Baldwin-Wallace University/School of Education/Universal Lesson Plan

I. Subject: Math – Measurement & Computation Date: 9-13-17 Grade Level: 3

II. Alignment to Standards:

A. Ohio’s Learning Standards:

-ODE.3.NBT.A.2: Fluently add and subtract within 1000 using strategies and algorithms
based on place value, properties of operations, and/or the relationship between addition
and subtraction.
-ODE.3.MD.B.4: Generate measurement data by measuring lengths using rulers marked
with halves and fourths of an inch.

III. Central focus of the learning segment:

This learning segment will focus on reviewing measurement techniques with students in order to
prepare them to begin working with measuring area, perimeter, volume, etc. The segment would
begin with a lesson that reviews proper measurement technique and measuring different objects
around the room. Additionally, the students would differentiate between inches and feet, and
explore how many inches are in each foot. After this brief review, students would spend one or
two days with this lesson, involving measurement in computation in order to “build” a bridge.
This will help students prepare to manipulate measurements when it comes to area, perimeter,
and volume, which would be the next topic of focus during the unit.

IV. Learning Objective(s)/Target/s:

By the end of the 2-day lesson, the students will be able to “build” a bridge out of a variety of
materials that measures the proper given length, by accurately measuring each material and then
selecting the correct combination of materials to create a bridge within one foot in length of the
target.

V. Assessment/s:

A. Formative assessments during the lesson:

-The teacher will observe students as they work collaboratively to select and measure
materials to build their bridges. Students are expected to measure each material, check
the measurements, and compute how much of each material is needed. Students should
each turn in a copy of their “work” and their material “order form” at the end of the first
day of class.

B. Summative assessment:
-The teacher will measure the difference between the goal length and actual length of the
bridge each group has built. Each group should have an actual length within one foot of
the goal length. If they do not meet the criteria, they will return to work and redesign
their bridge.

VI. Academic Language:

 A. Function:
-Students will design bridges that are within one foot of the goal length. They will
measure their materials before designing their bridge in order to determine how much
they need to meet their goal.

B. Content vocabulary:

-Inch: the smallest whole unit of length in the standard unit

-Foot: a standard unit of length, equal to 12 inches
-Measure: to determine the size of something using an instrument marked in standard
units, such as a ruler

VII. Materials/Candidate Resources:

-Standard unit rulers, tape measures, and yard sticks
-Long wooden blocks
-Newspaper
-Carpet squares
-Balance beams (or other long, thin materials used for “bridge-building”)
-Material “order form” and “blue print” sheet – 1 per student – attached
-Document camera

VIII. Behavior Expectations:

-Students are expected to work cooperatively in groups for the duration of the lesson. Students
should be attentive at the beginning of the lesson as they listen for directions. Materials should
be used appropriately, and put back where they belong when finished. During the second day of
the lesson, students should be respectful of each other’s ideas and give constructive criticism
during the critiquing process.

IX. PROCEDURES:

A. Motivation/Hook:
-As students walk into the room, they will see a variety of measuring tools at the front of
the room as well as boxes of “building materials” (blocks, balance beam, carpet squares,
etc.). The teacher may wear a hard hat or other “construction worker” items.

B. Instructional Strategies:

What the teacher will What the student 8 Math Differentiation Anticipated Time
say/do: is expected to do: Practices: (one or more of
the following
groups – above
level; below level;
ESL; urban or
rural
disadvantaged)
The teacher will begin The students will Students will 1 minute
by telling the students listen as the teacher make sense of
that they have a BIG describes the problems and
problem in their problem that they persevere in
classroom – the floor have. The students solving them.
has turned to lava and will raise their hand
they need to find a way to offer ways that
to get from one door to they might be able
the other! To do so, to build a bridge
they are going to have across the room.
to build a lava-proof
bridge that reaches all
the way across. The
teacher will ask the
class if they think they
can think of a way to
do that?
The teacher will ask The students will 2 minutes
the students what ask about which
information they might information they
need to know before might need to know
getting started. What before getting
materials do we have? started.
How big/long does the
bridge have to be? Are
we working in groups
or alone? Etc.
The teacher will begin The students will Students use Visual, auditory, 5 minutes
to answer some of their listen as the teacher appropriate tactile.
questions, starting by answers their tools The teacher may
telling them that questions and strategically. ask struggling
eventually they will be describes the Students attend students to actually
working in groups, but situation. Two to precision. do the practice
that they are going to students will be measurement while
start off working as a selected to measure an advanced
class. The teacher will the distance student talks them
select two students to between the through it.
work together to doorways. The rest
measure the distance of the class will
from one door to the watch as the
other with a tape students measure.
measure. The teacher
will ask the students to
remind her what are
some important things
to remember when
making measurements
(Start at the zero, not
the one; check which
units you’re using,
etc.). The teacher will
ask the two students to
tell her how long the
distance is (or how
long the bridge will
have to be) and will
write it on the board in
both feet and inches.
The teacher will hold
up the tape measure to
show that the
feet/inches are
equivalent to each
other. Depending on
the level of the
students, and the
distance measured, the
teacher may choose to
then circle either the
measurement in inches
or feet for the students
to refer to during the
activity.
Next, the teacher will The students will . Visual, auditory. 5 minutes
tell the students that look at the material Mathematical-
they have a variety of order form and logical, spatial.
building materials to blueprint form on
choose from when the document
constructing their camera, as well as
bridge that is x length the variety of
long. The teacher will materials they have
hold up some of the to work with. If
materials and will students have
explain that just like in questions about the
real life, construction procedure, they
crews have to place an may raise their hand
order to receive the to ask the teacher.
right amount of
materials they need.
The teacher will tell the
students that they are
going to work in
groups to measure the
different materials and
determine how much of
each material they will
need in order to build a
bridge that is the
correct length. The
teacher will display the
“material order form”
on the document
camera and do one
example – select a
material and measure
its length. The teacher
will tell the class that
they should measure all
of the available
materials and then
determine how many
they might need to
have the total length.
The teacher will tell the
students that there are
many different
combinations to make
this work, and that you
can change your ideas
as you go along. The
teacher will also show
the students the
“blueprint” handout,
which has space to do
work and draw a
picture of your bridge.
The teacher will then The students will Students will Interpersonal, 30 minutes
divide the students into divide into their make sense of tactile,
groups of four, hand construction crews. problems and mathematical-
out their material order They will work persevere in logical, spatial,
forms and blueprints, with their crews to solving them. kinesthetic, visual.
and then monitor the measure the Students
students as they get to different materials reason ESL students may
work with their and determine how abstractly and be given forms in
construction crews. many of each quantitatively. their first language.
Students may not build material would help Students model
their bridge across the them to build the with Students with
entire classroom yet, most accurate mathematics. disabilities may be
but must use the length of bridge. As Students use given forms with
individual they make the appropriate large lines/spaces
measurements to make measurements and tools or more guided
predictions about how plan their bridges, strategically. directions.
long their total bridge they should Students look
will be. The teacher complete the for and make
should help guide material order and use of structure
groups in the right blueprint forms.
direction, but let them
figure it out through
trial and error.
At the end of the first The students will 2 minutes
class, the teacher will turn in their
collect the material blueprints and
order forms and material order
blueprints, and look forms to the teacher
them over to prepare and clean up their
for the next day. materials.
During day two of the The students will Students will Interpersonal, 40 minutes
lesson, the teacher will work with their make sense of kinesthetic, tactile,
give the students back construction crews. problems and visual, auditory,
their material order They will take turns persevere in spatial,
forms and blue prints, building their solving them. mathematical-
and will give each bridges based on Students logical.
group the opportunity their blueprints in construct
to explain their blue front of the class, viable
print, build their describing the arguments and
bridge, and then strategies that they critique the
discuss the results with used, and reasoning of
the class. They will responding to the others.
measure the actual other students’
length with the goal critiques. Each
length to determine if group will measure
their blueprints will the actual length of
actually work. Other the bridge and the
groups will critique class will find the
their work and can difference between
offer suggestions if the actual length
they need to redesign and target length.
part of their bridge.
Each group will have
the opportunity to build
and discuss their
bridge, with the goal of
having built the bridge
with the most accurate
actual length.

C. Review/Closure:
At the end of the lesson, the students will have the opportunity to share which strategies
they believe worked the best for their construction crews and what they learned from
the other groups as well. The crew with the most accurate bridge will get to wear
construction hats at the doorway to the classroom and the rest of the class will give
them high fives as they leave. (10 minutes).

X. REFLECTION (For 300-level courses and beyond)

1. Were today’s learning objectives/targets met for individuals, small groups, and the whole
class?

2. What would you do differently if you could teach the class again to the same students?
(This could include changes in the organization of the lesson plan, strategies used, use of
technology, use of differentiation, formative assessments and closure.)

3. Based on your questions, checks for understanding, and/or assessment data/analysis, what
will happen next for the entire class and for specific groups/individuals in this class?

Cooperating Teacher Signature Date

BAS: 8/31/16
Names: _______________________________________________________________________

Designing a Bridge

What is the total length that your bridge should be (in inches)? ______________

Use the chart below to keep track of the lengths of your possible building materials:

Material: Length (inches):

Magazines

Paper Bags

White Tiles

Wooden Boards
Names: _______________________________________________________________________

Use this space and your materials chart to figure out how much of each material you need to

order so that your bridge will be the correct total length:

Quantity (How
Material:
Many):

Magazines

Paper Bags

White Tiles

Wooden Boards