Lesson 2

Draw Shapes

Warm-up: Which One Doesn’t Belong: Five-sided Shapes (10 minutes)

Narrative

This warm-up prompts students to compare four shapes. It gives students a reason to use language precisely (MP6). It gives the teacher an opportunity to hear how students describe the attributes of shapes when comparing them. During the synthesis, ask students to explain the meaning of any terminology they use, especially regarding the use of “same” or “different” sides and corners.

Launch

  • Groups of 2
  • Display the image.
  • “Pick one that doesn’t belong. Be ready to share why it doesn’t belong.”
  • 1 minute: quiet think time

Activity

  • “Discuss your thinking with your partner.”
  • 2–3 minutes: partner discussion
  • Share and record responses.

Student Facing

Which one doesn’t belong?
AFive-sided shape.

B5 lines, almost a pentagon.
CStudent drawing of pentagon.
DFive-sided shape.

Student Response

For access, consult one of our IM Certified Partners.

Activity Synthesis

  • “Which of these shapes are pentagons? Explain.” (A, C, and D, because they each have 5 sides and 5 corners.)
  • “Why is B not a pentagon?” (It isn’t closed. It only has 4 corners.)
    • Consider asking: “How many sides does it have? How many corners?”

Activity 1: Draw Shapes (15 minutes)

Narrative

The purpose of this activity is for students to draw quadrilaterals, pentagons, and hexagons and compare the attributes of different shapes that have the same number of sides. They continue to notice that shapes in these categories have the same number of sides and number of corners. They may describe differences in shapes that are in the same category based on the length of the sides and their orientation. They may also use informal language to describe differences in the corners of each shape (for example, square corners or “sharp” corners). Students learn to describe and measure angles formally in grade 4.

Launch

  • Groups of 2

Activity

  • “Today you are going to draw and compare shapes.”
  • 5 minutes: independent work time
  • Monitor for:
    • examples of shapes that have different side lengths, angles, and orientations to share in synthesis 
    • non-examples of quadrilaterals, pentagons, or hexagons
  • “Compare your shapes with your partner’s shapes. Find one way your shapes are the same and one way they are different.”
  • 4 minutes: partner discussion

Student Facing

  1. Complete the shape to make a quadrilateral. Then draw a different four-sided shape.

    3 connected lines on dot paper.
  2. Complete the shape to make a pentagon. Then draw a different five-sided shape.

    Three connected lines.
  3. Complete the shape to make a hexagon. Then draw a different six-sided shape.

    Three connected lines.
  4. Compare your shapes with your partner’s shapes. Find one way your shapes are the same and one way they are different.

Student Response

For access, consult one of our IM Certified Partners.

Advancing Student Thinking

If students draw shapes with a number of sides other than the number of sides that define the named shape, consider asking:
  • “How do you know this is a ______ (quadrilateral, pentagon or hexagon)?”
  • “How could you use the completed shape to help you draw another ______ (quadrilateral, pentagon or hexagon)?”

Activity Synthesis

  • Display 2–3 previously identified student examples of each shape.
  • “What are the ways these shapes are different?” (different side lengths, different corners)
  • If time, display non-examples of quadrilaterals, pentagons, or hexagons that students drew or display some examples, such as:
3 shapes. 
  • “Would any of these shapes be a quadrilateral, pentagon, or hexagon? Why or why not?” (Sample response: No. The one on the far left has 4 sides and only 3 corners, so it’s not a quadrilateral.)

Activity 2: What Shape Could It Be? (20 minutes)

Narrative

The purpose of this activity is for students to draw shapes that have a given number of sides or corners. Students then compare shapes based on their number of sides and corners.
MLR2 Collect and Display. Synthesis: Direct attention to words collected and displayed from the previous lesson. Invite students to borrow language from the display as needed, and update it throughout the lesson with words such as attribute, quadrilateral, and pentagon.
Advances: Conversing, Reading
Representation: Develop Language and Symbols. Activate or supply background knowledge. To help students recall the terms quadrilateral, pentagon, and hexagon, remind them of the previous lessons and connect visuals or charts previously made. If no visuals are available, help the student write out their thinking using words and/or pictures to assist with memory. Supports accessibility for: Memory, Language.

Launch

  • Groups of 2

Activity

  • “Clare, Andre, and Han drew shapes. Using the clues, see if you can figure out which shapes might belong to each student. Then draw a different shape based on the clues.”
  • 7 minutes: independent work time
  • Monitor for examples of Han’s shape that have different numbers of sides, number of corners, side lengths, and angles to share in the synthesis.
  • “Compare the shapes you drew with your partner’s shapes.”
  • 5 minutes: partner discussion

Student Facing

  1. Clare drew a shape that has fewer than 5 sides. Circle shapes that could be Clare’s shape.

    5 shapes with varying numbers of sides.
  2. Draw a different shape that could be Clare’s shape.

    Dot grid.
  3. Andre drew a shape that has 4 corners. Circle shapes that could be Andre’s shape.

    6 shapes on a dot grid. 5 closed, 1 open.
  4. Draw a different shape that could be Andre’s shape.

  5. Han drew a shape that has more corners than Andre’s shape. Draw two shapes that could be Han’s shape.

    Dot grid.

Student Response

For access, consult one of our IM Certified Partners.

Advancing Student Thinking

If students circle only one shape or draw a shape with a number of sides or corners not meeting the criteria, consider asking:
  • “How do you know this shape could be _____ (Clare’s or Andre’s) shape?”
  • “Are there any other shapes that could be _____ (Clare’s or Andre’s) shape?”
  • “How can you change your shape so it has _____ (fewer than 5 sides, 4 corners, or more than 4 corners)?”

Activity Synthesis

  • Display 2–3 previously identified student examples for Han’s shape.
  • “How are these shapes different?” (different side lengths, different numbers of sides and corners)
  • “Could each of these shapes be Han’s shape? Explain.” (Andre's shape has 4 sides and corners, so it could be any shape that has more than 4 sides and 4 corners. We could draw different shapes as long as they have more than 4 sides and 4 corners.)

Lesson Synthesis

Lesson Synthesis

“Today you practiced drawing shapes based on the number of sides or corners. Mai started drawing a shape like this.”

Draw or display:

3 lines.

“Could she make a triangle from her drawing? Could she make a hexagon from her drawing?” (She could add 3 more lines to make it a hexagon, but she cannot make it into a triangle because it already has 3 lines.)

Share responses.

Invite students to demonstrate on the image as needed.

Cool-down: Name and Draw Shapes (5 minutes)

Cool-Down

For access, consult one of our IM Certified Partners.