The purpose of this activity is for students to make cube towers with a given number of cubes in each tower. Students practice counting out a given number of objects and connecting numbers and quantities. The cube towers will be used again in the next activity and in the next lesson.

• Display the number 6 and three different cube towers (2, 6, and 10).
• “Which tower matches this number? How do you know?” (6, I counted and there were 6 cubes. I can tell by looking that this one only has 2 cubes and the big one has too many cubes to be 6.)

The purpose of this activity is for students to put cube towers and numbers in order in a way that makes sense to them. This will help students continue to connect written numbers and the quantities they represent. 

Monitor for and select students with the following approaches to share in the Synthesis:

• Order the cubes by height, match the numbers to the towers.
• Order the number cards, count each tower, place each tower with the matching number card.

When sequencing student approaches to discuss, consider inviting students to share from the most common approach to the least common approach used during the activity. This sequence will help students make sense of the different ways they used the relationship between numbers and quantities. Aim to elicit both key mathematical ideas and a variety of student voices, especially students who haven't shared recently.

• Invite previously selected students to share in order from the most common approach to the least common approach. Record or display their work.
• Connect students’ approaches by asking:
  • “What is the same about how they ordered their cards and towers?” (They both have cards like we count, 1–10. They both have the towers from smallest to biggest.)
  • “What is different about how they ordered their cards and towers?” (One started with the number cards. One started with the cube towers. One counted the cubes, and one ordered by height.)
• Connect students’ approaches to the learning goal by asking:
  • “How did it help you to put the towers in order first?” (We started with the smallest tower that only had 1 cube, and then we kept finding the tower that had 1 more cube. Then we could just match the numbers to the towers.)
  • “How did it help you to put the numbers in order first?” (We put the numbers in order from 1 to 10 like when we count. Then we picked up each tower, counted the cubes, and put it next to the number it matches.)

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

• Math Stories
• Math Libs
• Number Race

Students will choose from these centers throughout the section. Keep materials from these centers organized to use each day.

• “What is one thing that you did well during centers today? What is one thing that you want to improve the next time you work in centers?”