Jin Xie

Math Lesson Plan

Thursday, November 17, 2016
4 students
5th grade
What
I revised my lesson plan significantly from my original one that I sent to Professor
Remillard. Based on her comments, I realized that I needed to clearly break down my
objective of the lesson. Initially, I had been trying to incorporate two separate ideas that
had little opportunity for students to develop mathematical ideas. During the revision
process in which I consulted Professor Remillard, I chose to focus on exploring
equivalence with fractions, drawing on a model lesson in Chapin and Johnson (2006) that
incorporated visual representations of equivalent fractions and tangram-like diagrams. In
this revised lesson, students will represent equivalent fractions using part-whole
relationships to show that equal fractions do not have to be the same shape but must have
equal area. For the tangram-like diagram, students will explore how to estimate equal but
non-congruent areas that have equivalent representations in terms of fourths, eighths, and
sixteenths. I will use a range of dot diagrams and tangram-like diagrams to have students
think about the representation of equivalent fractions as pictured below:

How
I will use dot paper to create a square. For the first activity, I will divide the square into
fourths, and model different ways to represent or 2/8. I will then ask students to show
me how I would find 4/8. After introducing the basis for the lesson, I will explain that the

students will do the same thing, individually, with the diagrams, but show how to
represent the equivalent of the following fractions: 6/8 and 10/16. After representing
those fractions, students will begin estimating areas of individual shapes on the tangram
diagram. During student work, I will closely observe the process and strategies of
students, ask probing questions, and provide support as needed. After students work
individually, we will come together as a group to discuss several strategies and questions.

Task: Students will represent equivalent fractions using part-whole relationships to

explore the relationship between shape and area for equal fractions as well as explore
how to estimate equal but non-congruent areas that have equivalent representations in
terms of fourths, eights, and sixteenths.
Discourse: This lesson will rely on student-driven discussion during the debriefing in
which students will share their strategies, comment on their peers strategies and ask
relevant questions. My role in this discussion will be merely as a facilitator in which I
will re-voice student strategies and problem-solving approaches when appropriate.
Tools: Students will be provided with visual tools to represent their visual
representation of equivalent fractions. For students who may need more support, they
will have access to additional handouts to scaffold finding equivalence.
Norms: I will detail classroom expectations and norms at the beginning of the lesson
to remind students that there are various ways to approach a problem. Additionally, I
will go over the norms for group discussion and independent work. During the group
discussion and throughout the lesson, students will be expected to be able to explain
their work.

Why
I decided to focus on equivalence because I appreciated the idea of models and
alternative methods apart from the routine drills and memorization. Chapin and Johnson
(2006) argue that, Equivalence is one of the most important mathematical ideas for
students to understand, particularly with regard to fractions. Equivalence is used when
comparing fractions, ordering fractions, and adding and subtracting fractions (114).
They go on to explain that, Students should be encouraged to use models of fractional
quantitiesand to model equivalencies and operations before they are introduced to
procedures and rules. Too often instruction moves quickly to the symbolic, asking
students to memorize algorithms (131). In the math workbook the students often use, the
questions prompt them to find equivalent fractions by multiplying the numerator and
denominator by the same number. I wanted to use the visual representations with the dot
diagrams and tangram diagrams to have students work on their understanding of
equivalence through alternative methods that did not focus on rote memorization and
drills.

Jin Xie
Math Lesson Plan
Thursday, November 17, 2016
4 students
5th grade
Goals/Objectives
SWBAT explore the idea that equal fractions, using a part-whole model, do not have
the same shape but must have equal area.
SWBAT use tangram-like diagram to estimate equal but non-congruent areas that
have equivalent representations in terms of fourths, eighths, and sixteenths.
Materials & Preparation
Dot paper (3 versions)
Tangram diagram
Markers
Classroom arrangement and management issues
Because I will not be in my classroom during my small group lessons, I will be teaching
in the copy room. Space may be an issue in allowing students to work independently
without distractions from other students. Students will be seated at a circular table for the
lesson. They will all be able to see each other and be in close proximity for hearing each
others responses. I will ensure that I include respectful work in the classroom norms as
well as circulate during their independent work. However, since I will only be working
with 4 students I do not expect to incorporate too many redirections.
Plan (50 min)
Launch (10 min)
Expectations and Norms
Go over classroom expectations & norms of discussion through poster
Task Introduction
Introduce task set up:
o Tell them that we will be working on finding and representing equivalent
fractions.
o Model how to find of the area of the diagram.
Hand out first round of dot diagram and markers.
Ask them to find a way to represent 6/8 with the dot diagram. Then, they will
represent 10/16 with a dot diagram.
Work and Explore (20 minutes)
Dot diagram (10 min): Students work individually. As they work, I will circulate to
ask questions to check for understanding:
o How did you decide to represent the fraction this way?

o How did you know you could split this up?

o Are there any other ways to represent this fraction?
Tangram (10 min): Once they have completed their dot diagram fraction
representation, I will repeat the launch process by introducing the tangram diagram.
o Now, I want you to estimate what fraction of the whole each shape is in this
diagram.
o The students will work and explore individually to estimate without
measuring the fractional equivalence of each shape in the square.

During the work period, my role would be to facilitate students thinking. Ill be checking
in with individual students while they work to find out how they are representing
equivalent fractions.
Debrief & Wrap Up (20 min)
Close task & introduce discussion
Have students share strategy & representation.
Discussion
Have students go around in the order they are sitting in to first discuss how they
approached 6/8. Then, discuss which strategies were helpful and how they decided to
use that strategy.
o How did you know you could split up the whole like that?
o How is this strategy similar to ______s strategy?
o Was there anything surprising about someones strategy that you hadnt
thought of?
Then, go around to discuss strategies used for 10/16.
o How did you know that you could split up the whole like that?
o Could you do this a different way?
o How is this strategy similar or different to the one you used to find 6/8?
Go around to discuss tangram puzzle for students who finished early.
o How did you begin trying to estimate the parts of the square?
o What things were difficult and how did you approach it?
o What strategies did you use?
o How are these strategies similar or different to the ones you used for the past
two problems?
In general, I want the debrief discussion to be student-centered and student-led. I will revoice student thinking, but I want students to have the chance to respond to their peers
and ask important clarifying questions.
Anticipating students responses and your possible responses
Student Response
If a student does not want to work
independently.

Teacher Response
Provide prompting questions such as:
How can you break this up into four parts?
What fraction is one block of that?

Allow partner work for the first problem,

the gradually release responsibility for that
student by having them work
independently for the next one.
Assessment of the goals/objective listed above
In order to best assess student learning based on the goals and objectives of this lesson, I
will:
o Check in with students as they complete the task
o Constantly circulate and ask students to explain their strategies
o Observations of student work
o Listening during group discussions
I will ask questions that access students higher-order thinking skills to explain their
thinking and consider different approaches to the strategies. Throughout the lesson, I will
conduct informal assessment. During the group discussion, I will look for engagement
regarding student explanation of different strategies as well as listening to other students
share their strategies.
Accommodations
Because the students in my group will have a range of mathematical levels, I will adjust
and accommodate with for students who finish early by providing copies of dot diagrams
in which they design their own model for a fraction of their choice using part-whole
relationship understandings. For students who may need more scaffolding, I will provide
additional copies of the dot diagram to experiment with equivalence.