1 Michelle Ruiz Second Grade Lesson Plan Russell Byers Charter School November 4, 2013 Projected Lesson Date:

November 20th, 2013 Integrative Term III: Mathematics Lesson Plan What In conducting this lesson plan, my goal for students is to grasp a deeper understanding of the basic concepts of mathematics in terms of measurements, both in nonstandard (chalk) and standard units (feet), as well as begin to explore the idea of units, conservation, transitivity and unit iteration more clearly and concretely. I also want to broaden their ideas of measurement by having the students answer questions in relation to the information they collect, which will also allow them to make connections with the information about their height compared to a dinosaur. By making these comparisons, students will be able to determine who is bigger through the use of chalk measurements and measurements in feet, and they will also be able to see how nonstandard and standard measurements align with each other. The students will also gain experience using measuring tools, both standard (rulers) and nonstandard (chalk), to measure objects. Since the class has recently been focusing on addition and subtraction as well as creating three and four digit numbers, I feel that this lesson will allow students to explore other concepts of math, such as measuring and comparing data, that will allow them to see how much of their math understanding is connected through similar strategies and ways of thinking about problem solving. How Before these concepts on measurement and data collection begin, the book Chalk, which has been integrated into my lessons for Literacy as well as Science, will be discussed as an overarching theme in this lesson. With connections made about the book involving the dinosaur and the magic chalk, students will be able to make broad connections to the ideas in our lesson that also involve dinosaurs and chalk, although in a very different way than the story mentions them. While working together as a small group, but also in pairs, students will measure themselves in terms of chalk and also in terms of measurement units during the lesson to see how tall they are. These measurements will be compared to a dinosaur called the Allosaurus, who was estimated to be 17 feet tall during the Jurassic Period. By observing how tall they are in terms of chalk compared to in terms of feet, students will be able to make connections to patterns in math and measuring that they can apply to real world situations involving estimation and nonstandard measurement units. All of the information gathered will be recorded on the activity sheet that also has questions that require use of the data for an expanded conversation about measurements. Throughout the process, students will also be praised for their behavior and their thinking strategies, and monitored to ensure every child is grasping the concepts without becoming frustrated at the group or at themselves.

2 Why Earlier in the year, students had a strong interest in the idea of sidewalk chalk and the all of its possibilities. With this seed already planted in their minds, I realized I could create a lesson around the book Chalk that would not only allow for more questions on the subject of chalk, but also engage the students in a topic that would be near and dear to their hearts. Chalk describes the story of four children who arrive at a park and find a bag of magic chalk that makes whatever they draw come to life. One of the students decides to draw a dinosaur just to see what would happen, which turns into a gigantic Tyrannosaurus Rex that chases them around the playground. With this scene in mind, I wanted to create a lesson that involves measurement so that students could make a connection to the story about how big the dinosaur must have seemed chasing the students around the playground. I also wanted the lesson to be interactive so that students would have the opportunity to get up and move during the 45-minute block they will be working on this, which will also increase their engagement and their connections to the story. Chapin and Johnson, who wrote Math Matters, also agree that measurement should be taught as a very hands on lesson so that students can understand the idea of units, conservation, transitivity and unit iteration more clearly and concretely. The units would be taught through both standard and nonstandard measurements (feet/pieces of chalk), conservation would be shown by measuring the object (themselves) more than once, transitivity would be shown through the process of comparison with themselves and the dinosaur, and unit iteration would be emphasized when the student repeatedly places chalk or rulers down to measure their height. With this lesson, I was also able to incorporate science into the lesson as well as connect the math lesson to the literacy lesson I plan to do first. Although the students have not reached measurement in second grade just yet, I thought it would give me the opportunity to really start from scratch in my teaching lesson to see how prior experience and knowledge can affect the learning process when learning a new skill. Goals/Objectives Students will be able to use their prior knowledge to create a deeper understanding of math concepts involving measurements, which will include units, unit iteration, transitivity and conservation. Students will also be able to make estimated measurements of their own height with both rulers and chalk, which they will then compare to the estimated height of a dinosaur known as the Allosaurus. Students will then use the information they collected as a group to answer questions that focus on the data about themselves and the dinosaur. Students will be able to walk away from the activity with a deeper understanding of measurements in terms of both chalk (nonstandard measurement) and feet (standard measurement), with an ability to use measuring tools for a purpose, and with the ability to connect the book Chalk to mathematics. Standards According to the Common Core State Standards (www.corestandards.org): Domain: Measurement and Data

3 Measure and estimate lengths in standard units. o CCSS.Math.Content.2.MD.A.1: Measure the length of an object by selecting and using appropriate tools such as rulers, yardsticks, meter sticks, and measuring tapes. (Common Core Standards) o CCSS.Math.Content.2.MD.A.2: Measure the length of an object twice, using length units of different lengths for the two measurements; describe how the two measurements relate to the size of the unit chosen. o CCSS.Math.Content.2.MD.A.4: Measure to determine how much longer one object is than another, expressing the length difference in terms of a standard length unit. According to the Pennsylvania Standards (Pennsylvania Department of Education: Standards Aligned System, www.pdsesas.org): Standard Area: CC.2.4.2: Measurement, Data and Probability o CC.2.4.2A.1: Measure and estimate lengths in standard units using appropriate tools. Materials and Preparation (enough for 4 students) Activity sheet including Dinosaur Student Comparison and Dinosaur Word Problems o Sample activity sheet Sidewalk Chalk (10 pieces) Pencils, erasers, sharpeners Markers Rulers (4) Roll of Paper (cut into 5 feet segments for easier management) Chalk by Bill Thompson Duct tape (to hold the paper on the ground)

The worksheets will be prepared ahead of time so that students will not need to be concerned with setting up a graph to compare themselves to the Allosaurus (dinosaur). The activity sheet sample will also be done ahead of time so that students will have a representation of what they will need to do with this worksheet if they feel confused by the directions or need a reminder. Learning Environment and Management Issues Before our lesson plan begins, I will need to ensure I have secured a table located on either the 2nd or 3rd floor of the building. The table will be rectangular so that students can face each other and converse with each other about strategies. The area will also have a clear space for students to work with each other with my assistance to measure themselves to determine their height. The materials will be on the table before they arrive, which will include pencils, erasers and sharpeners as well as markers, chalk and rulers, but the

4 worksheets will not be distributed until students are given further instructions about the activity. Students will be made aware that they will be partaking in a math activity that has to do with the book weve been reading called Chalk. Students will also be reminded that classroom norms and rules will still hold true in the small group lesson, but we will still go over these in detail once the students have sat down at the table. Since we will also be working together in open discussions, we will also go over strategies for working in a group, which will be written down on a piece of paper to remind the students if any of them seem to forget. We will also go over strategies of how to communicate with each other and in a discussion in our area on the 2nd or 3rd floor, which will include using our quiet voices so as not to disturb classes taking place around us. Modeling will also become a large part of expected behaviors so before any activity, such as measuring, we will model the appropriate way to interact with each other. If students do not comply with the norms and rules as well as strategies we have discussed, they will be asked to take a break at an empty table until they are calm and collected enough to rejoin the group. Prior to rejoining the group, I will also conference with them about what went wrong and how we can manage our behavior their second chance around. Positive reinforcement and praise will be given to all students following the rules and expectations as well. Plan 1. The Hook I will begin the lesson by reminiscing about the book Chalk by turning to the page where the dinosaur is chasing the children. I will ask the small group how big they believe the dinosaur might be relative to the students in the story by turning to the page it is present in. With this lead into measurement, I will begin to ask students if their parents, the school nurse or a doctor has ever measured them, and why they might believe measurements are important. I will introduce the lesson topic today by telling the students that we will be comparing their own height to the height of a dinosaur known as the Allosaurus, who is believed to have been 17 feet tall when he existed during the Jurassic Period. Ask the students to raise their hand if they have ever heard of this dinosaur, and then have them think-pair-share to discuss what they might do if they ever encountered this dinosaur with the student sitting next to them. (5-6 minutes) 2. Exploration: A. While students are pair sharing, I will be rolling out the pieces of paper onto the floor that the students will use to measure their height. I will also pass out a worksheet titled Chalk Comparison and a worksheet titled Feet Comparison that the students will use to record how tall they are in terms of chalk/feet. (Approx. 1 minute) B. I will then end think-pair-share and begin to instruct students on what will be occurring next. I will explain to the students that we will be measuring ourselves in terms of chalk and in terms of feet! This means that we will see how many pieces of chalk make up how tall we are then compare it to how many feet make up how tall we are. Prior to measuring ourselves, we will look at the worksheets

5 and discuss where each student will be placing their height with references to the activity sample worksheet. (3-4 minutes) Then, in order to measure ourselves, we will need to mark how tall we are on a piece of paper with a partner. I will then model for the students what they will need to do with their partner by asking for a student volunteer. I will have the volunteer lay down on the piece of paper, I will show the students where to mark for the students height, which will be at their feet and above their head. (5 -6 minutes) I will ask students if they have any questions, and then allow the students to partner and begin to mark how tall they each are reminding them to put their name in between the two lines so we know who is who. (5-6 minutes) Once they have completed marking how tall they are, I will ask them how they think we should measure our height with the chalk. Each method will be tried out, keeping track of what worked and what didnt work with the method until we have come to a decision on how the length of our height should be measured. We will then discuss how we can measure the length of our height with rulers so that students can work independently on measuring their height. We will once again discuss strategies of what works and what doesnt, and come to a decision together. (10 minutes) Once we have determined how to use the ruler to measure the length of our height, we will then demonstrate how to use a ruler for measurement purposes if an individual is not exactly 4 feet tall for example. We will discuss where to start on the ruler and how to determine when you have reached a foot on the end of the ruler. (4-5 minutes) Students will then be given chalk and rulers to make marks on their own height and reminded about different strategies we discussed when measuring, like marking the end and lining the chalk/rulers up straight. Once they have completed the marks, they will need to count them up and write them in their Chalk Comparison Worksheet/Feet Comparison Worksheet, which they will already have . (7-10 minutes) Students will also be given time to draw themselves and the other students into the worksheet after they have collected every participants height. (4-5 minutes) Once all of the information is collected and students have collaborated with each other to ensure all of the information is filled in on their worksheet, students will answer questions related to the information they have collected based on their measurements which could include (5-7 minutes): i. Is there a pattern between the amount of chalk that makes up your height compared to the amount of feet that makes up your height? 1. Are there any similarities? 2. Are there any differences? ii. How much taller is the dinosaur than you? iii. Which student is closest to the dinosaurs mouth? iv. Who is most likely to escape the dinosaur since they are the farthest away from his mouth? v. Are you taller when measured in chalk or taller when measured in feet?

C.

D. E.

F.

G.

H. I.

6 vi. How many pieces of chalk make up one feet or one ruler? vii. Could we measure our height with other things, like a pencil or a marker? 1. Can you think of other things you would want to use to measure your height? 2. Can you think of anything that might not work when measuring your height? 3. Closure To wrap up the activity, I will further discuss with the students the questions listed above to see if they understood comparing nonstandard units to standard units of measurement, to also see if they grasped measurement comparisons, and to also see how they could take this activity further by letting them ask their own questions, which will also be a great way to listen for student assessment. We will also discuss other ways you could measure things without using a ruler and why you might need to use other objects to measure something, which will connect measuring to real world implications. (2-3 minutes) Assessment of the Goals Throughout the activity, I will be monitoring students in how well they have mastered the skills involved in measuring objects in terms of the objectives I have set for this lesson (these can be found in the objectives/goals section as well as on the Assessment Grid I have created for the lesson). I will also be monitoring how the students connect measuring with unconventional units compared to conventional units. I will also have worksheets throughout the activity that students will use to collect their measurements on, which will give me an accurate view of how they are measuring, if they are measuring accurately and if their answers seem appropriate for their height compared to the dinosaur. The What I Have Learned worksheet will also serve as a type of Exit Ticket, which can be used as a formal assessment of the skills they have learned. Anticipating Students Responses A) More than likely students will be well behaved during our small group lesson, but to ensure students are on their best behavior, they will be reminded about the norms and expectations throughout the activity as well as before the lesson even begins. If a student decides not to follow these rules and expectations, they will need to sit out until they are calm enough to discuss what happened before rejoining the group. If they continue to be irresponsible learners, then they will sit out the rest of the activity and observe what is occurring during the chalk disintegration activity. If the student decides to return to the group and behave accordingly, I will be sure to look for the positive things they do to give positive reinforcement and praise, which will be given to the other students as well. B) Since the students will be able to connect the lesson to the story we will have read in our literacy lesson, they should have a positive and energetic approach to the subject matter. Although it will be something new that the students will be learning, which could mean the possibility of becoming frustrated, the activity is so hands on

7 and interactive, that the students should feel supported by not only me and each other, but also by the activity since it is very concrete. By making connections to themselves, a dinosaur, the book Chalk and other experiences, the new material will also be clear and straightforward as to why learning this skill is important as well. Accommodations A) Students who might find the material too challenging will be given extra assistance and monitoring on my part to ensure they do not become too frustrated with the activity. I will also have the students paired up according to skill level, so students who might need assistance will have a partner who will be willing to assist them in the process of learning measurements. If the idea of measuring through the use of specific tools like chalk (nonstandard) or the ruler (standard) is still too difficult and presents a very large problem for them, then I will focus more on number comparisons with the data to see if the student can connect other ideas in math that they have already learned to the concept of measuring. Being encouraging throughout the process will also be crucial for students throughout this process so that they become confident in building their measurement skills. B) For students who might need more of a challenge or who finish early, allowing them to measure other objects is an option so that they can also compare their height to every day objects found in their school. They could also measure objects in inches to expand their knowledge on units. Creating their own math problems with the information they have collected is also a possibility, which they could write on their What I Have Learned worksheet. Bibliography Chapin, S. and Johnson, A. (2006). Math Matters: Grades K-8 Understanding the Math You Teach. Math Solutions Enterprise, 2, 271-273.