Formative Instructional and Assessment Tasks
Packaging Soup Cans
4.NBT.1-Task 3
Domain
Cluster
Standard(s)
Materials
Numbers and Operations in Base Ten
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.
Paper and pencil, activity sheet, base 10 blocks (optional) , Virtual base ten blocks can be
found here: http://nlvm.usu.edu/en/nav/frames_asid_152_g_1_t_1.html
Task
Packaging Soup Cans
There are 202 soup cans are in the factory. A crate will hold 200 cans. A case will hold 20
cans. The rest of the cans go into individual boxes. The factory wants to use as few
packages as possible.
1.
2.
3.
4.
How many crates, cases, and individual boxes will you need to hold the 202 soup cans?
If you only had cases and individual boxes, how many of each would you need?
If you only had individual boxes, how many would you need?
What did you notice about the number of crates and cases in Part A compared to Part
B? Explain your reasoning.
Rubric
Level I
Limited Performance
 Students provide
correct answers
on two or fewer
of the parts
above.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Level II
Level III
Not Yet Proficient
Proficient in Performance
 Students provide correct  Students provide correct answers to all problems.
answers on all but one
 Solutions: 1) 1 crate, 0 cases and 2 individual
of the parts above.
boxes, 2) 10 cases and 2 individual boxes, 3) 202
individual boxes,4) The explanation says something
about the trading of 1 crate for 10 cases. In Part A
we needed 1 crate and 0 cases. In Part B, there we
needed 10 cases.
Standards for Mathematical Practice
Makes sense and perseveres in solving problems.
Reasons abstractly and quantitatively.
Constructs viable arguments and critiques the reasoning of others.
Models with mathematics.
Uses appropriate tools strategically.
Attends to precision.
Looks for and makes use of structure.
Looks for and expresses regularity in repeated reasoning.
NC DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION
FOURTH GRADE
Formative Instructional and Assessment Tasks
Packaging Soup Cans
There are 202 soup cans are in the factory. A crate will hold 200 cans. A case will
hold 20 cans. The rest of the cans go into individual boxes. The factory wants to
use as few packages as possible.
1. How many crates, cases, and individual boxes will you need to hold the 202 soup
cans?
2. If you only had cases and individual boxes, how many of each would you need?
3. If you only had individual boxes, how many would you need?
4. What did you notice about the number of cases in Part A compared to Part B?
Explain your reasoning.
NC DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION
FOURTH GRADE