Apiil Leigh Collins

Nath Nethous Teim III

April, this is a careIully planned lesson with all the important pieces, except an
assessment checklist. I like the way you have structured it and the way you have having
students think about the meaning oI operations in story situations. My only concern about
the lesson is the Iocus on key words alone. The 'key-word method Ior teaching children
how to attack word problems has been roundly criticized Ior teaching kids to attend to
superIicial words, rather than what is actually going on in the problem. In Iact, in the
1980s, some researchers made up problems where the people`s names were Mr. LeIt and
Mrs. More, etc. Students who had been taught to underline the key words and then use
the appropriate operation tended to be tricked by these miscues. However, taken more
broadly, looking Ior word clues (or key words) that give students an indication about
what is happening in the problem is one good strategy oI many to use to make sense oI a
problem. The Iocus here is on making sense oI the situation in the problem. You can see
Irom my insertions into your lesson, I recommend you Iocus a bit more on making sense
oI what is going on in the problem and lesson on key words in isolation. The same lesson
could apply, but with minor revisions. In Iact, when I look through the proposed
problems Ior your worksheet, I am not exactly sure what the desired key words are. See
my comments below.
Janine

Math Term III Assignment and Lesson Plan


Students in the Iourth grade class where I am student teaching have been working
on word problems throughout their recent Math units. Their teacher suggested I prepare
a lesson, which covers all Iour operations via word problems as well as how to identiIy
the appropriate word in a word problem to determine which operation should be used to
solve the problem. I Ieel that it is important Ior students to encounter diIIerent types oI
word problems that test their ability to Iind key operation terms in order to know how to
set up the problem and execute it correctly. Students should be able to identiIy the key
operation term in the problem in order to approach the problem correctly, i.e. set it up as
a subtraction, addition, multiplication or division problem.
Students started the year reviewing some addition and subtraction word problems,
and have since moved on to multiplication and division, but they have not had an
opportunity to test their knowledge oI each type. I am planning this lesson as a way Ior
them to experience all Iour operations at once and to test their abilities to solve them
when presented with a variety oI problems. I expect that students may have diIIiculties
identiIying which operation to use since they can choose Irom all Iour. I am anticipating
this conIusion, and will review the operations, and key words that show which operation
to use, as part oI the explicit instruction oI the lesson. What is involved, mathematically,
in understanding how to determine what a problem is asking? What do they need to
understand about each operation?
I plan to review each operation quickly, |do you mean how to do each operation
or what it means?| since they know how to do each one. I also plan to have an interactive
lesson, which covers the pertinent words that students will encounter in word problems.
My underlying strategy is to get them thinking about the key words that are in every word
problem. I hope to get them thinking about the key words in each problem as a way to
Formatted:019
Comment [AC1]: Aftei ieauing youi
comments I ueciueu to less questions anu
focus moie on the woius. I also ueciueu to
have the stuuents pioviue the woius anu
tell me "why" they chose that woiu.
Comment [AC2]: I askeu them to tell me
why they pickeu a woiu to go in each
section. i.e. why woulu the woiu "uouble"
go in the multiplication section. Ny goal
was to have them pioviue ieasoning so I
coulu ueteimine if they unueistoou the
opeiation.
Comment [AC3]: By this I meant to have
them pioviue me with the name of each foui
opeiation.
Apiil Leigh Collins
Nath Nethous Teim III
help them break down the word problem into an equation. They will approach this a
variety oI ways. I plan to have them discuss some oI the words in small groups to Iurther
discourse among the students. The exchange will Iocus on determining the math terms
that are appropriate, and so student participation and involvement are important and
valued.
I also plan to discuss norms that are applicable to the lesson. The students should
respect each other and their student teacher as iI this were a regular lesson being taught
by their regular teacher. Because this is a small group lesson, I will be teaching it in the
library and students can tend to get distracted because it is a diIIerent environment with a
diIIerent teacher. I will be sure to remind them oI the norms we have established in class.
I will also encourage the use oI a graphic organizer, as well as a worksheet with practice
problems so the students have a variety oI tools to work with during the lesson.

I selected this topic Ior my lesson Ior a Iew reasons. The state standards Ior Iourth
grade in PA requires that students:

.1.4.F: Understand the concepts oI addition and subtraction and their inverse
relationships; understand the concepts oI multiplication and division; use the Iour basic
operations to solve problems, including word problems and equations.
..4.A: Develop Iluency in the use oI basic Iacts Ior the Iour operations.

I believe that students should be able to comIortably solve word problems. Due
to the variety oI subjects that are taught in Iourth grade, I do not think students are able to
achieve the highest level oI comIort possible. OIten they are required to solve problems
that do not use word problems, because the main skill oI the lesson is the Iocus, and due
to time constraints they are unable to Iurther push that concept into using it in a word
problem. I hope to help mitigate this issue with my instruction.
The students have recently been learning multiplication and division skills, and I
think that this lesson will not only reinIorce their basic addition and subtraction skills, but
also help them to master the new multiplication and division skills they have been
learning.
Students in my small group will be those students who have shown in assessment
tests, as well as last year`s PSSA tests, to have some diIIiculty with word problems. My
mentor teacher is diligent when collecting data on each student, and has given me a group
that he has determined needs some extra help. I am looking Iorward to assisting these
students, as I have watched their small group instruction during math class and they
deIinitely beneIit by small group instruction. I have worked with them previously in
small groups, and I think the dynamic oI the group is positive and productive.
In reviewing the pedagogical Iocuses, I was tempted to include each one! I do,
however, believe that my lesson will Iit in with the 'assessing student understanding
through listening to and making sense oI student solution strategies and explanations.
The lesson is designed not to introduce new material, but to help ampliIy the skills they
already have in regards to decoding a word problem. I am looking Iorward to listening to
the students as they explain what they already know about word problems. I will
encourage discourse by asking them to tell each other, and myselI, what words to look Ior
in a problem. I will also ask them to explain why a particular word 'works to help set
Apiil Leigh Collins
Nath Nethous Teim III
up a problem. I want them to understand and explain why certain words apply to certain
types oI problems, i.e. per` used in a multiplication problem. |Very clearly articulated
rationale.|

Lesson Plan
oals / Objectives
Students will be able to identiIy key words in a word problem in order to solve word
problems |My recommendation is that you Iocus more on interpreting the situation in the
word/contextual problem and lesson key words as the only strategy to do this. You want
students to make sense oI what is going on in the problem. In addition, in order to apply
operations to situations correctly, they need to understand the meaning oI each operation
in terms oI real situations. This might be a second goal.|

State Standards
.1.4.F: Understand the concepts oI addition and subtraction and their inverse
relationships; understand the concepts oI multiplication and division; use the Iour basic
operations to solve problems, including word problems and equations.
..4.A: Develop Iluency in the use oI basic Iacts Ior the Iour operations.

Materials and preparation
One piece oI paper (handed out by the teacher)
Pencils
Practice worksheets with word problem examples (handed out by the teacher)



Classroom arrangement and management issues
I will be conducting the lesson in the library because the small group will take
place at the same time as regular class. It will be held at a time when the library does not
have another class, so that the lesson will not be interrupted. I do not anticipate many
distractions, other than the Iact that it is a diIIerent setting than usual. To that end, I will
remind students that even though we are in the library, they are to conduct themselves
according to classroom standards.
I will also remind them that though I am the student teacher, they are to treat me
with the same level oI respect that they use with their regular classroom teacher. The
library is quiet and well lit. I will conduct the lesson at a table in the library so that the
students can see each other and me at all times. I am doing this to encourage discourse
and cooperative eIIort among the students.

Plan
Include the imagined sequence oI events (with a time estimate Ior each part oI the
lesson). Your lesson should have the Iollowing parts:




Comment [AC4]: I wish I hau moie time to
teach my lesson. It went ovei the allotteu
time, anu I uiun't get to ieally uelve into
each woiu pioblem on my woiksheet as
much as I wanteu to - howevei I was
pleaseu with how they eithei pioviueu me
with a ieason foi each woiu, oi weie able to
talk ovei the woius that I auueu once they
hau iun out of woius to give.
Apiil Leigh Collins
Nath Nethous Teim III

1. Introduction.
Hook:
O The teacher will begin by telling the students that this small group is designed to
help them learn to Iind key words in word problems in order to set up the
problem. Students will also be able to solve word problems that require any oI
the Iour operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division.) The teacher
will tell the students that we are going to work as a group to determine a list oI
words to help us identiIy which operation we will use to solve the word problem.

. Work and explore.
uided Practice and Explicit Instruction:
O The teacher will give each student a piece oI paper, which the student will be
instructed to Iold into Iour square (two Iolds total). On each quadrant the student
will label their paper with 'addition / subtraction / multiplication / division. The
teacher will have a similar set up Ior herselI, however it will be on chart paper so
it is easily visible Ior the students. The teacher will then ask the students to
discuss (in pairs or groups oI three) which words they think should go in each
section. The teacher will provide examples to get the discussion started.
Example: 'What word could we put in the subtraction square? Would gave away
or take away` work in that square? Why or why not? |I like this idea, but I
recommend you do a bit more than key words. Have them think, Iirst about the
situations that involve addition and then the words that go with those situations.
For example, situations Ior addition might be 'putting things together, giving
someone more oI something 'getting more 'growing etc.|
O The teacher will give the students a Iew minutes to discuss and brainstorm as
many words as they can. The teacher will gauge when to stop the discussion
based on noise level, cooperation, and by Iiltering through the discussion to
determine when students are done and have come up with as many words as they
can.
O The teacher will have a list oI words already prepared which she will use to Iill in
her chart. The teacher will say each word and ask the students where to write the
word in the chart. The teacher will instruct students to write the list along with
the teacher. |You will also put things up that kids put on their sheets, right?|
Chart will look similar to the below:

Mathematical Operations and Key Words

//9on
Add(ed) to, all together, both, combined, in
all, increase by, more than, perimeter, plus,
sum, total

Sub97ac9on
Decreased by, diIIerence, Iewer than, how
many were leIt, less, less than, minus,
remaining
Mul95lca9on
An area, multiplied by, per, product oI,
rate, times, triple, twice
D;son
Divided, halI, how many each out oI,
percent, quarter, quotient oI, percent
Comment [AC5]: This was a vERY
valuable suggestion! Theie weie chiluien
at the math lesson, anu we each uiew
boxes on oui papeis (foi each opeiation.) I
askeu them how many total boxes we hau.
Then I ieminueu them that I was uiawing
boxes too, anu askeu them how many boxes
we hau when we incluueu my boxes as well.
Thanks foi the suggestion!
Comment [GE6]: This uoesn't seem like
veiy much of a hook. It uoesn't hook them
into the ieal iueas oi pioblem you aie
focusing on in the lesson. I iecommenu that
you insteau show them a woiu pioblem,
with the last question (Bow many. . . . .)
missing. Anu you ask them to tell you not
the question, not the answei, but what is
going on in this pioblem. uet them to
uesciibe the situation. Then see if someone
can offei a ieasonable math question that
coulu be askeu of the stoiy. Foi example, if
the situation was "0ui classioom has
tables anu theie aie chaiis at each table,"
The question coulu be how many chaiis aie
theii all togethei.
You can then ask them what opeiation they
woulu neeu to use to solve the pioblem anu
how they know.

0nce you have uone that waim up you can
explain what the lesson will be about anu
how impoitant it is to be able to figuie how
to tuin a woiu pioblem into a numbei
sentence in oiuei to solve it.
Comment [AC7]: I tiieu my best to uo this
by asking them, foi example, what kinus of
woius they woulu use to auu something
togethei. I useu the teims "putting
togethei" "getting moie" as you suggesteu.
Apiil Leigh Collins
Nath Nethous Teim III



The teacher will then pass out a practice worksheet with 8 problems. The eight
problems will cover the Iour operations ( problems per operation). The operations
will not be in order. The teacher will have students work together to underline the key
word and then answer the problem Ior the Iirst Iour problems. Students will then work
on the remaining Iour problems alone. The last Iour problems will be used as an
assessment tool. The Iirst Iour will be graded Ior accuracy, but the grade will not be
recorded Ior assessment (will not count against the students). The teacher will walk
around during the group work time to ensure that students are on track. The teacher
will also make sure that Ior the latter Iour problems that students are working on those
independently. |Again, I recommend not just Iocusing on key words, but Iocusing on
the structure oI the situation in the problem. In addition to underlying the key words,
students can use terms Irom chart to identiIy the type oI situation in the problem.

3. ebrief and wrap up.
O As a conclusion tool the Teacher will ask students, 'II we each made Iour boxes
on our Mathematical Operations and Key Words worksheet- how many boxes did
we have total? How do you know? Can we solve that problem only one way?
What other ways can we use? What word in my question told you how to solve
the problem?

Anticipating students` responses and your possible responses

I expect that students might have diIIiculty with initially providing a list oI words
that are appropriate Ior each operation. I will be prepared to provide the words Ior them
iI this is the case. I do not want students to get Irustrated with the lesson, and iI
necessary I will provide them with all oI words and then ask them where each goes (Ior
all applicable words). I expect that they will enjoy getting to work together, and having
an opportunity to provide the teacher with the words they have thought oI. I will be sure
to encourage each student to share a word so that some students do not provide all oI the
words. Ideally each student will participate at least once.



Assessment oI the goals/objectives listed above
For students to have reached the objective they must not only have a solid
understanding oI why each word goes into each category, but they must also be able to
point out the appropriate word in the word problem and solve the problem.

Accommodations
1. Accommodations Ior students who may Iind the material too challenging
. Accommodations Ior students who may need greater challenge and/or Iinish early?

Comment [AC8]: I tiieu my best to uo this.
I suggesteu sentences that woulu have
woius like "uouble" in them, anu then askeu
which woiu was the one that went with
multiplication, anu then askeu them how
they knew
Apiil Leigh Collins
Nath Nethous Teim III
For students who Iind the material too diIIicult I will spend more time with them
during the worksheet, and also provide verbal examples oI why each key word is
appropriate in each category. For students who need a greater challenge, or Iinish
early, I will encourage them to help the other students (without giving away the
answers.) In teaching a previous lesson on rounding with the same group I
discovered the students really enjoyed when I gave them a verbal 'mini quiz. I came
up with questions to quiz their knowledge. I will also prepare extra 'mini quiz
questions they can practice that are too diIIicult to do mentally. (These three
questions are below the worksheet).
Apiil Leigh Collins
Nath Nethous Teim III
ame

Wo7/ P7oblems
C7cle 9e Key Wo7/ an/ 9en nswe7 9e Wo7/ P7oblem
Make su7e 9e s9ua9ons n you7 57oblems a7e s9ua9ons you7 s9u/en9s can 7ela9e 9o
an/ can use 9e7 own ex5e7ence 9o make sense of. lso, I woul/ a;o/ makng mos9
of you7 57oblems abou9 money.
(otation oI type oI problem will be removed prior to teaching the lesson)

1. Your Iavorite Aunt is Ilying to your house next month. She`s coming Irom San
Francisco to BuIIalo. It`s a 5-hour Ilight and she lives 3060 miles away Irom you. How
Iast does the plane go?
DIVISIO

. On the 1 days oI Christmas, how many giIts did the True Love` receive? (Partridge
in a Pear Tree, Turtle Doves, 3 French Hens, 4 Calling Birds, 5 olden Rings etc.) How
can you show your work?
ADDITIO

3. You and nine Iriends are ready to share your Birthday cake. The cake is divided into
0 pieces. How many pieces do you each get?
DIVISIO and addition

4. Your Uncle gave you a giIt certiIicate Ior $50.00. You are going to try to spend every
penny! Your choices are: Movie Passes: $1.00 or Arcade Passes $13.00. What will you
buy to come as close as possible to spending all oI your $50.00?
ADDITIO |or subtraction iI you start with $50 and subtract away the diIIerent
amounts.|

5. You have 60 dollars. You lend your Iriend Marie 1 dollars, and then you lend your
brother Steve 15 dollars. How much money do you have leIt?
SUBTRACTIO

6. You and your classmates are Iundraising money Ior Meredith Elementary. There are
8 students in Mr. Hamm`s class. II you each raise $0, how much will the class raise all
together? |this one seems very accessible to the students.|
MULTIPLICATIO

7. Your older sister gets an aIter school job babysitting some kids that live across the
street. She makes $8 an hour when she watches children. She gets paid $10 an hour
when she watches 3 children. II she watches children Ior 8 hours, and 3 children Ior 4
hours, how much will she get paid total?
MULTIPLICATIO and addition

8. Your table in Mr. Hamm`s class was not behaving today, and lost 5 table points.
You had 1,54 points. How many does your table have now?
Comment [AC9]: I only useu the fiist foui
pioblems in the lesson. That way I only hau
one money pioblem, anu also because we
uiu not have enough time to go fuithei. I
also foigot to iemove my name when I
piinteu the lesson woiksheet out! The
stuuents weie uelighteu to finally leain my
fiist name.
Apiil Leigh Collins
Nath Nethous Teim III
SUBTRACTIO

$ource. amended from http.//math.about.com
Extra (more diIIicult) questions Ior early Iinishers:

1. I have halI oI a pie, my cousin has 3 pies, and my mother has three quarters oI a pie.
How much pie do we have all together?

. A car is travelling 60 mph (miles per hour) and needs to go 450 miles. How long will
it take the car to get there?

3. Your Iamily goes to dinner. Your dinner totals $15.67. Your dad`s dinner totals
$3.69. Your sister`s meal costs $1.14. How much is the total bill? II you tip the
waitress 0 oI the total, how much will you tip her?








Comment [AC10]: These weie not neeueu,
as the lesson went long, anu not all of the
oiiginal pioblems weie even useu!