Victoria L.

Coburn
Lincoln Unified School Cohort
Error Analysis and Learning Trajectories Project
I sat down with some fifth grade students at TCK who were working on Engage New
Yorks Module Two Lesson 5. They have been working on area models with
multiplication. Their task was to transition from using the area model to the traditional
algorithm. The problems in both cases looked very similar as the problems used similar
digits.

v.s.

When solving the second problem using the traditional algorithm, the first student I
was working with was not able to explain to me or understand why she wrote a zero in
the ones place before she began multiplying by the 1. She didnt understand that the 1
really was part of a two-digit number and really stood for 10. She just said it was
something that you do. It seemed pretty obvious from the problem she had completed

just prior to this where the number 21 was expanded out to be 20 and a 1. This student
was able to reach the correct answer. The algorithms are just a set of tricks though that
get to the answer in a faster way for her. It would be helpful for this student to gain some
knowledge in understanding the processes better.
The second fifth grader was trying to solve the exact same algorithm problem. Across
her page she wrote the problem in this manner:

40031
x 12
This student has NO concept of place value. Her errors definitely reflect a
misunderstanding of the mathematical process. Place value is the most fundamental
concept. Correct solving problems across all grade spans that use multi-digit numbers is
dependent on knowing place value. Its essential that student develop a strong
understanding of place value concepts by the time they leave second grade. How will
students know when to exchange groups of ones for tens, or how to handle a zero in the
hundreds or thousands place when subtracting larger numbers. This student can still be
successful if she is using hands on materials like counters, base ten blocks. I was trying
to show her with a place value chart, but she still had that deer in the head-light look on
her face. I checked the cum on this student and she has scored at the bottom all the way
since kindergarten in math. She really needs math intervention, which is something
Lincoln Unified is going to be starting for severely struggling fifth graders some time in
January. I havent seen any paper work on this yet. Andit should have happened
many years ago for this student.

The next sample I analyzed came from Engage New York Second Grade Module 2
Lesson 10. The objective they were working on was to apply conceptual understanding
of measurement by solving two-step word problems.

The teacher was sitting down with a couple of students and going over problem three
with them. The two students had different results from question 1. One student came up
with the correct answer of 8 cm, the other student said the new length was 18 cm.
Clearly both students used a mathematical process. I think there is a need though for
language development of the concept that needs to occur for the second student to be
more successful. I thought the way the question was worded did not allow universal
access for all second graders. Obviously word problems are an artificial scenario, but
what happens in the plot should be something that each grade level can relate to. I dont
know a lot of second graders who know and understand what leather is, let alone a leather
strip ( or why would you need one). Maybe just calling it yarn or string would have
seemed less confusing. Later on in the word problem on step two both students were

struggling with the answer the questions was looking for. The teacher prompted them
over and over and many different ways, I think just the way the question was asked made
it confusing. I dont think there was a problem with the mathematical process. The kids
just had to think, okay, first we cut one of the strips and now they want to put two
different colored strips together and see how long they are. If I was in the room, I might
have used realia, act it out so the kids can see what the question is asking. As the
students move through the grade spans, this technique might get harder and harder to do
as the word problems get more complex. Perhaps using a Thinking Map like a flow map
would be helpful to help guide the students through the stages.