1 of 16

Paper Flower Decorations

Grade 4: Unit 6: Lesson 25

Download for free at openupresources.org.

2022 Open Up Resources |

Lesson Purpose

The purpose of this lesson is for students to create and analyze patterns in a real-world context and

to solve multi-step problems.

Lesson Narrative

This lesson is optional because it does not address any new mathematical content standards. This

lesson does provide students with an opportunity to apply precursor skills of mathematical

modeling. In this lesson, students build on their prior understanding and experiences with creating

and analyzing patterns to solve multi-step problems in a real-world context.

In the first activity, students make different types of paper flowers. In the second activity, they

consider patterns and solve problems involving paper flower garlands. In the third activity, students

think of their own pattern and multi-step problems inspired by their process of making paper

flowers.

When students ask and answer questions that arise from a given situation, use mathematical

features of an object to solve a problem, make choices, analyze real-world situations with

mathematical ideas, interpret a mathematical answer in context, and decide if an answer makes

sense in the situation, they model with mathematics (MP4).

Learning Goals

• Generate a pattern of numbers or shapes that follows a given rule.

• Use the four operations to solve problems that involve multi-digit whole numbers and assess

the reasonableness of responses.

2 of 16

Let’s make patterns with paper flowers.

3 of 16

How Many Do You See: Paper Flowers

Warm-Up

How Many Do You See?

4 of 16

How many paper flowers do you see? How do you see them?

5 of 16

Let’s Talk About It!

What are some celebrations in your family or culture? What are some decorations used in the celebrations?

6 of 16

Paper Flower Construction

Activity 1

7 of 16

Follow these steps to make paper flowers:

• Place 6 pieces of tissue paper on top of each other.

• Starting at one side, fold over about 1 inch, then fold in the opposite direction. Repeat with this accordion fold (like a paper fan) until you have a strip that is 1 inch wide and the length of the original paper.

• Tie a rubber band around the middle of the folded paper strip. Then, open up the folds.

• Carefully, one layer at a time, fold the layers up into the middle to make the petals.

8 of 16

Let’s Talk About It!

How many flowers was your group able to make in 10 minutes?

How many flowers did all of us make together?

What were some things you had to think about when you made the flowers?

9 of 16

Quinceañera Decorations

Activity 2

MLR7: Compare and Connect

10 of 16

Priya and Jada are making paper flower garlands for their friend’s quinceañera. Each garland uses 12 flowers.

Priya wants 2 big flowers, followed by 2 small flowers. Jada wants 1 big flower, followed by 2 small flowers. Use their patterns to draw the garlands.

Priya and Jada make 25 garlands of each type. How many large and small flowers will they need altogether?

Diego and Kiran also made flowers. They made a total of 155 flowers for garlands that require 16 flowers each. How many garlands can they make?

11 of 16

Priya and Jada are making paper flower garlands for their friend’s quinceañera. Each garland uses 12 flowers.

Diego and Kiran also made flowers. They made a total of 155 flowers for garlands that require 16 flowers each. How many garlands can they make?

It takes 1 minute to cut the strips for a flower and 2 minutes to finish it. How long did it take Diego and Kiran to make the 155 flowers, if they each make about the same number of flowers?

12 of 16

Let’s Talk About It!

What specific part of the work makes their explanation clear?

13 of 16

Make Your Own Problems

Activity 3

14 of 16

1. Write a multi-step problem about making paper flowers.

2. Exchange the problem with your partner and solve each other’s problems.

15 of 16

Lesson Synthesis

What are some ways making the flowers helped you write your own math problems?

16 of 16

Image Citations

https://giphy.com/gifs/90s-80s-grunge-zTQQPJXn1j8Jy

https://giphy.com/gifs/celebration-balloon-balloons-l4KhWPNyLHiB3TjVe

https://giphy.com/gifs/HannahWitton-hannah-witton-tBn5FJVUdeMarcl3gQ

Creative Commons BY-NC-SA

Download, adopt, and adapt this Open Educational Resource for your students' needs