Representing Ratios with Diagrams
5 min
Teacher Prep
Setup
Narrative
This Warm-up prompts students to carefully analyze and compare four representations of quantities in preparation for describing ratios of quantities. In making comparisons, students have a reason to use language precisely (MP6). The activity also enables the teacher to hear the terms that students know and how they talk about visual representations.
Launch
Arrange students in groups of 2–4. Display the representations for all to see. Give students 1 minute of quiet think time. Next, tell students to share their response with their group, and then together find as many sets of three as they can.
Student Task
Which three go together? Why do they go together?
A
B
C
D
2 green objects
Sample Response
Sample responses:
A, B, and C go together because they show a picture or an image.
A, B, and D go together because they all involve green objects.
A, C, and D go together because they represent 2 objects.
B, C, and D go together because they show representations of objects and not actual objects.
Activity Synthesis (Teacher Notes)
Invite each group to share one reason why a particular set of three goes together. Record and display the responses for all to see. After each response, ask the class if they agree or disagree. Since there is no single correct answer to the question of which three go together, attend to students’ explanations and ensure that the reasons given are correct.
If students use different terms (such as “picture,” “drawing,” or “diagram”) to describe the same representation, invite students to notice how they are referring to the representation. Acknowledge that we may use different terms to describe visual representations and may interpret the same term in different ways.
Standards
- 6.RP.A·Understand ratio concepts and use ratio reasoning to solve problems.
- 6.RP.A·Understand ratio concepts and use ratio reasoning to solve problems.
15 min
15 min
Knowledge Components
All skills for this lesson
No KCs tagged for this lesson
Representing Ratios with Diagrams
5 min
Teacher Prep
Setup
Narrative
This Warm-up prompts students to carefully analyze and compare four representations of quantities in preparation for describing ratios of quantities. In making comparisons, students have a reason to use language precisely (MP6). The activity also enables the teacher to hear the terms that students know and how they talk about visual representations.
Launch
Arrange students in groups of 2–4. Display the representations for all to see. Give students 1 minute of quiet think time. Next, tell students to share their response with their group, and then together find as many sets of three as they can.
Student Task
Which three go together? Why do they go together?
A
B
C
D
2 green objects
Sample Response
Sample responses:
A, B, and C go together because they show a picture or an image.
A, B, and D go together because they all involve green objects.
A, C, and D go together because they represent 2 objects.
B, C, and D go together because they show representations of objects and not actual objects.
Activity Synthesis (Teacher Notes)
Invite each group to share one reason why a particular set of three goes together. Record and display the responses for all to see. After each response, ask the class if they agree or disagree. Since there is no single correct answer to the question of which three go together, attend to students’ explanations and ensure that the reasons given are correct.
If students use different terms (such as “picture,” “drawing,” or “diagram”) to describe the same representation, invite students to notice how they are referring to the representation. Acknowledge that we may use different terms to describe visual representations and may interpret the same term in different ways.
Standards
- 6.RP.A·Understand ratio concepts and use ratio reasoning to solve problems.
- 6.RP.A·Understand ratio concepts and use ratio reasoning to solve problems.