Rationale

Context:

These lesson plans were created for CI-4030: Teaching Mathematics in the Elementary School, Spring 2009. It was created under the advisement of Dr. Art Quickenton. The lesson plans were taught to a first grade class at Startown Elementary School during my internship with Mrs. Sigmon.

Impact:

This project was one of the most useful things I have done so far in this program. I feel that this has enabled me to be a better teacher because of the insights that I have gained from my students while teaching these lessons. I will be able to use these lessons when I become a teacher and I will know how to make them even more valuable to whatever concept I am teaching. These lessons gave me an understanding of the importance of time management as well as figuring out degree of difficulty that allows for some challenge but no frustration.

Alignment:

NC- North Carolina DPI Elementary Education Specialty Area Standards

Standard 2: Elementary teachers have a broad knowledge and understanding of the major concepts in mathematics.

Indicator 1: Teachers have knowledge of number sense, numeration, and numerical operation. Teachers:

Detail : Illustrate, explain, and demonstrate prenumeration, numeration, fractions, decimals, rational numbers, integers, ratio, proportion, and percentages, and

Detail : Apply four basic operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division) with symbols and variables to solve problems and to model, explain, and develop computational algorithms.

I met this standard by creating three lesson plans that demonstrate the ability to teach number sense, numeration and numerical operation. The first lesson plan incoporated how numbers can be manipulted to balance equations by addition. The second lesson plan was designed to illustrate my knowledge of how to teach addition by using doubles as well as how to follow specific instructions. The last lesson I applied two of the four basic operations to solve addition and subtraction problems with models and algorithms.

Standard 7 : Elementary teachers use developmentally appropriate strategies to design and deliver instruction in all areas of the elementary curriculum.

Indicator 1: Teachers develop and implement the pacing and alignment of curriculum that is consistent with the NC SCOS, LEA standards and pacing guides, and national standards in all subject areas.

Indicator 2: Teachers understand and use an interdisciplinary approach to teaching by connecting and integrating language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, healthful living, and arts concepts and processes, with appropriate technologies to enhance their teaching.

Indicator 3: Teachers promote new learning by using students’ prior knowledge, misconceptions, and interests when designing lessons.

Indicator 4: Teachers implement a variety of teaching and communication strategies for instruction.

Indicator 5: Teachers assist students in developing multiple learning strategies to address discipline specific content, critical thinking, and problem solving skills.

Indicator 6: Teachers modify instruction and assessments to meet the needs of individual students.

Indicator 7: Teachers develop and use a variety of formal and alternative assessment strategies as an integral part of instruction and learning appropriate for assessing individual, peer, team, and collaborative skills.

I met this standard by aligning my instruction with the North Carolina Standard Course of Study for several of the subject areas including, mathematics, language arts, and art. I promoted new learning by building on students prior knowledge of numbers, basic grouping, and addition.I also designed the lessons to include things that would interest them as they learned the new concepts. I used playing cards, balance scales, and drawing to encourage students to learn. I used a variety of teaching strategies throughout this lesson including small group, whole group, centers, and direct one-on-one teaching. I developed assessments that met the needs of low level and higherlevel students as well as ESL learners. I also used a variety of formal and informal assessing to determine my students level of understanding.

Standard 9: Elementary teachers understand and use the processes of problem solving, reasoning and proof, communication, connection, and representation as the foundation for the teaching and learning of mathematics.

Indicator 1: Elementary teachers develop instruction in problem solving that enable all students to:

Detail : Build new mathematical knowledge through problem solving;

Detail : Solve problems that arise in mathematics and in other contexts;

Detail : Apply and adapt a variety of appropriate strategies to solve problems;

Detail : Monitor and reflect on the process of mathematical problem solving.

Indicator 3: Teachers develop instruction in communication that enable all students to:

Detail : Organize and consolidate their mathematical thinking through communication;

Detail : Communicate their mathematical thinking coherently and clearly to peers, teachers, and others;

Detail : Analyze and evaluate the mathematical thinking and strategies of others;

Detail : Use the language of mathematics to express mathematical ideas precisely.

Indicator 4: Teachers develop instruction in making connections that enables all students to:

Detail : Recognize and use connections among mathematical ideas;

Detail : Understand how mathematical ideas interconnect and build on one another to produce a coherent whole;

Detail : Recognize and apply mathematics in contexts outside of mathematics

I met this standard by creating three lesson plans that taught students about addition to make equal balanced equations, addition of doubles, and finding the missing addend in addition. The students were given many different hands on activities to help them to make connections and understand the mathematical ideas and how they build on each other. The three lessons that I taught were progressive in nature so that the students needed to have mastered the one before completely understanding the other. The students were given opportunities to recognize mathematics in the real world by using playing cards, art, and balance scales to demonstrate that they can recognize mathematics in things that they might typically see or use.