TE 801 Week 6

Subject Based Groups

LOOKING AT STUDENT WORK

Make sure that all members of the group first have a chance to examine the artifact of student work

 What are two different ways that you anticipate a child might solve this problem? How did this student solve this problem? Can you describe the steps that the student used to solve this problem? Why might the child have done this? What future questions might encourage the child to consider a more efficient strategy? On the basis of the childs existing understanding, what problem might you pose next and how might the child solve it?

Please post a blog

To the Blog of Student Work What is your analysis? How might you advance the students understanding? This (like the Noticing blog) should be very interesting for you to read seeing what each other are seeing

Looking at transforming some problems

Please keep this in mind: At this point, the point is not to learn how to create the worlds most creative lessons. In fact, that was never the point.

Transforming Problems
This is the key skill: To think about the math Anticipating student responses What do these responses tells you? How might you sequence this responses? These are the key questions for differentiation, formative assessment, and lesson planning.

SOME EXAMPLES

Example #1
Remember the Fencing Task: Find the area and perimeter of a square with side length 7. Becomes, Find the side lengths of a rectangular pen that maximizes the area of a pen built from 28 ft. of fencing.

Example #1
Note that you are connecting two procedures (area & perimeter; becomes procedures with connections) Note that there are now multiple ways to solve the problem (you could make a table; draw it out; use algebra) You need to defend your thinking and your method. There is nothing to defend when the question says, Find the area of a square of side length 9.

Example #2
Teaching two digit subtraction: E.g., 29 17

Can you think of a good sequence of problems? Can you think of a good task for this objective?

My ideas
19-11 28-17 10-3 30-3 20-15 31-9 41-38

My ideas
Present a problem: e.g., 21-14 Have students solve the problem however they want: Unifix cubes; writing on paper; using subtraction algorithm; counting up Monitor to see what strategies students are using Lead a whole class discussion, having students present their ideas and defend their methods.

Example #3
Teaching how to measure (e.g., teaching students how to use a ruler to measure a book) Can you think of a good task for this objective?

My ideas
Have students measure the same object using different measurement tools E.g., have all students measure a pencil (same length) using whatever tool nonstandard tool they want: a piece of string, notecards, pieces of candy, etc. Have different student groups compare their measurements. Talk about the inaccuracy. This leads towards the big idea of why we have standard measurement tools.

My ideas
Another measurement activity: Have students use a ruler to measure a textbook (purposely vague instructions) What dimensions of the book do the students measure (probably length, but which length, and what vocabulary do they use?) Have a discussionleads towards the big idea of one object can have different measurement dimensions(length, width, height, weight, etc.)

Example #4
Teaching students how to tell time (e.g., identifying how much time has elapsed from 7:00 am to 2:15 pm) Can you think of a good sequence of problems for this objective? Can you think of a good task for this objective?

Example #4
Teaching students how to tell time (e.g., identifying how much time has elapsed from 7:00 am to 2:15 pm) Can you think of a good sequence of problems for this objective? Can you think of a good task for this objective?

My ideas
How much time elapsed between: 7:00 am and 8:00 am 1:00 pm and 2:00 pm 7:00 am and 12:00 am 12:00 am and 2:00 am 7:00 am and 7:15 am Etc.

My ideas
Now, give students some problems like, how much time elapsed between 7:00 am and 8:30 pm.? Allow students to solve however they want (they can draw clocks; count up; use a manipulative clock; make a table)Monitor to see what strategies students are using. Have a whole class discussion and have students compare and defend strategies.

Example #5
Teaching student how to round decimals Can you think of a good sequence of problems? Can you think of a good activity that will provide more entry points?

My ideas
Sequence of problems Round 0.2, 0.9.0.01, 0.830.19, 0.71 Make sure to have students share their answers to see if they are rounding to the nearest whole number.

My ideas
For each problem, make sure that you provide students with the opportunity to create multiple representations: [Using / Creating] A Number line Drawing a diagram (perhaps a pie chart linking it to percents) Writing a story problem (e.g., with money) There must be more representations than just the procedure.

ONE OTHER WAY TO EXPAND

Classroom Discussions (Vacc)

Factual Questions vs. Reasoning Questions (Show a shape) What is the name of Figure X? Teachers asking questions in this category will find out whether their students know specific mathematical facts, but they will gain little, if any, information about whether their students actually understand the given concept.

Reasoning
In what ways are Figure X and Figure Y similar? Still fairly closed reasoning, but it does require reasoning, not memorization.

Open Questions
What do you notice about Figure X? This presents an opportunity for students to describe what they know or what they observe, even if they do not have a proper name or algorithm for the phenomenon yet.

Levels of Questions
What is the name of X? What is the difference between X and Y? What do you notice about X? You might analyze your own practice (e.g., by recording yourself somehow) and noting how often you ask each type of question (Part of Project 3). Also try deliberately to incorporate these higher questions into your lessons?

And also
Dont just ask these open questions to ask them. What do you want to know?!!! How will it help you to know what students think about the specific math content? Do you care? This is a paradigm shift.

The Magic Formula to Good Curriculum and Instruction

Step 1: Start the lesson an overriding mathematical objective / goal (big ideaI want student to think about) Step 2: Think about the math: create a good sequence of problems or tasks that lead towards this big idea

The Magic Formula to Good Curriculum and Instruction

Step 3: Anticipate student thinkingWhat are some ways / strategies / mistakes that students might employ? Step 4: Think about the sequence of these strategies that leads towards your big idea Step 5: Ask the students open-ended questions (What do you notice about?)

The Magic Formula to Good Formative Assessment

Step 1: Think about what you want to learn about your students thinking (think about the math) Step 2: Think about how you might get this information Step 3: Think about what you might do with this information once you get it (think of the math)

OMG This principle applies to ALL SUBJECTS

It is a matter of 1) Applying this template 2) Thinking about the content

SET FEEDBACK

Feedback
Making the most of a polycom class; Dawnmaire and I are going to visit Positive responses to noticing blogs; thats good, because I feel they are truly valuable. Well have another assessment later. We are also trying to find ways to make this course valuable to your growth as a teacher.

In your grade-level groups: Talk about where you are in planning your unit (after 5 minutes, I will ask for your questions)

What are some of the specific big ideas in the content that you will want to look for? What are some student responses / misconceptions you anticipate? What might you look for specifically in your formative assessments? What will this student thinking suggest that you do in terms of your lessons?

Draft of the Unit Plan

One the wiki, please submit a full draft of your unit plan By Saturday nightI read them all on Sunday.