Draft Notes for Stage 1 of Understanding by Design Unit:


Unit Title: Shapes and Fractions

Grade Level: 2

Subject/Topic Areas: Geometry/ Math

Key Words: Shapes (circle, square, rectangle, rhombus,etc.) Fraction, Halves, Thirds, Whole, Fourths, Half, Equal Shares, Par, Angle, Faces, Quadrilateral, Triangle, Pentagon, Hexagon, Attributes
Time Frame: Instructional week 3

Link to Content Standard:

Geometry 2.G
2.G.1. Recognize and draw shapes having specified attributes such as a given number of angles or a given number of faces. Identify Triangle, Quadrilateral, Pentagon, Hexagon, and Cubes.
2.G.2. Partition a rectangle into 2, 3, 4 equal shares and count to find the total number of sections.
2.G.3. Partition circles and rectangles into 2, 3, 4 equal shares, describe the shares using the words halves, wholes, half of, three thirds, four fourths. Recognized whole as equal shares of identifcal wholes need not to have the same shape.

Brief Summary of the Unit:

This unit will teach students how to identify shapes based upon their attributes. After students have mastered this skill, they will deepen their understanding of shapes by understanding that shapes can be divided into equal shares. After students have learned how to determine how many pieces are in a whole, they will begin to explore fractions. Students will learn how to use proper vocabulary when discussing pieces of a whole.

Established Goal:

  • Students will be able to identify and classify shapes based on their attributes
  • Students will be able to explain that shapes can be broken into equal shares.

What understandings are desired?

Students will understand that...
  • Shapes are defined by the number of angles and sides they have
  • Shapes can be divided into equal parts
  • Equal shares of an individual whole need not to have the same shape

What essential questions will be considered?

  • What does it mean for something to be equal?
  • How can different shapes have shares of equal sizes?

What key knowledge and skills will students acquire as a result of this unit?

Students will know...
  • Shapes
  • The number of sides and angles in a given shape
  • Equal parts of a whole

Students will be able to...
  • Draw shapes having specified attributes
  • Partition rectangles into rows and columns of the same size
  • Partition circles, rectangles, and sqaures into 2, 3, 4 equal pieces
  • Create shares of the same size from different wholes