The purpose of this activity is for students to sort math tools, name the groups they used to sort, and tell the number of objects in each group. Students identify attributes of the tools and sort them into two or more groups. Students may choose to use one of the blackline masters to organize as they sort.

When students share how they sorted with their partner, they use their own mathematical vocabulary and listen to and understand their partner’s thinking (MP3, MP6). Students may describe the tools by referring to shape names, number of sides, color, or other attributes.

During the Activity Synthesis, students are introduced to the term “category.” They discuss different categories that were used to sort the math tools. Encourage students to tell how many tools are in each category.

At the end of this activity, students should leave their tools as they sorted them for the Gallery Walk in Activity 2.

This activity uses MLR2 Collect and Display. Advances: Conversing, Reading, Writing.

• Display the “Words to Describe How We Sorted” poster.
• “Are there any words or phrases that are important to include on our display?” Use this discussion to update the display, by adding (or removing) language, diagrams, or annotations.
• Remind students to borrow language from the display as needed in the next activity.
• “The label that tells how objects in a group are alike is called a category. One category I saw today was objects with straight sides. Another category I saw was shapes that have 4 sides. We will continue to sort into categories.”

The purpose of this activity is for students to use their own language and the language generated by the class in the previous activity to describe how math tools were sorted and to tell how many tools are in each category. Students walk around the room and look at how other students sorted their tools. Consider using a signal to let students know when it is time to rotate.

• “What are some different ways you saw the math tools sorted?”

The purpose of this activity is for students to choose from activities that focus on counting up to 20 objects or adding and subtracting within 10. Students choose from any of the previously introduced stages of the listed centers. They are encouraged to choose the center that will be most helpful for them at this time. 

• Counting Collections
• Number Race
• Check It Off
• Five in a Row: Addition and Subtraction
• Find the Pair

• “How was the center activity you chose helpful for you today?”