Math Lesson Plan – ELED 433

Kristen Davison

*Taught on November 28, 2017

PART ONE: THE LESSON (10 POINTS)

A. TITLE OF LESSON: Equality in an Equation

B. RELATED VIRGINIA STANDARDS OF LEARNING

Patterns, Functions, and Algebra
Focus: Geometric Patterns, Equality, and Property

4.16 The student will

a) Recognize and demonstrate the meaning of equality in an equation

C. LEARNING OBJECTIVES

UNDERSTAND - What are the broad generalizations the students should

begin to develop?
• Students will understand that an equals sign in an equation is not
an arrow pointing to the answer; it indicates that the value is the
same on both sides.

KNOW - What are the facts, rules, specific data the students will gain
through this lesson?
• Students will know different ways to construct numbers using
addition, multiplication, and a combination of both.
• Students will know that operations on both sides of the equal sign
can be different as long as they equal the same number.

DO - What are the specific thinking behaviors students will be able to do

through this lesson?
• Students, when given a number, will develop a way to obtain that
number using addition, multiplication, or a combination of both.
(For example, when given the number 18, a student could say that
you could do 4 x 4 + 2 OR 6 x 3, among numerous other
possibilities.)
• Students will accurately represent their side of the equation on the
number scale.

D. ASSESSING LEARNING
In order to determine my impact on student learning, I will record my
observations using a data collection form. This is because my lesson will be
based on students providing a variety of answers and approaches to making a
number. While there are right and wrong answers (because they must arrive at
the correct number), there are multiple answers that could be given.

3- Student gives all 2- Student gives 1- Student does not

correct approaches some correct give any correct
to obtaining the approaches to approaches to
given numbers and obtaining the given obtaining the give
Student Name shows adequate numbers and shows numbers and
understanding of somewhat of an requires re-teaching
equality in an understanding of about the concept
equation. equality in an of equality in an
equation. equation.

Criteria

3: Students who receive a 3 have exhibited understanding of the concept that

the values on both sides of an equals sign must be equal. When given a
number, they have provided their own way to create that number using
addition, multiplication, or a combination of both. With each number given,
they have provided an approach that works every time.

2: Students who receive a 2 have exhibited somewhat of an understanding of

the concept that values on both sides of an equals sign must be equal. This may
mean that they still express misconceptions but are able to give correct ways to
create numbers.

1: Students who receive a 1 do not seem to understand equality in an equation

and are not able to give approaches to creating numbers that work.
PART TWO: LESSON PLAN PROCEDURE (15 Points)

A. CONTEXT OF LESSON

Students in Mrs. S’s class have been learning place value, rounding and
estimation, and two-digit and three-digit multiplication while I have been in her
class. Each week, they also work in an online program called Reflex to practice
their one-digit multiplication facts. This lesson serves as somewhat of a stand-
alone because it is neither an introduction or a review. Students should be
aware of the function of an equals sign, but this lesson will help to refresh their
memories in thinking about what it means to be of equal value. At the end of
the lesson, my hope is that the result is a better understanding of equality in
terms of equations.

Task Description:
When given a number, students will be asked to create a way to make that
number using addition, multiplication, or a combination of both. This task will be
done multiple times for practice, if time allows. Students will write one or more
solutions on their personal whiteboard and share out with the rest of the group
when the allotted time is up. An example of this tasks is as follows: “The number
I’m thinking of is 16. Everyone think of one way to make 16 using addition,
multiplication, or a combination of both.” Some examples of answers I’m looking
for include: 4 x 4, 5 + 11, 4 x 3 + 4, 5 x 3 + 1, etc. In addition to expressing their
answers on the whiteboards, students may also be asked to show their answers
on the number balance scale.

NCTM Standards:

Problem solving: After presented with a number, students will problem solve in
order to create different strategies that work to create that number. They will be
encouraged to think deeper than “10 + 5 = 15” and use multiple operations in
their approaches.

Reasoning and proof: Students will give their reasoning for why we can put
different “problems” on both sides of the number scale and both sides of the
equals sign in a normal equation. They will use their created strategies and note
patterns among the different ones that were made.

Communication: Students will be able to communicate mathematical ideas

when they share out their individual ways of obtaining a number. Instead of
simply giving a summary, it is important that the students explain why that
strategy works and how they went about finding it. For example, did they simply
draw on facts that they know, or did they use those facts to construct new
strategies?

Representations: Students will be able to represent their mathematical strategies

for obtaining numbers on the number balance scale. They can check to see if
their strategies work by seeing if the scale balances out. They also may represent
their strategies on their personal whiteboards by drawing representations such
as dots to show how they got the answer.

Connections: Through this lesson, students will be able to make connections

between addition and multiplication by seeing multiplication as a form of
repeated addition. When multiplying using the number balance scale, multiple
pegs can be placed on one number.

Lesson Idea:
My lesson idea of using the number balance scale originated from my professor,
Eric Imbrescia. I made it my own by using the scale in a unique way. Before I
present the task, I am going to represent the number, or “answer,” on one side
of the scale. Once answers are given, I will put one student’s strategy on the
other side of the scale. I will then remove the “answer” and place a different
strategy on the original side to physically demonstrate the value of an equals
sign as just that – a sign of equal value – rather than an arrow to an answer.

B. MATERIALS NEEDED
• Whiteboards
• Dry erase markers
• Number balance scale
• Blue weighted pegs

C. PROCEDURE

What will you be doing to ensure these things

happen
I will begin by showing students an equation on the
whiteboard: 6 + 3 = 9. I will ask students, “What does the
equals sign mean in this equation?” I will gauge student
Activate Prior background knowledge on the topic and see if they are
Before
Knowledge able to determine that they represent the same value on
both sides. I will show this using the number scale by
place pegs on the 6 and 3 on one side and 9 on the
other side. The scale will balance out.
 Once I introduce the topic, I will give the task at hand: I
will give the students a number and each student needs
Be Sure the to think of a way to create that number using addition,
Problem is multiplication, or a combination of both. In order to
Understood ensure that the problem is understood, I will give the
following example: For the number 18, I could say: 10 + 8,
6 x 3, or 2 x 4 + 10.
I will explain to students that they are only to focus on
the number given at a time. Once they figure out how
Establish Clear
they want to create their number, they will write it on
Expectations their whiteboard and wait until everyone else is done to
share out.
Once I give the number, I will not interfere in students’
During Let Go! thinking and will provide adequate wait time while
students find a way to create the number.
As students are finding different ways to create their
Notice numbers, I will notice what students are writing on their
Children’s whiteboards and record on the observation sheet. I will
Mathematical notice the kind of expressions that students are creating
Thinking – addition, multiplication, combination of both, multiple
different approaches.
I will provide support to students who ask questions
during “thinking time” and guide, if need be. During
sharing time, I will gauge which students are on track
and which students are not. For the students who seem
Provide to be struggling, I will work with them to check their
answers by drawing the problems out on the
This portion of Appropriate whiteboard. I will ask, “We are trying to get to this
the lesson will Support number. How could we get there?” I will provide
be where examples of how to think about each number. This may
you will be in the form of a visual representation on the
address whiteboard. If necessary, I will encourage them to use
addition and differentiate by process.
differentiation
I will take note of the students who quickly write down a
Provide correct approach. I will encourage these students to use
Worthwhile a combination of addition and multiplication, as well as
Extensions multiple ways to obtain the number (differentiation by
process).
When it is time to share out, I will make it known to
Promote a students that everyone’s answers and input are valid.
After Community of Incorrect answers are okay; this means we are learning! I
Learners will tell students that everyone needs to be respectful of
others’ answers.
Before the discussion, I will get everyone’s answers and
Listen Actively put them on my whiteboard. Before saying which ones
without are right and which ones are wrong, I will ask students
Evaluation what they think about the answers on the board, and
this will be the jumpstart for our discussion.
 Once I have gauged students’ thoughts about the
answers on the boards, I will put the number (ex: 18) on
one side of the scale. We will have a discussion about
what can go on the other side of the scale. Does it have
Summarize to be the number to be equal? How could we represent
Main Ideas and addition? How could we represent multiplication? How
Identify Future could we represent both? I will have a few students
Problems place their expressions on the other side of the scale.
Then, I will take the number off the other side. What
could I put in place of it to make the “equation” true? If
time allows, we will practice writing these different
equations on the whiteboards.

PART THREE: REFLECTION ON THE NCTM STANDARDS (10 POINTS)

As I reflect on my implementation of the lesson, I believe that I was able to

address all 5 NCTM Process Standards in some way, shape, or form; however,
some standards were addressed more directly than others. For example,
problem solving, communication, and representations were very strong
standards represented in my lesson. Reasoning and proof as well as connections
were present and valid, but they were not addressed as directly as I carried out
the lesson.
I addressed the standard of problem solving in my lesson my allowing
students to give their own examples of addition, multiplication, or combination
problems to make equalities true. I provided examples, but students had to think
of their own ways to represent the number “12.” All students that participated in
my lesson represented multiple ways to obtain the number on their whiteboard,
something that I was not fully expecting. I was expecting students to write one
problem and say that they were done, but all of the students took initiative in
brainstorming multiple approaches to creating an expression with equal value
to the number.
Communication was another strong standard addressed in my lesson. I
decided to make my lesson centered mostly around questions, which can
sometimes seem more difficult for students. Instead of giving them the answers, I
continued to ask questions throughout the lesson and gauge how they were
thinking about the topic. With this approach, students were pushed to
communicate their thinking. For example, I asked, “Does there have to be just
one number on the right side of the equals sign? Why or why not?” In addition to
this type of communication, they also communicated their thinking when
constructing their ways to get the number “12.” I had each student, who was
willing, share their strategies for obtaining the number with the rest of the group.
Representations were a large part of my lesson because of the use of the
number balance scale. Although we were discussing equalities and equations
and utilized the whiteboard to represent them, the number balance scale was a
useful tool for showing these equalities in action; when the values are equal, the
scale is balanced! The students were intrigued by this and it allowed them to
move past the idea that one number plus another number equals just one other
number. They saw that different operations could be represented on both sides
of the equals sign to make the equality true.
Although I feel as though reasoning and proof was evident in the planning
of my lesson, I struggled to carry out this standard during the implementation.
For example, students were not able to give much reasoning for why we can
put different operations on both sides of the equals sign. They recognized that
both sides have to equal the same number, but I was unable to get much more
out of them. Additionally, there wasn’t a lot of explanation during the
whiteboard part of the activity when students created their own problems. The
students just said, “They all equal 12.”
Lastly, in the planning of my lesson, I determined that the connections
standard was evident in the multiplication aspect of my lesson. This is because,
on the number balance scale, it is easy to see that multiplication is repeated
addition, since multiple tiles were placed on one number; however, students did
not seem interested in exploring this further. This was a smaller aspect of my
lesson than I expected it to be.
It is possible that I had the successes and struggles that I had due to the
nature of the lesson. It is extremely heavy on communication due to the
plethora of questions, as well as representations because of the number
balance scale. While planning, I could see all standards very clearly addressed,
but, after implementing the lesson, it is clear that some were more relevant than
others. Planning this lesson around the standards was extremely helpful for me to
remember the why of my lesson. It is very easy to get caught up in the fun
activities, sequencing, and logistics of the lesson, but the standards help to
maintain focus of why the lesson is important to students and how it will help to
further their mathematical knowledge and skills.
Although it was a little nerve-wracking at first because it was very
discussion-based, I felt comfortable teaching this kind of lesson. The students
were engaged and it was helpful to have a learning tool to illustrate the
concepts I wanted the students to grasp. The only uncomfortable part of
teaching the lesson was knowing how to guide student thinking without giving
answers. For example, students understood that operations could be different
on both sides of the equals sign as long as they equaled the same value, but
when I asked them to create their own equalities at the end, they had trouble.
They were not understanding what I was asking them to do, and I had a hard
time guiding them because they seemed to have grasped the overall concept
already. One thing I would change for next time is, as I use the number balance
scale, I will have some sort of paper or whiteboard below the scale representing
the equality in writing. Students had trouble translating information on the scale
into a written problem.
In my future teaching career, I plan to use the NCTM standards to help me
plan my math lessons. I found these extremely helpful, as aforementioned, to
stay focused on why I am teaching the lesson and what skills and strategies the
students will be using during it. As far as the layout I chose for my lesson, I found it
helpful for students to represent their thinking on the whiteboards and share out
with the rest of the group. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed implementing this lesson,
and I will feel more confident teaching my next math lesson having had this
experience.