ELED 433 Math Methods

LESSON PLAN
Paige Reaman
Cruse

Stone Spring Elementary School

4th Grade

Beth

A. Associative Property of Addition

B. CONTEXT OF LESSON
What pre-assessment did you do that tells you the students readiness, interests, and/or learning
preferences? Why is this an appropriate activity for these students at this time? How does this
lesson fit in the curriculum sequence? How does this lesson fit with what you know about child
development?
Children need to understand why the mathematical properties work and how they are
applied. In this lesson, we explore modeling and "proving" the associative property. In this lesson,
we explore modeling and "proving" the associative property.
The associative property is the focus for this lesson. It states that terms in an addition
or multiplication problem can be grouped in different ways and the answer remains the same. In
other words, it doesn't matter which terms are in the back seat and which are in the front - the
makeup of the equation is the same, just like it was in the car in the introduction.
Let's look a little bit at how that works. If you have an addition problem such as (3 + 6) + 13, you
can also write it as 3 + (6 + 13), and, when you solve the problem, the answer will be the same
either way, 22. Remember that the parenthesis signifies the portion of the problem that should
be completed first.
So, the associative property states that it doesn't matter which portion of the problem you
do first, the answer will be the same. Again, this only works with addition and multiplication
problems, and not if they are mixed. With mixed operations, you need to always follow the order
of operations, which is: multiplication and division then addition and subtraction. However, if
your problem contains only addition or only multiplication, you can group the in any way and still
get the same answer.
Look at this example: (2*5)*7 is the same as 2*(5*7). It doesnt matter if you multiply the
2 and 5 first or the 5 and 7 first, the answer is still 70.
C. RELATED VIRGINIA STANDARDS OF LEARNING
Identify VA Standards of Learning that are directly addressed in this lesson. Write the entire
standard in your lesson plan, not just the number.
Patterns, Functions, and Algebra
Focus: Geometric Patterns, Equality, and Properties
4.16 The student will
b) investigate and describe the associative property for addition and multiplication.
D. LEARNING OBJECTIVES
UNDERSTAND - Students will identify and use associative properties of multiplication and
addition.
KNOW Students will know that the associative property states that you can add or
multiply regardless of how many numbers are grouped, or associated with each other (by
grouped we mean how you use the parenthesis). In other words, if you are adding or
multiplying it does not matter where you put the parenthesis, you will receive the same
answer on both sides of the equal sign.
DO Students will engage in a hands-on associative property model, followed by a game
that will require them to solve basic multiplications computations with parenthesis

involved. An informal assessment, in the form of an Exit Ticket, will assess knowledge and
understanding of the content.
E. ASSESSING LEARNING
What will your students do and say, specifically, that indicate every student has achieved
your objectives?
Every objective must be assessed. You should write your assessment
specifically tailored to the objectives you are teaching. You must collect a concrete artifact,
which determines whether or not your students met the objectives. You may not use ONLY
observation. If you use observation to assess ONE of your objectives, you must include a data
collection form that shows how you maintained a record of your observations.
I will give the students an Exit Ticket that will be used an informal assessment at the
conclusion of this lesson. The students will get a half sheet of paper to which they will answer
two problems on. They will then conduct a Popcorn Toss and crumple the paper up and throw it
into the popcorn labeled container. This method is fun, interactive, and gives the students a
relaxed environment to work in and reflect on the skills that they have learned. I will be able to
compare this Exit Ticket to the pre-assessment that they took a week prior to this lesson. The
questions are going to be different, but the context of the questions are going to be the same.
This artifact will determine whether or not the students met the objectives or not. I will rely on
notes that I collected while observing the students at their stations and use this to support the
results that I find from the Exit Tickets. The observations will assess the level of understanding
that the students are on about the objective and will be recorded in a notebook for further use.
F. MATERIALS NEEDED
List ALL the materials that will be needed to conduct this activity.
1. Smart Board and Projector access
2. Pool Noodles (4)
3. Number Lanyards (42 necklaces)
4. Dice (7-10 pieces)
5. Associative Property of Multiplication Dice Game (70 copies)
6. Day #2 Activity Sheet (70 copies)
7. Macaroni Noodles (1 box)
8. Pencils (One box of 50 pencils)
9. Calculators (ONLY for checking work, have 3 for the station)
10.
Pre-Assessment Tickets (70 copies)
11.
Exit Tickets (70 copies)
12.
Popcorn Bucket (1)
G. PROCEDURES (Refer to pages 25-26 in the textbook for specifics about planning your lesson
using the Three-Phase Lesson Format)
Provide a description of the task you will be completing whether it is just one problem,
multiple problems, a game, etcDiscuss what strategies you will be using whole group, small
group, stations
BEFORE: In this portion of the lesson you will activate prior knowledge, be sure the
problem is understood, and establish clear expectations.
The day before this lesson will be implemented, a pre-assessment with be
administered. This pre-assessment will be given in a formative manner and will give a
clear indication of where the students prior knowledge currently resides. The data received
from the pre-assessment will help better structure the following lesson and provide
support where it is needed. There will be two questions on the assessment and they will
consist of the students demonstrating knowledge about the Associative Property of
Multiplication and Addition. The students will be given the assessment and instructed to
NOT put their names on it. The purpose of this assessment is not to group by ability, but to
address the class as a whole on their strengths and weaknesses. Once the children finish
the assessment, they will crumple the (yellow) paper up and throw it into the popcorn bin.
The paper will simulate popcorn. The purpose of this activity is to create a relaxed

environment for the assessment. The papers will then be un-crumpled and sorted into two
piles, Correct and Incorrect. The goal by the end of the lesson will be to do the activity
again and make the Correct pile a lot larger than it was at the beginning.
Analyze the problem you will give to the children in order to anticipate childrens
approaches and possible misinterpretations or misconceptions.
-Children may approach the problem with PEMDAS in mind. Multiplying the numbers in the
parenthesis first and then multiply that number with the remaining number. For example:
(7 x 4) x 2. They will multiply the 7 and the 4 first to receive 28 and then multiply that by 2
to receive a final answer of 56. The same interpretation goes for addition, adding the
numbers in the parenthesis first.
-While some other students may think that they just need to simply multiply or add all of
the numbers up in a different order. There is nothing wrong with that, the student will
receive the same answer.
-One misconception would be if the child distributes the number outside of the parenthesis
to both of the numbers within the parenthesis. THIS will give them the wrong answer. For
example, (7 x 4) x 2. They might distribute the 2 to the 7 and the 4. Resulting in 14 x 8
which equals 112. They might forget the rule that if a number is separated from a
parenthesis by an operation, they do not need to distribute.
-Going off of the distribution misconception, the child might add 14 and 8 rather than
multiply them like the operation states. This would result in an answer of 22 which is even
farther from the correct answer.
DURING: Here is where you let go and observe the students mathematical thinking. You
will provide appropriate support by looking for ways to support the students without telling
them how to solve the problem. You should also plan worthwhile extensions. This will
include differentiation components of your lesson. This should also include examples of
some of the questions you can ask to help support.
One the day of the lesson, the students will begin class with video and a hands-on
example of the Associative Property of Multiplication and Addition. This activity will help
activate prior knowledge while having the students engage in a hands-on activity. The
students will be selected to wear number necklaces that display numbers on them. We
are going to do a 3-D model of the associative property. The students will stand in
positions wearing their numbers, while others hold pool noodles to demonstrate the
parenthesis. The students holding the parenthesis will move from one group of numbers to
another, while the students in their seats figure out
the answer. The students will recognize that no
matter the placement of the parenthesis, the
numbers will remain equal on either side of the
equal sign. The picture below represents what
the setup will look like with the students. Its
important to keep in mind that the two numbers
within the parenthesis will associate with each
other while the other number is left out. This
can be demonstrated in real life by having the students move closer to each other, or even
hold hands.
STATION ACTIVITY: After the beginning whole-group discussion, the students will now
move throughout different stations. There is one station that will be dedicated to reviewing
the concepts of the associative property and giving students more chances to see the
relationships between the numbers and the parenthesis. The Dice Game will be available
for the students at the station. The students will be given a worksheet and 3 dice. They
will roll the dice to get three different numbers. They will fill in the numbers on the game
template worksheet on whichever blank they choose. They will be asked to solve the
problem and use prior knowledge of multiplication facts to make sure their answers and

the same on both sides. This will be a great way to show the students that the placement
of the parenthesis doesnt matter. They will receive the same answer on both sides of the
equal sign regardless of parenthesis placement; permitted they receive the correct
product when multiplying. The students will be given a worksheet that allows them to play
the game multiple times. This will reinforce their understanding of the Associative Property
and basic computation.
Children will explore the problem alone, with partners, or in small groups. During this time I will
observe to find out what the children know, how they think, and how they are approaching the
task you have given them. This will not the time to evaluate, but I will be going around and
asking supplementary questions like;
How can you decide?
Why do you think that might be right?
How can we tell if that makes sense?
I will identify different representations and strategies children used, interesting solutions, and
any misconceptions that arise that I plan to highlight and address during the After phase of the
lesson. I will utilize this time to keep the emphasis on the students ideas and thinking. The
learning will remain focused on them and restate any ideas that they contribute to the
conversation. It is important that I pick up on any valuable ideas that they say and make sure to
restate it; to place emphasis on how valuable these points are. I want to focus on the ideas they
contribute rather than spending time pointing out every little thing for them.
AFTER: Engage the full class in discussion, which promotes a community of learners. You
will listen actively without evaluating and help summarize main ideas about and how they
connect to your learning objective. To plan for this part of the lesson you must think
about: What do you want the children to be able to share in the AFTER part of the
procedure OR how will you share the ideas you observed?
I want the children to be able to share their understanding of the Associative
Property after this lesson. The students will be given the opportunity to share their ideas
while they are playing the game during their station rotation. While the students are
engaged in this activity, I will listen actively without evaluating and summarize the main
ideas about the students thinking. Based off of their responses and explanations, I will be
able to assess whether they met the learning objective or not. The students that did not
will be offered additional support in the coming days. In a full class discussion, after each
of the three groups have completed each station, we will regroup to promote a strong
community of learners. Referring back to the popcorn toss pre-assessment that was
conducted the day before, I will have the students complete the exact same assessment
again and participate in the same procedure (fill out the paper, crumple it up, and toss it
into the popcorn bin). It is anticipated that more of the students will fall under the
Understand column than from the day before, prior to teaching the lesson.
This is the time that I will use to address different representations and strategies children
used, interesting solutions, and any misconceptions.
Work as a community of learners, discussing, justifying, and challenging various
solutions to the problem that they have just worked on. Plan for and save ample time
for this part of the lesson (20 minutes is not enough). Reinforce precise terminology,
definitions, or symbols. Formalize main ideas of the lesson, highlighting connections
between strategies or different mathematical ideas, based off the ideas discussed by
the students.
H. DIFFERENTIATION
How will you extend and enrich the learning of students who finish early and do not productively
struggle during the lesson? How will you support the learning of children struggling with your

objectives? You must include (and be prepared to use) a challenge problem for early finishers
and a remedial problem for struggling students. These problems should be directly related to
your lessons objectives. Consider the SOLs from grades before and after the grade level you are
basing your lesson plan on if you have difficulty determining appropriate problems. PROVIDE
EXAMPLES OF QUESTIONS YOU PLAN TO ASK.
The first thing I already have planned to do to differentiate this lesson for those students
that require more support is provide a copy of the problems that I plan on modeling in the front
of the room with the students, but on a piece of paper. So rather than having to rely on looking at
the front of the room for the whole group portion of the lesson, the students can follow along
with the problems printed in front of them. Their ability to have these problems in front of them
will allow them to focus on the whole group discussion, rather than spending time trying to
visualize what is going on. I know that there are some students that will benefit from this type of
support.
Children struggling with the objectives could also use non-linguistic representations to fill
out the Dice Game Activity. If they are struggling to compile their thoughts into written numbers,
pictures will work just as well as long as they are given the opportunity to explain their thoughts
and reasonings. Visual representations, like pictures and diagrams are a great way for children
to show and explain their thoughts. However, simply having them draw a picture and not explain
will provide no benefit and serve as no form of assessment. The students that draw their
responses could still share within a group of their own because not every child is going to draw
the same thing and it is valuable for children to hear from their peers about why their pictures
dont match and what rationales they have for it being that way.
I plan on asking questions like:
1. What other ways could I place the parenthesis within this group of numbers that
wont change the value of the numbers on either side of the parenthesis?
2. Why do you think that we can move the parenthesis around and the value of the
set of numbers on either side of the equal sign wont change?
3. Is this always the case? Can you show me an example of when the placement of
the parenthesis does not create equal values on either side of the equal sign?
Always Teach Up with the lesson. This means we approach differentiation with the
mindset that ALL students can learn and that we must use methods that meet them in their zone
of proximal development. Its important to never Water Down the content. This means we
never view students as deficient and incapable of challenging learning. Instead, we provide
appropriate levels of challenge for all students. The bottom line is all students must have access
to the general education curriculum. All differentiated instruction must be equally engaging.
These differentiated activities have the same skill, same concept, but different vehicle to get the
child to success.

I. NCTM STANDARDS
Discuss how you met the 5 NCTM process standards for teaching mathematics. These standards
are problem solving, reasoning and proof, representations, connections, and communication.
Problem Solving
Build new mathematical knowledge through problem solving and working with prior
knowledge to build connections.
Apply and adapt a variety of appropriate strategies to solve basic computations; using the
associative property.
Monitor and reflect on the process of mathematical process of associating different
numbers together.
Reasoning and Proof

Develop and evaluate mathematical arguments and proofs using representations to prove
that a set of numbers equal each other regardless of where the parenthesis are placed.
Select and use various types of reasoning and methods of proof; the students will do a
visual representation of modeling out an associative problem, play a game where they will
decide where they put the numbers in the problem, and finally, the students will get the
chance to use macaroni noodles to decide where they what to put the parenthesis and
which numbers they want to associate together.

Communication
Organize and consolidate their mathematical thinking through communication and handson activity that require the student to model the associative property.
Communicate their mathematical thinking coherently and clearly to peers, teachers, and
others while playing interactive games and working together to solve basic computations.
Analyze and evaluate the mathematical thinking and strategies of others; working
together to come to a common conclusion about the basic rules of the associative
property.
Use the language of mathematics to express mathematical ideas precisely; learn proper
terminology and use it when describing the associative property process.
Connections
Recognize and use connections among mathematical ideas; connections between the
associative property of addition and the associative property of multiplication
Understand how mathematical ideas interconnect and build on one another to produce a
coherent whole; using prior knowledge of the associative property of addition and its
corresponding rules to learn the associative property of multiplication.
Representation
Create and use representations to organize, record, and communicate mathematical
ideas. The whole group activity and station activity will satisfy this requirement. As well
as the differentiation activity of using pasta noodles as parenthesis and having the
students decide where they go within a set of numbers. Rather than really on a
worksheet where the parenthesis are given.
The dice game is going to require children to select numbers from the die, apply them
into the allotted blank spaces, and translate them among mathematical
representations to solve the problem and prove that they have the same answers on
both side of the equal sign; they will endure basic computation.
Using representations. The use of pool noodles and number necklaces to demonstrate
a 3-D associative property problem will interact the children in a physical, social, and
mathematical phenomenon.

J. REFLECTION
For your reflection I would like you to provide an honest assessment of how things
went. What went well and what went poorly? What would you change about the
lesson to make it go better, not just the things that did not work, but the things that
did work as well? Were you able to follow your procedures?

I anticipated this lesson to run smoothly and for the most part it did. The 4 th grade uses a
block scheduling system, so I was able to complete my lesson a total of three times, fixing any
kinks that may have happened in previous blocks. Starting from the beginning, my first block
went very well for the lessons first run. I started with my homeroom students and honestly this
didnt make me as nervous. The students have specials before the first block, so this was the
perfect time to set up and make sure everything was in place (i.e. the video was pulled up on the
Smart Board, the number necklaces were correctly ordered, etc.). I had run through the lesson
the night before, using my roommates as my students, so I had a strong idea of how I wanted to
start the lesson. Everything went well, from reading over the objectives, to watching/discussing
the video clip, but once I began the hands-on activity this is where things didnt line up exactly
how I anticipated. I was going to have students line up and make an actual equality using
laminated number signs and pool noodles for parenthesis. I didnt realize how many volunteers I
actually needed for the activity until there were only 3 or 4 students left in their seats. I had
hoped to have more students be able to see the entire equality rather than being a volunteer
and not being able to see it. I thought quick and decided to write the equality that they were
modeling on the white board as another visual, but of course the students backs were toward the
white board so this had no effectiveness. The students still grasped onto the concept well and
when I administered the Exit Ticket, a majority of the group was done within a matter of seconds.
This was a reassuring feeling, especially after the fact that I dont think my students got as much
out of the hand-son actively as I had hoped. For the following block, I made some major
improvements that allowed the students to really take in the hands-on activity. First, I moved the
students to the other side of the classroom, so that those who were participating in the actively
could still see the white board when I would use it for reference. Next, I also had the students
who were demonstrating the inequality to arch their formation so that they would be able to see
the start of the equality and follow it to the end, even if they were standing up front
participating. These changes resulted in a lot more interaction from the students with comments
like Oh, its the same on both sides and We get the same answer. I think that the students in
the second block recognized more of the relationships between the two sides of the equality than
the first block. This made the follow-up activity a lot easier. In required them to roll a 6-sided dice
and form their own equalities to which they would do basic calculations to prove that the
numbers were the same on either side of the equation. This activity really worked well for the
students because they have been working on multiplication and this was a great way to review
that, by incorporating it into the activity. The students responded to it well too, they were excited
to be able to roll the dice and select the numbers that they would be working with. The students
picked up on the idea quickly, that the equalities are the same on either side and in order to
check to see if the equation works, they have to have the same value on either side of the equal
side; like a balancing scale. This analogy was really effective and in a lesson later in the week, a
handful of the students referred to this analogy and it made me smile. I was excited that it was
something that worked for a few of the students. I never really strayed away from the basic
lesson procedures, just some of the logistical things were adjusted before each block and they
were definitely for the better. I didnt make these changes in my lesson plan because obviously
they werent anticipated, but after I submit this lesson plan, I will move forward with the
corrections so that I will have them for later down the road if I ever want to use this lesson again.
The children reacted really well to it and I liked that it wasnt a lesson that kept them at their
desks the entire time. It also opened up the floor and gave me the opportunity to listen to their
thoughts and observations about the equality and allow them to direct the conversation and
carry it through their ideas.
I noticed instantly that students definitely recognize when you care and take interest in
them as a person, not just their learning. I have noticed such a rapid change in a childs level of
engagement when you involve them in the lesson in a manner thats more than just simply
calling on them for the answer. For example, we are working heavily on factors and fact families.
The students sometimes struggle with the sevens times tables, especially 7x8. On this particular
day, I had a conversation with one of the students in the morning during breakfast, about how he
played his best football game the previous night and his team had a final score of 56 to 18. He
was too excited. During a whole group discussion later that day, I immediately thought back to

this story when we were working a multiplication problem and I was looking for an answer to 7x8.
As no hands shot up, I quickly added the number of points Nates (pseudonym) football team
scored last night at his game. Maybe not every hand went up, but I can assure you Nates did
and her recited the answer without any hesitation. I dont think he thinks twice now whenever he
sees the equation 7x8.
I also learned that the children have a lot of ideas, that if given the chance to share,
something really inspiring can come out of it. I am really glad that I chose a discussion as my
activity because doing a simple worksheet that the students will turn in definitely wouldnt have
given me the new perspective that it did about the 67 fourth graders that I see every day. As
young learners, children need the chances to challenge themselves and establish themselves as
thinkers. Its important for them to discover themselves as students in and out of the classroom.
This ability to learn will encourage them to develop their own opinions and outlooks on life. From
these opinions, students will learn how their passions will have an impact on the world. This civic
efficacy is something that cant be done through a worksheet, especially if nothing follows it.
Setting the standard and establishing the boundaries of the discussion are what made it so
successful. I informed the students that I understood that sometimes history can be
uncomfortable, especially when learning about different cultures and the traditions that were
normal back then that may be completely different now. I reassured students that they were in
a safe space and all of their ideas were accepted and werent going to be judged. I was thrilled
with how different everyones responses were. Some girls explained that they would have been
excited if they were an English woman coming to Jamestown, while others explained that they
would be nervous because they wouldnt know what to expect. I was enlightened at the fact that
childrens answers had reasoning behind it, it wasnt simply a one-word response and they were
done. They elaborated on their thoughts and I could really begin to hear their own personalities
coming out in their answers. I loved being able to give them this opportunity.
Discuss everything that went into your planning, how did your assessment go?
I started this planning process by discussing a topic that would be appropriate for the
pacing guide that fits into the curriculum for fourth grade math. My teacher had been giving it
some thought and decided that due to an upcoming benchmark assessment, I could round out
the nine-week period by teaching the students the Associative Property of Multiplication. She
informed me that this was something that they were introduced to in the third grade, but with
addition. It was going to be my responsibility to review the basic concept of the property and
then further the students comprehension by introducing the multiplication aspect of it. I was
excited about this because I remembered all of the cool methods that I learned in elementary
school to remember the properties and I wanted to do something just as engaging with my kids. I
figured out what I was going to teach pretty early on in my high immersion experience, but didnt
actually start piecing together a lesson with activities and such until about the middle of it. I
conferenced with my teacher about how she has taught the lesson in the path and which
methods she found were effective and which ones were not. I also talked to her about any
important vocabulary that she wanted me to highlight while teaching. Once I began thinking
about my lesson, I was so busy. From ordering the supplies, to making copies, and laminating the
number signs that the children would be wearing for the demonstration. This prep took me about
a week, but it was so worth it. I also planned on conducting a pre-assessment 3 days prior to the
lesson because I wanted to see how much the students remembered from third grade and where
their prior knowledge currently. This was going to give me a much better indication about where I
needed to start with the reviewing portion of the lecture and the pace that I needed to move on
during the block. The pre-assessment results were where I anticipated them to be and I picked up
on a strong clue that they didnt understand the content, they just noticed a pattern based off of
the numbers that I selected (which was totally unintentional). One of the examples was 6+( __
+3) = (6+2)+3. The students thought that the numbers in parenthesis had to equal the number
that was outside of it. In this case, it did work out that the answer is 2, but the children were
thinking along the mindset of multiplication and that 2x3 equaled 6. The moral of the story was
that this was a bad example on my part. I made sure to change the numbers I chose for the Exit
Ticket that served as the post assessment. I received great results and better understanding of

the property as a whole. I had a 91% passing rate of the questions on the Exit Ticket. These
students got 100% of the questions correct. The remaining 9% that didnt get both correct
missed either 1 of the problems or both. I was surprised by a couple of the results, but I have
made sure to sit with the students since then to go over an misconceptions or
misunderstandings.
What did you learn about working with students during your lesson?
Hands downgetting to know the students is the absolute best thing that any teacher can
do. I whole heartedly believe that my lesson was as successful as it was because I knew the
groups of students I was working with very well. I was able to make connections to their real lives
with the curriculum because I talk to them at recess and never turn down a conversation with
them during free period at the end of the day. Its those little things that keep a child engaged
and interested because they know that you are interested in them and what they have to say. I
was also very well prepared with the different types of learners that I would be working with and
the types of atmospheres they would be most successful. I am going to toot my own horn a little
because I am shocked that I have been able to do this with 67 students. I leave Stone Spring
somedays completely amazed that I was able to help a child the way I did. Teaching also goes
beyond the classroom because the students lives outside of the classroom matter just as much
as they do inside of the classroom. Children of this age have a lot of factors that have the
potential to negatively influence their ability to learn, as well as their willingness to learn. As an
educator, its important to prepare for this and establish a climate that allows children to feel
comfortable and excited to learn new things. Now, I understand that not all topics are going to be
as inviting, but something as simple as an open discussion to get the students ideas about a
topic could show you a lot more than you think. It shows misconceptions, or misunderstandings.
These are things that a summative assessment could never tell you because everything is very
black and white. Its right, or its wrong, you dont get an idea of where the childs knowledge
lacks, you just assume that they are a blank slate and dont understand anything. This is why I
am not a fan of summative assessments because children are not tests scores and sometimes
their thoughts cant be accurately reflected on paper. This lead to my decided to do a hands-on
activity as a way to demonstrate the content to the students during whole group learning and
following it with a discussion. Talking is something that everyone knows how to do and asking a
child to explain their thoughts through conversation could be a lot harder than a multiple test
ever could. I am excited to see where I can incorporate discussions into more lessons. Not every
content will benefit from a discussion, but something else could be just as beneficial.
From this lesson, I also learned about how teaching can bring out the best in students.
Even when you (and they) least expect it. One instance of this was in my 3 rd block class. There is
a student that is known for being very reserved and hesitant to participate. Even though they
always complete their work and are on grade level for understanding, they just dont feel the
need share their thoughts. Boy did my face light up when I saw his hand shoot up during the
whole group discussion, ready to share his answers. It occurred to me that maybe the kids arent
given many chances to do that during the day, or even at all while learning new content. It was
awesome to hear his thoughts for once and I made sure to collect the students work so I could go
back and read it later; giving it the true attention and praise that it deserved. I want to sit in on
more of the students other courses and see if they are given these opportunities in class.
What did you learn about yourself during this lesson?
I admit, I didnt sleep much the night before. I wasnt nervous, I just wanted to make sure
that I had everything prepared for a day full of teaching. I was excited to get formally observed
and receive feedback immediately, but at the same time, I felt the pressure. I also have a lot
more confidence about myself in the classroom. I have spent most of my practicum days
teaching math and I havent taken any minute of that for granted. I havent been subjected to
this type of instruction and I have really been able to apply the things that I have learned in my
ELED courses throughout my experiences. Its a pretty cool thing to witness, when you try
something with a child, that you learned and it works wonderfully. Its even cooler to try
something with a child, that youve learned and it NOT work. I mean this because there have

been handful of times when I have had to come up with completely new and innovative ways to
teach a child a concept in a way that will work for them. Being able to give a variety of children
the type of support that they need has been something that I dont think I would have been able
to accomplish attending practicum only once a week. These past two and half weeks have been
eye opening, exhausting, and hectic, but I dont think I have ever learned so much and I wouldnt
trade that for the world. It amazes me sometimes when I am faced with a situation and my brain
doesnt even hesitate anymore, it just jumps into gear and I am able to address a childs problem
without even blinking. Again, I dont think this type of knowledge would be possible without the
time that I took to get to know the students and establish a professional relationship with them.
From this, I have gained reinforcement in the fact that I can do this. I can establish a professional
relationship with students, while still getting to know them on a personal level. This is important
to me as a future teacher because of course I want students to like me, but I also want them to
respect me. Its moments like the ones that I experienced during this lesson that reassure me that
I can get the best of both worlds. I can get them to be serious and reflect on a deep level, but I
can also be silly with them and use funny pneumonic to get them to remember concepts. For
example, using gestures to show money and showing muscles to show power. I receive giggles
and excitement, but I can also receive seriousness and strong responses. Its this type of balance
that is important to establish in a classroom and its a cool feeling to see it in action.

Lesson Plan Scoring Rubric

Context of Lesson
Related Standards of Learning
Learning Objectives: Understand
Learning Objectives: Know
Learning Objectives: Do
Assessment
Procedure: Before
Procedure: During
Procedure: After
Differentiation
NCTM Standards
Reflection
Other Expectations
Free of spelling and grammatical
errors
Submitted on time
Total
Comments:

Points
Possible
1
1
1.5
1.5
1.5
2
3
3
3
1.5
3
3

.5/error
1/day
25

Points
Earned