The purpose of this activity is to build a tower with solid shapes and count how many solid shapes are in the tower. Students will need to think strategically about which shapes to use and their properties. For stacking shapes, it is important to have flat faces. Students may notice that spheres can not be used to build towers. Pyramids and cones can be used as the top of the tower, but nothing can be stacked on top of them. The purpose of the Activity Synthesis is to discuss the attributes of shapes and why students chose the shapes they did to build their towers.

MLR8 Discussion Supports. During group work, invite students to take turns sharing their responses. Ask students to restate what they heard their partner say, using precise mathematical language and their own words. Original speakers can agree or clarify for their partner.

• Invite students to share their towers.
• “¿Qué figuras usó ____?” // “What shapes did ____ use?” (There are some cubes and a pyramid on top.)
• “¿Cuántas figuras usó ___?” // “How many shapes did ___ use?” (4)
• “¿Usaron una esfera en su torre? ¿Por qué?” // “Did you use a sphere in your tower? Why?” (No. I could not put anything on top of it because it’s round. It rolled away because it’s round.)
• “¿Usaron un cono en su torre?” // “Did you use a cone in your tower?” (It worked at the very top, but I could not put anything on top of the cone.)

The purpose of this activity is for students to build with a given number of solid shapes. Students practice counting out objects as they count out specific numbers of solid shapes. After they build with the shapes, students determine how many shapes they used altogether, which may require rearranging what they built in order to count accurately. Students describe and compare what they built with their partner.

• Invite previously identified groups of students to share what they built. (I made a house with cubes and pyramids that has 2 towers. My towers are taller than their towers.)

The purpose of this activity is for students to choose from activities that offer practice with number and shape concepts.

Students choose any previously introduced stage from these centers:

• Build Shapes
• Geoblocks
• Counting Collections
• Match Mine
• Shake and Spill

• “Escojan uno de los centros en los que jugaron hoy. Díganle a su compañero cómo le explicarían las reglas del centro a un estudiante nuevo. ¿Qué sugerencias le harían?” // “Choose one of the centers that you played today. Tell your partner how you would explain the rules of the center to a new student. What tips would you give them?”