Lesson 12

Notice and Wonder

Warm-up: Notice and Wonder: Equal Groups (10 minutes)

Narrative

The purpose of this warm-up is to elicit the idea that equal groups appear in many contexts, which will be useful when students create their own Notice and Wonder in a later activity. In the synthesis, discuss what students know about Notice and Wonders and what they need to think about to create one like this example.

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?

Student Response

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Activity Synthesis

  • “What do you know about Notice and Wonders?” (They have pictures that help us think about math ideas like equal groups. We might have questions about what's in the pictures.)
  • Consider asking: “What would you have to think about if you were going to design a Notice and Wonder like this one?” (Find an image showing equal groups, groups that make counting easier, or different types of groups. Find an image that shows a missing piece of information, or a group that is different than other groups.)
  • Record and display responses for all to see.

Activity 1: Design Your Notice and Wonder (20 minutes)

Narrative

The purpose of this activity is for students to collaborate and create a Notice and Wonder activity that involves equal groups. Students find an image in a book or from another source and anticipate what other students might notice and wonder about the image.

Engagement: Develop Effort and Persistence. Invite students to generate a list of shared expectations for group work. Record responses on a display and keep visible during the activity.
Supports accessibility for: Social-Emotional Functioning

Required Materials

Materials to Gather

Required Preparation

  • Each group of 3-4 needs picture books to use as they create their Notice and Wonder activity.

Launch

  • Groups of 3 - 4
  • Give each group access to picture books.
  • “Work with your group to create a Notice and Wonder activity about equal groups.”

Activity

  • 15 minutes: small-group work time

Student Facing

  1. Find an image that would encourage your classmates to notice and wonder about equal groups.
  2. Write down the possible things students might notice and wonder about your image.

    Students may notice:

    Students may wonder:

Student Response

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Activity Synthesis

  • “What questions do you still have about creating your Notice and Wonder?”
  • Give students a few minutes to make adjustments, if needed.

Activity 2: Facilitate Your Notice and Wonder (15 minutes)

Narrative

The purpose of this activity is for students to facilitate the Notice and Wonder they created in the previous activity. Each group takes turns facilitating their Notice and Wonder for another group (or two groups, if time permits).

MLR8 Discussion Supports. During group 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

Materials to Gather

Required Preparation

  • Each group of 3-4 from the previous activity needs 1 piece of chart paper and a marker.

Launch

  • Groups of 3–4 from the previous activity
  • Give each group a piece of chart paper and a marker to record responses.
  • “Now, work with another group and take turns facilitating the Notice and Wonder activity you created.”

Activity

  • 10–12 minutes: small–group work time
  • Remind groups to switch roles after 5–6 minutes.

Student Facing

  1. Display your image for your classmates.
  2. Ask them, “What do you notice? What do you wonder?”
  3. Give them a minute to discuss together.
  4. Ask them to share what they notice and wonder.
  5. Record their ideas.

Student Response

For access, consult one of our IM Certified Partners.

Activity Synthesis

  • “What did you learn as you facilitated your Notice and Wonder?” (Others might notice or wonder things we did not think of. Recording the ideas helps people understand what is being shared.)

Lesson Synthesis

Lesson Synthesis

“What important things about your image did you consider as you created your Notice and Wonder?” (We thought about whether the image shows equal groups and whether others would see the same groups that we saw. We thought about possible questions others might ask and whether they would be about the groups or something else.)

“If you had a chance to revise your Notice and Wonder or create a new one, what would you do differently?” (Choose an image with more things to notice, or with something missing or something curious. Think about whether others might notice things about math in the image.)

Cool-down: Notice and Wonder Reflection (5 minutes)

Cool-Down

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