Lesson 20

Sticky Notes (optional)

Lesson Purpose

The purpose of this lesson is for students to apply their understanding of multiplication of a whole number by a fraction to create sticky-note letter designs.

Lesson Narrative

This lesson is optional because it does not address any new mathematical content standards. This lesson does provide students with an opportunity to apply precursor skills of mathematical modeling. In previous lessons, students used diagrams, expressions, and equations to represent multiplication of a fraction by a whole number.

In this lesson, students apply their knowledge of fraction by whole number multiplication to create sticky note designs. They create a design given a set of constraints. Students describe their design to others before gaining access to the supplies to make their design.

When students make decisions and choices, analyze real-world situations with mathematical ideas, translate a mathematical answer back into the context of a (real-world) situation, and adhere to constraints, they model with mathematics (MP4).

  • Action and Expression
  • MLR8

Learning Goals

Teacher Facing

  • Use addition, subtraction, and multiplication of fractions to model and solve a design problem.

Student Facing

  • Let’s make a design using sticky notes.

Required Materials

Materials to Gather

Required Preparation

Activity 1:

  • Gather rectangular sticky notes with fractional lengths. If this is not possible then cut rectangles from card stock with fractional lengths.

CCSS Standards

Addressing

Lesson Timeline

Warm-up 10 min
Activity 1 15 min
Activity 2 30 min
Lesson Synthesis 10 min

Teacher Reflection Questions

How comfortable were the students in making choices? Were your students able to explain their thinking and convince others that their design fit the given constraints?

Suggested Centers

  • Compare (1–5), Stage 6: Add and Subtract Fractions (Addressing)
  • Rolling for Fractions (3–5), Stage 2: Multiply a Fraction by a Whole Number (Addressing)
  • Compare (1–5), Stage 3: Multiply within 100 (Supporting)

Print Formatted Materials

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Student Task Statements pdf docx
Lesson Cover Page pdf docx
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Teacher Presentation Materials pdf docx

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