This task can be used two different ways.  It is designed to show the reciprocity between multiplication and division.  This post will lay it out as a division problem. The standard that this best addresses is 3.OA.A.2.  The previous post laid out a similar multiplication problem with a single digit divisor and dividend.

Act 1: 

What did you notice?  What do you wonder?

How many columns of 8 will fit on the pan?

Give a too low estimate and a too high estimate.

Act 2:

What do you know?  What do you need to know?

Act 3:

Extension:

I am packaging these in packages of 8 for gifts.  How many packages will I need?

This task can be used two different ways.  It is designed to show the reciprocity between multiplication and division.  This post will lay it out as a multiplication problem. The standard that this best addresses is 3.OA.A.3.  The next post will lay out a similar division problem.  I have also included an additional image to extend the task using a 2-digit divisor (this is the context used for the division situation in the next post so don’t use it if you also want to use the next post in a division context).

Act 1: 

What did you notice?  What do you wonder?

How many treats can be made on the pan?

Give a too low estimate and a too high estimate.

Act 2:

What do you know?  What do you need to know?

6 rows of 9 treats

Act 3:

Extension:

How many can be made using two pans?

Or try this one:

While recycling crayons for Christmas presents for our first graders, it occurred to me that this would be an excellent 3 Act Math task.  I decided to go about this one a little differently and used the video as the Act 2 and a picture for Act 3.  This activity provides an opportunity for many extensions!  Feel free to comment (as always) and let me know how it can be improved!

Although there are many standards that this task addresses, I feel it is a great extension to 3.OA.A.1.

Act 1:

What do you notice? What do you wonder?

How many crayons will it take to make 6 melted hearts?

Act 2: 

What do you know?  What do you need to know to solve your question?

11 crayons per heart, 6 hearts altogether.

Act 3: 

Extension:

What if I had 28 students in my class?  How many crayons would I need to make one heart per person?

What if the crayons were worn down to half of their full size?