Essential Question for students (objective):  How can we think like mathematicians by representing quantities and relationships with a diagram?

Supplies: video (length 40 seconds), note-maker

CCSS:  2nd or 3rd OA standards, MP #1 Make Sense of Problems, MP # 2 Reason Abstractly and Quantitatively  TEKS: 2nd or 3rd grade, Use a problem-solving model

Instructional Format: Video, student problem-solving, group or individual work

Lesson Description: There are many ways to use this video in your math class.  I filmed it with the express purpose of having students practice finding quantities and relationships and using them to create a representation for them.  In second grade a representation could include the use of manipulatives.  This fits most algebraic standards in the early grades.

1) You can show this video (40 seconds) at the beginning of any unit. You can have them work on the problem at the end of daily lessons (or once a week) armed with new knowledge that they are exploring in class.  Students use the note-maker to help record their problem-solving work.  Or you could revisit the video at the end of any unit as a formative check to see what the students have learned about quantities and relationships and whether they can apply that knowledge.

2) You could show this video as a warm-up activity after the students have learned some basic quantities and relationships work.  It is a great way to explore math practice number 2 – reasoning abstractly.

Extensions:  What if my son wanted to tour twice as many schools as he originally thought and twice as many have to be toured on their own day while the others can be toured 2 in one day?  How many days would we need to tour all of the other schools?  Is it twice your answer from above?