Modified Task 4 Assignment

Spring 2018 MAED 3224

Kelsie Wall

Section A: Context for Learning

1. Grade level: Fifth Grade (5th)

2. How much time is devoted each day to mathematics instruction in your classroom?

In my clinical classroom, about one hour was devoted each day to mathematics instruction.

3. Identify any textbook or instructional program the teacher uses for mathematics instruction.
If a textbook, please provide the title, publisher, and date of publication.

During the two-week clinical experience in a Kannapolis City School, the teacher used the
Pearson Investigations 3 Common Core Math Program for mathematics instruction.

4. From your observations, list other resources (e.g., electronic whiteboard, manipulatives,
online resources) the teacher uses for mathematics instruction in this class. Provide one
example of how a resource was used to teach a concept.

During my clinical observations, the teacher was reviewing with the students in preparation for
the Practice End of Grade testing the following week. The teacher used the whiteboard,
worksheets, a projector, IPads (DreamBox, Showbie, etc.), websites (flocabulary, CNN, etc.), and
other resources. The students also participated in rotations with the other fifth grade classes.
One example of how the teacher used IPads to teach a concept was through an application
known as Showbie. This application allows teacher and student to create/provide or complete
assignments and store grading more easily. The teacher posted practice worksheets through
this application, which the teacher has access to students work by showing their thought
process and answer(s) for each completed problem. Students were allowed to either work
individually or with a peer, which the teacher will act as a facilitator to gather the student’s
understanding of the content. Students were also allowed to complete for homework and
receive a grade at the end of the week.

5. From your observations, explain how your teacher makes sure the students learn the
standard/objectives conceptually giving a specific example.

From my clinical observation, the teachers were reviewing multiplying and dividing decimals
with the students for the practice end of grade testing. The fifth grade teachers split the
students up based on their scores they received on a practice exam they took previous to my
clinical experience during the math block. Each teacher provided differentiation to meet each
student’s needs that were within their math block. My clinical teacher began as a whole group
with a few examples, which the teacher allowed them to answer it on their own or with a
partner. Then, the students would argue their ideas and strategies to prove why they thought
their answer was correct. The students would then split up and practice through Showbie
individually or within small groups of three or four students. On Showbie the teacher posted
two or three worksheets that the students will either complete in class or for homework.
Students had to option to show their work using expo markers and whiteboards or by writing
with the markers or pens on the IPad. The teacher would walk around and facilitate, so the
main focus is on the students and their individual needs. Also, this allowed the teacher to
gather information about students understanding at that moment.

6. What did you learn most about teaching mathematics from observing this teacher?

From my observation, there were many students at different levels that needed
accommodations. My clinical teacher provided various learning styles while introducing a new
mathematical topic like the following: pictorial representations, critical thinking questions,
interactive math games on technological devices, and other application methods. I learned that
teachers must provide different ways to visualize and apply their knowledge to the
mathematical concept, so each student does not fall within the gaps and has equal academic
opportunities. I also was able to observe the fifth grade teams split the students up based on
their scores they received on a practice exam. Each teacher reviewed multiplying and dividing
decimals to meet the needs of the students within their mathematics block. This opportunity
taught me that working with other teachers within the same grade level can be beneficial for the
students within each classroom and not just your own.

Section B: Whole Class Lesson

Meet with your IMB teacher and decide what you will teach. Make sure your teacher
understands that your lesson must have a conceptual understanding instruction along with both
procedural fluency and problem solving components. You teach just one lesson.

1. Describe the Central Focus of your lesson (a description of the important understandings
and core concepts that students will develop with this lesson).

The central focus of my lesson is students will be able to and understand how to multiplying a
fraction by a fraction.

2. State the CCSSM Standard and the objective for your whole class lesson.

5.NF.4 Apply and extend previous understandings of multiplication to multiply a fraction or

whole number by a fraction.

3. Instructional Strategies and Learning Tasks: (summarize the lesson plan components by
briefly describing the instruction and the learning tasks you used. Include the tasks students will
solve during the lesson.)

Engage: Teacher will begin the Math lesson by using the GFletchy 3 Acts Lesson video called
“How Much Dew.” This video allows students to create and/or build an understanding of
multiplying fractions using visual models of partial products. The teacher will begin by showing
the Act 1 video, which the teacher will then ask the following questions and record the students’
answers: “How many cups of Mountain Dew were consumed? How many cups of Mountain Dew
is left? Estimate.” The teacher will then move on to Act 2, which provides the students
information that they still need to begin solving the problem. The teacher will provide the
students time to solve the problem and discuss with their peers their new findings. The teacher
may ask the following questions: “How does this new information help you solve the problem?”
“What are some of the steps that you may take first? Why?” The teacher will then finally move
to the Act 3, which shows the students the solution to the problem. The teacher will allow the
students to share their solutions and strategies based on their findings.

Explore: The teacher will begin by presenting a fraction bar that they will be using to multiplying
fractions by fractions. The teacher will ask the following question: “What do you notice is
different?” The teacher will then explain that one half of the whole is shaded and the other half
is not. Then will continue to ask the students the following question: “If we put stripes in half of
the shaded part. Then, what would the fraction bar look like?” “Where would I put the line to
show one-half of the part that is shaded?” The teacher will then draw a vertical dotted line to
show a half of the half. Then the teacher will add stripes to the half of the half. The teacher will
then discuss and question the following: “This representation show that we are finding what
one-half of one-half is, which is the part that is striped. What is our answer? What part of the
fraction bar is striped? How do you know?” The teacher will then create the “How Much of the
Bar is Striped.” Students will then work in small groups to complete the remaining problems on
the worksheet based on what the teacher just modeled to them.

Explain: To demonstrate to the students the learning objective, the teacher would create a
discussion based off the worksheet/assignment that the students previously did. The teacher
will have three to five students come up to the front and discuss the process and strategies they
took to complete the problems. The students in the audience will be instructed to ask the
student who is presenting questions based on the process or answers that they received. The
student who is presenting will provide a description or response to the question(s). Also, the
student will fill in the table that represents their problem that they are presenting. This
discussion also allows the students to take control of the classroom and allow them to discuss
the content. The teacher will then discuss relationships and generalizations of multiplying
fractions, which is the following:

1. Multiplying straight across/Multiply numerator times the numerator and the

denominator times the denominator.
2. Each product is less than one and each product is less than the number multiplied. For
example, ½ x ⅓ = ⅙.
3. Multiplying by fractions less than one results in taking part of a whole, so the product is
always less than the number being multiplied.

Elaborate: For the students that are struggling, the teacher will provide further instruction by
allowing them to access an online resource. This online resource explains the strategy and
thought process through an instructional video, provides additional resources, provides extra
practice, and etc. For the students that are ready for a challenge, the teacher will provide the
students a word problem that includes multiplying fractions by fractions. Then, the student will
also be asked to explain their strategies and thought process.

Evaluate: The teacher will provide the following statement on the board: “If a whole fraction
bar is divided into thirds and ⅓ of the fraction bar is shaded. If ⅙ of the shaded part is striped,
how much of the bar is striped?” Students will provide a pictorial representation, a
explanation of their answer, and their answer(s) for each problem. Students will complete an
exit ticket to provide support for the teacher of the student’s knowledge of the mathematical
content. The students will be asked to create a pictoral or representation of their thinking
process of getting the answer to the question. The student will also be asked to provide an
explanation of their answer or an equation. Lastly, the student must provide the correct
answer. I will grade the question based on a 10 point grading scale based off the rubric
provided below. To master the content, the student must get correct 8 out of 10 points or 80%
of the question correct.

4. Create a formative assessment that assesses conceptual knowledge, procedural fluency,

and problem solving. Insert a copy of the assessment with your solutions here.

5. Define your evaluation criteria for mastery of the assessment in a rubric. Make sure you
define separately conceptual understanding, procedural fluency, and problem solving parts of
this rubric, including the corresponding points. Insert this rubric here.

I graded the exit tickets out of 10 points, which the table below addresses how the students
were awarded points in each area based on patterns of learning.

Doesn’t Meet Benchmark Partially Meets Meets Benchmark

Benchmark
 Provides Conceptual Doesn’t provide a Includes a picture Includes a picture
Understanding/Pictorial
Support picture to support with incorrect that support the
answer to the support of the problem correctly. (2
problem. problem. Points)
(0 Points) (1 Points)

Problem- Doesn’t provide an Provides an incorrect Provides an equation

Solving/ equation set-up or an equation set-up or an set-up or an approach
Equation Set-Up
approach to the approach to the to the problem
problem. problem. correctly. (4 Points)
(0 Points) (2 Points)

Procedural Fluency/ Doesn’t provide the Provides an incorrect Provides a correct

Correct Answer correct answer to the answer to the answer. (4 Points)
problem. problem.
(0 Points) (2 Points)

Section C: Results of Whole Class Assessment

1. Create a graphic showing class performance of conceptual understanding, procedural
fluency, and problem solving of the objective. This can be pie charts, tables, bar graph etc. but
must show performance in each of the above areas separately, according to each student’s
performance in the formative assessment.

Green - 8, 9, or 10 Points
Yellow - 4, 5, 6, or 7 Points
Red - 0, 1, 2, or 3 Points

Student Procedural Conceptual Problem Solving Total Grade

Fluency/Correct Understanding/ (4 Points) (10 Points)
Answer Pictorial
(4 Points) Representation
(2 Points)

A 0 1 2 3

B 2 1 2 5

C 0 1 2 3

D 2 1 2 5

E 2 1 2 5

F 4 1 4 9
 G 4 1 4 9

H 4 1 4 9

I 4 1 4 9

J 4 1 4 9

K 4 2 4 10

L 4 2 4 10

M 4 2 4 10

N 4 2 4 10

O 4 2 4 10

2. Describe common error patterns in each of the areas of patterns of learning - conceptual
understanding, procedural fluency, and problem-solving. Refer to the graphic to support your
discussion.

Conceptual Understanding: This term determines the mastery of the student’s understanding
based on the concept by providing pictures or an explanation to the problem. Students
provided a visual representation for the exit ticket, which should have been a fraction bar split
into three equal parts. Then one of the three equal parts split into six equal parts, which
represents ⅙ of ⅓. Six out of fifteen students who received the correct answer also provided an
accurate visual representation of the problem, so I gave them full credit. On the other hand,
five out of the fifteen students who received the correct answer did not provide an accurate
representation, so I gave them one out of two points. This could be caused by the lack of
understanding how to represent the problem compared to the strategies and procedures the
students implement. Four out of the fifteen students provided a drawing for an incorrect set-
up to the problem. These students were providing a visual representation for the following
equation: ⅓ x ½ = ⅙.

Procedural Fluency: This term determines the mastery of the student’s understanding based
on the concept by providing the correct answer to the problem. For the exit ticket that I
created for the students, the students had to multiply a fraction by a fraction and create the
following equation: ⅓ x ⅙ = 1/18. Ten out of fifteen students received the correct answer. On
the other hand, the other five students provided the following equation: ⅓ x ½ = ⅙. The
students continued to use my modeling example(s) strategies and steps from the lesson to
complete the exit ticket, which included a half of the part of a whole. I still gave the students
a point if the answer they provided corresponded with the visual representation or an
explanation to the problem. One student did not provide an answer at all.

Problem-Solving: This term determines the mastery of the student’s understanding based on
the concept by choosing the steps or procedure executed to solve the problem. For the exit
ticket that I provided, the students had to create a fraction bar and split the bar up into equal
parts that represents the problem. For example, if the students had to solve ⅓ x ½ then the
student would draw a fraction bar with three equal parts. The student would then divide one
of the three equal parts in half and shade in one of those equal parts, which would provide
the answer of ⅙. The students received two points for drawing the fraction bar representation
correctly and for creating an equation that corresponds to the problem and visual
representation. Most of the students had a problem with building this connection.
Throughout the visual representation process, I had to remind the students that we were not
splitting the equal parts on half anymore like we did during the modeling stage of the lesson.
Students were multiplying and creating their representations using the wrong fractions, which
caused confusion. Only six out of fifteen students provided both steps to the problem
accurately and received full credit. Other students who did not provided either of the steps
accurately did get points taken off.

3. Scan and insert here the copies of 2 students first work samples as follows. Choose the
most representative examples from the whole class assessment (no student names). Then,
analyze each student’s misconceptions.

Student 1 Mathematics Work Sample (student struggles with conceptual understanding)

After providing a model of how to draw a visual representation or an explanation to the
multiplication problem, I chose this student that was strong with procedural fluency but had
issues with conceptual understanding. Student G was a type of student that liked to take the
easy routes to every answer, so they set up the equation and multiplied across to receive the
answer. Then, I had to remind the student to draw a visual representation to prove that their
answer was correct. The student quickly drew a fraction bar and split it into three equal parts.
The student then returned to the problem and noticed that there needed to be six equal parts
next. To create six equal parts, the student split the three equal parts in half and shaded in one
of the six equal parts. The student did not understand that one of the three equal parts should
have been split up into six equal parts, which makes the whole made up of eighteen equal parts.
The student should have received 1/18 as their answer. The student did not return to their
answer to determine if they corresponded or if there was a relationship with each other and
turned in their sticky note to me.

Student 2 Mathematics Work Sample (student struggles with procedural fluency or problem
solving)

Student B struggled from the beginning with this specific problem. This student provided a
visual representation, which they split the fraction bar into three equal parts and then split each
part in half. I believe the student was confused because they were trying to use the same
strategies that I used during my modeling because we were working with a fraction by a half.
The student did not provide an accurate visual representation because the student should have
provided a fraction bar split into three equal parts and then split into six equal parts, which
would have gave the student the answer of 1/18. The student provided an equation that
represented the visual, which was an incorrect answer. The student had the most issues with
understanding how to solve the problem, what the problem was asking for, and
understanding that they were seeking for ⅓ x ⅙. The student had memorized the procedure to
solve the problem without building the understanding and reasoning behind them to solve the
multiplication problem. Although the student set up the problem inaccurately and gave an
incorrect answer, each part of the pattern of learning built on another and represented each
other so I gave the student five out of ten points.

Section D: Plan for Re-Engagement

Assessment results are irrelevant if you do not act on them. Thus, you are to create a plan to
use the results you described in Part C. You do not have to actually re-engage the students but
you must show that you understand what to do with these results. Thus, based on the
assessment results you described above, group each of your students into one of these groups:
Group 1 - re-engage for conceptual
Group 2 - re-engage for procedural
Group 3 - re-engage for problem solving
Group 4 - mastery/ready to move on
1. Describe the number of students you will have in each of these groups. (Note: if a child
performed poorly in multiple parts of the assessment, that child will start in the conceptual
group)

Group 1 consist of 2 students A & C.

Group 2 consist of 5 students F, G, H, I & J.
Group 3 consist of 3 students B, D & E.
Group 4 consist of 5 students K, L, M, N, & O.

2. Plan to re-engage for conceptual understanding.

a. Describe your re-engagement lesson for this group (objective from CCSSM, learning
tasks, strategies, materials, assessment).

Group 1:
For the students within this specific group, there struggles seemed to be based on the
understanding mathematical facts, methods, and ideas in various situations. I will begin
by re-teaching the mathematical material for the students and modeling various
multiplication situations when dealing with fractions. After I have finished this step, I
would then allow them to practice multiplying a fraction by a fraction with their peers or
individually. Some problems that I would provide the students to practice is the
following: ½ x ¼, ⅓ x ⅕, and ¼ x ⅙. This will allow the students practice dividing a
whole into equal parts and build understanding of the relationships between the visual
representation and the multiplication facts and equations. Before re-assessing the
students on their building knowledge, we will discuss and walk through the exit ticket
and the practice problem that they have all completed. The students will recognize
their mistakes, apply their gaining knowledge, and prevent from making those
 mistakes again. I will then assess the students with a similar exit with the following
multiplication problem: ⅕ x ⅙.

b. Explain why you believe this re-engagement lesson will be effective based on the
error patterns you found in the data. Score here will be based on how well you describe
the connection to the re-engagement lesson and the error patterns found, effective use
of materials, and sound methodology.

Based on the data received from the previous exit ticket, the students were confused
about the visual representation of multiplying a fraction by a fraction. The students were
most likely confused and overwhelmed by multiplying a fraction by a fraction instead of
a whole part. I think that next time I should start by multiplying a fraction by a fraction,
but showing various situations rather than just one possible situation. This could cause
less confusion and allow the students to feel more confident.

c. Explain how you will reassess for mastery of the concept.

Once the students have reviewed the material and discussed the mistakes made on the
previous exit ticket, the students will complete a similar exit ticket with different
fractions to apply their new knowledge and skills.

3b. Plan to Re-engage for problem solving.

a. Describe your re-engagement lesson for this group (objective from CCSSM, learning
tasks, strategies, materials, assessment).

Students B, D, and E had difficulties with providing a visual representation using the
fraction bar that corresponded with the multiplication problem. These students did
not receive the correct answer to the problem because they split the fraction bar into
equal parts that did not correspond to what the problem was asking for. Since none of
these students provided the correct answer or a visual representation to the problem, I
will begin with a more simple multiplication problem and then progress to more
challenging multiplication problems like the following: ½ x ½, ⅓ x ¼, ⅙ x ⅛, and etc. My
reasoning for doing this will allow me to observe the student’s misunderstandings based
on the fraction bars, setting up the equations, and receiving the answer. We will practice
a few problem and then I will reinforce this rule by re-assessing them with a similar exit
ticket.

b. Explain why you believe this re-engagement lesson will be effective based on the
error patterns you found in the data. Score here will be based on how well you describe
the connection to the re-engagement lesson and the error patterns found, effective use
of materials, and sound methodology.
 I believe that this re-engagement lesson will be effective based on error patterns found
in the data because the students will receive more guided practice and build
understanding of the mathematical skills. Once I can recognize the student’s
misunderstanding of the mathematical concept, I will be able to help them perfect this
skill to be successful with further mathematical concepts.

c. Explain how you will reassess for mastery of the concept.

After going through the re-engagement lesson and process, I will determine where the
students are at and how they are doing with the mathematical concept and various
problems. This will allows me to decide what type of exit ticket to give them, which
will most likely be a little bit harder and more challenging because the students have
had more practice and will be more likely to handle it. This exit ticket will look like the
following: ⅛ x 1/10 or 1/9 x 1/9. If I notice that they are struggling with the harder
and more challenging exit ticket, I will provide an exit ticket that is similar to the
previous exit ticket. This exit ticket will look like the following: ¼ x ⅕ or ⅓ x ⅕.

Scoring Rubric
Possible
Points

Section A: Context for Learning

A1 1
A2 1
A3 1
A4 5
A5 5
A6 5

Section B: Whole Class Lesson

B1 1
B2 1
B3 10
B4 8
B5 10

Section C: Results of whole class assessment

C1 10
C2 14
C3 6

Section D: Plan for re-engagement

D1 2
D2 10
D3a or D3b 10

Total of all scores: 100