Tara Hopkins

MTT-202-01
Professor Bershtein
Fall 2018
Morgan Elementary School in Hamilton, NJ
Ms. DeAngelo’s 5th Grade Class
 Table of Contents

Highlighted sections are what is included

Current Resume……………………………………………. page 2

Table of Contents…………………………………………. page 3
Field Experience Activity Log…………………………. page 4-7
First Impressions of a Classroom……………………. page 8-10

Bird’s Eye View of the Classroom…………………... page 11-12

Manipulative Use in the Classroom………………….. page 13-15
Student’s Attitudes Towards Math……………....… page 16-17
Observing Students with Special Needs………...…. page 18-19
Observing & Assessing Group Work………....….…. page 20-22
Math and Literature Lesson................................................ page 23-
24
Math Lesson Plan...................................................................... page
25-27

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 Math Lesson Reflection....................................................... page
28-29
Math Lesson Evaluation....................................................... page 30
Teaching Pictures...................................................................... page
31
Summative Reflection………………………...………….. page 32-35
Quizzes............................................................................................. page
36-39

Classroom Handouts................................................................ page

40

First Impressions of a Classroom

1. Describe any mathematics pictures or posters on the walls. What do they depict?

There are charts of their current lessons always that serve as reminders, such as hundreds,

tens, ones, tenths, hundredths places. There are posters with words showing other ways to say

add or subtract or multiply or divide. There is also telling time signs by the clock saying half

past, quarter of, quarter after. Another poster that is up depicts the multiples of 1s, 2s, 3s... all

the way to 9. There isn’t a ton of math posters but the ones that are up are very helpful and

definite reminders if the students get stuck.

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 2. Describe any bulletin boards with mathematics information, interactive math

activities, or learners’ mathematics work.

There isn’t much display of math work, there is more on the literacy side for showing

their work. But as far as interactive math activities there is a math cart with different types of

math games and activities that get used during centers.

3. How are the learners' desks or tables arranged? Why do you think they are

arranged that way?

The class is small, fluctuating from 17-19 students as they rotate throughout the day. There

are 4 groupings of tables with 4-5 desks at each group. This allows for group work and foster’s

an environment where it is encouraged to seek help within your group and work together when

needed.

4. What math manipulatives or tools are evident? Are they accessible to the

learners? Can they obtain them at any time, or does the teacher determine when

they are available?

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 The students use flash cards for games, they also have access to their Chromebooks and

the SmartBoard as a manipulative. Flash cards and Chromebooks are only accessible during

center work and are used to strengthen their skills. The SmartBoard is used during lessons

and students are encouraged to write on it to show their thinking or to drag manipulatives on

the screen as well. So, for this classroom the tools are only available when the teacher deems

it is time for them.

5. Are there any computers in the class? Is it connected to the Internet? Is it used for

mathematics?

Computers are an extremely important part of this classroom. It is a very technology

inclusive class. The class has Chromebooks that are kept at the front of the room. They use

them across all subjects, whether it be through vocab games, Quizlet, math games, testing,

research. These students know their way around the computer and reap benefits all day long.

In math they are able to go on math sites to reinforce the skills they’re learning, or they have

quizzes online to also help with their math progress. With a culture so inclusive of

technology, it would almost be preventing students from their best education to not take

advantage of the computers at their disposal.

6. What are the learning expectations for this class? How do you know?

The expectation for this class is to ask questions and to problem solve to figure things

out. It is also very encouraged that technology can help strengthen understanding. Ms. DeAngelo

always encourages hands to be raised with questions or thinking and every answer is welcome,

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so she has fostered an environment that every answer is worth hearing. I can also tell that

technology is very important to her because she finds ways in all of her classes, math or not, to

incorporate technology. This is seen either in games, or quizzes and things of that nature.

Observing Manipulatives Use in the Classroom

1. What manipulatives are being used? What mathematical concept is being

modeled?

Technology is their main manipulative. They use the Smart Board during math lessons to

write on the board or use tools. They use the Chromebooks to play math games. The only other

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manipulative they use is physical math games like playing with a deck of cards or dice. When the

students were using the deck of cards, it was to play decimal war, where they figured out which

decimals were larger.

2. How are the manipulatives stored? Are they kept in the classroom?

The manipulatives are stored in the classroom. This class is very fortunate to always have

the Chromebooks and always have access to the Smart Board and to their cart of games.

Everything is very accessible.

3. Does the teacher demonstrate how the manipulatives can be used to model

mathematics concepts?

The teacher does first demonstrate how manipulatives are to be used before getting to use

them. Since this class has a more limited use of manipulatives, this is seen a little bit less, but

Ms. DeAngelo does show them their games for centers, as well as the games being used on

computers.

4. How are the manipulatives distributed to students?

In regard to the computers, the students are called to go get them either by table or one by

one. The same method would be used when using the games as well. Use of these manipulatives

are typically used for centers only.

5. Does the teacher allow the learners some time to explore and familiarize

themselves with the manipulatives?

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 I haven’t experienced any new manipulatives, most of the time they use these

manipulatives every day. There isn’t really a need for them to explore them because they are on

the computers so much or get to play those games every day in centers. But I could see that

happening when a new manipulative is introduced.

6. Do the students remain on task, or are they distracted by the manipulative?

The students at this point have come through the education system with these computer

privileges, so for the most part they all know the rules and know what they have to do on the

computers. But of course, there is always one who is click on different games to play, there is

still a bit of monitoring that has to be done with use of these manipulatives.

7. What procedures are used to collect the manipulatives at the end of the lesson?

The 5-minute time warning is called, and everybody is called back to their seats. They are

asked to put things back where they found them: laptops back plugged in the cart, cards on the

cart, any worksheets in the in bin.

Observing Students with Special Needs

1. What categories of disability or exceptionality do the students have?

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 There are two students both with ADHD. Only Emily is on medication, which she takes

during lunch time at the nurse’s office. Then in only math, there is Sean who does have and

IEP.

2. What kinds of resources are available in the classroom/school to help the student?

Neither of the students with ADHD go to any of the pullout classrooms, but Sean does go

to a class called Basic Skills. That is a resource that helps him get the help he needs based off

his learning disability. The school does of have the ability to accommodate with classrooms

like that.

3. How did the teacher modify or adapt his/her instruction to the student?

Miss. DeAngelo has allowed Emily to use a “squishy” which she keeps on her desk to

fidget with. Lincoln has a rubber strap on his chair that he can bounce his feet on. They have

ways set up for them to get energy out when they are feeling antsy. During instruction times,

she has to just tap on their desk to redirect them when they have lost focus on what is being

done. As for Sean, Miss. DeAngelo only has him in math, but she sits with him during center

times occasionally for extra help.

4. Who provided help for the student during the class? How much time was spent

helping the student?

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 For the most part the other students help when needed. Lincoln is sat with a very

mannered girl that keeps him in check for example. Emily and Lincoln don’t need much help

otherwise, for them it’s more of a redirection issue. For Sean, he requires Miss. DeAngelo to

give him extra help. He gets probably 15 minutes of center time of help.

5. Did the student successfully complete the activities in the lesson? Why or why

not?

Lincoln finished most of the worksheet they were working on, he got a late start because

he was distracted at first. Emily finished very quickly, she works best when left to work on

her worksheet on her own. Sean still requiring help didn’t get to finish it on his own.

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 Math and Literature Lesson Plan

MTT 202 Math Methods

Literature and Mathematics
Instructional Read-Aloud Planning Guide

Teacher Candidate Name: __Tara Hopkins and Larissa Woods____

Date of Read-Aloud___10/8/18________
Title of Book___Math Curse__________

Author_Jon Scieszka_and Lane Smith________

Grade Level of Audience___Fourth Grade___
Math Focus Strategy___Comparing Fractions______________________
Materials Needed: __Math Curse by Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith, classroom whiteboard
or Smart Board, “Write Your Own Problem” worksheet, crayons, pencils,
erasers_____________
Instructional Math Goals/ Problem Solving Task(s):
The book Math Curse points out how fractions can be found in everyday life. The boy is
faced with fractions during lunch when he eats pizza and pie, as well as in class when a fellow
student wants to split 24 cupcakes among 25 people. Students will come up with their own
fraction-related math problem and solve using addition and subtraction with like denominators
and/or mixed numbers.
Common Core Standards (ELA and MATH):
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.3.NF. A.3
Explain equivalence of fractions in special cases and compare fractions by reasoning about their
size.

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.4.NF. B.3.C
Add and subtract mixed numbers with like denominators, e.g., by replacing each mixed number
with an equivalent fraction, and/or by using properties of operations and the relationship between
addition and subtraction.

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.4.NF. B.3.D
Solve word problems involving addition and subtraction of fractions referring to the same whole
and having like denominators, e.g., by using visual fraction models and equations to represent
the problem.

Procedure:
Introduction:
The book will be introduced with a question: Can you think of a way we use math in
everyday life? Students will first brainstorm with their tables, and then we will have a whole-
class discussion. Students will get to share their thoughts and ideas about how we use math day
to day, sometimes without noticing.

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 Next, we will introduce the book, sharing the title and the author. We will explain that
the book is about how a boy begins to realize how math is a part of almost everything. We will
ask students to pay special attention to how the boy uses fractions in the story.
Then as we read, we will stop to look at how the boy is finding math within his school
day. To focus on the fractions, focus of our lesson we will pause to talk more about those
specific pages. We want the students to look at the formation of word problems in accompanying
the visual of the fraction.
Reading:
Title: Math Curse
Author: Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith
Closure:
After reading the book, we will go back and point out the pages on fractions. We will discuss
them as a class. As a class, we will write a word problem about fractions and solve it using
pattern block manipulatives. The problem will be written down and the pattern blocks will be
displayed using the overhead projector. Students will get to use their own pattern blocks at their
desk in order to follow along with the class. After solving a fraction word problem as a class,
students will get to create and solve their own fraction word problem using the “Write Your Own
Problem” worksheet. We will write down the directions for writing the word problem on the
board.
1. It must involve addition or subtraction with fractions,
2. The fractions must have like denominators,
3. The denominators must be greater than 10
Problem Solving Task(s):
Students will participate in a whole-class problem solving task using pattern blocks. Students
will be able to raise their hand and help solve the problem, as well as follow along with the class
using pattern blocks at their desk. Students will also get the chance to write and solve their own
fractions word problem. Students will first brainstorm a topic, then write out their problem, draw
out their problem, and finally solve their problem.
Assessment:
Teacher will assess students’ comprehension of the book by asking questions before during and
after (detailed in Reading section). Teacher will assess students’ understanding of fractions
during the whole-class activity through observations of students working independently at their
desks as well as through listening to students’ explanations on each step in the problem-solving
process. Teachers will assess students’ independent ability to both write and solve a word
problem by having a class discussion at the end of the lesson when students can share their word
problem and solution with the class, and by checking the worksheets students will hand in at the
end of the lesson.

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 Math Lesson Plan

Lesson Plan
School of Education
The College of New Jersey
Tara Hopkins and Caroline Hvozdovic
11/1/18 at 2:00
1. Round and Estimate Decimals - 5th Grade
2. Lesson Essential Question(s): How can students use their previous knowledge of
decimals to round and estimate answers?
3. Standards: CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.5.NBT.A.4: Use place value understanding to
round decimals to any place.
MP1, MP2, MP3, MP5, MP6, MP8
4. A. Learning Objectives and Assessments: Students will learn to estimate decimal sums
and differences.
B. Assessments: We will assess the students understanding of rounding decimals by
listening to their responses as we work as a class, as well as checking their answers on
page 65 and 66 in the Student Activity Book.

Learning Objectives Assessments

Students will use what they know about I will assess students’ knowledge by listening to
rounding whole numbers to round decimal responses.
numbers.

Students will use skills developed in the I will check for understanding by checking their
prior activity to determine if their answer responses at the bottom of their workbook page as
is reasonable. an exit ticket.

5. Materials: Student Activity Book page 65-66, Chromebooks, Smart Board, “Decimal
War” game, “Decimal Dice” game, number line
6. Pre-lesson assignments and/or prior knowledge: Students have been working on
decimals for a few weeks with their teacher. They have discussed place value; for example:
tenths place, hundredths place. They have also practiced writing out decimals in standard form,
scientific form, and in words. Their understanding of decimals so far should align perfectly with
the progression onto rounding of decimals.
7. Lesson Beginning: First we will go over any homework the students may have had the
night before. Then I will send them to get the whiteboards and markers. After doing that we will
move onto today’s lesson by asking for ideas from the class. I will ask them what they remember
about rounding whole numbers, and I will open it up to responses from the class.
8. Instructional Plan:

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 a. “Who knows what a number line is?” I will ask while I pull up the number line onto the
Smart Board. It needs to be labeled from 4.0 to 5.0 in tenths in order to correspond with their
worksheet.
b. I will plot 4.7 and ask the class how this number line can help us round to the nearest
whole number. Then I will ask more questions about this number I plotted. At this time, I will
want students to explain why they think that after they answer.
i.“On this number line, 4.7 is between which two whole numbers?”
ii.“What number is exactly between 4 and 5?”
iii.“Is 4.7 closer to the right or left?”
c. I will then plot the next point as 4.4. I will expect them to be able to justify why the
answer is 4 here and not 5, unlike the previous problem.
d. Now we will ask how decimal rounding is similar to whole number rounding.
e. Next, we will flip the number line to a vertical one. Here we will ask, “Where might you
see a vertical number line like this?”
f. We will then as a class begin to plot on the number line again, this time with 3.2 and
again, we will discuss how we can use the number line to round to the nearest whole number.
.“On this number line, in which direction are the numbers increasing? What about decreasing?”
i.“If a number is greater than 3, where is it on this number line?”
ii.“On this number line, 3.2 is between which two whole numbers?”
iii.“Is 3.2 closer to 3 or to 4?”
iv.“What is 3.2 rounded to the nearest whole number?”
g. Now I will have a volunteer come and plot 3.7 and then tell me what whole number you
would round it to.
h. Now we will move on from tenths to hundredths. Here we will remind them of the place
values.
.“A decimal number in the tenths has how many digits to the right of the decimal point?”
i.“How many digits to the right of the decimal point does a decimal number in hundredths have?”
ii.Here we will use an example and write on the board 8.057 and ask, “what number is in the ones
place… the tenths, the hundredths, and the thousandths?”
iii.“Suppose we round 8.057 to the nearest whole number. Why is the digit in the tenths place of our
number important?”
iv.“Explain why the digit in the tenths place of 8.057 tells us that the number rounds to 8 instead of
9?”
v.“What digits would have to be in the tenths place of our number for it to round to 9 instead of to
8?
vi.“Which digit is in the hundredths place?”
vii.“Which digit helps us round to the nearest hundredth?”
viii.“What is 8.057 rounded to the nearest hundredth?”
i. Next, we will as a class complete Exercises 1-3 on Student Activity Book page 65. The
bottom half of the questions can be done in their groups.
j. We will move into the next activity which is “Estimating to Determine Reasonable
Answers”
k. Now we will give the students the word problem “Mrs. Teal drove 793 miles in October
and 542 miles in November. How many total miles did she drive in those two months?”
l. Next, we will write the equation from the story problem on the board: 793 + 542
.“How can rounding to the nearest hundred be used to make a reasonable estimate of a sum?”

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m. Now we will write 4.672 + 6.337 on the board and have the students work out the
problem with the people at their table
n. Together as a class we will complete Exercises 22-27 on Student Activity Book page 66.
The rest of the questions can be done when they break into groups.
9. Closure: Once finishing the worksheet we will then say that we are breaking into centers
for the rest of the class time. We will explain that each center will be as follows:
1. Decimal War Game
2. Decimal Rounding Game
3. Math games on Chromebook
4. Extra help
Then after telling them where they are going, we will send them off to do center work
one group at a time.

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 Lesson Plan Reflection

Tara Hopkins

Professor Bershtein

MTT-202-01

Lesson Completed on 11/1/18 at 2:00

Lesson Plan Reflection

Caroline and I co-taught a math lesson today for our fifth-grade class. Math falls at the

very end of the day, so we got to prepare throughout the day. We were able to play around with

the smartboard and make number lines and write out things we thought would make the lesson

run smoother and transition better. This was reassuring before we started the lesson. As we

planned, we decided doing white boards with the class would have been better for our purposes,

so we altered that part of the lesson plan.

I began the lesson and did the first number line on the board. I had students answering

questions and then had them explain their thinking in hopes to help others that didn’t understand.

Caroline shifted for another number line and then it came back to me for the rest of that

particular activity. I had decided that I was going to take problems from their workbook

problems and do them on the board and have them hold up the answers on the whiteboards rather

than pull the books out. Doing this I was able to see who was getting it. If I were to go back, I

would have gone over the wrong answers more. I felt like I focused more on why a certain

number was right but not why an answer would be wrong. I left problems in the book to be used

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for the group that at the end would need the extra help one on one. Caroline then did the final

activity in our lesson. We then sent them off to centers, because we brought a new game to play,

I had to teach them all the lesson before letting them play. Caroline and I were able to separate so

I could stay and help a smaller group and she could be with the others. The group that needed

extra help sat with Miss. DeAngelo at the back table.

Overall, I saw a lot of students with an understanding after doing the lesson. When I sat

with them in centers, I was able to answer individual questions, which helped them be successful

with these problems. Another thing I would do better was my questioning. I tended to call on

only the kids with their hand raised, which was the kids who knew the answer, rather than the

kids who didn’t understand and therefore didn’t raise their hands. After talking to Miss.

DeAngelo after she said sometimes you have to call on the kids that don’t understand to guide

the lesson and set the pace. Which I can see where I would have gone back and gone into more

for some of the students that needed the basics gone over more before continuing. The lesson

wasn’t by any means perfect, but it definitely went well, and I learned a lot from the experience.

I can see things I can improve upon, which is the whole point of doing this anyway! I am excited

to teach my next lesson and continue to grow as a teacher in this practicum.

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 Summative Reflection of Practicum

CCSS.MATH.PRACTICE.MP1 Make sense of problems and

persevere in solving them

This Common Core Standard deals with students grasp of various math problems and to

keep on doing it until they succeed in figuring it out. This is an important standard because

students have to learn that not every math problem is going to be quick and easy. They will

struggle through some and of course there is beauty in the struggle, and a lot to gain from it.

Through perseverance the students learn to keep trying, this encourages them to access the skills

they have already developed to come together with an answer. In the end being able to figure it

out will be not only a confidence boost in their math skills, but it will have meant that they made

sense of what they are learning. In practicum, this was a standard that was met every single day.

Specifically, I remember one time working one on one with a student to achieve this. This

particular student finds math his biggest struggle and needs constant encouragement to keep

trying because it takes him a lot longer. I sat with him to work on an informal type of quiz to

help go through more on decimals. I explained why certain answers were what they were as

examples and then let him try to show me the rest. My goal was for him to be able to tell me and

reason with himself on why he thinks it’s the answer it is. He struggled but I encouraged him and

when he got it, he was so pleased with himself. It was very rewarding for him to have struggled

with decimals and to come out having figured out that whole worksheet.

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 CCSS.MATH.PRACTICE.MP3 Construct viable arguments and
critique the reasoning of others
This Standard is not only important in math but in all other subjects as well. It is

important that students can form a position and defend that position with logical reasons. In

math, creating an argument for their answers helps to further their understanding and also clarify

their reasoning to others. With that being said the second part of this standard is critiquing the

reasoning of others. What this portion hopes to have happen is that, students have made enough

sense of the problem that they can then see potential errors in how their peers may have done a

problem. So, from this they can help explain why it would be another way, or it could turn out

that they learned something from how their peer did it. This standard I’ve seen this group pf kids

execute very well. During math, many of the students answer questions on the form of creating

an argument. Meaning that they say the answer and then they tell us why it is what it is. There is

then always a healthy back and forth, where another student asks why it’s not the answer they

have then. This standard is important to the learning environment as it fosters student growth.

CCSS.MATH.PRACTICE.MP4 Model with mathematics

Modeling is yet another important standard. Modeling proves that they can take what has

been taught to them and apply it to solving a problem. This can take the form of taking a

practical situation and solve it using a chart for example. I was able to see this in my classroom

during my own math lesson. I was using number lines to demonstrate the relationship between

various decimals on the board and had them doing it on whiteboards. They had to access what

they already knew about number lines and how to apply it to figuring out where a number may

belong and what may be bigger or smaller. I also have seen the use of charts and diagrams as

methods to solving some of their problems. If students can have models as a resource, they can

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always work through their problems and break it down with models that they know and

understand. Modeling is crucial to math learning as it allows students to reflect on past methods

and make new methods better.

CCSS.MATH.PRACTICE.MP5 Use appropriate tools strategically

In a time where students have a multitude of tools at their disposal, why not use them?

Essentially, this standard serves to promote the proper use of the tools. This could include the use

of rulers in a measurement unit or the use of calculators, or protractors. I did have them use

number lines in my math lesson with them, that was an important tool for a lesson on decimals.

The students were familiar with number lines, which was crucial to the success of that lesson.

They were able to expand on their knowledge of decimals with the use of the number lines.

Another example I am using from practicum isn’t directly from math class but instead science

class. The students in this particular science lesson had to measure using grams and had to add

and subtract with these unit of measurements. They also used a scale and a measuring cup. This

particular day in science was full of measuring tools which was great. So, while it wasn’t math

class, they were doing math. It was important that the students understand how to use all these

tools and what the measurements they get from these tools mean and how they could apply it to

what they were doing that day. Math is all around them and making sure they are aware of the

tools they have and how to use them is important.

CCSS.MATH.PRACTICE.MP6 Attend to precision

This particular Common Core Standard is important in developing student’s

communication skills. Precision in math and in all subject areas is to be concise in their answers

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and be clear when they make a claim and defend it. This standard aims to achieve “precise

communication”, essentially you want your students to tell you the answer in the most accurate

and efficient way. As you move through elementary school, the students are just

developmentally learning to be clearer in what they are saying. We see less confusion and more

concise answers by the time they are in 5th grade. In my practicum precision is a very important

goal in the classroom. Ms. DeAngelo will listen to an answer but if it is not concise, she will ask

either another student to share what they think they were trying to say, or she will come back to

the student to reword their answer. She wants them to not only for themselves explain it clearly,

but also to demonstrate it to the class in a way that others can get something from what they are

sharing as well. One particular student tends to go around in circles a bit in his explanations and

then loses what he wanted to say, so now he has started writing out his point, so he can better

organize his thinking before he explains it to the class.

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