Math Lesson Plan and Algebraic Expressions and Equations Discussion Post Discussion 1
In at least 150 words, please respond to the following:
New Year’s resolutions are usually reserved for late December/early January. But, as teachers, our new year starts in September. Each year, I always choose one thing I want to improve about my teaching and think about how I can accomplish that.
Did you have one for this year? If so, what was that resolution and how’s it going so far?
If you did not have one, we’re only a few weeks into school, what is one thing you would like to improve upon?
Discussion 2
In 200 words or less, please respond to the following:
Describe one thing you learned from this course about Algebra and how it applies to your classroom.
Describe your idea for your final lesson plan with your classmates. This is your opportunity to get any last minute feedback from your peers on your lesson plan – WITHOUT sharing the entire thing, just a summary/abstract of what you intend to submit.
Peer Response 1
One thing that I learned from taking this course is that algebraic concepts can be taught to students in grades as young as pre-k. As a pre-k teacher, I learned that I was already teaching certain algebraic concepts such as sorting and patterns without even realizing that these concepts had anything to do with algebra.
The idea that I came up with for my final lesson plan was to have students sort counting bears by color. I would introduce the lesson with a book about colors: Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr. I would then show the students a video on how to sort objects by color.
I would give each student yellow, blue, red, and green counting bears along with bowls that corresponded with each color. The students would have the task of placing the colored bears in their corresponding bowls.
The algebraic standard for my lesson would be the following: Understand patterns, relations, and functions.
Peer Response 2
The most important thing I learned from this course is that when teaching algebra to young students, it is important to make sure that the lessons are centered on algebra instead of arithmetic. That is, students should not just continue to extend patterns step by step, but should make a connection between the step number of the pattern and the number of objects in that step of the pattern.
My final lesson plan was a practice understanding task on graphing linear functions. Students play a modified game of “Battleship”. They draw three lines on their paper without showing it to their partner. Then, they take turns guessing coordinate points. If the point is on their partner’s line, their partner says “hit”. Once they have figured out their opponent’s line, they guess the equation of their partner’s line. If they get it right, they “sink” that line, and they win once they have “sunk” all of their partner’s lines. This lesson gives students practice in finding the equation of a line from a graph. Running Head: MATH LESSON PLAN
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Math Lesson Plan
Title: Algebraic Expressions and Equations
Grade: 6th Grade
Objectives
According to the Common Core Standards for Mathematics (n.d.), at the end of the lesson, the
students should have the ability to;
1. Reason algebraically
2. Relate previous arithmetic understanding to algebraic expressions i.e., from the earlier
studies on basic algebra in grade 5.
3. Understand reason and eventually solve equations and inequalities, which have one variable.
4. Understand the concept of dependent and independent variables. Write and represent with
ease the quantitative relationships between these two variables employing table and graphical
representations.
Materials Needed
The learner should have a graph and line book. They should also possess geometry tools
such as a ruler for accuracy in graphical representation. They should also have a TI 30X
calculator. The teacher uses various resourceful books and articles which are shortened into notes
and PowerPoint presentations to boost the delivery and understanding of the students. The
resources will also be essential in designing assessments within the topic of the study. The links
for the resources are,
Posamentier, A., LeTourneau, D., & Quinn, E.W. (2009). Fundamentals of Algebra. New York:
William H. Sadlier Inc. Available at https://www.pdfdrive.com/6th-grade-math-textbookfundamentals-d33559205.html
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https://www.time4learning.com/education/sixth_grade.shtml#math
Quizzes
https://study.com/academy/practice/quiz-worksheet-identifying-common-algebraicequations.html
https://study.com/academy/practice/quiz-worksheet-expressing-relationships-as-algebraicexpressions.html
Detailed Description of the Lesson
The teacher begins with a formative assessment. Students will orally tell the teacher the
concepts they can remember from the algebraic topic on necessary algebraic sums in grade 5.
The teacher will also engage the students in practical examples of the previous lessons. There
will be a small exercise on this to test student understanding. The teacher then begins the 6thgrade content. The first lesson is to help the students apply arithmetic to algebraic expressions.
The teacher begins by teaching students how to write numerical expressions, which
involve whole-number exponents. The next step is preparing the student how to translate
statements that have numbers and letters in the. For instance, a statement that says; subtract x
from 5. This is written as 5-x. The students should be in a position to differentiate this from
subtracting 5 from x, which is written as x-5. The teacher then helps students to define two or
more parts of an expression as a singular entity. For instance, expressing the equation 1(6+5), (6
+ 5) can be shown as b. to interpret this, the teacher incorporates real-world problems in the
lesson.
The next thing will include teaching students how to solve an equation and inequality as
part of the process of answering questions. The steps towards understanding this will be broken
down into various sections. First, the student learns the concept of true and false inequalities. The
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teacher asks students to determine which values make the inequality true or false. The students
determine this through the use of the substitution method. The second step involves having the
student fully understand the concept of variables. The teacher will explain the concept of using
variables to represent unknown numbers. They will, in turn, aid in the calculation of real-world
mathematical problems. The numbers used for this purpose will all be non-negative. for instance,
x+y=z, xy=z etc.
It is important to note that there will be formative assessments such as random oral and
written questions. These will help the trainer determine the students requiring remedial attention
after the class.
Assessment
The teacher begins with an evaluation of understanding of prior concepts. Since the
student requires a basic knowledge of algebra, the instructor has to assess this through oral and
written examples. The instructor will also use real-world examples to test the ability of the
student to interpret algebraic situations and apply them in the real world. The students will also
engage in timed questions after the instructor has given an example to test their progress n the
lesson.
Reflection
The lesson emphasizes the use of formative assessment. First, at the beginning of the
class to ensure that all students are on the same page, and they have a basic understanding of
algebra. In course, the trainers emphasize the importance of understanding the basics before
moving on to the complex equations. The lack of this may hinder the full realization of learning
outcomes. Secondly, there are quizzes and assessments between the lesson. These ensure that
there is progress, and there is the achievement of learning objectives as the experience
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progresses. It also helps the trainer identify the weak points and draw up measures that would
help in avoiding these.
The lesson above is reflective of experiences from class in that it takes into consideration
the procedural teaching of algebraic equations. A teacher needs to ensure that they clearly define
every step and its implications to the final answer (Star et al., 2015). This enables a more indepth understanding of the student side. It also promotes learning among the slow learners who
may be left behind if the teacher decides to skip procedural teaching.
The lesson is also reflective of training sessions in that it puts into account the diversity
of students in a class. A trainer must interrogate the different capabilities of students when
teaching continually. There are those students who learn quite fast while others take time.
Balancing the two types of students may be challenging for a teacher. Hence, the presence of
remedial and individual consulting sessions with the students to ensure they catch up with others
without having to lose the fast learners.
Teaching should take into consideration all types of learners according to the VARK
model (Star et al., 2015). Thus, the algebra lesson has incorporated visual, auditory,
reading/writing, and kinesthetic friendly elements in the algebra learning cycle. For instance,
there are real-life situations so that the kinesthetic learner can relate more to the concepts. There
are also graphical representations for the visual learner etc.
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References
Common Core Standards for Mathematics. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.corestandards.org/wp-content/uploads/Math_Standards1.pdf
Star, J., Foegen, A., Larson, M., McCallum, W., Porath, J., & Zbiek, R. (2015). Teaching
Strategies for Improving Algebra Knowledge in Middle and High School Students.
Retrieved from
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/276207356_Teaching_Strategies_for_Improvin
g_Algebra_Knowledge_in_Middle_and_High_School_Students/citation/download
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