Lesson 5
Explore Math Tools
Warm-up: Notice and Wonder: Using Different Tools (10 minutes)
Narrative
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
Student Facing
What do you notice?
What do you wonder?
Student Response
For access, consult one of our IM Certified Partners.
Activity Synthesis
- Invite several students to share what they heard their partner say.
Activity 1: Introduce Connecting Cubes, Build to Match (10 minutes)
Narrative
Required Materials
Required Preparation
Launch
- Groups of 2
- “We are going to look at a new center that you can choose during center choice time.”
- Display the student book.
- “How could you use connecting cubes with this picture?” (We can make things with our connecting cubes that look like the picture in the book.)
- 30 seconds: quiet think time
- 1 minute: partner discussion
- Share responses.
Activity
- Give each group of students connecting cubes and a set of cards.
- Display the student page.
- “Use your connecting cubes to build this object.”
- 3 minutes: independent work time
- “Choose another card and use your connecting cubes to build the object.”
- 3 minutes: independent work time
Student Facing
Student Response
For access, consult one of our IM Certified Partners.
Activity Synthesis
- “Show your partner what you made and describe it to them.”
- 2 minutes: partner discussion
- Invite several students to share what they heard their partner say.
Activity 2: Introduce Pattern Blocks, Puzzles (15 minutes)
Narrative
The purpose of this activity is for students to learn stage 2 of the Pattern Blocks center. Students use pattern blocks to fill in simple puzzles.
Advances: Speaking, Representing
Supports accessibility for: Attention, Social-Emotional Functioning
Required Materials
Launch
- Groups of 2
- “We are going to look at a new center that you can choose during center choice time.”
- Display student book.
- “How could you use pattern blocks with this picture?” (We can use the pattern blocks to fill in the picture.)
Activity
- Give each group of students pattern blocks and a mat.
- “Use your pattern blocks to fill in the puzzle.”
- 4 minutes: independent work time
- “Show your partner how you filled in the puzzle. Tell them which pattern blocks you used.”
- 2 minutes: partner discussion
- “Choose another puzzle to fill in with your pattern blocks.”
- 2–3 minutes: independent work time
Student Facing
Student Response
For access, consult one of our IM Certified Partners.
Activity Synthesis
- “Which puzzle was your favorite?”
- 30 seconds: quiet think time
- “Tell your partner why it was your favorite.”
- 1 minute: partner discussion
Activity 3: Centers: Choice Time (15 minutes)
Narrative
The purpose of this activity is for students to choose from activities that focus on using math tools.
Students choose from any stage of previously introduced centers.
- Connecting Cubes
- Pattern Blocks
- Geoblocks
The center choices will remain the same in the upcoming lessons. Keep the materials from each center organized to use each day.
Required Materials
Materials to Gather
Required Preparation
- Gather Materials from:
- Pattern Blocks, Stage 1 and Stage 2
- Connecting Cubes, Stage 1 and Stage 2
- Geoblocks, Stage 1 and Stage 2
Launch
- “Today you will get to choose the math tool you want to work with.”
- Display the center choices in the student book.
- “Think about what you would like to do first.”
- 30 seconds: quiet think time
Activity
- Invite students to work at the center of their choice.
- 10 minutes: center work time
- Monitor for students who create objects, patterns, or buildings the class can describe during the synthesis.
Student Facing
Choose a center.
Geoblocks
Connecting Cubes
Pattern Blocks
Activity Synthesis
- Invite previously selected students to share their work.
- “Tell your partner how _____ described their work.”
Lesson Synthesis
Lesson Synthesis
“Today, we got to choose a math tool to work with. We also listened carefully to other students so we could repeat their math ideas.”
“Let’s practice counting to 10.”
Demonstrate counting to 10. Count to 10 as a class 1–2 times.
Math Community
Display Math Community poster.
Explain to students that norms are expectations that help everyone in the room feel safe, comfortable, and productive doing math together.
“We are going to make a list of norms for how we do math together. One example of a norm is ‘Listen as others share their ideas.’ What other norms should we set for our class?”
Share and record responses.
Cool-down: Unit 1, Section A Checkpoint (0 minutes)
Cool-Down
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Student Section Summary
Student Facing
We explored many math tools.
Connecting cubes
Pattern blocks
Geoblocks
Two-color counters
5-frames