Sarah Guglietta

University of Saint Joseph Lesson Planning Template Student Teaching

LESSON BACKGROUND
Subject/Lesson: Muffles Truffles Lesson 6/ Centers
Grade Level: 3
Multiplication/ Division
Heterogeneous inclusive classroom
Differentiation by
Content- Students will be learning new content of what division is and how it is used.
Cooperative group- Students will work in groups based on their past units post test, and also work in partnerships based
on ability.
Product- Students will create a poster showing their work.
Differentiation narrative (rationale how you are differentiating and why)
- Cooperative groups- Students will work with groups of students who seem to be at their same math level based on
their past units post test. For example: AR,AC,AM,YR.
- Pace- Students will be able to work at their pace. They will be able to accomplish what they can in the time given.
For example, AC will complete 2 boxes while RM will complete 4. Some groups will finish their posters, others will
not. Some will be able to build a huge tower, others may not make any tower and that is okay because the
multiplication facts on the building pieces may be over their level. On the computers students will be working on
their individualized program.
Standard(s)
CCSS.Math.Content.3.OA.A.1
Interpret products of whole numbers, e.g., interpret 5 7 as the total number of objects in 5 groups of 7 objects each. For example,
describe a context in which a total number of objects can be expressed as 5 7.
CCSS.Math.Content.3.OA.A.2
Interpret whole-number quotients of whole numbers, e.g., interpret 56 8 as the number of objects in each share when 56 objects
are partitioned equally into 8 shares, or as a number of shares when 56 objects are partitioned into equal shares of 8 objects each. For
example, describe a context in which a number of shares or a number of groups can be expressed as 56 8.

Key Question for the lesson

- What is division?
Instructional Objective(s)
- Students will be able to explain to a teacher what division is.
- Students can create boxes to put Muffles Truffles in and find the total cost of that box.
- Students will be able to solve multiplication problems written on the cups to build a tower.
Materials, Media, Resources, Multi-cultural connections
- Power Tower Game
- Clipboards
- Pencils
- Scrap Paper
- Computers
University of Saint Joseph Teacher Licensure Program Student Teaching Unit Format

- Posters
- Graph Paper
- Multiplication Whiteboards
- Brainpop Jr.
- Glue
- Scissors
Assessment of Prior Knowledge (Readiness/Interest)
Ask students questions:
How many truffles fit in Muffles boxes? How much does a truffle cost? How much does a box of truffles cost? What
strategies do we use to solve multiplication?
LESSON PROCEDURE
Bellwork (as defined by Harry Wong)
or transition into lesson
- Sit quietly on the rug please. Sit criss cross applesauce on the rug.
Timing
Initiation with students
Hook to lesson
- Developing Context for lesson 3 of Muffles Truffles: One day a customer comes into Muffles candy shop
and asks him why he only packages his truffles in boxes of ten, in two rows of five (draw on board). What if I
want to buy more or fewer? Do you have other sizes of boxes? These questions gets Muffles wondering what
other size boxes could he make? How much would those boxes cost? After describing the context make a
sample box with the students and explain that is what they will be working on today during their investigation.
- Explain chart paper with groups and centers. Then model each center to engage the students.
- Modeling: Fishbowl- Power Tower Game
- Ask students to repeat directions and assign question masters (4) one from each group.
Sample Questions: How could we make other size boxes? What did you notice we did in the fishbowl? How
should we be working in our groups? Who can tell me what the directions are?
Explanation of Objectives
- I can explain to a teacher what division is.
- I create boxes to put Muffles Truffles in and find the total cost of that box.
- I can solve multiplication problems written on the cups to build a tower.
Development of lesson including assessment(s)
Center 1: Muffles Truffles
- Students will work in pairs based on ability assigned by the teacher. For example, AC and AR will be
partners and RM and JM will be partners. They will find an area in the room where they can work with
University of Saint Joseph Teacher Licensure Program Student Teaching Unit Format

7 minutes

Timing
15
minutes
2

their partners. They will be given graph paper and scissors. Their job will be to help Muffles candy shop
by creating different size boxes for the truffles. They will keep the 2 rows, but change the number of
squares in each row. Then they will have to find out the cost of each box. Once they complete this task
they will create a poster that showcases their work. They should glue their boxes they made to the
poster and show the work of how much the box will cost. Students are familiar with making these
posters because they have done it many times in the past.
Sample Questions: How many truffles can fit in the box you made? How many rows are in this box? How many
spots in each row? How much does one truffle cost? How much will the box you made cost?
Center 2: Yellow Table with Teacher (Guided Practice with ability groups)
- With the teacher students will be introduced to division. Explain to students what division is. Division
is when we take a number and split it or divide it in equal groups.
- Show Brainpop Jr. video on division
*During this time teacher will monitor students at other centers.
- Ask students questions about division.
- Practice problems: 8/4, 6/2, 12/3
*During this time teacher will monitor students at other centers.
Sample Questions: What is division? How do we use division? How do we make equal groups? How could we
use division in real life?
Center 3: Computers
- Students will work on the computers independently on their personalized math progress program. Every
students program is different because the program adapts to where they are in their math skills. For
example SC may be working on rounding which is at her individual math skill level, and SH may be
working on adding one digit numbers. Each student is different based on their skill level. There are only
5 computers in the classroom. Most groups only have 5 students, but one group has 6 students. If there
are not enough computers, or some computers are not working students may use the multiplication
whiteboards at their desks to practice multiplication skills.
*Teacher will visually monitor this group from the yellow table and check on them while the students
she is working with are independently working or watching the brainpop video.
Center 4: Math Tower Power Practice with ability groups
- Students will work with their groups on the blue rug. They will be given scrap paper on clipboards, and
multiplication cups. This is a building tower game. Students will take turns. One student will pick up a
cup and read the multiplication problem. All students in the group will try to solve it. They will allow the
student who picked the cup to share their answer first. The others will say if they agree or disagree and
explain. Students can then look in the inside of the cup for the answer. If the student who picked the
cup is correct they can add the cup anywhere they want in the tower. Then another student picks a cup.
The goal is to create the coolest, tallest tower.
*Teacher will visually monitor this group from the yellow table and check on them while the
University of Saint Joseph Teacher Licensure Program Student Teaching Unit Format

15
minutes

15
minutes

15
minutes

students she is working with are independently working or watching the brainpop video.
Sample Questions: What is the multiplication problem you are solving? What is the answer? How did you solve
it? Where are you going to put it on the tower?
*Sponge Activity: If students finish early they may practice their multiplication cards independently at their
desk.
Closure
- Review learning targets
Sample Questions: How did we achieve our learning target today? What is something else we learned today
during math? How did we work in our groups?

Timing
3 minutes

Assessment Strategies
- Teacher checked the student created posters from the Muffles Truffles investigation check over the cost calculations.
- Towers- Teacher will check the height of the towers will indicate to the teacher how many multiplication problems
students are getting correct.
- Teacher observation of student responses during guided practice and their explanation of division.
Self reflection on the lesson
In this lesson I used a range of instructional strategies to enhance student learning. I provided the students with
engaging centers instead of whole group instruction. This way student groups got to work independently in different
activities instead of the same thing for the whole lesson. Each center was appealing to students whether it was cutting and
gluing, watching a brainpop video, using the computers, or playing a math game with manipulatives. This made students
enjoy the centers and be actively involved in them. Modeling was another strategy I used to show students how play the
Power Tower game. Questioning also was used in order to get students thinking about their work. Differentiation
instruction strategies helped student learning by giving multiple opportunities for students to learn and express their
gained knowledge.
Throughout the lesson there was classroom management techniques being used. From calling on students who obeyed
by the rules of raising their hands, to praising students who were working hard in their centers, and using techniques
established in the classroom such as smartbeads for trying hard and resets for the kids who were misbehaving during the
lesson. For this lesson I also used a timer to keep track and make sure that each center had a even amount of time. Also,
during the transition in centers I counted down out loud for students making them aware of my expectation of when I get
to 0 they should be at their next center and working. These classroom management techniques helped create a positive
learning environment for students.
There was evidence of student learning during this lesson. The evidence was the students finished boxes. The purpose
of making these boxes were for students to multiply the number of rows of stamps with the number of stamps in each row
to find how many boxes there were all together. Out of the 19 students present, 19 of them were able to successfully
University of Saint Joseph Teacher Licensure Program Student Teaching Unit Format

complete this assignment. There were able to make their own sets of boxes and show the work of finding out how many
boxes there were all together. There were some students who were able to create more sets than others. For example, JM
was able to create 10 sets, while AR was only able to create 2. But in the end all 19 were able to produce something that
was done correctly.
If I could teach this lesson again I think that I would like start this lesson off with a minilesson instead of going right
into the centers. During the work with the teacher I spent most of the time showing the brainpop video on division.
Although this was a good time for me to monitor other groups I think that it would have been more productive to
introduce division as a whole group before beginning centers. This way once the video was already shown and students
went to centers I could use that time with me to practice more on division rather than showing the video. But, throughout
the teaching of this lesson there were no modifications that were needed. This was because students had clear
expectations and knew what they were doing. Before going off to centers students had to repeat back to me what we were
going to be doing at each center. With the directions clearly in their head they were able to accomplish what they needed
at each center. Also, the fishbowl modeling helped them as well. Next, at the table with me the brainpop video gave them
a great foundation for beginning division which made them successful.
Students were very engaged in this lesson. Now that I know that the students were successful in these centers my
next lesson may use these centers again, but first start off with a minilesson. Tomorrow I would spend more time
practicing solving simple division problems with students because most of the time was playing the brainpop video. Also,
now that students have an idea of how to use division, instead me the teacher explaining the steps to solve the problem I
can ask the students to explain the steps to me and the rest of the group. This will give me an idea if they are
understanding the process of division and also allow them the opportunity to take ownership over their work.

University of Saint Joseph Teacher Licensure Program Student Teaching Unit Format

University of Saint Joseph Teacher Licensure Program Student Teaching Unit Format