• Lesson 2 Formative Assessment Checklist (M-1-4-2_Lesson 2 Formative Assessment Checklist.docx)
• Formative Assessment—Sharing Bread (M-1-4-2_Formative Assessment Sharing Bread.docx)

“Last night I made some pumpkin bread at my house. I told Mrs. Smith about it and she said it sounded really yummy. I told her I would share the piece I brought today with her at lunch. I wonder how I should share it. I wonder if any of you have any good ways that I could share my bread. Right now I am going to have you keep your ideas to yourself. After I read the book A Bear’s Fair Share, we will talk about your ideas.”

Read the book A Bear’s Fair Share by Stuart J. Murphy. Discuss equal shares and what is happening in the book. Clear up any misconceptions students may have about the book.

“We are going to add some new vocabulary words to our math word wall. Let’s see if we can share the meaning of these words before we put them up. Think about our discussion about the book.” Add vocabulary words to your word wall (M-1-4-2_Lesson 2 Vocabulary Words for Word Wall.docx). If needed, add pictures to help explain some of the vocabulary words.

“Okay, how many of you think you can help me come up with a way to share my bread with Mrs. Smith? Remember that you can use the vocabulary we are learning to help you with your idea. Let’s make sure you understand what the words mean. I’m going to give each of you a cookie cutter, play dough, a craft stick, and a couple of cards.”

Display directions on the board or a chart as you talk through them. Model your expectations prior to handing out any supplies to students. “You are going to:

1.      Flatten the play dough.

2.      Use the cookie cutter and cut out your shape from the play dough.

3.      Draw a card from the pile in the middle of your group (M-1-4-2_Play Dough Cards.docx).

4.      Use the craft stick to divide your shape according to one of the cards you have.

5.      Put a card by your shape that describes what you did.”

“I will come around and check to see if you divided your shape correctly.” During this time, clear up misconceptions and ask students about their understanding. Tell students to try another shape or card if they got the first one correct. In addition, use this time as a formative assessment to record student understanding (M-1-4-2_Lesson 2 Formative Assessment Checklist.docx).

Possible questions to ask students or conversation starters include

• “Explain how you divided your shape.”
• “What do you think would happen to this half if you divided it again?”
• “How many parts would the rectangle have if you divided it into quarters?”
• “You had two circles. Which are larger—the halves or the fourths?”
• “How many halves are in a rectangle?”
• “How many fourths are equal to one half?”
• “How would you describe this shape?”
• “How are these two parts alike?”
• “How are these parts different?”
• “How did you divide your circle into equal parts?”

When students have had time to divide the shapes into halves and quarters, have them clean up and bring them back to a common spot like the carpet.

“We are almost ready for lunch and then it will be time for me to share my bread with Mrs. Smith. I am going to give each of you a chance to explain your idea of how I should equally share my bread with Mrs. Smith. On this piece of paper (M-1-4-2_Formative Assessment Sharing Bread.docx), I have a picture of a rectangle. I want you to pretend that this rectangle is the bread I am going to share with Mrs. Smith. Show how I should divide my bread. Below the rectangle I want you to explain why I should divide the bread that way. Finally, I want you to explain how you know it is fair. I will collect your papers when you are done.”

Extension:

• Routine: For several days, draw three different shapes on the board. Roll a number cube whose faces all say ½ or ¼, or use the spinner (M-1-4-2_Spinner.docx). Have one student come up and divide one of the shapes according to the roll or spin. Repeat this process for all of the shapes.
• Small Group:Students who are having difficulties dividing shapes and understanding that when they divide a shape into fourths and halves they have equal parts can participate in the following activities:
  • Play Dough: Work with students in a small group and repeat the play dough activity, labeling the parts of each shape as you explicitly teach the activity. Repeat with several shapes.
  • Paper Fold: Use circles, squares, and rectangles. Have students fold the shapes into halves and fourths with your instruction. Then have them divide shapes on paper (M-1-4-2_Folding and Dividing Shapes.docx).
  • Expansion:Students who have mastered dividing shapes can participate in the following activities:
    • Fill It Game (M-1-4-2_Fill It Game and Spinner.docx)
    • Pattern Blocks: Students work with pattern blocks to explore the relationship between the blocks. Have a discussion with students.