EDMA262 Mathematics: Learning & Teaching 1

Report template
From the data collected, write a nutshell statement about each students mathematical understanding (approx. 200
words per student separate report ). This is not to be merely a repeat of the growth points but it is to inform the class
teacher of your insights (with evidence). In writing these reports, utilise your extra notes taken during the interview or
ideas that you now understand about Number learning from the EDMA262 readings.

Preservice teachers name:

Sarah Colson

Student ID: S00152902

Student A :Tristan
Year Level: 4
Growth points reached:

Domain

Growth
point
(number)

Counting
6
Place Value

Addition & subtraction strategies

5

Multiplication & division

strategies
6

Growth point (in words)

Can count from a non-zero starting point

by any single digit number, and can
apply counting skills in practical task
Can read, write, interpret and order twodigit numbers.
Given an addition or subtraction
problem, strategies such as near
doubles, adding 9, build to next ten, fact
families and intuitive strategies are
evident.
Mentally solves a range of division
problems attending to the multiplicative
structure using strategies such as fact
families and building up from known
facts.

Report:
Tristan demonstrated an extensive understanding of counting as he was able to not
only count upwards from zero, but also from numbers such as 53, and by amounts
other than one. It was also encouraging to see the Tristan was able to identify when
he had given a wrong answer. Tristan was able to apply his knowledge and skills in
relation to counting to real life scenarios, such as when dealing with money.

Tristan was able to confidently read and interpret numbers up to four digits, as well as
sort them according to their different values, demonstrating knowledge of the place
value. Tristan was also able to subitise groups of dots, demonstrating an extensive
understanding of quantity.

Tristan demonstrated his ability to mentally solve double-digit addition and

subtraction problems. Tristan used a variety of strategies when solving addition and
subtraction problems, including building to the nearest ten and doubling. Tristan also
explained that he uses partitioning as a strategy when solving problems. This shows
that Tristan is confident in addition and subtraction, as he is able to identify the best
strategy in order to solve problems.

Tristan was able to not only mentally solve multiplication and division problems, but
was also able to construct visual representations of what different problems involve.
This demonstrates Tristans ability to not only view problems as algorithms, but also
potential real life scenarios.

[Word Count: 219..]

Student B: Isabella
Year Level: 1
Growth points reached:

Domain

Counting
Place Value
Addition & subtraction strategies
Multiplication & division
strategies

Growth
point
(number)

Growth point (in words)

Confidently counts a collection of around

20 objects

Can read, write, interpret and order

single digit numbers

Counts on from one number to find the

total of two collections

Counting one by one to find the solution

in situations involving multiple groups
when all objects are modelled or
perceived

Report:
Isabella demonstrated her ability to count objects up to around 20, and was able to
recognise the appropriateness of using a one less strategy when asked too remove
one object. Isabella was also able to confidently count upwards by ones from not only
one, but also at different numbers such as 53.

Isabella demonstrated her ability to read number up to four digits, as well determine
the correct number of objects that a number would represent. Isabella was also able
to recognise the amount of dots up to four, showing her developing ability to subitise.
Isabella was also able to interpret the units ones and tens, and was able to determine
that three groups of ten is equal to 30, without having to count each object
individually.

Isabella demonstrated her ability to count on, as she was able to determine the
number of objects without physically counting each one, which shows that she is
developing effective skills to answer addition problems. She was also successful

subtraction through using the strategy of counting back in order to determine the
answer.

Isabella was able to group items, as she used the strategy of sharing objects out by
ones, demonstrating that she was able to understand that division involves sharing
something equally between a given amount.
[Word Count: 213]

Mathematics lesson plan EDMA262

Lesson Topic:
Place Value
Year Level(s):
Year 4

Date:
01/04/14
Lesson
duration:

60 minutes

Mathematical Focus
Understanding place value and using it to help solve multi-digit problems.
Australian Curriculum (AC):
Year level(s): Year 4
Content strand(s): Number and Algebra
Sub strand: Number and Place Value
Content descriptors(s):
Recognise, represent and order numbers to at least tens of thousands (ACMNA072)
Apply place value to partition, rearrange and regroup numbers to at least tens of thousands to
assist calculations and solve problems (ACMNA073)
Proficiency strand(s) and statement:
Problem Solving: Modelling and recording situations involving operations, comparing large
numbers with each other.
Understanding: Making connections between representations of numbers, partitioning and
combining numbers, extending place value and using appropriate language.
Students prior knowledge:
The students understand/know already that:
The students are able to read and interpret 4 digit numbers
The students are able to complete addition and subtraction with 3-digit numbers
Students have experience partitioning 3 digit numbers
Key questions to guide learning and prompt student thinking:

How do we know how many units of ones, tens, hundreds and thousands are in a number?
What is the most effective strategy to use to work out how many guests there are?
How does place value help solve addition and subtraction problems?
How can we use partitioning to help solve addition and subtraction problems?

Assessment:
What assessment strategy or strategies will you use in this lesson?

Observation- The teacher will move around the class as the students work on the tasks and
problems

Work samples- The work completed by the students will be collected at the end of the lesson

Photographs- Throughout the lesson the teacher will move around the room and photograph
the work of the children

What will you look for, and analyse, in the evidence found in the assessment?

Use of relevant language in relation to place value

Systematic ways of approaching and answering the problems
Correct placement of values
Use of partitioning to solve problems
Ability to interpret and order multi-digit numbers

Resources:

The book Sir Cumference and All the

Kings Tens (Neuschwander & Geehan,
2009)
Camera
Worksheets with problems

Interactive white board

Units of ten, counters, unifix blocks,
popsicle sticks and number frames
Pencils and Pape

Organisation for learning:

The lesson will begin with all of the students sitting together on the floor for
the tuning in activity

The children will then work in mixed ability pairs, while the teachers walks
around the room, observing, recording the work of the children and
encouraging deeper analysis.

The children will then be brought back together at the mat for discussion
and sharing. Within this the teacher will be using prompting questions to
encourage answers and thinking.

Considerations for learner diversity:

Indigenous learners:
Incorporation of the following will be made:

Providing opportunities for the problems and solution to be

represented visually
Modelling throughout the lesson, ensuring that understanding and
skills are built up throughout the lesson.

English as additional language learner/dialect (EALL/D) learners

The student/s will:

Be given a picture storyboard which they can refer to and use to help
understand the story line of the book
Complete the set tasks along with the class, but will be their card with
the given tasks and problems will be written in simply and familiar
terms to them.
Have pictures along side the problems, to help demonstrate what the
problem is asking, or what the task requires.

Lesson actions:

e5: ENGAGE, EXPLORE

Lesson introduction (Whole TUNING IN):

Read the book Sir Cumference and All the Kings Tens.

Discuss the book

Focus Questions:

What strategies did Lady Di use to try and guess the number of guests?
What strategy worked the best? Why?
Record the use of mathematical terms.
Explain the activities the children will be engaging in the lesson.
Go through an example with the class.
Ask the students Before we all go off the engage in the activity, what is it
important that we understand? Write all ideas on the board.

e5: EXPLORE, EXPLAIN, ELABORATE

Development/investigation (Part - INVESTIGATING):
The students are given the following problems (each pair is given problem
with differing amounts of guests) to work on with pairs:
Lady Di knows that amount of two different groups of guests, one group of
1,230 people, and another group with 2,345 people. She first needs to be
able to easily work the total amount of guests. What strategy should she
use?
How many guests are there in total?
How could you use different materials to represent the amount of
guests?
Lady Di now needs to work out how she is going to house all of the guests.
She only has tents that sleep either one, ten, one hundred, or one
thousand guests. How many of each tent will she need?
How could you represent this visually so that Lady Dis workers know how
many tents to set up?
The pairs of students then need to write their total number of guests on an
A4 piece paper.
The students then all bring their piece of paper to the mat, where they sit
in a circle with their piece of paper out in front of them.
The students are then presented with the task of determining which pair
has the largest number of guests.
How could we work out who has the most guests?

The students then have to order themselves from the smallest to largest
amount of guests.
What unit should we look at first when comparing numbers?
Adjusting the lesson
Enabling prompt:
Get the student to walk around the classroom, and see the strategies that
their fellow peers are using in order to solve the problems.
Extending prompt:
Give the students a new problem that is five-digits, and therefore has an
added place value.

e5: EXPLAIN, ELABORATE, EVALUATE

Plenary and conclusion (Whole REFLECTING and GENERALISING):
What did you find was a useful strategy when determining how many
guests there are?
What did you use to represent the numbers you determined? Use the
interactive whiteboard to bring up picture of the students work, and provide
opportunities for the students to explain their thinking and strategy to the
class
How can place value help us with future maths problems?
How can we use partitioning to help us with future problems?

Post-lesson review and evaluation:

Student Achievement
This lesson was very successful, as it was evident that the students
gained a deeper understanding of place value, and were able to apply
their previous knowledge and skills to problems containing four-digit
number. Whilst moving through the different problems within the lesson,
the students became more confident in answering questions in relation to
place value, as throughout discussions and work within the pairs more
language in relation to place value was evident. It was also observed that
many students discussed the best ways in which they should address and
answer the problem before beginning the process of solving it.
The students were also able to identify partitioning as an effective way to
solve multi-digit addition problems, and were then able to identify and
compare the different answers throughout the class. The students were
able to explain than in or to determine the largest to smallest number, you
have to first start at the largest number and work your way down,
comparing the units between the different numbers.
Teacher Effectiveness
Throughout the lesson I felt as if the students were thoroughly engaged in
the set tasks, and were able to successfully build upon their previous
knowledge and skills. I think that the tuning in activity was effective as it
only allowed for the students to revise their knowledge of place value, but
also the story provided a great context in which the students could
investigate place value and partitioning.
In future lessons I think that it will be beneficial to include a conjecture,
which would allow for the students to engage in investigation of their own,

as well as allow them to come to their own conclusions and back up these
conclusions with evidence

Rationale:

This lesson was designed to extend the Tristans understanding of

place value, develop their ability to read and interpret multi-digit
numbers. Research collected from the Early Numeracy Project
(Gervasoni et al.,2011) found that understanding and using
multi-digit numbers is difficult to many students, Boroady (2004)
believes that these difficulties could be due to children not
having constructed place value and grouping concepts. An
understanding of place value, and the role that the different units
play, will assist students in their ability to not only interpret
numbers, but to also apply this understanding to partitioning

which will assist them in solving problems and calculations

(ACARA, 2012).

The tuning in activity provides opportunities for students to

revise the topic of place value, and get them thinking about the
different units within numbers. The incorporation of a picture
book in the mathematics lesson provides opportunities for
students to develop their knowledge and skills in relation to
mathematical concepts (Van De Walle, Karp & Bay-Williams,
2013). The picture book can create increased engagement from
the students, as well as provide a relevant context in which
mathematical concepts are involved.

For the investigation part of the lesson the students are placed in
mixed ability pairs, this provides opportunities for students to
collaborate, allowing them to engage in discussion and build
understandings of the mathematical concepts. Mixed-ability pairs
are effective in helping students who may struggle with
mathematics to gain new and deeper understandings (Nebesniak
& Heaton, 2010).

The lesson focuses on the students learning through problem

solving, in which the students learn through engaging with real
contexts and situations (Van De Walle et al,. 2013).This method
of teaching allow the students to develop skills that will allow the
to understand problems, create a plan to solve it and reflect back

(Van De Walle et al,. 2013). The inclusion of an multi-digit

addition problem within the lesson is important as is provides a
context in which students can not only demonstrate their
understanding of place value concepts, but also their ability to
identify effective approached to solving the problem such as
partitioning (Wright, Stanger, Stafford & Martland, 2006).

Getting the students to use different resources and materials to

represent their solutions is an important aspect of the lesson, as
it not only helps the children to develop their association with
numbers and the amount they represent, but also encouraged
them to think about the place values within the numbers.

The conclusion part of the lesson plays a crucial part in the

students skills and

knowledge development, as by providing an opportunity for

whole class discussion and reflection. The students are able to
describe and evaluate their solutions to tasks and share the
strategies that they used (Van De Walle et al,. 2013). As students
share and listen, they are introduced to new ways of interpreting
problems, as well as new approached to solving them (Van De
Walle et al,. 2013).

 Conclusion:

Through engaging in the formal interview process it can be seen

how you are able to gain vital insights into the mathematical
knowledge and skills that students possess. You are not only able
to see the areas in which the student possess strengths, but also
the misconceptions that they may have about different topics.
Through reviewing the data collected and determining the
different growth points, you are able to systematically arrange
the information for the different topics, which can be useful when
comparing the results of a group of students. The growth points
are also important when writing documents such a reports, as
you are able to use the data for the interview as well as the
perceived level of abilities to guide your writing. The lesson plan
demonstrated how this information and data collected can be
used as way in which to further develop the knowledge and skills
of the students.

References:
Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority. (2012). The Australian
Curriculum: Mathematics. Sydney, NSW: ACARA

Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority. (2012). The

Australian Curriculum in Victoria. Retrieved from: http://ausvels.vcaa.vic.edu.au/
Baroody, A. (2004). The developmental bases for early childhood number and
operations standards. In D. H. Clements & J. Sarama (Eds.), Engaging
young children in mathematics: Standards for early childhood mathematics
education. (pp. 173219). New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

&

Gervasoni, A., Parish, L., Hadden, T., Turkenburg, K., Bevan, K., Livesey, C.,
Croswell, M. (2011). Insights about childrens understanding of
2 digit and
3-digit numbers. In J. Clark, B. Kissane, J. Mousley, T. Spencer & S.
Thornton (Eds.), Mathematics: Traditions and [New] Practices (Proceedings
of the 23rd biennial conference of The Australian Association of Mathematics
Teachers and the 34th annual conference of the Mathematics Education
Research Group of Australasia, Vol 1, pp. 315-323). Alice Springs:
MERGA/AAMT. Retrieved from
http://www.merga.net.au/documents/RP_GERVASONI%26PARISHetal
_MERGA34-AAMT.pdf

Nebesnick, A. L., & Heaton, R.M. (2010). Student confidence & Student
involvement. Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School, 16 (2), 97-103.
Neuschwander, C., & Geehan, W. (2009). Sir Cumference and all the Kings tens.
Watertown, MA: Charlesbridge.

Van de Walle, J. A., Karp, K. S., & Bay-Williams, J. M. (2013). Elementary and
middle school mathematics: Teaching developmentally (8th
ed.). Boston, MA:
Pearson.

Wright, R. J., Stanger, G., Stafford, A. K., & Martland, J. (2006). Teaching
number in the classroom with 4-8 year olds. London: Paul Chapman
Publications/Sage.