Susan Ciano

E Portfolio: Adolescent Mathematics

Impact on Student Learning

For my EdTPA I taught a sequence of lessons on systems of inequalities. The

sequence began with an exploration of twelve graphscomparing them to systems of

equations and to linear inequalitiesand ended with students constructing a collection of

graphs in order to determine the path of safety for an adventure-seeking archaeologist, Ohio

Jones.

The first day focused on getting the students familiar with having two inequalities on

one graph and with what it means for a point to be part of the solution of a system of

inequalities. Day two involved using inequalities to narrow the coordinate the plane to a

single possible solution. We also related this idea to trying to describe to someone where their

school is located. The third day put the students to task graphing multiple systems of

inequalities.

I administered the following assessment in the form of an exit ticket on the second

day of instruction:
 The students had already

been graphing linear

inequalities before this

three day sequence began,

and theyve been graphing

lines since the previous

year, so the purpose of part

(a) was to assess prior knowledge and give lower level students an entry point. Part (b) was to

again assess prior knowledge while recording a students ability to physically graph the

inequality. The third part was designed to address my main focus: does the student understand

the meaning of the solution set? A written explanation was required here. Part (d) was added

so that the students will become accustomed to identifying the intersection of the system.

Scoring

This assessment was evaluated using a scoring rubric. I broke down the graphing of

inequalities into smaller parts and gave the students partial credit based on which tasks they

completed successfully. In doing so, I could see which students did not possess the

prerequisite skills for graphing inequalities (y-intercept, slope, greater than, less than, or

equal to signs). I was also able to discern which students had achieved the objective of the

lesson-- What does it mean if a point is in the solution set of a system of inequalities-- and

which had not. And I was also able to see if any students were already able to graph a

system-- which was the following day's objective.

My students' scores ranged from 3 points up to 9 points, out of a possible 10. Since I

had asked the students to explain in writing whether a particular point was part of the solution

set of the system, I was able to see where any confusion might exist. Analyzing the results of
the class showed me that there was confusion over whether or not a point on one or two of

the boundaries of the set should be included in the solution. I also noticed that not everyone

understood the significance of a dotted line versus a solid line.

Since I think it is important for a student to understand what it means to be part of the

solution set, I included a criterion which assessed whether or not the student mentioned that

being part of the solution meant that the point satisfied both inequalities and/or was located in

the intersection of each individual system. Only one student received a point here. She

plugged the point (2,1) into both inequalities and said that it was not part of the solution

because it did not satisfy both inequalities.

Next Steps

As a result of this assessment, I knew what needed to be addressed in the coming days

as we began graphing systems of inequalities. I continued to insert questions into my lessons

and homework assignments on the concepts of dotted lines, solid lines, and solutions. For

those without the prerequisite skills, We set up stations on identifying and graphing slope and

y-intercept and I gave all students a handout which summarized graphing lines and one which

summarized graphing a system of equations.

In Conclusion

Because of this in depth teaching experience during my student teaching, I am better able to

use assessments as a way to not only monitor student learning but also to provide future

opportunities for students to use feedback effectively.