The purpose of this activity is for students to match equations to pattern block puzzles that show two groups of objects (MP2). Students make sense of equations with both the addends written first and the total written first.

• Display the image of the shape made out of 6 blue rhombuses and 1 yellow hexagon:
• “Which equation did you match to this shape? Why?” ( or . There are 6 blue rhombus pattern blocks and 1 yellow hexagon pattern block. There are 7 pattern blocks together.)
• “We can write 7 first because there are 7 pattern blocks altogether, or we can write 6 plus 1 first because there are 6 blue rhombus pattern blocks and 1 yellow hexagon pattern block. Both equations tell us that there are 7 pattern blocks, with 6 blue rhombuses and 1 yellow hexagon.”
• Create and display a shape with 1 red trapezoid pattern block and 4 green triangle pattern blocks.
• “Tell your partner an equation that you could write to match this shape.”
  (, , , or )
• Share and record responses.

The purpose of this activity is for students to put together pattern blocks to represent equations (MP2). In order to draw the shapes they created with pattern blocks, students may draw the shapes or trace each shape. Using different colored crayons (red for the red trapezoids, blue for the blue rhombuses) may help students differentiate between the shapes. Students are not expected to draw precise or accurate shapes.

• Invite 2 students to share the shapes that they created for .
• As each student shares, ask:
  • “Where do you see 7 in their shape?”
  • “Where do you see 2 in their shape?”
  • “Where do you see 5 in their shape?”
  • “Which number tells us how many pattern blocks there are altogether?”

The purpose of this activity is for students to choose from activities that offer practice with number and shape concepts.

Students choose any previously introduced stage from these centers:

• Pattern Blocks
• Geoblocks
• Grab and Count
• Find the Pair

• Display a scattered pile of 7 pattern blocks.
• “Mai grabbed these pattern blocks. What is an estimate that’s too high?” “Too low?” “About right?” (20 is too high. 3 is too low. 10 is just right.)