  • Listen for and clarify any questions about the context.
  • 2nd Read: “Priya and Han are comparing the lengths of their friendship bracelets. Han’s bracelet is 14 cubes long. The length of Priya’s bracelet is 4 cubes fewer than Han’s bracelet.”
  • “What can be counted or measured?" (The length of Priya's bracelet. The length of Han's bracelet. The difference in length between the two bracelets.)
  • 30 seconds: quiet think time
  • 1 minute: partner discussion
  • Share and record all quantities.
  • 3rd Read: Read the entire problem, including the question, aloud.
  • “What are different ways we can solve this problem?” (use connecting cubes to represent the bracelets, draw a picture, think about the numbers)
  • 30 seconds: quiet think time
  • 1–2 minutes: partner discussion

Activity

  • “Work with your partner to represent and solve the problem. Show your thinking using drawings, numbers, or words.”
  • 3–5 minutes: partner work time
  • Monitor for students who use different representations, including a drawing that shows both quantities.

Student Facing

Priya and Han are comparing the lengths of their friendship bracelets.
Han’s bracelet is 14 cubes long.
The length of Priya’s bracelet is 4 cubes fewer than Han’s bracelet.
How long is Priya’s bracelet?
Show your thinking using drawings, numbers, or words.

Student Response

For access, consult one of our IM Certified Partners.

Activity Synthesis

  • Invite previously identified students to share their representations.
  • “How did _____ represent the problem? Where do you see the answer to the question in their work?”

Activity 2: Same Bracelets, Different Story (10 minutes)

Narrative

The purpose of this activity is for students to make sense of and solve a Compare, Bigger Unknown story problem. The numbers are intentionally the same as the problem in the previous activity. During the lesson synthesis, students analyze a representation and describe how it can represent both story problems (MP8).

MLR8 Discussion Supports. During partner work, invite students to take turns sharing their responses. Ask students to restate what they heard using precise mathematical language and their own words. Display the sentence frame: “I heard you say . . .” Original speakers can agree or clarify for their partner.
Advances: Listening, Speaking

Required Materials

Launch

  • Groups of 2
  • Give students access to connecting cubes in towers of 10 and singles.
  • “Now you are going to solve another problem about Han’s and Priya’s bracelets.”

Activity

  • Read the task statement.
  • 5 minutes: partner work time
  • Monitor for students who notice how this problem is related to the problem in the previous activity.

Student Facing

Han’s bracelet is 4 cubes longer than Priya’s bracelet.
Priya’s bracelet is 10 cubes long.
How long is Han’s bracelet?
Show your thinking using drawings, numbers, or words.

Student Response

For access, consult one of our IM Certified Partners.

Activity Synthesis

  • Invite previously identified students to share what they noticed.
  • Invite students to share how they solved the problem.

Activity 3: Introduce Write Numbers, Numbers to 120 by 1 (15 minutes)

Narrative

The purpose of this activity is for students to learn stage 3 of the Write Numbers center. Students count by 1 and choose whether to count forward or backward. They take turns writing the next 1, 2, or 3 numbers in the sequence. The player who writes the last number on the number path wins. Gameboards go from 89–110, 95–116, and 99–120.

Required Materials

Materials to Gather

Materials to Copy

  • Write the Number Stage 3 Gameboard

Required Preparation

Put each gameboard in a sheet protector.

Launch

  • Groups of 2
  • Give each group the gameboards and a dry erase marker.
  • “We are going to learn a new way to play Write Numbers.”
  • “This time, the gameboards have larger numbers so you can practice writing numbers above 100. Decide which gameboard to begin with and decide whether to start with the smaller number and count forward, or start with the larger number and count backward. Take turns writing the next one, two, or three numbers on the path. Remember, the person who writes the last number wins.”

Activity

  • 10 minutes: partner work time

Activity Synthesis

  • Play one round with the class. Discuss how they decide whether to write one, two, or three numbers.

Lesson Synthesis

Lesson Synthesis

Display previously made poster.

“Today we solved a Compare problem with the length of the smaller bracelet unknown. We also solved a Compare problem with the length of the bigger bracelet unknown. How does the drawing show each problem?” (For the first problem, it has 14 cubes for Han’s bracelet. The blue cubes are the four cubes more than Priya so Priya has 10 cubes which are on the bottom. For the second story, it shows 10 cubes for Priya on the bottom. Han's are on the top because there are the same amount and four more.)

Record student explanations by labeling each diagram on the poster.

Cool-down: Unit 6, Section C Checkpoint (0 minutes)

Cool-Down

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