Augustana Individual Lesson Plan Format

For lessons which will be observed by a supervisor, we will require candidates to address the
following pre-observation questions, which connect to Augustana Standards and Indicators:
The Content:
1. Previous learning
Previous to this lesson, students worked with Cecil the tightrope walker. The tightrope represents
a number line, and students generated expressions of integers to reach a certain number.
Students also drew pictures to represent Cecils movements. Students were given specific
integers. Integers could be positive or negative. This was an introduction to adding positive and
negative numbers.
2. Future learning
After students get a grasp on adding negative and positive integers, they will move on to
multiplication of repeated integers. Students will then advance to graphs and scaling. Students
will do a scaling project. We will continue our investigation of Cecil and the tight rope through this
section and future ones. Students will use their knowledge of integers through the rest of the
lessons.
The Environment:
3. How will your choice of materials and resources and your arrangement of the physical
environment enhance learning?
Students will be arranged in groups of three or four. This allows students to help one another
during the activities. I think when students can discuss their thoughts with one another; they can
bounce ideas off and arrive at a solution to a problem. Students will also be discussing real-world
applications of integers in their groups. Students will be directed at a smart board when I am
giving class instruction. The smart board is at the front of the room, in hopes that student focus
will be there. We may also use the Cecil tight rope application to show what happens when we
add and subtract integers.
The Lesson
1. Unit title/grade level/course/date
2.2.1/ 7th grade/ General Math/9-28-2015
2. Performance Objective
Students will make the connection between the tightrope walker Cecil, and the number line.
Students will generate expressions, and add and subtract positive and negative integers correctly.
Students will make connections about where they see integers in real life. Students will discover
integer that are opposites of one another, and use them to get 0.
3. Rationale
This lesson is completed in order to take the introduction of integers and put them into real life
context. Students will see how integers are part of their everyday life. Students also will take the
introduction lesson and make connections among Cecil the tightrope walker, and the number line.
They are doing this so they can have visual representation of how adding and subtracting
integers works. Students need to know how to add and subtract positive and negative integers in
the rest of their mathematical career. This is a strong basis of mathematics that students should
have before moving on to multiplication, graphing and scaling. Students will also be generating
expressions to represent the problems they are trying to solve.
NCTM Standards
Communication
o Students will be communicating with one another throughout the class.
There will be a discussion about how integers are a part of our everyday
life. Students will be communicating their ideas in their groups, and then
they will also be sharing their ideas in class. Students will also be

working together to discuss the movement of Cecil and how it connects

to the number line.
Connections
o Students will be using connections in this lesson as well. The ultimate
goal is for students to make the connection between the tight rope
activity and the actual number line. What they are doing with the tight
rope activity is actually adding positive and negative integers. Students
should be making these connections as they work through the activities
provided.
Representations
o Students will be using Cecil the tightrope walker to represent integer
addition and subtraction. The tightrope will represent the number line,
and Cecils movements will represent adding or subtracting integers.
Students will be using this representation to work backwards with integer
addition and subtraction.
Common Core Standards
7.NS.1d. Apply properties of operations as strategies to add and subtract rational
numbers.
o In this lesson students will actually be practicing adding and subtracting
rational numbers. They also will be doing this by generating expressions,
and drawing pictures to represent their work. Students will get a lot of
practice in this lesson, and should draw some connections between the
tight rope activity and what happens when we actually add and subtract
rational numbers.
Common Core Standards for Mathematical Practice
Reason abstractly and quantitatively
o Students will be continuing to work with adding positive and negative
integers. They will be reasoning quantitatively by recognizing the ideas of
making zeros. Students will be reasoning where zeros come from.
4. Assessment strategy
The assessment strategy for this lesson is a quiz at the end of the week. All of the lessons can be
grouped together and therefore I will be quizzing the students on the weeks content at the end of
the week. During the lesson itself, I will walk around and listen to student responses to get a basic
idea of student comprehension. Student responses during discussion will also help give me a
basic level of the students comprehension.
5. Accommodations for Exceptional Learners
This lesson will also be done in groups. I have struggling readers in my class, and I will be sure to
read aloud the problems for those students. I also have students with ADHD. I tried to incorporate
a variety of activities to allow for more frequent breaks. Students will also be allowed to take a
short break if need be. As we progress through the lesson, the visual representations (diagrams)
are not required, however for those students who need them to solve the problems, they are
allowed to use them. This is an accommodation for those students who are visual learners.
6. Supporting Content Development through Language [This section does not apply
to World Language.]
a. Language Function
The reason for the language function is that students will be able to explain their thinking to one
another and to the class. Students will be able to discuss their idea of making zeros.
b. Key Vocabulary Related to the Language Function
Addition, subtraction, integers, rational number, positive, negative, making zeros, whole numbers
c. Additional Language Demand (e.g, discourse or syntax)

Students will be using discourse as they discuss their ideas for getting Cecil across the tight rope.
In this lesson students will be discussing their process as they solve problems involing Cecil and
the tightrope. Students will also be discussing the process of making zeros. They will do so by
demonstrating with pictures and words.
d. Language Supports
Students will be working in groups, and therefore will be supporting one another, by critiquing
and questioning their techniques for getting Cecil across the rope, and for making zeros. I will
read the prompts aloud for those students that are struggling readers. I will provide a word wall,
including key words, for students to refer to throughout the lesson.
7. Grouping strategy
Students will be in teams of three or four. Students will be doing multiple activities in this
lesson. Students will also be having multiple discussions in their groups as well. Groups will
be a mix of high level and low-level students. This will allow the high-level students to help
assist the low-level students.
8. Materials

Smart Board Slides

CPM book

9. Enactment (the planned sequence of events in the lesson: include time estimates for
each part of the lesson):
Hook
3 minutes-I will open up the discussion of the class by talking about our answers from the
question at the end of the previous lesson. The previous lesson I asked what they think the
tightrope represents. I will give the students a minute to discuss in their groups, and then we will
come together as a class. Possible answers I expect are: A number line, adding and subtracting
numbers.
Student Aim
Students will generate and solve expressions of adding and subtracting integers using the
representation of Cecil the tightrope walker.
Development (the body of the lesson)
5 minutes- Students will be asked to discuss in their groups how they think integers are used in
the real world. I will ask that each group come up with at least ten different ideas. We will share
as a class the ideas the students generated. Then we will reveal the map of the different ways
integers are used in the real world. A discussion will follow.
3 minutes- Students will work through another Cecil and tight rope problem in their groups. They
will be asked to write two expressions, and compare the two for Cecil to get from point A to point
B. They will also be asked to explain other equivalent expressions. They will look at two
expressions that both get Cecil from point A to B. the expressions both have the same positive
and negative integer in them therefore making a zero.
10 minutes- Students are introduced to the idea of making zeros. Students will show this by
drawing Cecils movement on the rope. Then they will write a numerical expression, and explain
how they know their expressions and pictures are correct. This will be their introduction to making
zeros. Students will then work on a temperature word problem. This problem is based on real life
application. Students will be asked to draw a diagram representing the problem as well as write
an expression. Students will work on these problems in their groups, and then I will have a
student come up and draw their diagrams and write their expressions.
2 minutes- Students will look at golf scores and find the end score by adding the given positive
and negative integers together. We will do this activity as a class.
8 minutes-Students will practice with adding integers. Students, who need to, may also draw a
diagram to represent what they are doing. However it is not required. We will go over the answers
as a class.

5 minutes- Students will look at another Cecil problem. This problem asks what happens when
Cecil goes forward 5 and backwards 5 feet. This is related to the idea of making zeros. Students
will also look at a diagram of plus and minus signs and be asked to explain what the drawing
means. They will then be asked to draw expressions for other diagrams with plus and minus
signs. The plus sign represents a positive 1, and the minus sign represents a negative 1.
Culmination (Conclusion, Closure, Recap, Wrap up)
5 minutes- Students will take what they have learned and apply it to an integer game. As a class
we will look at eight different expressions and determine if they are positive or negative. If they
are positive we put the in the positive spiral on the smart board, if they are negative we put them
in the negative. If the expression is wrong the smart board will reject the expression.
Leap (looking forward/next steps)
I will ask students to think about what they know about absolute value, and communicate that
they should come prepared to discuss it tomorrow.