First Week Tasks 2024

Grade 4

First Week Tasks: Administration Overview

Purpose

The lessons in Module 1 are designed to provide you with time to get to know your students and establish routines and procedures in your math class before diving into the grade level curriculum. These tasks are intended to:

  • build a math community.
  • get to know your math learners.
  • establish routines and procedures for your math class.
  • highlight students' math identities to begin to foster productive dispositions towards mathematics.
  • engage students in collaborative problem solving.
  • jump start students' mathematical brains after a long summer break.
  • support access and equity by providing opportunities for students to conjecture, justify, and build on one another's ideas in ways that contribute to their capacity and willingness to engage mathematically (agency).
  • replace a written diagnostic, individual math test with a tool for observation that examines mathematical behaviors with previously taught concepts.  Teachers should use the following sources for information on their math students: information from previous year teachers, formal assessment data (MAP), observations during the First Week Tasks, classroom performance during the first 3-4 weeks of math class, Grade Level Readiness assessment (if needed).  NOTE: There is no census assessment recommended or provided by the Elementary Mathematics Office.

Implementing the Tasks

  • There are a total of 8 First Week Tasks available for implementation: 3 tasks build math community and highlight students' math identity, and 5 tasks that are content/grade specific.  
  • Teams should use all 3 Building Community lessons. These should begin on the second day of school.
  • Choose a minimum of 4 of the 5 content tasks to implement after the building community lessons.  
  • Teams may decide to administer the tasks in homeroom OR in the math classes determined by the prior year's teachers. The content of the tasks is predominately from the previous grade level, however, there are enrichment options included in the lessons.  The content also represents a major idea from the previous grade level. If your team decides to administer tasks in "math classes", the above grade level teacher may use the tasks from the next grade level up.  **Be aware: this should be a school-wide decision since it may result in students seeing the same task two years in a row if this is not a consistent decision across the school.**
  • Teachers should choose how to group students when solving the task: pairs, triads or groups of four. Heterogeneous grouping is recommended.  However, groups can be rearranged as needed so that they function more smoothly.
  • Teachers should use the slide deck and notes from the slide deck to guide instruction.  It is recommended that all students start with the first task in the slide deck.  Teachers may then use the additional and enrichment slides as they determine to be appropriate.  Teachers can provide scaffolding and assistance to students as needed.  Intense support should be noted on the data collection form (see below).

 

Recommended Timeline:

  • Tuesday, August 27, 2024 - Building Community Lesson 1
  • Wednesday, August 28, 2024 - Building Community Lesson 2
  • Thursday, August 29, 2024 - Building Community Lesson 3
  • Friday, August 30, 2024 - Choose a content task
  • Tuesday, September 3, 2024 - Choose a content task
  • Wednesday, September 4, 2024 - Choose a content task
  • Thursday, September 5, 2024 - Choose a content task
  • Friday, September 6, 2024 - Choose a content task

*This module must end on September 6th.  Module 2 begins on September 9th.*

 

Lesson Options are as Follows:

Lesson Options

Building Community Lesson  1

Getting to Know Our Class Links to an external site.

This lesson includes a math inventory, a data collection activity to learn more about each other, and an introduction to the Standards for Mathematical Practice. You will want to have them printed and displayed in your classroom. 

The Number Routine, Over/Under, is embedded in the slide deck.

Closure: Review of Standards for Mathematical Practice

Additional printable resources for Lesson 1:

Math Interest Survey Links to an external site.

Data Collection Recording Sheet Links to an external site.

Building Community Lesson  2

Brains Grow and Change Links to an external site.

Students will watch a video about about how brains grow and change. Each student will create a square for a class number quilt that describes them. Provide an opportunity for students to share with each other. 

The Number Routine, Over/Under, is embedded in the slide deck.

Closure: Review of Standards for Mathematical Practice

Additional printable resources for Lesson 2:

Number Quilt Recording Sheet Links to an external site.

Building Community Lesson  3

Working Cooperatively Links to an external site.

Students will work with a small group to complete an activity.  You will need red, yellow, green, and blue cubes or colored tiles as well as the reproducible handout. After the activity they will reflect on what worked and what did not work when they were working as a group. This is an opportunity to create class norms, routines and procedures around group work in your math class. 

The Number Routine, Over/Under, is embedded in the slide deck.

Closure: Review of Standards for Mathematical Practice

Additional printable resources for Lesson 3:

Student Handout Links to an external site. (These will need to be cut for each group prior to the lesson)

Optional Student Recording Sheet Links to an external site. (Students could use to show possible solutions)

Content Task Option 1

Number Routine: Over/Under

Task: Basketball Courts Links to an external site. (3.OA.3)

Closure: Teacher makes Standards for Mathematical Practices posters visible and facilitates Name That Practice

Content Task Option 2

Number Routine: Where's the Point?

Task: The Pet Store Links to an external site. (3.OA.8)

Closure: Teacher makes Standards for Mathematical Practices posters visible and facilitates Name That Practice

Content Task Option 3

Number Routine: Where's the Point?

Task: Book Swap Links to an external site. (3.NBT.2)

Closure: Teacher makes Standards for Mathematical Practices posters visible and facilitates Name That Practice

Content Task Option 4

Number Routine: Where's the Point?

Task: Gas Gauge Links to an external site. (3.NF.2)

Closure: Teacher makes Standards for Mathematical Practices posters visible and facilitates Name That Practice

Content Task Option 5

Number Routine: Where's the Point?

Task: Family Farms Links to an external site. (3.NF.3)

Closure: Teacher makes Standards for Mathematical Practices posters visible and facilitates Name That Practice

 

Teacher's Role-- Observation/Data Collection

As students work, teachers should make observations and take notes using this simple Download data collection tool

.   Notes are not required for all students.  We recommend collecting evidence on Students Who are New to the School, Students Who are Struggling, and Students Who Excel.  These are the categories represented on the Download data collection tool.