Comparing Amounts

Learning Resource Type

Learning Activity

Subject Area

Mathematics

Grade(s)

Overview

This Google Slide Show activates student thinking about comparing quantities. The slides help students understand the wording for comparing quantities multiplicatively.

This activity results from the ALEX Resource Development Summit.

Phase

Before/Engage

Mathematics (2019) Grade(s): 4

MA19.4.1
Interpret and write equations for multiplicative comparisons.

Vocabulary

Multiplicative comparison
Multiplier
Equation
Times as many
Times as much
Verbal statement
Factor
Product
Quantity
Multiple
Scale factor

Knowledge

Students know:

How to write an equation to represent a word situation.
Which quantity is being multiplied and which factor is telling how many times.
Varied language that describes multiplicative comparisons.

Skills

Students are able to:

Interpret equations for multiplicative comparisons.
Write equations for multiplicative comparisons.

Understanding

Students understand that:

Multiplicative comparisons relate the size of two quantities and a scale factor.
Factors in multiplication problems have different roles from each other in the context of comparison problems.
Explanations and drawings show ways multiplicative comparisons are similar to and different from equal groups and arrays.

Learning Objectives

The student will be able to use verbal statements to describe multiplicative comparisons and write a multiplication equation that represents the statement.

Activity Details

The teacher will project the Google Slide Show to the whole group.

Show slide 1 (title slide). Ask the students, "How do we compare amounts? For example, can someone compare the number of boys to girls in this class?"
Ask students to turn and talk with a peer to come up with a statement that describes the relationship of boys to girls in terms of quantity. Let students share their responses.
Show slide two. Ask the students to look at the pictures of donuts. Say, "Who has more donuts? Can you use multiplication to compare the amounts?" Have students note the sentence starter: Carol has ____ times as many donuts than Jane.
Let students share their responses, explaining their thinking.
Show slide 3. Ask students to think back to the sentence starter on slide two. Ask students to make a comparison of the quantities of donuts in the two pictures.
Allow students to respond.

Assessment Strategies

Check student work at the conclusion of the activity to assess their understanding. You can use the following guidelines to ensure students meet the learning objective.

Check that the student:

understood making a comparison multiplicatively.
got the correct answer.

Variation Tips

This task can be used as a stand-alone activity or in conjunction with The Food Drive (during activity) and Picture This! (after activity).

Background / Preparation

The teacher will need a copy of the Google Slide Show and a projector to show the slides.

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1Bb3I4bIfTY8v5EFw35Kyn2eb9i_akK7Lzjs6e8S…

Approved Date

2020-07-21

Owner (Author)

mfrye

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