Students will determine the length of a string that stretches from corner to opposite corner in a classroom.

In this task, students will observe an individual running a string from one corner of a classroom to the opposite corner. The purpose of the day 4 task is allow students to apply their understanding of the Pythagorean relationship in various ways.

Show students the following video:

Then, ask students:

What do you notice?

What do you wonder?

Give students 60 seconds (or more) to do a rapid write on a piece of paper.

Replaying the video and/or leaving a screenshot from the video up can be helpful here.

Then, ask students to share with their neighbours for another 60 seconds.

Finally, allow students to share with the entire group. Be sure to write down these noticings and wonderings on the blackboard/whiteboard, chart paper, or some other means to ensure students know that their voice is acknowledged and appreciated.

Some of the noticing and wondering that may come up includes:

• There is a long string.
• Whose classroom is that?
• How long is the string?
• What’s he standing on?
• How many desks are there?
• What kind of string is that?

After we have heard students and demonstrated that we value their voice, we can land on the first question we will challenge them with:

Show students the image below.

Then, ask students:

How long is the string that stretches from corner to corner?

We can now ask students to make an estimate (not a guess) as we want them to be as strategic as they can possibly be. This will force them to estimate dimensions and use their knowledge of area.

Encourage students to share their estimates, however avoid sharing their justification just yet. We do not want to rob other students of their thinking.

Prompt students by asking:

If you were to have more information to help narrow your prediction/make your prediction more accurate what extra information would you want?

Engage your class in Think-Pair-Share where they Think independently on what they would like to have to update their prediction, Pair and share their thinking with a partner, finally share their thinking with the class.

Show the More Information images one at time pausing and prompting your students to share their strategies.

Image 1:

Image 2:

Image 3:

With this information and ask students to update their prediction.

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Consider sharing the following reveal video with your students:

Engage students in a discussion on the accuracy of the answer revealed in the video and their calculated answer.

Consolidation Prompt #1:

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Consolidation Prompt #2:

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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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Purposeful practice problems are coming soon.

A downloadable PDF blackline master of this purposeful practice can be downloaded and used with your students in your classroom here: [ OPEN | DOWNLOAD ] Coming soon!