Albo Learning Unit 1

Title of Project/Module:​ Fourth Grade Fractions

Materials Needed for Module:
- Unifix Cubes
- Completed fraction unit tests
- Pencils, markers, and paper
- Whiteboards and dry erase markers
- Math Journals
- IXL Levels
- Computers/Tablets
- Facilitator/Instructor Guide

Components of Instruction:
Activation
Gaining Attention
a. At the outset of the lesson, the instructor will give an introduction to the materials that will be
used. Students will be using Unifix cubes and different writing materials throughout the lesson,
which appeals to students, many of whom rarely utilize manipulatives or unfamiliar materials in
the classroom.
b. The instructor will also engage learners’ attention by setting out the manipulatives to be used
before beginning the activities. Learners will be given several minutes before the lesson begins to
experiment with and investigate the manipulatives they will be working with.
Direction
a. The instructor will lead a conversation about the skills students feel confident in, those they are
working on, and those that they feel lost with.
b. The skills and knowledge that students will gain by the end of the lesson (learning objectives) will
be verbally clarified and written on a whiteboard in age-appropriate terms such as, “Goal of the
Day,” “Our new skills,” etc.
c. The instructor will make connections to past content in order to clarify what prior skills or new
skills will be learned. This should support the learners’ understanding of the objectives for the day
and how these objectives fit in to their other knowledge and future learning.
d. Students will bring their fractions test from the unit. In addition to conveying the learning
objectives, the instructor will also explain to students that they will make corrections to the tests
at the end of the lesson today. It should be clear to students that the skills required by that test
are the same objectives for today. This will help ground the lesson in past learning experiences.
Recall
a. This instruction focuses on building upon students’ existing schema and skills because of its
studied benefit on learner recall. Students are more likely to absorb the information if it is
explicitly linked to their current knowledge and experiences.
b. When students make corrections to their fraction tests, they will implement the skills and
knowledge covered in the lesson in a relevant context, thereby extending their knowledge and
skills further towards fluency.
c. Students will also make an entry into their math journal to reflect on the lesson, their learning,
and how they think the content will be useful in the future. This will be the last task during lesson
time.
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d. IXL Learning
i. IXL is an online math practice program used by the students regularly, which they enjoy
because of its use of the internet and computer technology.
ii. Students will be given an IXL level and number to practice at home or later during the school
week.
iii. IXL is a great way to encourage the retention and transfer of the skills and knowledge
students learned.

Demonstration
Content
a. The learning activity revolves around the use of manipulatives to illuminate the concepts behind
fractions. Unifix cubes will be used by the instructor and students to visualize fractions and the
computations with fractions. This type of hands-on, tactile learning is both engaging and useful for
students.
b. The instructor is also expected to use storytelling and, when possible, humor to help convey the
concepts that will be addressed, the objectives for the time, and for outlining some of the ways in
which the lesson is relevant and useful.
c. Modeling will be implemented by the instructor throughout the lesson, especially during the
introductory instruction. It is important not only to keep the instruction relevant to students
because of its tangibility, but also for their full understanding. The instructor will use modeling as a
scaffolding measure by exemplifying problem-solving strategies and providing opportunities for
the students to model these for each other.
d. Students will be given choice in a number of small ways, such as: what example will be used use
(i.e. chocolate bar vs. pie), how certain problems are worked on (individually or as a small group),
and which problems they want to work on. These are less expected for students to experience in
the classroom, giving them novelty.

Application
Feedback levels
I. Feedback Level I: Instructor and Learner share equally in the process
A. The instructor will work from the onset of the lesson to maintain a safe environment for
learners. This includes specifying the focus of the period to “making mistakes,” “FAILing (First
Attempt In Learning),” and overall engaging in a discussion of what is confusing, what skills
seem impossible, etc.
B. To extend this focus, the instructor will make mistakes in his or her demonstrations and
think-alouds. These mistakes are immediately noted and remedied by the instructor, followed
by a question to students about what went wrong.
II. Feedback Level II: Safe performance and practice
A. Take Off/Touch Down: This activity will be lead near the end of the lesson. Students will
respond to a series of questions about how they feel in their learning process by “Taking off”
(standing up) or “Touching down” (sitting down). The questions will address how confident
students are, what they want to work on, etc., and will give them the opportunity to self-reflect
and give themselves feedback.
B. The group will also engage in discussions about the problems completed together. All learners
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will be expected to contribute to the discussion of how to solve a problem or visualize an idea,
etc.
III. Feedback Level III: Mid-Course Correction
A. The instructor will correct or affirm students’ answers to questions or other contributions, and
will explain the correct answer if needed.
B. Reciprocal teaching:
1. Students will be encouraged to verbalize their thought process for the instructor and
other students.
2. If a student feels confident in answering a peer’s question, they will be encouraged by
the instructor to do so, while the instructor monitors the explanation for accuracy.
Evaluation:
I. (Level 1: Reaction)​ The survey (link below), is designed for the fourth graders who would
complete the lesson. Because of this, it is short (6 questions), and mainly multiple choice
answers. Learners are asked to choose how confident they felt working with fractions before the
lesson versus after, which were their favorite and least favorite components of the lesson, which
materials they liked the best, and any other comments they have. Questions are kept short and
written in simply sentences and vocabulary that will be easiest for learners of this age to
understand. The survey is a tool for gauging students’ interest in and satisfaction with the lesson,
as well as their confidence working with fractions pre- and post-lesson.
A. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeIDXod-9ASPzD-SJf5yc1HPYmFk9OaZmS5
CfyD3RRRuWebyw/viewform?usp=sf_link
II. (Level 2: Knowledge) ​Learners were evaluated through observations and an end-of-lesson
assessment. This assessment involved learners making corrections to their previously completed
Fraction Tests. By incorporating this assessment as an evaluation measure, we are able to see
students’ understanding and skills before the lesson and after. This includes the
misunderstandings students had before the lesson (visible in their work on the test the first
time), as well as any misconceptions that linger after the lesson (apparent through their
corrections on the tests). With this information, the lesson can be adapted to touch upon certain
concepts or skills more, based on misunderstandings still present in students’ work post-lesson.
Additionally, students were observed throughout the lesson as they completed problems and
discussed their process. However, the test corrections are the central component of evaluation
during the lesson.
III. (Level 3: Behavior) ​The transfer of the learning to everyday application will be discernible based
on students’ success or failure in the succeeding units. Students will be required to apply their
new knowledge and skills immediately after completion of the lesson as a result of the fast-paced
curriculum sequence in elementary schools today. Because fractions and related skills are used
throughout the remainder of the year and the following years, whether or not students are able
to apply their learning from the lesson towards future units will be visible in their scores and
overall success as the year progresses. This can be evaluated through test scores, homeworks
that touch upon skills or concepts learned in this lesson, or other venues. I would suggest that a
client evaluate this component through observational checklists during math as students
contribute to discussions about problems and the process involved. Additionally, I would suggest
the client make note of all future units and their assessments that will build upon the knowledge
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addressed in this lesson in order to gauge whether students are able to implement these skills
and concepts in an organic way.
IV. (Level 4: Results) ​The rationale for conducting this level of evaluation is in the tangible, long-term
changes or effects of the instruction. This can be seen through students’ math grades from
before the lesson implementation to afterward. These include tests, quizzes, homeworks,
observations of understanding, class participation, standardized test scores, or any other form of
assessment. The value of this lesson can be determined by classifying the above mentioned
assessments into categories of relevance to this lesson. Meaning, questions on a test that involve
fraction skills or concepts should be noted and collected. This should occur over a period of at
least several months in order to gain a full understanding of the effects of the lesson on student
understanding. These scores can be compared to students’ previous math scores, as well as those
of other students who did not complete the instruction training. By evaluating the range of
scores and success of students pre- and post-lesson, the value of the instruction can be assessed.

Integration
Evaluation
a. Learners will be evaluated by their corrections on the fractions test and corresponding
explanations of their thinking. Answers will be assessed on correctness/incorrectness, while
verbalized thought processes will be evaluated based on how much understanding is conveyed
when prompted by questions.
Closure
a. Finally, before leaving the module, students will make an entry into their math journal. This will
encourage the learners to think about the skills and concepts in a different context by requiring
them to express their understanding of the significance and ideas connected to fractions. It can
also support students’ self-reflection of their learning.
b. The IXL modules offered to the students will help students generalize the information and skills
they learned by again applying them in a different context.
c. Knowledge will be quickly transferred as students continue on their learning in math class. The
new skills and knowledge will be immediately useful in their math journey, thereby proving its
importance to the students.