Grade 4: Common Core Sample Tasks
4.OA.1 Interpret a multiplication equation as a comparison, e.g. interpret 35=5x7 as a statement that
35 is 5 times as many as 7 and 7 times as many as 5. Represent verbal statements of multiplicative
comparisons as multiplication equations.
Sample Tasks:
Students should be given opportunities to write and identify equations and statements for multiplicative
comparisons.
4 x 3 =12 Use manipulatives to show multiplicative comparison
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4 times as many as 3
4.OA.2 Multiply or divide to solve word problems involving multiplicative comparison, e.g., by using
drawings and equations with a symbol for the unknown number to represent the problem,
distinguishing multiplicative comparison from additive comparison.
See Glossary, Table 2.
Translate comparative situations into equations with an unknown to solve.
Use manipulatives and T charts to show multiplicative comparisons.
e.g. Ellen has 3 strawberries. Crystal has 4 times as many as Ellen. How many does Crystal have?
4x3=C
Ellen
Crystal
1
Francine is buying a new hardcover book. It costs $18. That is three times more than the price of the
paperback version. How much does the paperback version cost?
3 x S = 18
or
18 ÷ S = 3
Use manipulatives, such as money, two color counters, etc. to find what number can be added
repeatedly 3 times to make a total of 18. Eventually transfer students to pictorial and numeric
representations.
4.OA.3 Solve multistep word problems posed with whole numbers and having operations, including
problems in which remainders must be interpreted. Represent these problems using equations with a
letter standing for the unknown quantity. Assess the reasonableness of answers using mental
computation and estimation strategies, including rounding.
Have students use, discuss and share a variety of strategies to problem solve using multiple
steps/operations and estimation. Estimate to find an approximate solution. Compare your actual
answer to determine if it is reasonable and adjust as needed.
On a vacation, the Smiths stopped at the gas station. Mr. Smith put 10 gallons of gas in their car. The
gas cost $3 per gallon. Mrs. Smith went into the gas station and spent $8 on snacks. What is the total
amount of money the Smiths spent at the gas station?
There are 14 girls and 13 boys in Mr. Tyler’s class. Each table in his room has six seats. How many tables
does Mr. Tyler need to seat all of the children?
4.OA.4 Find all factor pairs for a whole number in the range 1–100. Recognize
that a whole number is a multiple of each of its factors. Determine
whether a given whole number in the range 1–100 is a multiple of a
given one-digit number. Determine whether a given whole number in
the range 1–100 is prime or composite.
Gain familiarity with factors and multiples.
Read 100 Hungry Ants, by Elinor Pinczes, and use arrays to discuss factors. Make a 1 -99 chart and have
students use manipulatives to make arrays to find the factors of each number. Go through the chart
and color code prime and composite number. Discuss why 1 is neither prime nor composite. (Lesson
can be found in Teaching Arithmetic: Extending Multiplication)
Chocolate Boxes: Make chocolate box arrays to find all the factors of a given number of chocolates.
(Lesson can be found in Teaching Arithmetic: Extending Multiplication)
Color multiples on a Hundreds Chart.
Remind students of when they learned to “skip count” as small children. Make a big deal of telling them
that they really were learning multiples!
Count by multiples.
Make a T chart of multiples of a given number.
Multiples Songs
2
4.OA.5 Generate a number or shape pattern that follows a given rule. Identify
apparent features of the pattern that were not explicit in the rule itself.
For example, given the rule “Add 3” and the starting number 1, generate
terms in the resulting sequence and observe that the terms appear to
alternate between odd and even numbers. Explain informally why the
numbers will continue to alternate in this way.
Students generate and analyze patterns.
Read aloud the story “ Beep, Beep, Vroom, Vroom” by Stewart Murphy, as an introduction to
patterning.
Collection boxes: Group students and give each group a different collection (items such as tiles, shells,
bread bag tags, buttons, etc.) to make a pattern with. Have groups rotate to extend each pattern and
state the rule.
Read aloud the story “Two of Everything” by Lilly Toy Hong and create an in/out box. Discuss how the
number of items that go into the pot is doubled when they are taken out.
Have a “Human In and Out Box” by having one child with a given rule (such as add 2) hide behind a
table. Have another student walk “in” with a given number of blocks. The hidden student will perform
the rule. The child then walks “out” with the new number. Repeat with different numbers going in.
Record results in an “in and out table” and have students determine the rule.
Use the Function Man from www.harveyshomepage.com.
Number and Operations in Base Ten2 4.NBT
Students generalize place value understanding for multi-digit whole numbers.
4.NBT.1 Recognize that in a multi-digit whole number, a digit in one place
represents ten times what it represents in the place to its right. For
example, recognize that 700 ÷ 70 = 10 by applying concepts of place value
and division.
Use base 10 blocks and money to show equivalent amounts. e.g. $300 dollars is the same as 30 ten
dollar bills, 300 one dollar bills.
Race to 10,000: Make spinners with sections, such as 20 tens, 50 hundreds, 300 tens, 30 ones, etc.).
Have students spin and state the value of the result (i.e. 20 tens = 200). Have students find the sum of
all of their spins and “Race to 10,000”. The first to reach or exceed 10,000 wins.
How many ways can you make 4,327? Use place value mats to build a number in different ways.
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4.NBT.2 Read and write multi-digit whole numbers using base-ten numerals,
number names, and expanded form. Compare two multi-digit numbers
based on meanings of the digits in each place, using >, =, and <
symbols to record the results of comparisons.
Use base ten blocks, and the symbols written on index cards to build numbers and place the correct
symbol in between the numbers.
Read numbers and practice writing them in words. “Write the words you say!”
Make cards that lay over each other to show the values of each digit in a number. Pull the values apart
and discuss how adding the values together gives the total value of the number.
3
4
6
=
3 0 0
+
4 0
+
6
4.NBT.3 Use place value understanding to round multi-digit whole numbers to
any place.
Use place value understanding and properties of operations to
perform multi-digit arithmetic.
4. Fluently add and subtract multi-digit whole numbers using the
standard algorithm.
5. Multiply a whole number of up to four digits by a one-digit whole
number, and multiply two two-digit numbers, using strategies based
on place value and the properties of operations. Illustrate and explain
the calculation by using equations, rectangular arrays, and/or area
models.
1See Glossary,
4