All Hands on Deck

Note: This lesson relates to "Inside Constitution's Hull"

	Historical Background on USS Constitution USS Constitution is the oldest commissioned warship afloat in the world. Carrying a crew of 450 men and over 50 guns, she was launched in 1797 to protect America's freedom on the seas. She was undefeated against the British in the War of 1812 and earned the nickname "Old Ironsides" when a sailor saw a cannon ball bounce off her thick, wooden hull during battle. When she was declared unseaworthy in 1828, she was saved by the American people who rallied for her preservation. After a long career, including capturing a slave ship, circumventing the globe, and serving as a military prison, she is now berthed in Boston and is open to the public. For more information, go to www.allhandsondeck.org, www.ussconstitutionmuseum.org, and www.ussconstitution.navy.mil.

Objectives
After completing this lesson, students will be able to:

	1.	Use mathematical reasoning to estimate the number of objects in a group and verify results.
	2.	Compare quantities of objects using appropriate language (e.g., the same as, more than, fewer than).

Massachusetts Math Curriculum Frameworks
Grades Pre K–K Learning Standards: Number Sense and Operations
Students engage in problem solving, communicating, reasoning, connecting, and representing as they:

	•	K.N.1 Count by ones to at least 20.
	•	K.N.2 Match quantities up to at least 10 with numerals and words.
	•	K.N.4 Compare sets of up to at least 10 concrete objects using appropriate language (e.g., none, more than, few than, same number of, one more than) and order numbers.
	•	K.N.8 Estimate the number of objects in a group and verify results.

Materials

	•	Worksheet (pdf): Estimating Numbers of Objects: USS Constitution's Berth Deck
	•	Math manipulative: plastic cubes
	•	Optional: small marshmallows, buttons, beans, etc.

Procedure

Cover the Berth Deck drawing of the USS Constitution with plastic cubes. Each student estimates the number of cubes it takes to cover the Berth Deck. Each student counts the number of plastic cubes to find the total number of cubes that fit inside the Berth Deck. Each student will compare the estimate with the actual number of cubes by counting the cubes and using appropriate language such as the same number of, more than, or fewer than.

Optional Representing Activity
Each student estimates, covers and glues beans to the Berth Deck drawing activity sheet of the USS Constitution and counts the total number of beans used.

Rubric for Evaluation and Analysis
Objective: The student will display knowledge of the necessary mathematical reasoning skills to correctly solve a math problem of numbers by estimating the number of objects in a group and verifying results related to the study of the USS Constitution.

	3	The student displays knowledge of the necessary mathematical reasoning skills by solving the problem with the correct (appropriate) answer.
	2	The student displays knowledge of the necessary mathematical reasoning skills but solves the problem with an incorrect (inappropriate) answer.
	1	The student attempts to solve the problem but is unable to display the knowledge of the necessary mathematical reasoning skills.
	0	The student does not attempt to solve the problem.

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