Nelson_08_Math

[|Math Lesson.doc]

[|math_handout-Blue_Group.jpg] [|math_handout-Red_Group.jpg] [|Math_Handout-Yellow_Group.jpg]
 * Handouts:**


 * Grade Level**: 4


 * Content of Lesson**: The content of my math lesson was to read the book //Math Curse// to students around the reading rug. I would read the entire story and then complete the first word problem presented in the story together as a whole class. I would explain that there were 3 word problems I picked from the story. Students would not be told what each problem was, they simply would choose a color between red, yellow, and blue. I had them choose one and then they could get into groups to work on their problems. I asked that each student make an idividual poster. The object of this lesson was for students to find multiple ways to solve a problem. I told students to try to use some sort of picture.

1. Students will present an understanding of multiplication, division, addition, and subtraction problems through completion of various word problems presented in the story, //Math Curse.// 2. Students will discover ways to organize information in a word problem in order to solve it. 3. Students will work effectively in a group to explore word problems. 4. Students will show individual understanding through completing a sheet that illustrates how they got their answers.
 * Objectives:**

[|**Rubric for Math.doc**]
 * Assessment and Criteria and Instrument:**


 * Analysis of Data:** I used two students' work to show one high performer and one low performer. Both students completed the "Blue" word problem. The high performing student grasped the idea that you can multiply the number of desks. He also understood that you can create a picture by following the number of desks per row. His representation was clear and he showed his work properly. The low performing student did understand the multiplication aspect of the problem, but did not illustrate his thoughts properly. He could not visualize how the desks would look set up in the various ways the problem asks for. This shows he grasps the concepts needed, but cannot create a visual representation for his work.

[|math-sw-high_performer.jpg] [|Math-SW-Blue-Low_performer.jpg]
 * Student Work:**
 * Recommendations for future instruction for the entire class:** I think the students enjoyed the lesson. If I were to complete this lesson again, I would perhaps assign students to the particular word problems because some students had trouble with the red group word problem. I thought it was a good idea for students to just choose a color, but for some students, it would be a better fit to just assign a problem to each student based on their understanding of math concepts.
 * Recommendations for future instruction for the students sampled:** For the low performer, I would have prompted more questions to try to make the word problem clearer to him. I would also suggest the use of manipulatives to create the rows of desks to help him visualize it. The high performer seemed to understand the problem and represented the answer both numerically and visually.

