Chiara Angela Canon Abaquin

Math Project Activity Draft

Topic: Composing and Decomposing Shapes
Fundamentals of Mathematics II

Common Core Standard addressed:

Grade 1: 1.G.A.2 Reason with shapes and their attributes. ... Compose two-dimensional

shapes (rectangles, squares, trapezoids, triangles, half-circles, and quarter-circles) or

three-dimensional shapes (cubes, right rectangular prisms, right circular cones, and right

circular cylinders) to create a composite shape, and compose new shapes from the

composite shape.

Standards for Mathematical Practice:

CCSS.MATH.PRACTICE.MP7 Look for and make use of structure.

The children should be able to find patterns of shapes within a bigger shape. They can

use the grid to understand that a big shape can be composed of patterns of the same shape

and patterns of different shapes. They can start with filling the grid with the smallest

shapes, and then they can fill the grids again with increasingly bigger shapes. They can

also fill the grid with shapes of different sizes. The students can try breaking the grid

down into shapes of the same kind and size. They can try breaking the grid down into

shapes of the same kind and different sizes. They can break the shape down into different

shapes that are the same size, or different shapes that are different sizes.

CCSS.MATH.PRACTICE.MP1 Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.

The students will learn to be systematic and try to solve the problem using different
approaches. As mentioned above, they will first try patterns of the same shape, then

patterns made of different shapes. They will do patterns of shapes with the same size and

different sizes. The students will also analyze each others work and use their analyses of

each others work to evaluate their methods of decomposition. They can decide to change

how they decompose the square so they can decompose the square more effectively.

CCSS.MATH.PRACTICE.MP3 Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of

others.

When the students in different shape groups work together to decompose the square into

rectangles, squares, and triangles, they must first explain to each other why their methods

work. The students will discuss the similarities and differences between their methods,

reasoning how the method of one group may work for another group. Talking about their

methods can lead to students incorporating their classmates methods into their methods,

and in doing so, finding a new way to decompose/compose shapes.

Activity: (45 minutes)

Intro (10 minutes): After briefly reviewing the attributes of a square, rectangle, and

triangle, I will group the students into 3 groups: the square group, the rectangle group,

and the triangle group. I will give each person a worksheet with a 3 in. by 3 in. squares

with grids. I will draw a 3 in. by 3 in. square with a grid on the board. Then, I will ask

each of the groups, How can this square be decomposed into (insert assigned shape)? I

will define decomposition and give them an example of how to decompose the shape. I

will ask them to try it on their own after.

Example of the worksheet for the triangle group:

1. How can you decompose this square into triangles?

2. How can you decompose this square into rectangles, squares, and triangles?

Activity (20 minutes):

For the first 10 minutes, I will let the students work on the first question and find the

shapes making up the square. I will check in with each group, giving them tips to try out

shapes with similar sizes and different sizes. For the next 10 minutes, I will let the

students work on the second question. I will put the students in new groups, each group

having a representative from the square, rectangle and triangle groups. They will compare

their answers for the first question. They will work together to fit all their shapes for their

answer to the second question.

Conclusion (15 minutes):

I will give examples where the square is composed entirely of one kind of shape. I will
demonstrate the process of how I composed the figures, showing them one example

where the shapes are the same size and another where the shapes are different sizes. I will

be doing this for each kind of shape, and I will try to use examples that I saw the students

made. I will then show them 2 examples of a square that is made of different kinds of

shapes. I will close the lesson by linking the activity back to the idea that composite

shapes can be decomposed into other shapes.

METHOD 1:

The student can start with decomposing the square into 1 x 3 rectangles.

After discussing how squares are rectangles, the student can decompose the shape into 2

x 2 rectangles and 1 x 3 rectangles and/or 1 x 1 rectangles. Some examples are:

Three 2x1 rectangles; one 3x1 rectangle three 2x1 rectangles, three 1x1 rectangles
Then the student can decompose the square into only 1 x 1 rectangles.

The student can make decomposition that includes a 2 x 3, with the rest of the square

being decomposed into 1 x 3 rectangles and/or 1x1 rectangles. Some examples are:

one 2 x 3 rectangle, one 3 x 1 rectangle one 2 x 3 rectangle, one 2 x 1 rectangle, one 1x1 rectangle

One 2 x 3 rectangle, three 1x1 rectangles

Method 2:

The student can decompose the square so that all the unit squares making up the

square are divided into triangles.

The student can divide the square into 2 triangles

The student can decompose the square so that it is decomposed into a pair of

triangles made by dividing a 2 x 2 square and other triangles. Some examples are:

A. The square is decomposed into a pair of triangles made by dividing a 2 x 2

square, pairs of triangles made by dividing unit squares, and a pair of

triangles made by dividing q 1 x3 rectangle.

B. The square is decomposed into a pair of triangles made by dividing a 2 x 2

square, pairs of triangles made by dividing 2 x 1 rectangles, and a pair of

triangles made by dividing a unit square.

 The student can decompose the square so that it is decomposed into a pair of

triangles made by dividing a 3 x 2 rectangle and other triangles. Some examples

are:

A. The square is decomposed into a pair of triangles made by dividing a 3 x 2

rectangle and a pair of triangles made by dividing a 3 x 1 rectangle.

B. The square is decomposed into a pair of triangles made by dividing a 3 x 2

rectangle, a pair of triangles made by decomposing a 2 x 1 rectangle, and a

pair of triangles made by dividing a unit square.

**Method 2 would be an opportunity to discuss how triangles are different and similar to

squares and rectangles

Method 3:

The students can decompose the square into rectangles, triangles, and squares. Some

ways include:

Decomposing the square into a 3 x 1 rectangle and a pair of triangles made by dividing a

3 x 2 rectangle.
Decomposing the square into three squares and a pair of triangles made by dividing a 3 x

2 rectangle.

Decomposing a square into a 3x 1 rectangle, a pair of triangles made by dividing a 2 x 2

square, and a pair of triangles made by dividing a 2 x 1 square

Decomposing a square into two 2 x 1 rectangles, a pair of triangles made by dividing a 2

x 2 square and a pair of triangles made by dividing a unit square.

Inspiration: Illustrative Mathematics Activity (Counting Squares)

https://www.illustrativemathematics.org/content-standards/1/G/A/2/tasks/1164