What's In A Shape, Author(s): Tamara Bates and Debbie Salisbury, Grade Level: 3rd and 4th, Subject Area: Math, In cooperative groups children will discuss, classify and list the various shapes used to construct the toy they each brought from home. Then each child will draw the toy they brought from home using the basic shapes and write a brief description

Planning Guide

Creating Learner-Focused
Schools

* Madison-Oneida BOCES- This document may not be reproduced in any form without the expressed written consent of the District Superintendent or his designee.

LU Title: What's in a Shape?	Author(s): Tamara Bates and Debbie Salisbury
Grade Level: 3rd and 4th	School Address: Calcium Primary, PO Box 459, Calcium, New York 13616
Subject Area: Math	School Phone/Fax: (315)629-1100

CONTENT KNOWLEDGE

Declarative	Procedural
Identify the 5 pattern block shapes (trapezoid, hexagon, triangle, square and rhombus).	Use the pattern block shapes to make different shapes and patterns.
Sort and classify the shapes.	Interview another students about how they made their shape project and the pattern blocks they used.
Use the shapes to explore angles, symmetry, and congruence.
Use the shapes to develop an awareness of probability.
Use the pattern block shapes to extend a pattern.

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

In what different ways can you use your shape to make a toy?
How many different ways can you make a hexagon using the pattern blocks?
What ways can your recreate my shape? (challenging)

INITIATING ACTIVITY

In cooperative groups children will discuss, classify and list the various shapes used to construct the toy they each brought from home. Then each child will draw the toy they brought from home using the basic shapes and write a brief description.

Connection to State Learning Standards

Content Area: Mathematics, Science, and Technology

Level: 3rd and 4th

Benchmarks: Explore and solve problems generated from school, home, and community situations, using concrete objects or manipulative materials when possible.

Benchmarks: Use physical materials, pictures, and diagrams to explain mathematical ideas and processes and to demonstrate geometric concepts.

Standard: MST 1

Standard: MST 3

Unit Theme:

What's in a Shape?

Standard: MST 5

Standard: MST 7

Benchmarks: Use a variety of materials and energy sources to design and construct things. Understand the importance of safety, cost, ease of use and availability in selecting tools and resources for a specific purpose.

Benchmarks: Make informed consumer decisions by applying knowledge about the attributes of particular products and making cost/benefit trade offs to arrive at an optimal choice.

Learning Experiences

Declarative Knowledge

What declarative knowledge should e in the process of acquiring & integrating? As a result of the unit, the student will know or understand…

What experiences or activities will be used to help students acquire & integrate this knowledge?

What strategies will be used to help students construct meaning, organize and/or store the knowledge?

Describe what will be done.

Students will identify the 5 pattern block shapes (trapezoid, square and rhombus).

Students will be able to identify angles.

Students will identify lines of symmetry and which shapes are symmetrical.

Students will determine whether a shape is congruent.

The students will be able to determine the probability of possible outcomes of a situation.

The students will identify a pattern block shape pattern and then continue the pattern by adding more block shapes.

The 5 pattern blocks, overhead and transparency pattern blocks.

Toy from home, pattern blocks, a piece of paper.

Using pattern shape blocks as manipulatives; recording data in pattern shape books; and constructing snowflakes.

Pattern block shapes in two different sizes; paper bag, and chart paper.

The students will be working in whole groups and small groups with a probability experiment using paper bags and manipulatives.

Using the pattern block manipulatives and a variety of pattern block templates.

KWL Pattern block book (pictographic representation).

Cooperative grouping, listing, identifying, modeling, guided practice, and independent practice.

Modeling lines of symmetry using a heart or butterfly; identifying lines of symmetry using pattern block shapes, recording results in pattern shape books; independently designing and creating own snowflake using lines of symmetry.

Demonstration, modeling, pairs activity, compare and contrast, and whole group wrap-up.

Modeling, manipulatives, tally chart, comparing and contrasting results, grouping.

Demonstration, modeling, guided and independent practice.

In KWL chart, we will generate the K and the W sections related to shapes. We will then hand out the pattern block shapes and give the students 5 minutes to explore patterns with the shapes. We will then take each shape individually and list it's characteristics on a page that will be inserted into our pattern block book. Using the hexagon pattern students will see how many ways the can make a hexagon using the other pattern blocks. We will return to the KWL chart to fill out the L section with information we learned during this lesson.

Teacher will introduce/review the concept of angles and how they are formed. Using the pattern block shapes, teacher and students will identify the angles and number of angles in each pattern block shape. Teacher will chart this information on overhead and students will add the number of angles to their pattern shape book. In cooperative groups, students will identify the angles and number of angles in the toys they brought from home. The group's reporter will share their results with the class. Students will then individually travel around the room listing 10 angles in the classroom on a piece of loose-leaf notebook paper.

**Teacher will introduce/review the concept of symmetry by folding a piece of paper in half and cutting out either a heart or a butterfly. In cooperative groups, students will fold the pattern block shapes to identify which shapes have lines of symmetry. We will compare and contrast results as we record the results on a chart. Students will record the results in their pattern shape books. Teacher will hand out a sheet of white ditto paper to each student. Students will fold paper to independently design a snowflake, modeling the use of symmetry. Designs will be displayed in the classroom.

Teacher will introduce/review the meaning of congruence (2 figures having the same size and shape) using snowflakes from previous lesson and the pattern block shapes as examples. Teacher will model how to draw pattern block shapes out of paper bag, check for congruence, and record on chart paper. With a partner/study buddy, students will take turns repeatedly drawing tow shapes from a paper bag to see if they are congruent. They will record their results on chart paper. After 15 minutes, students will return to the whole group and compare and contrast results on a classroom chart.

Teacher will introduce/review the term probability and demonstrate how we use probability. Teacher will model by placing the pattern block shapes in a paper bag. Teacher will count the number of shapes before placing in the bag. Teacher will see how many times she/he can pull a triangle out of a paper bag in 5 tries. Then a student will repeat the same procedure using a different shape. Students will pair up with a partner/student buddy and complete the following probability experiment: using two bags with a different mixture of pattern block shapes and a tally sheet, students will record how often they pulled a certain shape out of the bag and determine the probability using tally marks. The students will then switch bags and do the experiment again. The students will compare their results with their partner/study buddy.

The teacher will demonstrate how to identify a pattern block shape pattern and then continue the pattern by adding more pattern blocks in the correct sequence using the overhead. Students will practice extending the pattern of several more examples provided by the teacher using their packets of pattern block shapes. Students will share results with the class. The teacher will then model how to project what the pattern will look like 10 shapes later, 15 shapes later, etc. Students will practice projecting what a pattern will look several shapes later using one of the examples provided earlier by the teacher. Individual students will then get a new pattern that they will complete by tracing in the next 5 shapes and projecting what the 15th and 20th shapes will be. These will be collected by the teacher for individual student assessment.

Learning Experiences

Procedural Knowledge

What procedural knowledge will students be in the process of acquiring & integrating? As a result of this unit, students will be able to:

What will be done to help students construct models, shape & internalize the knowledge?

Describe what will be done.

Use the pattern block shapes to complete different shapes and patterns.

Students will come up with their own pattern block design using the patterns block cutouts.

Teacher-provided pattern block shapes and outlines (outlines from initiating activity).

Overhead pattern blocks, bland piece of white paper, pattern block cutouts, glue and teacher-provided interview questionnaire.

The teacher and students will review the 5 pattern block shapes. Teacher will model on the overhead how to use different combinations of pattern blocks to fill in an outline. The students will work in cooperative groups to fill in an outline using their pattern blocks. We will compare and contrast each group's combination of blocks. Then students will work individually to cover an outline from our initiating activity using a variety of pattern block combinations. Results will then be displayed on a chart.

We will review pattern block shapes and characteristics with the book students made previously. Teacher will model making a design using pattern block cutouts on the overhead. Students will have 15 minutes to make a design using their cutouts. When design is complete, they will glue the cutouts down on the paper. Upon completion, students will interview another student for 5 minutes about how they made their design using the interview questionnaire.

Learning Experiences

Extending and Refining

What knowledge will students be extending and refining? Specifically, they will be extending and refining their understanding of…	What reasoning process will they be using?	Describe what will be done.
	Comparing Classifying Inductive Reasoning Deductive Reasoning Error Analysis Analyzing Perspectives Constructing Support Abstracting Other:

Planning Guide

Unit:

Step 1	Step 2	Step 3
*What knowledge* will students be using meaningfully? Specifically, they will be demonstrating their understanding of and ability to...........**	What reasoning process will they be using?	Describe student's products and performances and the criteria for evaluation.
	[ ] Decision Making (selecting from seemingly equal alternatives or examining the decisions of others) [ ] Problem Solving (seeking to achieve a goal by overcoming constraints or limiting conditions) [ ] Invention (creating something to meet a need or improve on a situation) [ ] Experimental Inquiry (generating an explanation for a phenomenon and testing the explanation) [ ] Investigation (resolving confusions or contradictions related to a historical event, a hypothetical past or future event, or to the defining characteristics of something) [ ] Systems Analysis (analyzing the parts of a system and how they interact) [ ] Other:	Products/Performances
		Criteria for evaluation

Rubric:

Key Questions:

What are the key elements, traits, or dimensions that will be evaluated?

Are the identified elements of equal importance or will they be weighed differently?

Scale Elements	4	3	2	1
Organization	Writing is organized in an interesting, thoughtful, meaningful, or creative way	Writing is well organized, information is presented in a logical sequence	There is some organization, but not apparent throughout	There is no apparent organization
Topic or Task	Stays on the topic very well using many, appropriate details to make the writing more interesting or informative	Stays on the topic very well and uses enough appropriate details to make the writing interesting or informative	Does write about the topic but doesn't stay on the topic and uses few details	Hardly writes about the topic and does not give enough detail to explain the topic/task
Required Components	Uses all the required components and adds others	Uses all the required components	Uses some of the required components, but not all	Does not use any of the required components
Sentences	Uses sentence variety in an interesting, thoughtful, meaningful or creative way	Has some sentence variety (different kinds and lengths)	Writes in sentences but most of them are alike	Does not write in sentences
Mechanics	Makes very few grammar and punctuation errors	Some grammar and punctuation errors but reader able to understand	Grammar and punctuation errors make reading difficult	Many grammar and punctuation errors; understanding difficult
Spelling	makes very few spelling errors	Some spelling errors, but reader able to understand, takes risks with more difficult words	Spelling errors make reading difficult	Many spelling errors; understanding difficult

NOTE: Rubric or other performance assessment instruments may be used.

	Element #1	Element #2	Element #3	Element #4
Elements Scale	Organization	Topic or Task	Required Components	Sentences
4	Presentation is organized in an interesting, thoughtful, meaningful, or creative way	Presenter stays on the topic very well using many, appropriate details to make the presentation more interesting or informative	Uses all the required components and adds others	Presenter speaks with correct grammar using a variety of sentences in an interesting way
3	Presentation is well organized, information is presented in a logical sequence	Presenter stays on the topic very well and uses enough details to make the presentation interesting or informative	Uses all the required components	Some grammar mistakes but does speak in an interesting way
2	There is some organization, but not apparent throughout presentation	Does speak about the topic but doesn't stay on the topic and uses few details	Uses some of the required components, but not all	Speaks in sentences but grammar makes presenter difficult to understand
1	There is no apparent organization	Hardly speaks about the topic and does not give enough detail to explain the task	Does not use any of the required components	Does not speak in sentences; grammar makes presenter difficult to understand

NOTE: Rubric or other performance assessment instruments may be used.

Have You Considered These Yet?

Learn to Learn Skills:

Students will learn to identify, use and manipulate pattern block shapes. They will use various technologies to complete their culminating activities (i.e., computer to type presentations and create graphic representations, calculators, etc.).

Assessment Modifications:

Students with I.E.P. will receive extra support from the Resource Room/Consultant teacher. The teacher will monitor student progress throughout unit and provide extra support to either individually or in small groups.

Unit Schedule/Time Plan:

This unit will take approximately 3 weeks. The initiating activity will take approximately 2 periods; the learning experiences will take approximately 8 periods; and the culminating activity will take approximately 5 periods.

Written Overview:

The idea for this unit came from the changes in the New York State Math testing in 4th grade. The available district-approved curriculum did not sufficiently provide students with exposure to and practice with pattern blocks. the purpose of this unit is to expose students to the five pattern blocks through a variety of activities. Students will create their own pattern shape booklet identifying the characteristics of each shape, number of angles, lines of symmetry, and congruency. Students can quickwrite in learning logs, journals or on notebook paper about a variety of concepts, determine probability of possible outcomes, complete patterns, and develop their own pattern block designs. Many of the activities are geared for use in a third grade, fourth grade, or multi-age classroom. The partner activities may also be done with a study buddy - same partner for the entire unit. The unit may be modified to incorporate learning centers, especially in the culminat ing activity. Other technology suggestions that may be incorporated are: using "Tezzelmania" software to create final presentations. The students and parents will receive a copy of the rubrics before beginning the culminating activity. This should help students and parents have a clearer understanding of teacher expectations.