The purpose of this activity is for students to connect scaled picture graphs to situations involving equal groups. The scale of the picture graph will be used to help students think about a category of the graph as a situation involving equal groups.

The Launch is an opportunity for students to share their experiences and ask questions about the graph to ensure each student has access to the context. If it is helpful, display a few images of different types of signs students may see in their community.

• Display a student-created drawing of equal groups that represents the speed limit signs that Elena saw on the way home and the drawing in the last problem.
• “These drawings show equal groups. How do these drawings represent data in the picture graph?” (The drawings show groups of 2, and the picture graph shows the data in groups of 2 because each picture represents 2 signs.)

The purpose of this activity is for students to represent situations involving equal groups in a way that makes sense to them. Have connecting cubes available for students to use to represent the situation, if they would like. Students may also draw a picture. One partner could use the objects while one draws, and then they could switch for each problem. The focus of the discussion is on the important quantities of each situation and how students used their representation to model each quantity (MP4).

In the Launch, it may be helpful to ask students to tell their partner a quick story or ask any questions about the focus of each of the three contexts to ensure each student has access. It may also be helpful to display images for students to reference.

• Ask 2–3 students to share their work for each problem. Be sure to share a variety of different representations.
• For each, ask how the numbers in the situation are represented in their work. 
• “How do the representations help you picture the situation?” (I can pretend the objects are the things in the story like the shoes. The drawing is like a picture of what’s happening in the story.)