Design for Learning

Instructor: Emily Trucks

Lesson Title: Fun with Fives!
Curriculum Area: Math

Grade Level/Cooperating Teacher: Harris, 2

Date: October 16, 2015
Estimated Time: 30 Minutes

Standards Connection:
Count within 1,000; skip-count by 5s, 10s, and 100s. [2-NBT2]
Learning Objective(s):
Given a hundreds chart and three colored markers, students will circle the numbers used to count
to 100 by twos, fives, and tens with no errors.
Learning Objective(s) stated in kid-friendly language:
Today, boys and girls, we will learn to count to 100 by fives.
Evaluation of Learning Objective(s):
Students will each be given a hundreds chart, printed on copy paper. They will be asked to use
three different washable markers: red, yellow, and green. The students will be asked to create a
key to the side of the chart, with red representing twos, yellow representing fives, and green
representing tens. The students will be asked to circle all of the numbers used to count to 100
by twos in red, all of the numbers used to count to 100 by fives in yellow, and all of the numbers
used to count to 100 by tens in green. Some numbers will be circled in more than one color.
Proficient students will do this without error. Students falling in the middle will make 1 to 5
errors. Students in need of reteaching will make more than 5 errors.
Engagement:
The teacher stands at the front of the room. A tub of connecting cubes sits at her feet. A hundreds
chart is hanging on the board. She calls students forward for the lesson. Boys and girls, when I
say go, I would like you to come to the front of the room and sit, crisscross applesauce, in a
circle around this tub of cubes. Ready? Go! Students make their way to the front of the room and
sit. Do I have everyones attention? I want all eyes on me. Excellent! Lets get started! Today,
boys and girls, we will be learning a special way to skip-count. Has anyone in here ever skipcounted before? Wow! All of you? Thats great! Can anyone think of some ways you have skipcounted before? Maybe by twos? Lets count to ten by twos! How about tens? Lets count to 100
by tens! Great job! Doesnt counting by a number other than one make counting go so much
faster? Well, today, we are going to learn a new way to count, by fives! Whos ready to get
started? Teacher transitions to teaching.
Learning Design:
I. Teaching:
The teacher explains the objective once more. Today, boys and girls, we are going to count by
fives! We are going to start out doing this with a partner. I would like you to turn to someone next
to you and work together. Teacher makes time to adjust groupings if need be. Now, I am going to
come around and hand you and your partner a group of cubes. I would like you to make a tower
of five! The teacher passes out cubes, giving each student pair a group of cubes that are all the
same color. The teacher gives the students time to make their towers, while placing an empty

container where the tub of cubes once was. When you are done, I would like you to lay your
tower in front of your partner pair and put your eyes on me. Is everyone finished? Great! Lets
move on. We are going to count the total number of cubes that we have used. Can anyone make a
quick guess, or estimate, as to how many cubes we will have in all? The teacher records three
estimates on the board. Now, when I point to you and your partner, I would like you to come to
the center and lay your tower gently in this bucket. I am going to keep track of how many cubes
are in the bucket by writing a new number on the board each time a tower is added. Could I get a
volunteer to help me mark our numbers on the hundreds chart? Thank you very much! The
teacher explains this students task. I would like you to put a marker over every number I write on
the board. Can you do that for me? Thank you! Lets get started! The teacher points to the first
partner pair, and they come lay their cubes in the container. The teacher writes a 5 on the
whiteboard. The second pair comes forward and the teacher writes a 10 on the whiteboard. At
various points, the teacher poses questions. How many towers are in the container? How do you
know? Yes, because I have written that many numbers on the board. Great! This pattern continues
until all pairs have been called forth. The teacher ensures that all the numbers on the board are
correct, and that all the corresponding numbers are covered on the hundreds chart, before she
continues. Now that we have finished, lets count together, using the numbers I have written on
the board. My friend at the hundreds chart, please point to the numbers as you say them aloud. 5,
10, 15, 20 The teacher removes one tower from the bucket as each number is said, to reiterate
that each tower represents a group of five. We just counted by fives to count the number of cubes
in the container. Can you believe it?! What do you notice about each of the numbers I have
written on the board? Every number ends in either a 0 or a 5. For every decade, there are
two numbers. Yes, those are all good observations! When each pair put a tower of five cubes in
the bucket, we ended up with ____ cubes. That was very close to our estimate! How many cubes
would we have if we all put a tower of five cubes in the container? Want to try it out?! Teacher
transitions into an opportunity for practice.
II. Opportunity for Practice:
I would like three friends to give me an estimate for the number of cubes we will have if we all
put a tower of five cubes in the bucket. Remember, we had ____ cubes the first time, with each
partner pair putting in a tower. The teacher records the estimates on the whiteboard. Those are
great guesses! I would like for one partner in your partner pair to come grab a tower from the
container. I would like the other partner to stay seated. I will bring them cubes to make a tower.
The teacher gives every other student a group of cubes that are the same color, allowing the
students time to make a tower with those cubes. We are ready to roll! I need a new friend to work
on the hundreds chart. Great! You know the drill! I also need a tall friend to come to the
whiteboard and record our numbers. I will be here to help. Great! I will need these two friends
partners to place their towers in the container as well, so we will be sure to count them in our
total. You know how this works! When I point to you, place your tower here. The same procedure
is followed, this time with every student coming forward to place his or her tower in the box. The
students are then seated, and asked to count along with the numbers on the board as the friend at
the hundreds chart points. The students are then asked to discuss this set of numbers and compare
it to the estimates written prior to counting. Who can tell me what happened to our number of
____ from earlier? Yes, it doubled! What a coincidence that that is what Ms. Wright talked about
earlier this week! See, math is everywhere! Now, we will practice using a hundreds chart on our
own. Do you think you can do it? I know you can! Teacher transitions to assessment.
III. Assessment:
I would like all of you to take a big, deep breath and go have a seat at your table. Students will
each be given a hundreds chart, printed on copy paper. They will be asked to use three different

washable markers: red, yellow, and green. There, you will find a red, yellow, and green marker at
your spot. You will also find a hundreds chart. Ms. Wright was so kind to set these things out for
us! Before we get started, I would like you to write your name and the date at the top of the page,
then look up at the board. We are going to create a key for our paper. Does anyone know what
a key is? Yes! It is a tool that helps others read our work. The students will be asked to create a
key to the side of the chart like the one the teacher has modeled, with red representing twos,
yellow representing fives, and green representing tens. Now, lets read the directions at the
top of the page together! The students will be asked to circle all of the numbers used to count to
100 by twos in red, all of the numbers used to count to 100 by fives in yellow, and all of the
numbers used to count to 100 by tens in green. Some numbers will be circled in more than one
color. Proficient students will do this without error. Students falling in the middle will make 1 to 5
errors. Students in need of reteaching will make more than 5 errors. You may begin! Eyes on your
own paper please! When you are finished, you may read silently at your seat.
IV. Closure:
The teacher asks for the students attention at their seats. Now that everyone is finished, lets talk
about what we learned today. What kind of tools did we use? What kind of groups did we do our
activity in? What kind of numbers did we see? What did we learn today? Can we count by fives to
100 together? 5, 10, 15, 20 Excellent work! Thank you for being such great listeners and
mathematicians!
Materials and Resources:
Connecting Cubes
Whiteboard and Dry Erase Marker
Hundreds Chart
Transparent Counters
Pointer
17 Hundreds Chart Worksheets
Red, Yellow, and Green Markers
Differentiation Strategies:
Green: Allow students to perform the same task shown in the teaching portion of this lesson,
working together as a group to count and keep track of the towers of five. After they have
completed the task, ask the students to see how many towers of five it would take to make 200. If
time allows, keep increasing the target number until they get to 500.
Red: Work with students in a small group to repeat the activity done in this lesson, this time with
a group of no more than four students at a time. Allow the students to count the cubes by ones
before counting them by fives. Record the numbers on a small whiteboard as the students count.
Mark the numbers on a hundreds chart after counting is through.
Data Analysis:
All students completed the assessment without error. This tells me that Mrs. Harriss second grade
class can skip-count to at least 100 using twos, fives, and tens. The students performance on the
fives portion of the assessment is of particular interest, because that is the new material that
was taught in this lesson. The assessment results tell me that the students have probably discussed
this material at a previous grade level, and will therefore be ready for a challenge if Mrs. Harris
continues this lesson.

Reflection:
For my first lesson, I thought that this went very well. I feel that I was able to keep the students
on target because of extensive planning prior to teaching. I enjoyed teaching a whole group
lesson. It felt very comfortable, overall. I do feel that I may have been a bit rigid with my
planning and execution, meaning that I was very strict with student behavior while the lesson was
taking place. In my next lesson, I will try to focus less on individual behaviors and more on the
behavior of the whole group. I will also be sure to keep the directing to a minimum, meaning that
I will give the students more time to work on their own. I will continue to set high expectations
for my students both academically and behaviorally. That is one thing that will never change!
What I will change, however, is my disposition, especially through smiling more and
remembering to have fun.

Samford University
Design for Learning

Name ____________

Date ____________

Circle all the numbers used to count to 100 by twos in red.

Circle all the numbers used to count to 100 by fives in yellow.
Circle all the numbers used to count to 100 by tens in green.

Key
Twos
Fives
Tens

Design for Learning

Instructor: Emily Trucks
Lesson Title: Visual Vocabulary
Curriculum Area: English Language Arts

Grade Level/Cooperating Teacher: Harris, 2

Date: October 19, 2015
Estimated Time: 45 Minutes

Standards Connection:
38.) Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases
based on Grade 2 reading and content, choosing flexibly from an array of strategies. [L.2.4]
e. Use glossaries and beginning dictionaries, both print and digital, to determine or clarify
the meaning of words and phrases. [L.2.4e]
Learning Objective(s):
Students will create a visual representation of the words melting and awful, as seen in the context
of Frog and Toad All Year, using a dictionary to find the meaning of those words.
Learning Objective(s) stated in kid-friendly language:
Today, Student A and Student B, we will continue working on vocabulary, this time, using a
dictionary to find the meaning of our words and then drawing pictures to represent them.
Evaluation of Learning Objective(s):
Students will be given a worksheet entitled, Our Words in Pictures, on which there will be a line
dividing two sections, labeled Awful and Melting. Beneath each word, there will be an appropriate
amount of blank space before coming to a rectangular textbox labeled Definition. The students
will be asked to use a dictionary to find the definition of both words to be recorded in the
textboxes. After this is done, students will be asked to draw a picture in the blank space,
representing the definition of the word above. Students should be able to complete this activity
with no error.
Engagement:
The teacher gathers her materials: two dictionaries, two copies of Frog and Toad All Year, her
class binder, student folders containing the days worksheets, and a pencil. The teacher calls
Student A and Student B from the classroom and into the second grade workroom. Student A and
Student B, please follow me. You will need to bring a pencil and your art box to our work time!
The students follow the teacher into the room, where they all have a seat at a table in the center.
The teacher sits between the two students and begins her introduction. Now, we have been talking
about vocabulary using a list of words from one of our favorite books: Frog and Toad All Year.
Open up your books to the table of contents. Who can tell me how many chapters we have read so
far? Yes, two! Student A, could you tell me a little bit about what happened in the first chapter?
You may look back in your book if need be. Do you remember the words we discussed with that
part? Yes, we talked about tramp and nearby. Can you tell me what those words mean? Great!
Student B, could you tell me a little bit about what happened in the second chapter? You can look
back in your book. Do you remember the words we discussed? Yes, we talked about spoiled and
asleep. Can you tell me what those words mean? We may need to talk about asleep again,
because we got just a little confused the last time we met. The teacher reviews the definition of
asleep and makes sure students are ready to move forward. Now that we can remember what we

have already done, lets start something new. We are ready to move on to chapter three. Lets use
the table of contents to flip to chapter three. What is this chapter called Student A? We will be
learning two new words in this chapter. If you can think back to the past two times we have met,
you might remember that we did some different things with the new words we learned each time.
With chapter one, I told you the meaning of our two words. In chapter two, you each were
assigned a word and explained its meaning to the other student. You got to play teacher! Today,
we are going to draw a picture of our words, but before we do that, we are going to have to use a
very special tool. Who can tell me what this is called? The teacher pulls out a dictionary. Yes, a
dictionary! What do we use a dictionary for? Yes, to find the meaning of words. Have you ever
used a dictionary at school? Today, we are going to review how! Who is ready to get started?
Student A reads two pages, Student B reads two pages, and the teacher reads two pages. The
teacher asks appropriate questions as the reading goes along. This pattern continues until the
chapter is finished. The teacher then transitions into the lesson.
Learning Design:
I. Teaching:
That was probably my favorite chapter we have read so far. What do yall think? Did you find two
words in this chapter that we might discuss today? Which words did you think were a little
difficult? The teacher waits for student responses and then converses back and forth. Those are
some tricky words! Today, we will be talking about the word melting and the word awful. Flip to
page 32 for me. See if you can find the word melting, Student A. Excellent! Lets read that
sentence together. This ice cream is melting in the sun, said Toad. What do you think, Student
A, that the word melting might mean? Good thinking! What do you think Student B? Excellent!
Our next word is awful. It can be found on page 36. Student B, can you see that word on page
36? Point it out to us. Great! Lets read that sentence together. I just saw something awful!
cried the mouse. Student B, what do you think this word might mean? I think you are on the right
track! What about you, Student A? Good job! Today, our lesson is going to be a little different,
because I am not going to tell you exactly what these words mean. I am going to teach you how to
use this special tool (the teacher holds up a dictionary) to find out for yourself. Are you listening?
Lets get started. A dictionary is written in something called alphabetical order. Do you know
what that means? Yes, in ABC order, or in order from A to Z. Can you think of any kind of list in
your classroom that might be in alphabetical order? I have one right here. The teacher pulls out a
class list. This is a list of all of Mrs. Harriss second grade friends. Do you notice that is in ABC
order by last name? Why do you think that is, Student A? What about you, Student B? I think you
are both correct. Doesnt putting your names in alphabetical order make it so much easier to find
your name on the list? All you have to do is think about where the first letter of your last name
falls in the alphabet, and look to that point in the list to find yourself. Aidens last name begins
with a B, so where would we look for his name? Yes, the top of the list. Benjamins last name
starts with a V, so where would we look for his name? Yes, at the bottom. Think about the first
letter of your last name. Student A, what does your last name start with? Yes, a P! Where would
you look for your name on this list? Student B, where would you look for your name? You would
both look toward the middle for O and P, because those letters are in the middle of the alphabet.
Lets try the same thing with a dictionary. Where would you look for the word candle? What
about the word xylophone? What about the word money? Now, I am going to show you how this
works, using some of the words we have talked about before. I am going to take the words asleep
and nearby. I am going to take the dictionary and look up the word asleep. Watch as I do this. I
am going to take the dictionary, and remember where the word asleep falls. It falls at the
beginning of the alphabet, with A as its first letter. The A words are at the very beginning of the
dictionary, but notice that even these words are put in alphabetical order within the A category. I
am going to have to look at the A,S words to find what I am looking for. Here it is! Right below

_____. Now that I have found the word, I am going to read the definition aloud. The teacher reads
the dictionary definition of asleep aloud. Now that I have read it aloud, I am going to write it on
my paper that I have here. Notice that I have already drawn pictures to go with both of my words.
We will discuss this later! The teacher records the definition on her copy of a worksheet that is
similar to the assessment. She then repeats this process using the word nearby. I would like you
both to notice how I was able to find both of these words pretty quickly. Why do you think I was
able to do this? Student A? Student B? Yes, because I was familiar with the word, or knew a little
bit about it. To look up a word in the dictionary, do you have to already know the definition? No,
of course not! If you already knew the words meaning, you would not have to use a dictionary in
the first place. What do you need to know about a word to look it up in the dictionary? Student A?
Student B? Yes, what the letter that word starts with, and maybe a few letters after the first. In
other words, you need to know how to spell a word in order to look it up in a dictionary, but not
necessarily how to use it in a sentence. We have discussed two other words during our time
together: spoiled and tramp. We may need to look these words up in a dictionary. I think it is time
for you to practice using a dictionary together. How do you feel about that? Great! Lets get
started! The teacher transitions to an opportunity for practice.
II. Opportunity for Practice:
The teacher pulls out two worksheets similar to the assessment, but each worksheet only has one
word on it, with blank space and a textbox labeled Definition underneath. I am going to give each
of you a word. Student A, you will have spoiled. Student B, you will have tramp. I am also going
to give you both a dictionary. I would like for the two of you to take turns finding your word in
the dictionary. Student A, you will go first. Please find spoiled. Where are you going to look?
Thats right! With the S words, which will be toward the back. The student finds the word, with
teacher assistance if necessary. Student A, I would like you to read the definition aloud to Student
B, and then record the definition on your paper in the Definition box. Excellent! While you are
writing, I will have Student B look up the word tramp. Where will we look to find that Student B?
Yes, with the Ts! Will it be toward the front of the Ts, or toward the back? Yes, toward the back
because of the second letter in the word. The teacher will ensure that Student B finds the
appropriate definition of this word. Now that you have found it, please read the definition aloud
to Student A. Now, record it in the Definition box on your paper. Well done! Now that we have
our meanings recorded, we are going to represent these words in a different way: through
pictures! Student A, please draw a picture that represents the definition of spoiled in the blank
space on your page. Student B, you will draw a picture that represents your definition of tramp.
We are not going to color these in. We will color our final project in later. The teacher gives
students time to draw with pencil and then calls their attention again. Great drawings! Student A,
please share yours with Student B. Do you see, Student B, how she represented her word? It is
your turn to share! Student A, do you see Student Bs good representation? Oh, these are just
beautiful! The pictures are great, and the definition at the bottom of the page ensures that
everyone who sees your work will know all about these two words. Are you ready for another
activity like this one? This is going to be good! The teacher transitions to the assessment.
III. Assessment:
Students will be given a worksheet entitled, Our Words in Pictures, on which there will be a line
dividing two sections, labeled Awful and Melting. Beneath each word, there will be an appropriate
amount of blank space before coming to a rectangular textbox labeled Definition. This is a
worksheet very similar to the one you just completed; only now there are two words to define and
draw a picture of. Who can tell me what our first word is? Yes, Awful. What is our second word?
Yes, Melt. The last worksheet was done with a little bit of help from each other. This time, I would
like you to work on your own. I will be here if you need me, but you should be able to do this, for

the most part, by yourself. When you are done, I would like you to sit quietly until our other
friend is finished. The students are asked to use a dictionary to find the definition of both words to
be recorded in the textboxes. After this is done, students are asked to draw a picture in the blank
space, and color it, representing the definition of the word above. Students should be able to
complete this activity with no error. The teacher will sit with the students to ensure that there is
minimal confusion, especially when using the dictionaries.
IV. Closure:
After students have completed their worksheets, the teacher calls them to attention. We are all
done with todays lesson, but before we go back to the classroom, I would like to talk about what
we did together. What chapter of Frog and Toad did we read? What were our two new words?
How did we define those words? Did you like using a dictionary? Did the special tool make it
easier or harder to complete this task? How did you feel about drawing pictures of the words?
Did it help you remember what we talked about? Thank you very much for being such great
learners! You both worked very hard today! The teacher escorts the students back to Mrs. Harriss
classroom.
Materials and Resources:
2 Copies of Frog and Toad All Year
2 Student Dictionaries
Teachers Completed Example Sheet
2 Practice Worksheets: 1 Spoiled, 1 Tramp
2 Assessments
2 Student Pencils
2 Student Art Boxes with Crayons
Differentiation Strategies:
Green: Students will be given another assessment with two new, multiple-meaning words from a
chapter in Frog and Toad All Year. These words will not be discussed with the whole group. The
students will be asked to complete the worksheet again, this time finding two different definitions
and drawing two different pictures for one word.
Red: Students will be given a worksheet with two, single-meaning words that have been
previously discussed. They will be allowed to look up the definition of the first word using an
online dictionary. They will then draw a picture. For the second word, the teacher will require
them to use a print dictionary, but with some assistance. After the definition is recorded, they will
draw a picture for the second word.
Data Analysis:
Both students did an excellent job completing their assessments. Student A had a bit more trouble
with the logistics of dictionary use, but was able to accurately portray both vocabulary words
through pictures. Student B was able to complete the assessment without help, producing both
definitions and images that were on par. This tells me that the students, regardless of whether or
not they have had experience using a dictionary before, are able to pick up information rather
quickly. I feel that both of the students I worked with here could easily complete a more rigorous
assignment if given the appropriate amount of time to do so.

Reflection:
Overall, I feel that this lesson went very well. Both students seemed to grasp the content I
presented, both in the form of using a dictionary and in the new meaning of the two words
discussed. Compared to my whole-group lesson, this was much less intimidating. It was also
much easier to keep the two students on task. I think the fact that I have been working with these
students consistently over the past few weeks allowed the lesson to flow smoothly, as we picked
up where we left off last week, and will continue on to another task the next time we meet
together. I am looking forward to working with these students again. In the future, I will continue
to plan lessons with them at the forefront of my thoughts, to ensure that what I am teaching is
appropriate and engaging.

Samford University
Design for Learning

Name: Ms. Trucks

Our Words in Pictures!

Define the bold words using a dictionary. Then draw pictures.

Asleep

Definition

Nearby

Definition

Name __________________

Our Words in Pictures!

Define the bold word using a dictionary. Then draw a picture.

Spoiled

Name _________________
Definition

Our Words in Pictures!

Define the bold word using a dictionary. Then draw a picture.

Tramp

Definition

Name ________________

Our Words in Pictures!

Define the bold words using a dictionary. Then draw pictures.

Awful

Melting

Definition

Definition

Design for Learning

Instructor: Emily Trucks and Abby Wright
Lesson Title: Collect 25 Cents
Curriculum Area: Math

Grade Level/Cooperating Teacher: Harris, 2

Date: October 21, 2015
Estimated Time: 30 Minutes

Standards Connection:
21.) Solve word problems involving dollar bills, quarters, dimes, nickels, and pennies, using $
and symbols appropriately. [2-MD8]
Learning Objective(s):
Students will practice accurately trading coins up to twenty-five cents through the game Collect
25.
Learning Objective(s) stated in kid-friendly language:
Today boys and girls we are going to practice working with coins! You will be playing the game
Collect 25 Cents.
Evaluation of Learning Objective(s):
The teacher will evaluate how effectively and accurately students play the game, Collect TwentyFive. During the game students will record their moves into their math journals. For example, if
a student rolls a six, they will record 6 + _____ = _______. The student will try to find the most
effective way to create six cents. For this particular problem, a proficient student would be
expected to write 1 nickel and 1 penny. A student who might need more practice would make six
cents using 6 pennies. The teacher will be looking to make sure students understand the most
productive way to trade money. The teacher will make sure that students also uses the coins
accurately. The teacher will examine each students work. Students who can not accurately and
effectively create twenty-five in the game Collect 25 will be pulled in order to give them the
additional support they need.
Engagement:
The teacher stands at the front of the room. She has collected her materials for the days lesson to
have on hand. She calls her students to attention. Boys and girls, when I say go, I would like for
you to come have a seat in your math spots on the carpet. We are going to learn how to play a
game today! The students are called to the front of the room and have a seat. I would like for you
to think about a time when you used money to purchase something at a cash register. Can anyone
tell me about a time they bought something? The teacher waits for student responses and replies
accordingly. Those are all wonderful examples! The best part is, all of those examples have a few
things in common. For one, you used money to purchase something. Secondly, you gave your
money to a cashier. Thirdly, you and that cashier made a money trade. You gave the cashier some
money, and he or she gave you some back. Do you think that cashier that paid just gave you a
random amount of money back as change? Or do you think they had more of a system? You are
correct! In order to be a cashier in the first place, they had to learn how to trade money in a
certain way, to make sure their way of thinking was both accurate and efficient: two words you
have been discussing in math with Mrs. Harris. Today, we are going to play cashier and think
about money in a new way. Are you ready to get started? Lets begin! The teacher transitions into
the lesson.
Learning Design:
I. Teaching:
The teacher calls her students to attention once more and then begins. Do I have everyones eyes
on me? Wonderful! Lets get started. The teacher pulls out a bag of play money containing
pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters. Today, you will be working with a partner on a game in
which you will try to make 25 cents. There are several different ways to make 25 cents. The

teacher writes Ways to Make 25 Cents on the board. I have a bag full of pennies, nickels, dimes,
and quarters. Is there a coin in my bag that could make 25 cents on its own? You are right! A
quarter makes 25 cents on its own. How simple! The teacher writes 1q underneath her heading, in
a different color than that which was used for the title. A quarter is worth 25 cents. A penny is
worth how much? 1 cent! Could someone raise their hand and tell me how you would make 25
cents using pennies? Yes, you could use 25 pennies. The teacher writes 25p on the board in a
different color. How much is a nickel worth? You are right! 5 cents. How many nickels would you
need to make 25 cents? Lets count by fives to figure out how many nickels we will need. 5, 10,
15, 20, 25. How many fingers are we holding up? 5. So how many nickels would we need? Yes, 5!
The teacher writes 5n on the board in a different color from that which was used the first two
times. Now, lets think about dimes. How much is a dime worth? Youve got it, ten cents! I have
always thought that it was funny that the dime is worth 10 cents, even though it is so small. Now,
we are trying to make 25 cents. Is there a way that we can do that with just dimes? I dont think
so either. But, we can start with dimes and use other coins later. How many dimes do you think
well need. 2? I think so! The teacher writes 2d on the board in yet another color. How many
cents is that? Yes, 20. We have a few cents left to account for. How much money do we still need?
You are right! 5 cents. How can we represent this? We could represent this with 5 pennies.
However, I think their would be a way that is just as accurate, but much more efficient. What
other coin is worth just 5 cents by itself? Yes, a nickel! The teacher adds + 1n, in the color used
with nickels earlier, to what she has just written on the board. What we have just done is very
similar to what you do every morning with Number of the Day. Who would like to give me a way
to make 25 cents using dimes, nickels, and pennies? The teacher hears from three students,
writing their responses on the board in the colors that correspond with each coin represented.
Those are three excellent ways to make 25 cents. They are all accurate, but who can tell me
which way must be more efficient? Yes, the answer that is considered most efficient is the answer
that contains the fewest number of coins. Why do you think that is? If you were a cashier,
wouldnt you want to give your customer the fewest amount of coins possible? Why would you
give them 25 pennies that you would have to count out one-by-one, when you could just give them
a quarter? See how simple that is?! Before we get started with our game, I would like for us to
make a chart together. The teacher constructs a chart on the board with four columns: one reading
Q, one reading D, one reading N, and one reading P. Lets fill in this chart to remind ourselves
how many efficient ways each of these coin values is made. A quarter (Q) is worth 25 cents. Can
we use just dimes to make up a quarter? No, but there are 2 dimes in every quarter. So we will
write 2d in our Q column. The teacher does so. Can we use just nickels to make a quarter? Sure,
we already did that! The teacher writes 5n in the Q column. How can we make 25 cents in just
pennies? Yes, we can. The teacher writes 25p in the column. Now that we have made a quarter,
lets move on to dimes. This procedure is followed until the students have filled in each column.
D should read beneath it 2n and 10p. N should read 5p. P will be empty. Now that we have filled
in our chart, we can use it to help us play a fun game. Who is ready to get started? Great! Lets
go! The teacher transitions to an opportunity for practice.
II. Opportunity for Practice:
The teacher calls the students to attention. She holds in her hand a bag of play money containing
pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters. The bag also contains a die. I would like all eyes on me
please! I am going to show you how to play our game. This is called Collect 25 Cents. Can
anyone guess why it is called this? Yes, because you are trying to collect 25 cents. Good thinking!
For this game, I will be assigning you a partner. You will get with your partner, and together, you
will collect a bag of money, both of your math journals, and two pencils before having a seat on
the floor somewhere in the classroom. When you and your partner have a seat, you will take out
the die. Whoever goes first will roll the die, and read the number they have rolled. They will then
record that number in their journal, and collect that amount of money from the bag. You will also

record what coins you used! I am going to give you an example. The teacher rolls her own die. I
have rolled a 6. What should I take from the bag to represent 6 cents? I could take 6 pennies, and
that would be accurate, but I could also take 1 nickel and 1 penny, and that would be accurate
and efficient, because I was able to grab just 2 coins instead of 6, while still making 6 cents. Now
that I have 6 cents, I am going to write a 6 in my math journal. The teacher writes a 6 on the
board. And I am going to prepare my paper for the next roll. The teacher writes + ___ after the 6.
Then it is my partners turn. My partner will take their turn and then I will roll again. This time,
I roll a 4. I am going to grab 4 pennies from the bag and then I am going to write a 4 in the blank
space I have made. The teacher does this on the board. I am then going to complete my equation.
The teacher adds = ___ after her equation on the board. What is 6 plus 4? 10! The teacher writes
that in. Now, I have 1 nickel and 5 pennies. Could I make a trade in my bag and turn these many
coins into just a few? I sure can! I could change my 5 pennies to a nickel, and therefore have 2
nickels. That would be accurate, but I would rather be accurate and efficient and grab 1 dime. Is
everyone clear? Once you have decided which coins you want to use, you will record that in your
journal to the side. For example, if you have 6 + 4 = 10, you will write 2 n. After I have done
that, I will take the 10 I have completed my equation with and move it to the next line, so I know
where to begin on my third roll. The teacher moves beneath her original equation to write 10 +
___. The game will keep going until both you and your partner have collected 25 cents in some
form or fashion. Try to make your collection accurate and efficient. Does anyone have any
questions as to what they should be doing? Great! I am going to put you in partner pairs. When
you hear your name, please find your partner, grab a money bag, get your journals and pencils,
and find a spot on the floor to play. You may get started as soon as you are settled! The teacher
pairs the students up, purposefully placing students with partners they would not choose for
themselves, but can work with appropriately and respectfully. The teacher gets all students going
and then circulates, stopping by each group to discuss what is happening in their game.
III. Assessment:
The teacher will evaluate how effectively and accurately students play the game, Collect TwentyFive. During the game students will record their moves into their math journals. For example, if
a student rolls a six, they will record 6 + _____ = _______. The student will try to find the most
effective way to create six cents. For this problem, a student would be expected to write 1 nickel
and 1 penny. Okay class, we already talked about how to play the game! I want to make sure that
you are recording everything down correctly. Remember you need to write your equation as you
roll the die. When you fully complete the equation record which coins you used! Let me show you
what I mean. The teacher will create an example problem. If I rolled a 5 the first time and a 6 my
second time I would record 5 + 6 = 11. How could I make 11 cents? Thats right I could use 1
dime and 1 penny. The teacher needs to explain how students will record which coins they used.
When you are finished writing your equation I want you to write out to the side what coins you
used. I am going to write 1 d and 1 p. The teacher will record this answer on the board. The
students will continue this process until they collect $0.25. The teacher will be looking to make
sure students understand the most productive way to trade money. The teacher will make sure that
students also use the coins accurately. Remember class!! We want to use the least amount of
coins, that is the most effective way. Would we ever use 25 pennies to make a quarter? No! Good!
The teacher will examine each students work. Students who can not accurately and effectively
create twenty-five in the game Collect 25 will be pulled in order to give them the additional
support they need. Give students time to complete their first round. However, if students finish
before the rest of the class, ask them to play another round. Okay class, if you finish do not start
acting out. I would like you start a new game with your partner! You might not finish the second
round, but that is okay!

IV. Closure:
The teacher will pull the class together at the carpet. Eyes on me guys! The teacher will hold her
hand in the air and begin counting down from five. Students should be in their designated seat,
sitting quietly by the time the teacher reaches one. Five, four, three, two, one! Great, everybody is
ready. The teacher will begin closing the lesson. Can someone tell me what what we did today?
The teacher will call on students. Yes, you are right. We played a game where we tried to make it
to twenty-five cents by rolling a dice and trading coins! The teacher now wants to see how
students made twenty five. Can someone share with me some ways they made twenty five cents
with their coins? The teacher will stand and record the answers on the board. The teacher will be
looking for whole equations, not just the coins used. The teacher will record 1-3 responses on the
board! Good! Can we talk about all the ways we can make twenty-five now? Let a couple of
students answer, use the appropriate amount of wait time in order to give students time to think.
The teacher will record the responses on the board. Yes! You are right! We can make $0.25 with 1
quarter, 2 dimes and 1 nickels, 5 nickels, or 25 pennies. Those are great ways! Can someone tell
me those most effective way though? Thats right using one quarter would be the best way to
make twenty-five cents. You guys did a great job. Pat yourself on the back and walk quietly back
to your desk!
Materials and Resources:
8 Bags of Play Money
8 Die
Dry Erase Board and 5 Colored Markers
Student Math Journals
Student Pencils
Differentiation Strategies:
Green: Students will be asked to play this game using 50 cents as their goal. Students who
accomplish this will move to 75 cents and eventually a dollar, making a chart to serve as a visual
for what is being done, with teacher assistance if necessary.
Red: Students will be asked to play the game one-on-one with the teacher during math review
time. The teacher will present students with their own version of the chart that has been written
on the board before proceeding. The student will be asked to start with collecting 10 cents and
then make their way up to 25.
Data Analysis:
The students, overall, did very well on their assessment. We had eight students who, I feel, could
teach this game to the class if need be. Four of our students would be considered Tier II for this
activity. That is not a surprise to us, because of some learning issues that are present. We found
them to be in need of some help when traveling around the room, as they were a bit confused
with the game itself and the process of recording their results. Two of our fourteen students who
we taught today would be considered Tier III. Again, this is not a surprise, as one has significant
trouble with math and the other is an ELL student. The next time this game is played, I feel that
the Tier II students will move up to Tier I. The Tier III students may need to play this game with a
teacher or more experienced student to grasp the concept at hand.

Reflection:
I was much more pleased with my teaching in this lesson than I was in the last lesson I taught. I
felt very comfortable in front of my students, and felt that I was able to access prior knowledge
well in connecting the new content to real-life experiences. Mrs. Harris seemed rather pleased
with the lesson, as well. Abby and I mainly struggled with the later portion of the lesson, walking
around the room to ensure everyone was playing the game (and recording their results) in the
correct way. It was difficult to work alongside the students who we already knew were Tier III,
while still checking in with the students who were in Tier II and Tier I. Next time this game is
played, I will most likely be by myself in the classroom with Mrs. Harris. I will share our data
with her and make an effort to make it around to all the groups who will need support in this
process.

Samford University
Design for Learning