Lesson 5

The purpose of this warm-up is for students to consider how different tools can be used to represent the same thing. When students describe how each object represents a house and make connections between the objects, they show their ability to reason abstractly and quantitatively (MP2). In the synthesis, students repeat what their partner has said to continue building their skill with listening to the ideas of others (MP3).

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

• “Discuss your thinking with your partner.”
• 1 minute: partner discussion

• Invite several students to share what they heard their partner say.

The purpose of this activity is to introduce stage 2 of the Connecting Cubes center. Students use connecting cubes to make objects pictured on cards. As they work, observe whether students match the connecting cubes to the image or count the number of connecting cubes in the image to create their own object (MP6).

Create a set of cards from the blackline master for each group of 2.

• 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.

• 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

• “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.

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.

• 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.)

• 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

• “Which puzzle was your favorite?”
• 30 seconds: quiet think time
• “Tell your partner why it was your favorite.”
• 1 minute: partner discussion

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.

• Gather Materials from: 
  • Pattern Blocks, Stage 1 and Stage 2
  • Connecting Cubes, Stage 1 and Stage 2
  • Geoblocks, Stage 1 and Stage 2 

• “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

• 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.

• Invite previously selected students to share their work.
• “Tell your partner how _____ described their work.”