Activity Detail
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Marching Columns
 


Activity Overview

Students investigate constructing arrangements of different numbers of manipulatives into equal groups. They learn to use mathematical language, identify patterns with numbers, recognize the commutative property, and transfer the arrangements made with manipulatives to grid paper.

Before the Activity

  • See the attached PDF file for detailed instructions for this activity
  • Print pages 57 - 62 from the attached PDF file for your class

    		•

    		During the Activity

    		Distribute the page to the class.

    Follow the activity procedures:

    Activity A:
  • Read the book One Hundred Hungry Ants to the class
  • Use manipulatives to model a certain number of rows and columns on grid paper
  • Rotate the paper a quarter turn and see the reversal of the number of rows and columns
  • Model 10 columns of 10 and observe it still remains 10 columns of 10 on rotation


    • Activity B:
  • Use a number of manipulatives to explore the commutative property
  • Find as many solutions as possible for each number
  • For each solution that has an equal number of manipulatives in each row and an equal number in each column, represent that solution on grid paper


    • Activity C:
  • Use the calculator to explore the commutative property and check the number of possible solutions for a product

    		After the Activity

  • Review student results
  • As a class, discuss questions that appeared to be more challenging
  • Re-teach concepts as necessary

    		Other Downloads




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    view textbook alignment

    Subject Area:
    Math : Elementary Math : Algebraic Thinking
    Math : Elementary Math : Number Sense and Estimation
    Math : Elementary Math : Number Operations
    Math : Elementary Math : Math and Literature

    Author:
    Texas Instruments

    Level:
    K-4

    Activity Time:
    60 Minutes

    Device:
    TI-10

    Apps:
     

    Software:
     

    Accessories:
     

    Other:
    This is Activity 5 from the EXPLORATIONS Book:
    Math at Your Fingertips with the TI-10

    The following materials are required for this activity:

  • Book: One Hundred Hungry Ants
  • Grid paper
  • Bulletin board paper
  • Scissors
  • Glue
  • Crayons
  • 100 manipulatives (color tiles, connecting cubes, or ants)
  • Paper
  • Pencil


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