Taylor Coyner

3rd Grade
Mathematics
Title: Congruent and Non-congruent Shapes
Rationale: This lesson is part of our measurement unit in math.
Students have been using benchmark measurements to estimate
measurements and have used exact measurement tools as a way to
check their answers and accurately measure objects. Then, we moved
to a discussion about the names of different types of shapes. The next
step is to teach them congruent and noncongruent shapes. This lesson
is the introductory lesson to congruent and noncongruent shapes.
Objectives:
Students will know
- The following terms: congruent and noncongruent
- The two questions we ask ourselves when deciding if two
shapes are congruent or non-congruent:
1) Are they the same size?
2) Are they the same shape?
*Both of these must be true for a shape to be congruent.
- That a shape can be congruent even if the two shapes are
rotated/turned in different ways.
Students will understand that
- Congruent shapes match exactly.
- Non-congruent shapes do not match exactly.
- A shape can be congruent even if the two shapes are
rotated/turned in different ways.
- A shape remains noncongruent even if the two shapes are
rotated/turned in different ways.
Students will be able to
- Look at two shapes and determine whether they are
congruent or noncongruent no matter what different
orientations the shapes are in.
- Sort shapes into congruent and noncongruent categories.
- Explain why or why not a shape is congruent using
appropriate vocabulary (size, shape, congruent,
noncongruent).
Daily Objectives:
When given multiple pairs of shapes, students will be able to
work in partners to sort the pair of shapes into congruent or
noncongruent categories.

When given a pair of shapes, students will be able to explain

their thinking using the key vocabulary: size, shape,
congruent, noncongruent.

Standards (SOLs):
3.16: The student will identify and describe congruent and
noncongruent plane figures.
Evaluation/Monitoring:
In this lesson students will work in pairs to sort shapes into
congruent and noncongruent categories. This will be a formative
assessment to see if students are getting the concept of shapes
that are congruent and shapes that are not congruent. It is good
practice for them to ask themselves if two shapes are the same
size and the same shape. I will have students glue the shapes on
a piece of paper into the right column and turn it in when they
are finished. This will allow me to see what students can do with
the support of peers.
I will end the lesson with an Exit Ticket to see what students can
do independently and to see if they can apply the vocabulary in a
written explanation of their thinking. This is another formative
assessment that will help me drive my instruction for Friday.
Procedures:
Math Warm-Up (10-15 minutes)
- Students have done this math warm-up every day since
the first day of school. It is a quick routine that builds
number sense. We also include topics we have studied so
far this year in order to keep reviewing these math skills.
- Each day a student leads the math warm-up, so it is a
student-driven routine now.
Number Sense Routine and Kinesthetic Vocabulary (5-10
minutes)
- Each day we play a quick game called BONK!, which allows
students to practice skip counting skills. This also builds
students number sense. Students stand in a circle and
count by 2s from 90-108, for example, and each time a
student counts 108 they are out and say BONK! The
counting continues until there is one student left standing.
I will write the counting pattern on the whiteboard for any
students who need to reference it during the game.
- My CI and I have started introducing vocabulary with
movements to help them remember the words and their
meanings. I will quickly go through some of these words
with them: centimeter, inch, meter, yard, foot.

Mini-lesson (10-15 minutes)

- I will start the lesson by asking students if they know what
congruent means. I will record these thoughts on the
whiteboard.
- Then, depending on their ideas and background
knowledge, I will give them a definition of congruent
(something that is the same or matching). Since we are
learning about prefixes in literacy, I will go over the word
noncongruent, explaining that non- means not,
therefore noncongruent will mean not the same or not
matching.
- I will explain that shapes are either congruent or
noncongruent and there are two questions we ask
ourselves when we are seeing if two shapes are congruent:
Are they the same shape? Are they the same size? If the
answer to both of these questions is yes, then the shapes
are congruent.
- We will turn and use the Activboard to look at a few
examples. I will start with shapes that have the same
directional orientation. Then, I will switch to two shapes
that have different orientations and ask students to share
their thoughts about them. I will then rotate the shape and
stack it on the other shape to test whether or not they are
the same size.
ActivityPartner sort and Debriefing (10-15 minutes)
- I will explain and model the sort for students and call them
by partners to get a bag of shapes and the sheet to glue
them on.
- During the sort I will be walking around to check in with
each pair, talk about their thinking as they sort, and to
make sure that students are staying on task.
- Hopefully there will be time to debrief about the sort.
Exit ticket (5-10 minutes)
- Students will complete this at their desks at the very end
of the lesson and turn them in.

Materials:
Math folders for warm-up (Students keep them at their desks,
and I have one to project onto the Activboard when we check our
answers.)

Whiteboard for mini-lesson

Activboard for whole group practice
Shapes and recording sheet for partner sorts (9 copies)

Partners (heterogeneously paired)

Exit ticket (a regular version and a modified version)

Differentiation:
ELLs/Below grade level readers:
- I will write the counting pattern for BONK! on the
whiteboard for students who need this as a reference
during the game.
- Students will work with heterogeneous partners, so these
students have the opportunity to have language modeled
for them and engage in a discussion with their Englishspeaking peers.

This sort requires oral language skills, which will give the
ELLs an opportunity to engage in a discussion about
congruent and noncongruent shapes. It is an opportunity
for them to talk to their peers without having to worry
about reading or writing. Since oral language usually
develops first, this opportunity will be great for the ELLs
with lower WIDA scores.
The Exit Ticket will have a word bank and sentence starter
so that students will know what vocabulary to include in
their explanation about congruent shapes.