Amber Harris

Lesson Plan #3
Coach Wren
15 March 2016

During this lesson we will be working with the hands on equations

kit to help introduce something completely new to the sixth grade
students. This is not something that many of these students have
seen before. We will be working on solving for the variable within an
equation by doing nothing but adding. We will be starting this lesson
with simple rules and simple problems, and then once they have a
good understanding of this, we will continue to build off of what we
talked about and start to add more rules and begin working on more
complex equations, yet still solving for that one variable.

Name: Amber Harris

Lesson Title: Hands On Equations
Curriculum Area: Expressions and Equations
Grade Level: 6th grade
Time Required: 40-45 minutes
Instructional Groupings: Are you using whole group, small group,
partners, quads, homogenous, or heterogeneous groupings?
We will be discussing what we are going to do as a class, and once I
have instructed my class on what we will be doing, we will then go into
the team room and join the other 6th grade math class at that time. We
will refresh our memory as to what the rules are for the hands on
activity, such as: you can only add, and you can pair and remove the
pawns on each side of the balance. Once everyone remembers the
rules they will find one partner from the other math class to work with.
Once they have found their partner they will find a spot on the floor to
work together on the hands on equations. We will do multiple
examples together as a whole group to make sure everyone is
understanding what is to be expected, then they will be allowed to
start working through the rest of the worksheet with their partners.
Standards: List the state or national standards that you are using in
this lesson
Content Standards:
Apply and extend previous understandings of arithmetic to
algebraic expressions.
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.6.EE.A.1
Write and evaluate numerical expressions involving whole-number
exponents.
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.6.EE.A.2
Write, read, and evaluate expressions in which letters stand for
numbers.
C. (2016). Grade 6 Expressions & Equations. Retrieved from
http://www.corestandards.org/Math/Content/6/EE/
Materials:
Individual White Boards
Dry Erase Markers
Kleenexes
Cubes
Pawns
Instructions
Balance

Overview: What is the purpose of the lesson?

The purpose of this lesson is for the students to be given an equation
and they will follow the rules that we provided them with to solve for
the variable, which is what the pawn represents on the balance. For
example if the balance has
32=
They know that the pawns stand for x, the only thing they can do is
add, and you can pair and remove pawns from each side. Therefore,
you can add the 3 and 2 on the left side to give you 5 and you can pair
and remove the pawns from each side, meaning there are two pawns
on the left side and there are also two pawns on the right side so you
can remove the two pawns on the left side and you are left with 5 and
you can remove the two pawns on the right side and you are left with
one pawn, which is an x, therefore x=5. They are then to go back and
check their answer, so for every pawn they will plug in 5. So they will
have 5+3+5+2=15 and 5+5+5=15 therefore, 15=15.
What will I differentiate?
Content
Process
Product
We will be learning how to solve addition equations by using models.
We will come into the classroom that day and we will discuss what we
will be doing that day and what I expect of them when we are with the
other class. Once we have had a discussion we will then go into the
team room to meet with the other sixth grade math class at that time.
Depending on what the other teacher and myself decided about
partners we will have each student find one partner to work with that
day. Once they have found their partner we will have them find a spot
on the floor that gives them enough room to work efficiently during
that class period, once they have found their spot we will pass out the
materials that they need for the activity. We will go through the rules
together and write them on the board so they always have that
reminder that they can look at. I will have a balance up in the front of
the classroom so we can work through examples together as a class so
the students can get a good understanding of what they will be doing.
After we have completed examples together the other teacher and
myself will walk around the room to help the groups that need help and
to check on everyone to make sure they are doing okay and to make
sure they are staying on track with what they are supposed to be
doing. They will be completing the rest of the worksheet with their
partners, and they will be doing this for the rest of the class period.
How will I differentiate? For readiness, interest, learning profile,
learning environment , combination
I will be able to judge the students understanding of what we are doing
while we are working through examples as a class. I will have students
help walk me through the example and when they give me an answer I

will have them explain to the class how they got what they did. Not
only will this help the other students see what they did but this will
give the student the opportunity to explain out loud their thought
process. Once we have done a number of examples and I feel that the
students have a good understanding of what is going on, I will then let
them loose to do the rest of the assignment. As for the ones who need
extra help the other math teacher and myself will be walking around
the room helping the groups that need the help.
What will the students understand? Big idea, principles, the point of
the lesson
The students will solve addition equations using models. Using models
will get them more involved and to have a little fun with it. After they
understand what they are doing with the models we will then move it
onto paper and do the same thing without models.
What will the students know? Facts, vocabulary, memoriziable
information
Vocabulary:
Addition Equation: An equation that only uses addition as its operation.
Memorable Information:
The students will have memorized the rules that they can use to help
solve the equation. By memorizing these rules that are given to them
to use to solve for the variable, or the pawn, it will make it a lot easier
to solve for the variable once they are not using the models and
instead solving for the variable on paper.
What will the students do? What skills will you assess
I will be assessing the students on the steps that they take to solve for
the value of the pawn, or the variable. I will also be looking to see if
they are using the rules that they are given to use to solve for that
value of the variable. They will be required to use those rules and it
will make the process a lot easier for them when the problems become
more complicated. I will also be assessing them on how they are
working together with their partners. If they are jacking around, or if
they are helping their partner understand what is going on if they need
help. Working with partners on this can be very beneficial because if
one partner sees the value one way but the other partner does it a
different way they can discuss how they got their answers and it might
help them see that there is more than one way to solve problems, it
does not always have to be the way that I teach them.
Pre-Assessment: How will you find out about where your students are
at for this lesson?
Before we begin the activity for the day we will be discussing what we
will be doing and how they will be able to check their answer once they

solve for the value of the variable. They are always able to figure out if
they are correct once they have solved for the value. We will start the
first day with easy problems that they will not have to do much to it to
solve for the value of the variable, this will give them the opportunity
to get a hold of what we are doing and I will be deciding when they are
ready to move on to something a little more complicated. We will not
be moving on until they are ready for it because this is going to be
something completely new to them.
Steps in the Lesson: Include ideas for whole class instruction,
differentiated activities, sharing, etc.
We will be discussing as a whole class what we will be doing that day
and I will be answering any questions they have before we go into the
team room and join another math class and become an even bigger
group. I want my students to ask me any of the questions that they
feel they need to before we go into the team room because some of
them will not continue to ask questions once we have joined an even
bigger group. Once we have joined the other math class the other
teacher and myself will be explaining to them as a whole group what
we will be doing and what we will be expecting them to accomplish.
We will discuss the rules that they will use to solve these problems and
we will write them on the white board so they always have them up
their to remind themselves what the rules are if they forget. Once we
have completely problems together and students have helped me walk
through problems I will set them free to do the rest of the worksheet
using their own balance with their partner. Once they are working with
just their partner the other teacher and myself will be walking around
helping any of the groups that need the help or have any questions.
We thought that working with partners and as a group, along with
doing something hands on that is a little more fun than pencil and
paper, will allow the students to become more engaged and interested
in the lesson we are trying to teach.
Closure: this may be in the form of independent practice, a chance to
share, or a restatement of the lesson goals
We will be closing out the lesson by allowing the students to work with
their partners to complete the rest of the worksheet on their own white
boards and their own balances. This will give them the opportunity to
walk each other through the problems on their own and to help one
another if they do not understand. Once they have completed the
problem and found the value for the variable they are required to go
back and check their answer to make sure they have the correct
answers and once they have checked their answer and they believe
that they have the correct answer they are then required to go up to
the front table and check their answer with the answer key. If they did
not get to correct answer they will then have to redo the problem with

the help of the other teacher or myself.

Post- Assessment: How will you use this data to inform the next
learning experience?
We will use this data to continue on with the next learning experience
because once they have the simple equations down we will start to
make them more complicated and we will also start adding to our list
of rules, so we will slowly keep adding on to what we have already
been doing. For example, the rules at the beginning will be nothing
but adding and pairing and removing the pawns from each side of the
balance. Once they have got the equations down when they can do
nothing but add, we will then add other rules such as you are able to
add and subtract and just keep building on from there.
Consideration of diverse learners: what will you modify for diverse or
exceptional learners?
The lesson will not be modified for diverse or exceptional learners
because for the ones who need the extra help we will be pairing them
with the students who do a good job of working with others and also do
a very good job of explaining their thought process and what they did
to solve the problem. The students who need a lot of extra help have a
para that come into the classroom with them so they will not only have
their partner, but they will also have the para there with them to help
walk them through the problems that they need help with. All in all,
we are going to do our best to pair the students with others that they
can really benefit from and to pair them with the students who like
helping others and do a good job explaining their thought process and
who can help walk other students through problems.