Dakota State University

College of Education  

Name: Hailee Fischer

Grade Level: 4th
School: Camelot Intermediate School
Date: 10/06/2022
Time: 1:00pm
Reflection from prior lesson
● In our last class students used rectangles to build factor pairs in a specific area. Students used their
knowledge of multiples to build the factor pairs. They enjoyed using the inch tiles to represent the area
and as a model for the factor pairs. We finished with a formative assessment that helped me see that
the students were ready to identify prime and composite numbers using the inch tiles.

Lesson Goal(s) / Standards 

●  4.OA.4 - Using whole numbers in the range 1–100.
d. Determine whether a given whole number is prime or composite.
● MP3: Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others.
● MP4: Model with mathematics.
● MP5: Use appropriate tools strategically.
● MP7: Look for and make use of structure.
● MP8: Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning.

Lesson Objective(s) -
● Given a whole number in the range of 1-100, students will use rectangle inch tiles and graph paper to
model and identify prime numbers (one rectangle) and composite numbers (multiple rectangles)
correctly.
● Assessments:
○ Observations
○ Discussions
○ Formative assessment: math journal and exit ticket with Ms. Fischer’s problem completed and
their answers and reasoning.

Materials Needed 
● Grid paper
● Inch tiles (rectangles)
● Area image cards printed for students
● Slips of paper for exit tickets
● https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1D0Q86hjrNpglTwbuIa1ra3GSteO1SxHQ_nFukIjF-CI/edit#slide
=id.gc671add3cd_0_142

Contextual Factors/ Learner Characteristics

● 1 student on an IEP
● 1 student referred for behavioral IEP
● 20 students (9 girls, 11 boys)
● Math is in the afternoon after lunch and recess
● They like using manipulatives
● Students do well with partner work

Connection(s) to Research & Theory

● Activating prior knowledge: “When the brain recognizes a pattern and makes a connection, it pays
attention. The purpose of activating prior knowledge is to engage students in connecting what they
already know to what they will need to learn” (Ernst and Ryan, p. 25).
 ○ In this lesson, we will activate prior knowledge by using the same materials we have used for
the past few days with multiples and factor pairs. Students will use their knowledge of counting,
multiples, and factor pairs to build on what we are learning today.
● Formative assessment: “We now embrace the idea that formative assessment is essential to closing
the gap between where the student is and where the student should be” (Chappuis, 2015; Heritage,
2010; Sadler, 1989).
○ In this lesson, I will use formative assessment by having the students turn in their math journals
that show their charts on prime and composite numbers. This will help me see where our class
is at in understanding factor pairs with prime and composite numbers and who may need more
practice or enrichment.

A.  The Lesson 

 
● Introduction (5 minutes)  
○ getting attention: Eyes up (eyes up!), let the air out of your tire (shhhhhhhhhhh).
○ Thank you, 4th graders! This past weekend I was at a baby shower with my family, and we ate
some of these scrumptious cupcakes. When the baby shower was over, this is how many
cupcakes were left in one box: (show picture on board- slide 2)

○
○ T: When you look at this picture, what do you notice? What do you wonder? I’ll give you some
time to think about it quietly, and in a minute you may raise your hand and share.

○ S: There are seven cupcakes missing out of twenty-four.

○ T: How do you know there were twenty-four cupcakes?

○ S: I counted twenty-four spots for cupcakes to go in.

○ T: Good, yes, one way you can tell is by counting all the spots. Is there another way you can tell
that twenty-four cupcakes used to be in there?

○ S: I counted 4 cupcake holes in a column and 6 cupcake holes in a row.

○ T: Wow, that’s a lot like we did when we used our inch tiles for factor pairs. When we used inch
tiles and counted the columns and rows, what would you figure out after?

○ S: We would figure out the area of the rectangle.

○ T: In this example, how did you use what we did with the area of the inch tiles to find the number
of cupcake holes in the box?

○ S: Because of how we used the inch tiles last week, I know that 4 and 6 are a factor pair of 24
because when they are multiplied together they make 24.
 ○ T: I agree, we found the area of the rectangles last week by counting the inch tiles rows and
columns. In this example, we can tell that by looking at this box of cupcakes. Can we make a
factor pair out of the number of cupcakes that are left in the box now?

○ S: The only we can make is 1 and 17.

○ T: I agree. (move to I can slide)

○ 4th graders, today we’re going to learn how 24 is a composite number and how 17 is a prime
number based on what we know about the structure of factor pairs. Knowing about these kinds
of numbers helps us recognize patterns and work with multiples and factors in many ways.
○ We will be using inch tiles and the area of a rectangle as tools to model these numbers while
expressing them with reasoning.
○ Our “I can statement” today is: I can identify prime and composite numbers.

● Content Delivery (40 minutes)  

○ Part 1: Whole group methodology (5 minutes)
i. Choral Counting routine: by 2s and 5s on paper at front together
1. Instruct students to count by 2, starting at 0. Record it on paper in front as we count.
Stop at 30.
2. Instruct students to start counting by 5 at 0. Record it in a new space next to the last
choral count. Stop at 75.
○ T: What patterns do you notice in the individual and two counts? Take a minute to think to
yourself. (Have students share out loud and record responses.)

○ S: It took 5 2’s to get to 10, and it took 2 5’s to get to 10.

○ Ten is a multiple of 2 and 5.

○ T: Do you notice any other multiples of both 2 and 5?

○ S: 20 and 30.

○ T: If we kept counting past these numbers, what else would be a multiple of both 2 and 5?

○ S: I think 100 would be.

○ T: How do we know that 100 is both a multiple of 2 and 5?

○ S: 2x50= 100 and 5x20= 100.

● Part 2: Partners (15 minutes)

i. Card sort- Area
1. With your math partner, you are going to work together to sort these cards into any
categories that make sense to you. After a couple minutes we’ll come together, and you
and your partner will share why you sorted your cards that way.
○ T: Why did you sort the cards the way that you did?

○ S: We used the length and width of the rectangles to sort them in this order (show number
understanding)

○ T: What does the length and width of the rectangles tell you?

○ S: They show us the area of the rectangles.

2. If you haven’t already, sort your rectangles by their area. If you have, check your work
over with your partner. I’ll give you a few minutes to do so.
 3. Now, share your work with another group to make sure they match. If you feel like
something looks wrong, politely give evidence as to why you think so and talk about it
between your groups.
4. Next, I want you to look at your rectangles and determine if you can add rectangles to
any of the categories. Think about multiples and factor pairs of numbers and how that
contributes to your number of rectangles.
a. Observe students that add rectangles to each category. Ensure that students
remember what factor pairs and multiples mean. Formative assessment to see if
they remember what these look like. No new rectangles could be drawn for
the area of 7 square units.
5. Ask 2-3 pairs to share the rectangles they added to each category.
○ T: Why were you able to create more rectangles for some areas and not others?

○ S: Some of the numbers had more factor pairs. For some numbers, there was only one possible
factor pair.

● T: I am glad you noticed this. As (student name) mentioned, only one rectangle can be
made for the area of 7. Numbers like this are called prime numbers. Prime numbers
have only one factor pair: 1 and itself. Numbers like 15 that have more than one factor
pair are called composite numbers. What other composite numbers did you work with?
How do you know they are composite?

● S: 24 is a composite number because I can make 2 rows of 12 or 4 rows of 6. 18 is

composite because it has factor pairs of 2 and 9 and 3 and 6.

● Part 3: Partners (20 minutes)

1. With your partner, you are going to use inch tiles and grid paper to determine if the
numbers in this chart (shown on board, slide #9) are composite or prime. Write this
chart in your math journal and fill it out as you go. Remember that the area of a
rectangle helps us find the factors of a number, so think about how many multiples a
number has based on the inch tiles you can use. (let students work for 10 minutes)
a. Monitor as students complete inch tiles and work together. Listen for words they
use together: prime, composite, factors, multiples, side lengths, area, etc.
2. Ask 3-4 partners to share their strategy for finding the area of a rectangle with the
numbers from the chart.
● T: How does the number of factor pairs relate to the number of rectangles?

● S: The side lengths of each rectangle is a factor pair. So finding all the rectangles would give
us all the factor pairs. Or, finding all the factor pairs of the number would tell us how many
rectangles have that number for their area.

● T: What are all of the prime numbers in our list? How do we know they are prime?

● S: 2, 23, 31. They each only have one set of side lengths, 1 and the number itself.

● T: What do you notice about the prime numbers?

● S: They are odd numbers except the number 2.

● T: What is the smallest prime number in our set? Is it the smallest prime number?

● S: 2. I don’t know. Is 1 a prime number?

 Display a rectangle with an area of 1 square unit.

● What are the side lengths of a rectangle with an area of 1 square unit?

● 1 and 1

● Since 1 only has 1 factor, it doesn’t have any factor pairs, so it is neither prime nor composite.
What are all the composite numbers in our set? How do we know they are not prime?

● 10, 48, 21, 60, 32, 42, 56. They each have more than 1 factor pair.

● Closure (5 minutes): Gather materials and get the group back together at our meeting area. Hand out
exit ticket slip of paper.
● Hocus pocus (we are focused!)
○ 4th graders, today our objective was to use the area of rectangles to identify if numbers are prime or
composite. How does the area of a rectangle tell us if a number is prime or composite?

○ The side lengths of each rectangle are a factor pair of the area. If we can find more than one
rectangle with that area, that means the number has more than one factor pair and is composite. If
we can find only one rectangle, the number is prime.

○ What questions do you still have about these types of numbers?

○ Good job, 4th graders. We used factor pairs with our inch tiles to model whether a number is prime
or composite and we shared our evidence as a class. We know that if we can find more than 2
factors for the area of the rectangle, then that number is composite. If we can only find one factor
for the area, then that number is prime.

○ Before we leave, I need all of your help with this problem. We ordered 72 cupcakes for the baby
shower. When everyone left, there were only this many cupcakes left in one box. If there are 4 of us
that want to split the cupcakes to bring home, can we evenly split the cupcakes that are left in this
box? Why or why not? Is the number of cupcakes left a prime or composite number? Show or
explain your reasoning on your exit ticket. When you are done you may hand it in to our math bin.

B. Assessments Used
● Observations: students that add rectangles to each category. Ensure that students remember what
factor pairs and multiples mean. Formative assessment to see if they remember what these look like.
No new rectangles could be drawn for the area of 7 square units. Listen for words they use
together: prime, composite, factors, multiples, side lengths, area, etc.
● Discussions: looking for students to answer questions based on factor pairs and providing evidence of
prime and composite numbers with factor pairs and area of a rectangle. Being specific with words that
they use and if I need to prompt for specific answers.
● Formative assessment: math journal and exit ticket with Ms. Fischer’s problem completed and their
answers and reasoning.
○ Possible answers:
○ No, you can’t split the cupcakes up evenly between 4 people. There are 17 cupcakes left. 17
only has one factor pair, which is 17 and itself. That means that 4 doesn’t go into 17 equally. 17
is a prime number
○ Students may draw an area of a rectangle to represent and explain how 17 is a prime number

 
C. Differentiated Instruction
● Remediation
 ○ Chunk the tasks into manageable parts to support organizational skills in problem solving. Some
students may benefit from explicit guidance for how to begin. For example, before sorting,
students can find the area of each rectangle.
● Enrichment
○ Have students choose numbers they want to add to their chart and determine if they are prime
or composite. See if they can put the area of rectangles in different orders and if that makes a
difference.
● Language Support (IF you have ELLs (English Language Learners))
○ Majority of instructions are verbal, language support shouldn’t be needed.

D.  Resources
● https://doe.sd.gov/contentstandards/documents/math/OA-4C.pdf
● https://im.kendallhunt.com/k5/teachers/grade-4/unit-1/lesson-3/lesson.html
● Ernst, K., and Ryan, S. (2014). Activate students' prior knowledge. In Success from the start: Your first
years teaching elementary mathematics. The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Inc.
● Schimmer, T. (2016). The Resurgence of Formative Assessment. In Grading From the Inside Out:
Bringing Accuracy to Student Assessment Through a Standards-Based Mindset. Solution Tree Press.
● https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1D0Q86hjrNpglTwbuIa1ra3GSteO1SxHQ_nFukIjF-CI/edit#slide
=id.g165e03f2d2a_0_16