EDU400 Semester One 2014

Task Two
Student Name

Robert Gianduzzo

Student Number

1059876

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WEE
TOOL
BRIEF DESCRIPTION
K
Poster on problem
solving

A poster outlining the thinking process of solving

mathematical problems. The poster would be hang
on a wall in the classroom for students to use as a
visual reference in remembering the process.

800 game

A game that is played in pairs and can be easily

made available to students. This game focuses on
developing an understanding of number sentences
and decimal numbers. The game would be
introduced to the whole class and used for an entire
lesson. After the lesson, the game would be kept on
a shelve for students to access in spare time or
maths rotations

Games to develop
fluency with
multiplication and
division

Around the World: Whole Class: Students sit in a

circle, and a starting person is selected. The
starting person stands behind the student next to
him or her. The teacher holds up a flash card.
The student to say the answer first moves on to
challenge the next student. If a sitting student
says the answer first, the students switch
places.This process continues until at least one
student makes it completely around the circle.

Flashcards at the Door: Whole Class: When the

students line-up to enter or exit the classroom,
hold up a flash card as each student passes
through the door. The answer to the flash card is
the "pass" into the classroom. If a student misses
the problem, he or she must step to the side and
figure out the answer before he or she enters the
classroom.
Buzz: Whole Class or Group Activity: Standing in a
circle either the teacher or a student selects a
number between 2 and 9. The teacher or first
student says 1, the student standing to the first
persons left says 2, and so on.
Instead of saying a multiple of the selected
number, that student says "buzz. If a player
forgets to say buzz or says it at the wrong time, he
or she is out. Continue until the group reaches the

last multiple of the number times 9.

Division Jump: Group Activity: In pairs or groups,
students are provided were a game board,
numbered cards and blank paper. The first player
rolls a dice and moves their piece that many
spaces on the game board. The player then gets to
decide to draw 2,3 or 4 cards from the numbered
cards and create a number from the drawn cards.
The player then divides the number they created
with the number given on the space and records
their answer on the piece of paper. They check
their answer on a calculator. If they were correct
they score a point. The game continues like this
until 10 rounds have been played. The player with
the most points win.
The Jail Game: Whole Class Activity: The class is
separated into two groups. The teacher then
selects one student from each team to attempt to
answer a division or multiplication flashcard. The
winner may select one person to sit down on the
other team or bring a team mate back into the
game. The first team to have all its members
sitting down loses.
Snake: Whole Class Activity: Students are provided
with a game board template. Students will record
the product of two rolled dice results multiplied
together. Students are then given a choice to either
continue to stand and play or sit out of the game.
Students still standing are eligible to get more
points by continuing to write down the answers.
The rest of the game follows the same procedure
until the teacher rolls a 1 on either dice. The game
then resets in a different round. When the template
has been filled, the student with the most answers
wins.
4

Diagnostic tasks to
assess fractions

Where is your bowl?: This task assesses the

students knowledge of placing fractions on a
number line. Students are required to create three
different fractions fish and place them near either a
bowl labeled 0, and 1. The student then has to
select one fish fraction they placed and explain why
they placed the number there. This task is suited for
year 5 students.
Fraction Game: This task assesses the students
abilities to create and compare fractions. Students
are given a scenario where they have to draw two
different fractions on a space provided, compare the
fractions, select which fraction is larger and explain
their answer. This task is suited for years 5 - 7

High Number Game: This task assesses the

students knowledge of comparing and converting
fractions, decimals and percentages. Students are
given a scenario similar to the fraction game but
with fractions, percentages and decimals. In the
scenario, three people are comparing a percentage,
a fraction and a decimal. Students are required to
determine and explain which of the three people
drew the biggest number through converting. This
task is more suited for year 7 students.
Simple Calculator

Calculators in the classroom can add many benefits.

Students can use calculators to check their work
and empower them to find mistakes within the work.
Students will develop their estimation skills and
computation strategies and use the calculator to
check their own work.

Apps for teaching

Maths

Statistics 1: An App designed for teachers that

provides, lessons, resources and diagnostic and
formative quizzes based around gathering and
graphing statistics.

Calcbot: Adds a different calculator to the iPad. This

calculator is capable of recording past equations and
stores them for reference. This allows the teacher to
see how the students are using the calculator to
work out problems.

Equivalents: Provides several games focusing on

developing an understanding of finding and
converting fractions, decimals and percentages.
Number Square: Provides a digital version of a 1100 number square. The square is able to be easily
highlighted and cleared.
Measuring Devices

Ruler: Allows students to gather near exact standard

unit measurements of various objects inside the
classroom.
Measuring Tape: Allows students to find standard
unit measurements of objects with curves and
corners. It can wrap around the object to find its
perimeter without needing to use calculations.

Straws: Allows students to use non-standard unit

measurements around the classroom and develop
their estimation skills.

Nets of 3 different
shapes

Provides students with a visual and kinesthetic

activity to create and investigate how 3D shapes are
formed.

A pair of dice

A pair of dice will be used as a readily available tool

within the classroom to assist in the development of
skills and understanding of mathematical concepts,
such as number algarthims and chance.

A story book that could

be used to teach a
Mathematics concept.

The story book The Professor The housekeeper

written by Yoko Ogawa is the story of a old
mathematician who is suffering from brain damage
and has a habit of talking about numbers. The story
delves into various mathematical concepts, most of
which are too advanced for a primary school level,
however it does cover the mathematical concepts of
square root numbers, imaginary numbers and prime
numbers. These three concepts are a part of the
grade seven curriculum so this book is only suited
for that particular grade. Selected chapters would
be suitable for reading and discussion

10

TOOLKIT ACTIVITIES OF YOUR CHOICE

TOOL
BRIEF DESCRIPTION
Poetry Book
Math talk written by Theoni Pappas, is a poetry book
that discusses a variety of mathematical concepts in
poetic form. The book uses two voices techniques in
which allow two people to read the book aloud like a
conversation. These poems can be used to introduce
new concepts to the class.
AssessOn/Jacplus

AssessOn is an online tool, created by Jacplus, that is

capable of generating homework and assessment
pieces that follow the Australian Curriculum. Jacplus
has created an online and hard copy textbooks created
from the Australian National Curriculum. Jacplus
textbooks provide many additional online resources
and links to extend student knowledge and
understanding and to develop their skills.

Analog Clock

A clock can be used as a resource to develop student

knowledge and understanding of reading time.

Chessboard

A chessboard will be used as a resource to develop

student knowledge and understanding of using grid
coordinates and strategic thinking.

High Number Card

Game

This is a game closely linked to the fraction diagnostic

assessment piece, Fraction Game. After completing the
Fraction Game, students will create their own fraction
cards to create a deck for the class to use. In pairs
students would each draw a card and announce their
fraction. The student who drew the larger fraction
would be the winner of the round. The student who
wins the most rounds is the winner of the game.

FIVE TOOLKIT ACTIVITIES USED FOR INFORMAL, DIAGNOSTIC OR

FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT
TOOL
DESCRIPTION OF USE
AssessOn
The AssessOn tool is used to create both diagnostic
and formative assessment pieces, in the form of
quizzes, for any mathematical concept. During the
creation process of an assessment quiz, AssessOn will
ask which type of assessment is required and the
particular concept. The students then log on through
AssessOn and complete the quiz. The results from the
quiz are recorded for the teacher to observe. These
results show which particular questions were difficult
for the class as a whole. AssessOn can be used for all
primary school grades, however it is more effective
with upper grades than the lower.
Analog Clock

An analog clock can be used as a tool within an

informal assessment piece to observe a students
knowledge and understanding time. Using it as a part
of a checklist assessment, the teacher can give
students the clock and have them manipulate the clock
to answer questions and demonstrate knowledge,
understanding and skills to do with time. This provides
students an alternative method of demonstrating their
skills rather than writing or drawing their answer. This
assessment piece is applicable for the lower to mid
grades (prep 5)

High Number
Game

The High Number Game worksheet is used as a

diagnostic assessment piece to determine student
knowledge on displaying and comparing fractions. This
task was designed using both cognitive diagnostic
assessment and skill analysis approaches to inform the
teacher about whether the students are capable of
displaying a variety of fractions (Skill analysis) and are
able to identify and communicate which fraction is
larger. (Cognitive diagnostic). This diagnostic
assessment is used for the upper grades.

The Jail Game

This game can be used as an informal assessment

throughout the term to observe and record student
abilities in division. Throughout the game, the teacher
is able to select students to attempt division questions
and can determine whether they are struggling with
certain aspects, such as dividing by a particular
number, and can modify their teaching to improve the
students abilities.

Measurement
Straws

Measurement straws can be used within a diagnostic

assessment piece on measurement for the lower
grades. This tool can be used with along side other
tools in a performance task where students are

required to measure a variety of objects in the class

without using their rulers. This task is uses a skill
analysis approach in diagnostic testing to determine
the students knowledge and abilities using nonstandard units of measurement.