Different Square Units (Part 2)
10 min
Narrative
The purpose of this Warm-up is to elicit the idea that larger square units, specifically the square meter, can be useful in situations involving large areas. While students may notice and wonder many things about the image, the idea of tiling a large area with larger square units is the important discussion point.
Launch
- Groups of 2
- Display the image.
- “What do you notice? What do you wonder?”
- 1 minute: quiet think time
Teacher Instructions
- “Discuss your thinking with your partner.”
- 1 minute: partner discussion
- Share and record responses.
Student Task
What do you notice? What do you wonder?
Solution Steps (3)
- 1Observe the image→Person holding a large square at a playground
- 2Consider what the square could be used for→Measuring area of large spaces like the playground
- 3Reason about unit size→Larger squares are useful for measuring larger areas - fewer tiles needed
Sample Response
Students may notice:
- The person is holding a large square.
- There’s a playground in the background.
Students may wonder:
- How did the person make the large square?
- How long is each side of the square?
- How many squares would it take to tile the playground?
Activity Synthesis (Teacher Notes)
- If needed, “What could you measure with this square?” (You could measure the area of large areas, like the playground.)
- “Why might you want this square instead of square centimeters or square inches?” (It takes fewer squares of this size to measure an area that is a lot larger, like a playground or a room.)
Standards
- 3.MD.6·Measure areas by counting unit squares (square cm, square m, square in, square ft, and improvised units).
- 3.MD.C.6·Measure areas by counting unit squares (square cm, square m, square in, square ft, and improvised units).
10 min
15 min
Knowledge Components
All skills for this lesson
Different Square Units (Part 2)
10 min
Narrative
The purpose of this Warm-up is to elicit the idea that larger square units, specifically the square meter, can be useful in situations involving large areas. While students may notice and wonder many things about the image, the idea of tiling a large area with larger square units is the important discussion point.
Launch
- Groups of 2
- Display the image.
- “What do you notice? What do you wonder?”
- 1 minute: quiet think time
Teacher Instructions
- “Discuss your thinking with your partner.”
- 1 minute: partner discussion
- Share and record responses.
Student Task
What do you notice? What do you wonder?
Solution Steps (3)
- 1Observe the image→Person holding a large square at a playground
- 2Consider what the square could be used for→Measuring area of large spaces like the playground
- 3Reason about unit size→Larger squares are useful for measuring larger areas - fewer tiles needed
Sample Response
Students may notice:
- The person is holding a large square.
- There’s a playground in the background.
Students may wonder:
- How did the person make the large square?
- How long is each side of the square?
- How many squares would it take to tile the playground?
Activity Synthesis (Teacher Notes)
- If needed, “What could you measure with this square?” (You could measure the area of large areas, like the playground.)
- “Why might you want this square instead of square centimeters or square inches?” (It takes fewer squares of this size to measure an area that is a lot larger, like a playground or a room.)
Standards
- 3.MD.6·Measure areas by counting unit squares (square cm, square m, square in, square ft, and improvised units).
- 3.MD.C.6·Measure areas by counting unit squares (square cm, square m, square in, square ft, and improvised units).