Students will explore solving equations using the idea of equivalence and substitution.

In this task, students will have an opportunity to reason through an investigation sparked by an athlete throwing shot put. The tasks involve the evaluation of an equation through substitution and the solving of 2-step linear equations. Students will have the opportunity to apply models to reason; in particular, making use of the double number line.

They will also explore big ideas including the following:

• Problems that require multiple calculations can be represented in a single equation.
• Each side of an equation can be thought of as a single unit, where both sides are equivalent.
• Changing the quantity on one side of an equation forces an equivalent change in the other.

Show students the video below showing an athlete throwing a shot put.

Ask students to engage in a notice and wonder protocol. ANYTHING and EVERYTHING that comes to mind is fair game.

Write down all of the student noticing and wondering. For example:

• I notice a stadium.
• I wonder how much the shot put weighs?
• A shot put was thrown.
• That was far.
• How many people are in the audience?
• I wonder how far he threw it?
• And many others…

Take time to acknowledge the noticing and wondering your students have engaged in and try to answer any that you can address right away.

Consider watching the following walk through video that will take you from the start of this task through the consolidation:

Then, pose the following question:

How far did he throw the shot put?

Show students this top-view animation of the shot put stadium and pause when the yellow timer bar appears (or show the image):

Ask students to turn to their peers and make an estimate. Consider asking them to identify a length that is too farand too short to be reasonable prior to making their estimates.

Have students share out their estimates and record them on a number line.

Next, you can continue playing the animation until pausing at the next yellow bar that will appear on the screen (or share the following image) and ask students to improve their estimate using only the brown measuring sticks they see in the visual:

Ask students to use their spatial reasoning to make their estimate and share with their partners.

When ready, you can resume the animated video or show the following image:

Now, students are ready to be set free to determine the total length of the throw. However, we recommend that you consider mentioning the following as they begin:

How might we convince someone that the total distance you came up with is correct without the use of a calculator?

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After consolidating learning using student generated solution strategies and by extending their thinking intentionally, we can share what really happened by showing the following to reveal how far the shot put was thrown.

Alternatively or in addition to the video, you can show the still image below.

Answer: 74 feet.

Revisit the student answers.

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Coming soon.

Strategy:

Coming soon.

Big Idea:

Coming soon.

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After consolidating learning using student generated solution approaches and strategies based on what you selected and how you sequenced, share the following:

ANSWER: The length of the red measuring stick is 16 feet.

You may also consider explicitly connecting the visual representation on the number line to the symbolic representation:

Provide students an opportunity to reflect on their learning by offering this consolidation prompt to be completed independently.

Consolidation Prompt:

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We suggest collecting this reflection as an additional opportunity to engage in the formative assessment process to inform next steps for individual students as well as how the whole class will proceed.

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