Overarching Design Structure

In the beginning of Unit 1, students interpret and draw scaled picture graphs and scaled bar graphs to represent data. This builds on their grade 2 experiences with data representation and with skip-counting by 2, 5, and 10.

Next, students make sense of multiplication in terms of equal groups of objects. They use discrete drawings and tape diagrams that show equal groups to represent multiplication. Students then relate these representations to expressions, interpreting them to mean “_____ groups of _____.”

Finally, students relate the idea of equal groups to the structure of an array, a representation introduced in grade 2.