Emily Freeman

Math Minutes
1)
Standard
CCSS.Math.Practice.MP1: Make sense of
problems and persevere in solving
them.

Evidence
Students take word problems and are
able to translate into mathematical
expressions.
Students come up with different ways
to solve problems during number talks.
Students are learning to look at their
answers and realize that there answer
doesnt even make sense.
With two digit multiplication, students
break the numbers apart into smaller
numbers to make multiplication more
simple and easy.

CCSS.Math.Practice.MP2: Reason
abstractly and quantitatively

Students can create picture models of

math problems and math problems out
of picture models.
Students are able to look at problems
and determine if they should break
apart the numbers or not when doing
multiplication.
Students are able to execute the
standard algorithm for division
effectively.

CCSS.Math.Practice.MP3: Construct
viable arguments and critique the
reasoning of others.

Students are able to apply math facts

and prior knowledge to larger
multiplication problems.
Students have learned how to make
estimations to learn what their answer
should be close to during multiplication
and division.
Students are able to participate in
discussion regarding math through
number talks, making statements about
why they disagree or agree with other
students.

CCSS.Math.Practice.MP4: Model with

mathematics.

Students are able to solve and create

their own word problems that pertain to
real life applications of math.
Students are able to look at solved
math problems and determine if the
correct answer was achieved and
why/why not.

CCSS.Math.Practice.MP5: Use

Some students use manipulatives in an

appropriate tools strategically.

appropriate way to assist in solving

math problems.
Students estimate multiplication
problems to serve as a quick check on
the reality of their answer.

CCSS.Math.Practice.MP6: Attend to
precision.

Students clearly communicate their

solutions during number talks.
Students easily use mathematical
symbols to write sentences.
Students usually remember to include
words in their answers for word
problems (applying the unit to the
problem).

CCSS.Math.Practice.MP7: Look for and

make use of structure.

Students notice patterns in math as

well as the world around them such as
arrays on the walls.
Students are in the beginning stages of
multistep math problems.

CCSS.Math.Practice.MP8: Look for and

express regularity in repeated
reasoning.

Students are beginning to commit

larger math facts to memory such as
20*10.
Students are learning how to notice the
skills needed for different problems and
answer accordingly.

4)
Talk Moves
Observed
Restating- So what you are saying
is Taking the statement of the
student and restating it to fit the
language of the math class.

I tried out
So youre saying that I need to take
this out by multiplying this number and
this number together?
I took the answer one student provided
through broken up sentences and
thoughts and reinterpreted it to fit the
language of our class.

Applying the reasoning of one student

to that of others

I tried this out during a number talk by

asking students if they agreed or
disagreed with the answer provided
then to explain why or why not.
Why do you think ___ did it correctly?
Did you do it the same way?

The teacher provides adequate wait

time for students to come up with a
solution as well as to process what they
have learned.

I tried to give what I felt was adequate

wait time but it ended up still not being
enough! It felt awkward to stand up at

the board while all of the students

thought. This is something I see the
significance of and want to continue to
work on in the future.
Prompting- the teacher sets students up
for success during the engagement and
teaching portions of her lesson by
asking questions they will know the
answers to get their brains working.

I began by asking more simple

multiplication problems that I knew
they could solve that would build them
up to succeed in the bigger problem.

5) My class spent the beginning of the semester reviewing multiplication for the
semester to come. One book that could enrich the material is The Rajah's Rice by
David Barry Freeman. This book shows the huge impact that can be made when you
double something over and over again. This could be used in a multiplication lesson
to introduce modeling with arrays. Additionally, the students could solve math
problems from the book as warm up questions that now have a connection. Another
book is Amanda Bean's Amazing Dream: A Mathematical Story by Cindy
Neuschwander. In this book, Amanda Bean does not believe that multiplication is
faster than counting. This could be used to teach arrays as well as create a real life
model with students competing to see who can get the answer the fastest. This is
another great book for students to make a connection with and remember when
trying to count or count on in problems as opposed to multiplication. Lastly, Anno's
Mysterious Multiplying Jar by Mitsumasa Anno Putman provides another look at
multiplication. This book is great because it can be used with students at a variety
of levels. For students that are higher up in multiplication, they can solve the
complex problem of 10! (but not written as 10 factorial obviously). For students that
are at a lower level, they can start with solving 3! for the number of mountains and
build their way up to a level they are comfortable with.
6)

Activity Plan- Math

Instructor: Emily Freeman
Lesson Title: Break me off a piece of that fraction
Curriculum Area: Rounding

Grade Level: 4th grade

Estimated Time: 40 minutes

Standards Connection:
4-NF3. Understand a fraction a/b with a > 1 as a sum of fractions 1/b.
b. Decompose a fraction into a sum of fractions with the same denominator in more than one way,
recording each decomposition by an equation. Justify decompositions, e.g., by using a visual fraction
model.
Examples: 3/8 = 1/8 + 1/8 + 1/8; 3/8 = 1/8 + 2/8; 2 1/8 = 1 + 1 + 1/8 = 8/8 + 8/8 + 1/8.
Learning Objective(s):
When given piece of a Hersheys chocolate bar, students will explain the parts of the whole bar
represented and add them together with no errors.
Learning Objective(s) stated in kid-friendly language:
Today I will learn how to add and subtract fractions using a Hersheys bar!

Evaluation of Learning Objective(s):

Students will be given a Hersheys bar and worksheet with fraction addition problems. They will first use
the bar to model various fractions such as 1/6, 1/12. 11/12, and so on as instructed. After familiarizing
themselves with the bar pieces, students will model adding the pieces to represent adding the fractions
listed on their worksheet. They will be instructed to draw a visual of the problem on the worksheet,
translating solving it with Hersheys pieces to drawing the same process. Students that are able to use the
pieces to correctly model all 8 fraction addition problems will be considered proficient. Students that
model 6 or more will be placed in the yellow group. Students that model 5 or less correctly will be placed
in the red group and receive further remediation.
Engagement:
The teacher will introduce the book and activity the students will do. The teacher will pass out a
Hersheys Chocolate bar to each member of the class and read the book The Hersheys Fractions Book to
the class. Class, in front of you is a Hersheys bar. I need you to not touch it until I tell you so.
Understand? I know it is tempting but you need to listen. When we open our bars, I need you to not eat
any pieces. If you do, I will take your candy bar away completely and you will have to complete the time
using normal blocks. When we are all finished we will enjoy our candy bars! Can anyone tell me what we
already know about fractions? Thats right class! Fractions are a part of a whole and many fractions
together make up one whole thing! Can someone give me examples of fractions around us? Great!
Fractions are used with money, grades, eating, and so much more! We are going to use our Hersheys
bars today to learn about all of the different fractions we can have! I am going to read The Hersheys
Fractions Book to you today. I need you to listen as I read, I am going to ask questions as we go! As I
read, I want you to first try to model the fraction I call out with your Hersheys bar pieces. After everyone
has a second to try and model it, I will turn the page and we can all see what it should look like. The
teacher will put the book under the projector so it is readable for the whole class from their seats. Okay
class. Its time to open your Hersheys bar now! I want you to open it up, break up the pieces then put
your hands on your lap. Great. Now lets begin. Can anyone tell me what the Hersheys bar itself
represents? Thats right- one whole! The teacher will read the book and pause before each page, asking
the kids to make the next fraction with their pieces before they see the correct answer.
Assessment:
Wow- you guys did a great job modeling with your Hersheys bar from the book! Before you eat your bar,
I want you to show me what you know- that you can add fractions! I want you to complete these problems
for me. On this sheet, I want you to model each problem with your Hersheys pieces. After you model it, I
want you to draw what you did with your Hersheys bar on your paper (you can just use a rectangle or
circle to represent the parts of your Hersheys bar). After you complete all 8 problems, write your name
on your paper, turn it in, and eat your yummy treat! Before you do it on your own, lets practice the first
one together. Follow along with me- it says what is

1 1
+ ? Well, lets model it with our Hersheys
3 3

bar. I will draw what your pieces should look like on the board. The teacher will draw 2 sets of 4
rectangles to represent two-thirds total of the Hersheys bar. Remember. Our Hersheys bar has a total of
12 parts. So one-third is really 4 pieces of chocolate. This means that one-third plus one-third is really 8
pieces of chocolate or two-thirds! Great! Now try it on your own! Be careful with the tricky true/ false
ones! I want you to work them out and explain it to me!
Closure:
I am giving each of you an index card. On it, I want you to write your name. After you write your name, I
want you to write what you learned today. Do not write something silly, write what you actually learned.
When you are finished bring it to me and get out your book and read independently until everyone is
done.

Materials and Resources:

1 Hersheys bar per student
The Hersheys Fractions Book
Assessment sheet with problems
1 index card for each student

Fractions with Hersheys Assessment

1 1
+ =
3 3

1 1
+ =
2 2

1 2
+ =
4 4

1 7
+ =
12 12

1 2
+ =
3 3

4 2
+ =
6 6

True or false:
__________

4 1
=
12 3

?
True or false:

1 1
= ?
3 2

8)

Summative Assessments
Weekly Math Computation Quiz
Problem Based Learnings
involving mathematics
Division coding game project
Timed tests
EasyCBM tests

Formative Assessments
Weekly math homework
Daily math morning problem
Daily math worksheets
Math facts games
Daily Math Journals

12) Tech tool related to math

Multiplication.com is a fun and easy tool for students to use to practice
multiplication. I taught this to a small group of students and they all loved it! It
served as a great tool for them when they finished their work at different points in
the day. To teach it, I simply instructed the kids on logging on and helped them all
choose the same game to test out. It went so well! My class loves their
Chromebooks and this website is just another fun thing for them to do where they
are secretly learning things at the same time.
15)
Classroom Discourse observation

Strategies for Orchestrating

Discourse
Teachers Role
Pose questions and tasks that elicit,
engage, and challenge each students
thinking.

Listen carefully to students ideas.

Evidence
(Record teacher strategies or actions in
the appropriate box)
What can we connect this to?
How could we use this in real life?
How could you rewrite this as a word
problem?
Let me hear all of the creative ways
you solved this!
I like how you said I can tell you
were paying attention!

Ask students to clarify and justify their

ideas orally and in writing.

So what youre saying is

Can you phrase it differently?

Decide when and how to attach

mathematical notation and language to
students ideas.

What you just said was ____. (writes

statement on board) Is this what you
said?

Monito students participation in

discussions and decide when and how
to encourage each student to
participate.
Students Role

Calls on a variety of students including

ones that may be paying attention as
well as ones that may not be.

Listen to, respond to, and question the

teacher and each other.
Use a variety of tools to reason, make
connections, solve problems, and
communicate.
Initiate problems and questions.

Make conjectures and present solutions.

(Record student statements or actions

in the appropriate box)
Me too!!
I disagree with ____ because
Manipulatives (online and not), finger
counting, pictures, signs
Can you give us math problems to
solve?
How can we make this a math problem
and solve it?
This wont work because What if we
do ____ instead?

Explore examples and counterexamples We cant do that here because ..

to explore a conjecture.
Try to convince themselves or others of I got my answer by. Did I make a
the validity of particular
mistake?
representations, solutions, conjectures,
I know I am right because
and answers.
I agree with ____ because.
16) Questions designed to elicit higher level/critical thinking from my students
When I think of critical thinking with math, my mind goes straight to application. I
am always asking myself what the real purpose of many math concepts is because

without an application, there is no purpose in learning. I chose to follow this path

with my students in the classroom, challenging them to think of their own methods
to create and solve real problems using math. I asked my class questions that
involved real life such as If there are 18 kids in our class today and I want each one
to get 22 skittles, what do I need to do? Questions like this challenge students to
think at a higher level without forcing them to get beat down from the pressure of
solving a large problem. I ask questions such as What would you do if you were
multiplying 21 by 34? Again, questions like these challenge students to think but
they take away the pressure of solving complex math problems away. One time I
asked a group of girls: How did you memorize your multiplication facts and why?
This really challenged them! They had just memorized a list but were still struggling
to remember simply patterns they see. I think it is good to ask 3 rd and 4th graders
the simple question of What is multiplication? and see if they know the answer.
Kids that cannot define multiplication, especially by 4 th grade, will be not be
considered to fully understand multiplication.