Surface Area Volume Scale Factor Connection Teacher Context:
• Group Structure: • Task Card # I: groups of four- each student working on a different model • Task Card # 2: reconfigure groups by taking students with the same model
from Task # I by putting them into new groups of three to four. • Task Card # 3: Return to Task Card #1 I groups.
• Practice Norms: Give reasons for your suggestions Everyone gives information
• Math central to the lesson: The relationship between scale factor and one-, two-, and three-
dimensional geometry.
• Grade Levels: 7th, 8th, and 9th
• Shapes for Students to use:
Shape 1 Shape 2 Shape 3 Shape 4
Surface Area Volume Scale Factor Connection
Orientation Content and task directions
• Scale factor, surface area, and volume • Observing patterns and communicating your
findings • Task direction:
Task #1: Build figures with scale factor 2 and compare within group. Task #2: In expert groups, investigate different ways of communicating
results Task #3: Return to original groups and generalize findings on a poster.
Roles • Facilitator, Recorder/reporter, Resource Manager,
and Team Captain • Roles assigned by teacher, by seat placement • Students have individual roles • Job description and script questions are listed on
task card
Multiple-abilities and status treatments Organizing, generalizing, formulating, listing, visualizing, testing, explaining and asking why Students look for patterns and document findings by making organized lists or representations and describing patterns found and generalizing results.
Norms Students complete their activity, individual notes, and play their role in the group
It is important that students work together by playing their role—each role is important for the group to effectively complete the activity and for documentation of participation
Group-work—Delegate authority and deepening discourse To get started • Identify roles by seat placement for each task. • Job descriptions are on task card. • Call up Facilitators for a briefing.
Group-work skills Periodically check to see if students are fulfilling their roles
Interventions (if a student is not participating) Have students explain their role in the group
Multiple-abilities and status treatments • Each person is responsible for enlarging the
personal model. • Each student becomes an expert on the individual
model. • Each person helps make a poster that includes:
patterns found, generalizing, communication of findings, and writing a rule.
Assessing and deepening discussion • Listen for suggestions and reasoning • Check with reporter/recorder to check on
documentation • Check with Facilitator to see if everyone is
participating by asking, “Why?” • Ask, “I want to listen to you do it. Can you say it
another way. Did that convince you?” • Call Resource Manager to collect supplies for
poster on results Wrap-Up—Bring to life what you value Content debrief • Students do a gallery walk of posters. [Note that
this gallery walk of posters was an optional extension.]
• Teacher shares observations of explanations of reasoning and individual participation
Group-work skills • Each student shares ideas and results on the poster • Poster explains results in words, geometrically, and
as a rule • Students give feedback on the poster during
gallery walk (using Post-It Notes)
Multiple-abilities & status treatments Self assessment of participation and explanation of reasoning
Individual & group accountability Accountability: poster with a different color per student and displaying findings four different ways