First Week Tasks 2024

Grade 5

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.
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 an opportunity for students to share something about themselves, 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, Close, Far, In Between is embedded in the slide deck. Closure: Review of Standards for Mathematical Practice Additional printable resources for Lesson 1: My Summer in Numbers Links to an external site. Line Plot Recording Sheet Links to an external site.
Building Community Lesson 2	The Importance of Struggle Links to an external site. Students will write "Dear Math" letters to encourage thinking and talking about math identities. This will provide you as the teacher with insights about how your students feel about themselves as mathematicians. Students will watch a video about the importance of struggle. The Number Routine, Close, Far, In Between is embedded in the slide deck. Closure: Review of Standards for Mathematical Practice Additional printable resources for Lesson 2: Dear Math Letter 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 counters 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, Close, Far, In Between is embedded in the slide deck. Closure: Review of Standards for Mathematical Practice Additional printable resources for Lesson 3: Counter Cards Links to an external site. (These materials need to be cut for each team prior to the task)
Content Task Option 1	Number Routine: Close, Far, In Between Task: Riding Roller Coasters Links to an external site. (4.NBT.5) Closure: Teacher makes Standards for Mathematical Practices posters visible and facilitates Name That Practice
Content Task Option 2	Number Routine: Close, Far, In Between Task: US Road Trip Links to an external site. (4.NBT.6) Closure: Teacher makes Standards for Mathematical Practices posters visible and facilitates Name That Practice
Content Task Option 3	Number Routine: Close, Far, In Between Task: Patty Cake Links to an external site. (4.MD.3) Closure: Teacher makes Standards for Mathematical Practices posters visible and facilitates Name That Practice
Content Task Option 4	Number Routine: Close, Far, In Between Task: Fractangles Links to an external site. (4.NF.1) Closure: Teacher makes Standards for Mathematical Practices posters visible and facilitates Name That Practice
Content Task Option 5	Number Routine: Close, Far, In Between Task: The Ferry Company Links to an external site. (4.OA.3) Closure: Teacher makes Standards for Mathematical Practices posters visible and facilitates Name That Practice

If Grade 5 teams choose to administer tasks in math classes that were created at the end of the prior year, the above grade level teacher could consider using the following tasks with the students. In addition, teams can also opt to select 5th grade tasks from Canvas to use with their classes.

Teacher's Role-- Observation/Data Collection

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