Mathematics: Quadrangles

Teacher name: Veronica M. Long

Grade: 3
rd
grade
Estimated time for lesson/activity: 55 minutes
Lesson type: Full class discussion

Overview and Context

Overview of lesson:

Students will explore quadrangles and their properties of through discussion,
drawings, and manipulation of materials (straws and pipe cleaners). In the
end, students will display what they learned through a quick assessment of
how to create their own quadrangles using the proper tools and techniques
learned through the lesson.
Context of lesson: This is the fifth lesson of Unit 6 (Geometry), which was started two weeks
before. The lesson before it is on Triangles, and the following lesson is
about Polygons. We had to go out of order in class, so this lesson will be
taught after the Turns and Rotations lesson.
Sources: - Everyday Math
- Different Quadrangles worksheets by Phil Huyck

Learning Goals

Learning Goals
List the learning goal(s) you have
for your students. Use measurable
behaviors that can be linked to the
assessments.

Connection to Standards
State the content expectations from
the Michigan GLCE(s), Common
Core State Standards, other national
standards, or the standard(s) from
your local curriculum that you
address in your lesson.
Connection to Activities
Students will be able to name and
replicate the features of different
types of quadrangles.
CCSS.Math.Content.3.G.A.1

Understand that shapes in different
categories (e.g., rhombuses,
rectangles, and others) may share
attributes (e.g., having four sides),
and that the shared attributes can
define a larger category (e.g.,
quadrilaterals). Recognize
rhombuses, rectangles, and squares
as examples of quadrilaterals, and
draw examples of quadrilaterals that
do not belong to any of these
subcategories.
Students will name and discuss the
components of quadrangles.
Students will also create their own
quadrangles with straws and pipe
cleaners. Students will then draw
their own quadrangles, being sure to
include all of the features of
quadrangles that they have learned
about.

Attending to the Learners: First Pass
Anticipating student ideas:
Explain what you think will be
students prior knowledge about the
content, including the alternative
ideas or challenges you anticipate
students might face and how you
plan to work with each of these
challenges during the discussion.
Also explain your ideas about how
students are likely to respond to the
tasks in the discussion and how you
might use these likely responses to
Students will have been exposed to different types of quadrangles through
their time in kindergarten, first, and second grade. At the beginning of the
lesson, I will have the students research what a quadrangle is, as they may
not be familiar with the term. When the students have to sketch their own
quadrangles, they may not follow the expectations laid out for them in our
class (marking points and then using a straightedge to connect them).
Students may also not comprehend why all eight names of quadrangles are
possibilities, but instead copy based off of what they hear. Students may be
confused based off of the terminology of different kinds of quadrangles
(kite, rhombus, trapezoid, etc.). They may make incorrect shapes due to lack
of understanding of the different rules of each type of quadrangle. Students
may miss details because they do not realize how important the details are

focus students on the intended
content.

(including making sides parallel or perpendicular). Students may have a
difficult time naming quadrilaterals because they may not understand that
the names must be done by going clockwise or counterclockwise around the
points.
Making the content accessible to
all students:
Describe how you will help ALL
students engage productively in the
lesson. This includes identifying
assumptions made during the lesson
about students prior experiences,
knowledge, and capabilities; making
the representations, explanations,
and/or vocabulary accessible and
meaningful to all students; and
making connections to students
personal, cultural, and social
experiences during the lesson, if
appropriate.
The lesson begins by having students look up what they can find about
quadrangles from their Student Reference Books. After looking through the
books, we will make sure to summarize the information found, so as to
clarify any misconceptions and fill in any missing information. During the
lesson, I will make connections to what the students have been learning
about in past lessons, and especially to what they learned during the very
similar triangle lesson. I will be explicit about how these rules and
techniques continue for quadrangles. I will keep the poster about quadrangle
facts I use up so that the students can refer to them throughout the lesson.
The students will be working with their regular math partners, which pairs a
higher and lower achieving student together. This partnership is beneficial
to both students, giving the higher achiever an opportunity to explain and
solidify her or his ideas, and the lower achieving student an individualized
explanation.

Assessments
Type of Assessment: Learning-Goals Connection (what is the task, what do you hope to learn
from it, how does it connect to your learning goals for the lesson)
End-of-lesson-check Students will be drawing, labeling, and naming their own quadrangles, using
the correct tools and techniques that they learned during the lesson.

Instructional Sequence
Materials: - Bags of straws and pipe cleaners
- Math journals
- Student Reference Books
- Different Quadrangles sheets
- Rulers
- End-of-lesson-check (15 copieshalf sheets)
- Quadrangle facts poster
- Counting Quadrangles worksheets (30 sheets)

Time Main
components

Steps Describing What the Teacher and Students
Will Do
Communicate HOW, not just WHAT, you plan on
teaching, and provide enough specificity that someone
else could teach from your plan. This includes scripting
the key questions you plan to ask.
Notes and Reminders
(including management
considerations)
3 minutes

11:30-
11:33
Launch of
lesson
Students will begin the lesson at their desks.

Today, we are going to be talking about quadrangles.
At third grade, you should have been exposed to a lot of
quadrangles, but you may not know what that term
means. Please take a couple of minutes to research
what you can about quadrangles in your Student
Reference Book. When we are done, we will gather at
the rug to share what we have found.

Write directions on the board.

Research quadrangles in your Student Reference
Book
Make sure students dont
consider themselves
done. They can always
reread the information or
look up other, related
terms.

Make sure the students all
understand what is
expected of them during
this time, and that nobody
seems to be lost (not
having heard the
directions).

Time Main
components

Steps Describing What the Teacher and Students
Will Do
Communicate HOW, not just WHAT, you plan on
teaching, and provide enough specificity that someone
else could teach from your plan. This includes scripting
the key questions you plan to ask.
Notes and Reminders
(including management
considerations)
10
minutes

11:33-
11:43
Discussion and
explanation of
concept
Please come to the rug with nothing but the knowledge
you gained from researching quadrangles.

Quad means four. If youve ever heard of
quadruple, that means four times.

Quadrilateral is another name for quadrangle. This
nice thing about quadrangle is that it reminds us that
there are four angles.

What are some things that you found out about
quadrangles in your research?

Remind students that quadrangles are types of
polygons, by going over what polygons are with the
students.

Discuss what students found. Also discuss what
students may have already known.
- All quadrangles are 2-dimensional
- All quadrangles have 4 vertices
- All quadrangles have 4 sides
- All quadrangles have 4 angles
- All quadrangles have 8 names (4 clockwise, 4
counterclockwise)
- There are many different types of quadrangles
- Another name for quadrangle is quadrilateral

Use the premade poster to emphasize the points.

Remind students that they MUST use a straightedge
when drawing line segments. Remind students that
they should first draw the points, and then connect them
with line segments.
Make sure students know
that to name a quadrangle
you must go either
clockwise or
counterclockwise around
the quadrangle. Never out
of order!

Be sure to not take too
long going over
definitions or concepts.
But also be sure that
students are familiar with
all of the different
definitions.

Monitor the engagement
of the students, and make
sure that the majority of
the class is not bored.
Check in with students
later who need more help.
5 minutes

11:48-
11:53
Explanation of
concept
In a minute I am going to dismiss you to grab the bags
of straws and pipe cleaners for you to work with your
regular math partners on creating quadrangles after
lunch based on a sheet that Mr. Huyck has made on his
own time. Before I do, we need to go over the different
terms on the sheet.

Go over the definitions and ideas of different kinds of
quadrangles (parallelogram, rectangle, rhombus,
square, trapezoid, kite, and other quadrangles) using
both the Different Quadrangles worksheet and the
premade poster. Also go over the definitions of
opposite and adjacent.

You will need to work with your regular math partner
to make every kind of quadrangle on this sheet. Mr.
Huyck and I will come around and check your triangles
when you are done. When we check, you should have
SEVEN different triangles. DO NOT take any of them
apart when you are done. DO NOT draw on the sheets,
Make sure to draw
connections to different
conventions for
quadrangles and what they
have previously learned
about line segments, rays,
lines, and triangles.

Remind students about
clockwise and
counterclockwise, and
where they can look for
help (or who they can
ask).

Quickly remind students
that squares are also
rectangles and
parallelograms. Do not
spend too much time on

Time Main
components

Steps Describing What the Teacher and Students
Will Do
Communicate HOW, not just WHAT, you plan on
teaching, and provide enough specificity that someone
else could teach from your plan. This includes scripting
the key questions you plan to ask.
Notes and Reminders
(including management
considerations)
because Mr. Huycks class will use them again next
year. Turn in the Different Quadrangles sheet and the
bag of straws to my desk when Mr. Huyck or I have
okayed you.
this, as the students have
already discussed in
several previous lessons.
5 minutes

11:53-
11:55
Conclusion of
full class time
After you are done creating your seven different
quadrilaterals with your regular math partner, please
work together to complete the rest of page 136 in your
math journal. Do not do part 3, because we are
replacing that with the Different Quadrangles sheet.

Once you and your partner have both finished page
136 together, please complete the half sheet Create
your own quadrangle on your own. Please do your
best, because this is to see what you learned today
about quadrangles. When you are done with the
Create your own quadrangle sheet, please turn that in
to the purple basket.

Once you have finished the Create your own
quadrangle sheet, complete page 137 of your math
journal on your own. If you finish early, please take a
look at the Counting Quadrangles worksheet. It is
trickier than you think, so look carefully! When you
are done with that, please work on any unfinished Math
Boxes. If you are all caught up, you may play math
games.
Make sure the
explanations are explicit,
because they may seem
complicated and are a lot
to comprehend.

Make sure the students
take the Create your own
quadrangle assessment
seriously by reminding
students that assessments
are how their teachers can
get to know and
understand if the class and
students need more help
or are ready to move on to
other material.
32
minutes

12:48-
1:20
Work time Write the directions on the board.

Directions:
- Create your seven different quadrangles with your
regular math partner -> have it checked!
- Finish p. 136 with your regular math partner
- Complete the Create your own quadrangle sheet ->
Purple Basket
- Complete p. 137 ON YOUR OWN
- Counting Quadrangles worksheet -> Purple Basket
- Unfinished Math Boxes
- Math games

Monitor class during this time, helping where
necessary.
Prioritize students that
you noticed were
struggling during the
discussion time.

Monitor all of the
students, and make sure
you give input to as many
as possible (within
reason).

EXPLORE
QUADRANGLES
INSTEAD OF
COUNTING
TRIANGLES


Reflection on Planning
Learning goal for self:
State at least one learning
goal that you have for
yourself, with regard to
your teaching. In other
words, what are you
For this lesson, I would like to stick to the time constraints that I have laid out for
myself as best as possible. It is important that the students are at their individual
work time when they come back from lunch, so it is crucial that I try to stay in the
bounds provided. This also means that I need to be concise and accurate with my
explanations that I give throughout the lesson.

working on to improve
your teaching practice?

Preparing to teach this
lesson:

I talked with my Mentor Teacher about how he has previously taught the lesson. I
looked through all of the materials provided to me, and thought through the priority of
materials and order in which they should be presented. I looked back at a similar
lesson I had taught the previous week, and designed my new lesson based off of what
worked well and what didnt work as well as I wanted it to. I practiced my plans,
making sure the vocabulary made sense. I printed the materials.



























Mathematics: Quadrangles Follow-Up

Teacher name: Veronica M. Long
Grade: 3
rd
grade
Estimated time for lesson/activity: 10 minutes
Lesson type: Small group follow-up

Overview and Context

Overview:
Provide a short description (2-3
sentences) of the lesson/activity.
Be sure to include a description of
the mathematical task.

This is a follow-up to the previous lesson on quadrangles. I noticed a
specific area that most of the mistakes from the assessment occurred, and
will address that in todays lesson (naming quadrangles).
Estimated time for lesson/activity: 10 minutes
Context of lesson: Clarification on the days previous lesson about quadrangles. Through the
original assessment, it was noted that several students still did not correctly
name the quadrangles that they drew. This follow-up offers a more
individualized reminder of how to name quadrangles.
Sources:
List the source(s) you used in the
creation of your lesson plane.g.,
Everyday Math

- Lesson A student assessment
- Lesson A performace record
Grade level and school: 3
rd
grade, Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School

Learning Goals
Learning Goals
List the learning goal(s) you have
for your students. Use measurable
behaviors that can be linked to the
assessments.

Connection to Standards
State the content expectations from
the Michigan GLCE(s), Common
Core State Standards, other national
standards, or the standard(s) from
your local curriculum that you
address in your lesson.
Connection to Activities
Students will be able to correctly
name quadrangles.
CCSS.Math.Content.3.G.A.1

Understand that shapes in different
categories (e.g., rhombuses,
rectangles, and others) may share
attributes (e.g., having four sides),
and that the shared attributes can
define a larger category (e.g.,
quadrilaterals). Recognize
rhombuses, rectangles, and squares
as examples of quadrilaterals, and
draw examples of quadrilaterals that
do not belong to any of these
subcategories.
Students will go through correctly
name triangles with their teacher.
They will go over the rules of why it
is this way one more time, and will
be able to ask questions as
necessary.

Attending to the Learners: First Pass
Anticipating student ideas:
Explain what you think will be
students prior knowledge about the
content, including the alternative
The students involved in this lesson will all have been present during the
previous lesson on quadrangles. This mini-lesson is trying to clear up the
misconceptions of the previous day, and so will start from a well-grasped
area of the lesson: the actual creating of the triangle. Students may still be

ideas or challenges you anticipate
students might face and how you
plan to work with each of these
challenges during the discussion.
Also explain your ideas about how
students are likely to respond to the
tasks in the discussion and how you
might use these likely responses to
focus students on the intended
content.

confused about why naming is clockwise and counterclockwise, and so it is
important to focus on the reasoning of why we name quadrangles this way.
We will use the whiteboard to visually show where the eight names for each
quadrangle come from. Students may also question why we cant name
quadrangles (or other shapes) using lowercase letters because there isnt a
reason not to beyond the fact that it isnt correct to do so. It will need to be
emphasized that students should learn the rules correctly. It would be useful
to connect naming different shapes and points to the names of proper nouns
(something the students have been learning about a lot recently).
Making the content accessible to
all students:
Describe how you will help ALL
students engage productively in the
lesson. This includes identifying
assumptions made during the lesson
about students prior experiences,
knowledge, and capabilities; making
the representations, explanations,
and/or vocabulary accessible and
meaningful to all students; and
making connections to students
personal, cultural, and social
experiences during the lesson, if
appropriate.
This lesson is a smaller group of students, which will make it easier to
engage every single student. Because there are eight names for quadrangles
and eight students, we will have each student provide one name for an
example quadrangle. We will make sure to use the white board to help the
students out. With this being a smaller group, it will also be easier for
students to ask questions and have them be answered by a teacher.

Assessments
Type of Assessment: Learning-Goals Connection (what is the task, what do you hope to learn
from it, how does it connect to your learning goals for the lesson)
End-of-activity-check Students will identify correct and incorrect given names for quadrilaterals.
Students will also provide all of the names for a given quadrilateral.

Instructional Sequence
Materials: - Mini whiteboard and markers
- 8 assessments

Time Main
components

Steps Describing What the Teacher and Students
Will Do
Communicate HOW, not just WHAT, you plan on
teaching, and provide enough specificity that someone
else could teach from your plan. This includes scripting
the key questions you plan to ask.
Notes and Reminders
(including management
considerations)
2
minutes
Introduction to
the lesson
I will call the eight students that were beginning or
developing stages for naming quadrangles to the rug or
table (depending on what is being used).

Yesterday, we learned about quadrangles. I noticed
while checking your assessment that some of you need a
little more help naming quadrangles. Im going to pass
back your assessment, and Id like you to take a minute
to look back and see what you need to work on. You
should feel really good about where you are at right
now! You just need a little more help.

Pass back the assessments.
Make sure none of the
students are embarrassed
that they were called over
so that they could be
helped out.

Make sure the passing
back of the assessments is
an individual thing.

Time Main
components

Steps Describing What the Teacher and Students
Will Do
Communicate HOW, not just WHAT, you plan on
teaching, and provide enough specificity that someone
else could teach from your plan. This includes scripting
the key questions you plan to ask.
Notes and Reminders
(including management
considerations)
3
minutes
Launch What I noticed is that we need to clarify how
quadrangles are named once more. We talked about
how we have to go clockwise or counterclockwise
around the shape to name it. There are eight students
here, so we are going to have each of you name one of
the names.

Go around and clarify why you cant go out of order for
naming quadrangles.

Use the whiteboard to show how naming quadrangles
works. Rotate the shape, to illustrate that the points stay
in the same order.
Go slowly enough so that
all of the students can
understand the content.
Be open to questions and
clarifications.

Suggest strategies for
keeping track of what
names you have aleady
done if necessary.
1
minute
Clarification of
concept
One other thing I want to make sure everyone here
knows is that we have to use only uppercase letters to
name any kind of shape. There is no mixing uppercase
and lowercase, in fact, theres no lowercase at all!

Remind students that you cannot repeat letter names
when naming a quadrangle (or any other shape).
Make sure this does not
seem like a debatable
issue.

Draw connections to
proper nouns that they
have been learning about
in their other studies.
1
minute
Emphasis of
concept
The last thing I want to emphasize is that you have to
check before you submit anything. Make sure you look
back in the directions to see if youve done everything
you need to. Make sure all of your answers make sense.
This will help you in every subject, not just math.
Make sure no student
seems singled out in this
section.
1
minute
Wrap-up Does anyone have any last questions?

Take answers

Today we reminded ourselves of what we learned
yesterday. Its important that we feel comfortable with
these concepts as we move on further in Unit 6.
Make sure you have been
open to questions
throughout. Prompt for
questions if you think
students may still have
them.
3
minutes
Assessment Now, Im going to give you another short assessment
based off of our discussion today. Please do your best,
think about what we reminded ourselves of today, and
check!
Dont let the students take
too long to do the
assessment.

Reflection on Planning
Learning goal for self:
State at least one learning
goal that you have for
yourself, with regard to
your teaching. In other
words, what are you
working on to improve
your teaching practice?

My goal is to become more comfortable with providing a brief follow-up to
previously learned concepts. I have not had much exposure with doing this, and so I
hope to gain confidence through this lesson to continue following-up with students in
the future when they need a little more help. I am hoping to provide concise
explanations that get straight to the point of confusion for the students.
Preparing to teach this
lesson:

For this lesson, I looked through the assessments from lesson A to see how the class
did overall. I made a performance record, and through that, I could see the trend of
some students needing more help with naming quadrangles. I looked at what
specifically was more difficult for some students, and thought about how to approach

these issues. I practiced what I decided on, and talked about the ideas with my
Mentor Teacher.