Instructional Software

Lesson Idea Name: Monster Bus Math

Content Area: Math
Grade Level(s): 3rd

Content Standard Addressed:

MGSE3.NBT.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.

ISTE Technology Standard Addressed: 3- Knowledge Constructor

Selected Technology Tool: BrainPOP

URL(s) to support the lesson (if applicable): https://www.brainpop.com/games/monsterschoolbus/

Type of Instructional Software:

☐ Drill and Practice ☐ Tutorial ☐ Simulation ☒ Instructional Game ☐ e-books/e-references

Features of this software (check all that apply):

☐ Assessment Monitoring/Reporting
☐ Allows teacher to create customized lessons for students
☐ Multi-user or collaborative functions with others in the class
☐ Multi-user or collaborative with others outside the class
☒ Accessible to students beyond the school day
☒ Accessible via mobile devices
☒ Multiple languages
☒ Safety, security and/or privacy features

Bloom’s Taxonomy Level(s):

☒ Remembering ☒ Understanding ☒ Applying ☐ Analyzing ☐ Evaluating ☐ Creating

Levels of Technology Integration:

☒ Infusion Level: Students may work at a higher Bloom’s Level, but they do not have any “Voice or Choice”
during the activity and most of the decisions are made by the teacher.

☐ Integration Level: We would like to see ALL lessons/activities reach this level. The project is student-
driven. Students have “Voice and Choice” in the activities, selecting the topic of study and determining the
technology tool to demonstrate mastery of the standard. The teacher becomes more of a facilitator.
☐ Expansion Level: The projects created are shared outside of the classroom, publishing student work and
promoting authorship. This could be reached by showcasing the project on the school’s morning
newscast, posting the project to the classroom blog, or publishing via an outside source.

Universal Design for Learning (UDL):

The technology tool used in this lesson will support all students by supporting visual learners, Spanish/France
speaking learners, and allowing students to participate at home. This activity can be completed individually or

SBooker, 2020
 Instructional Software
in pairs. By allowing students to work in pairs, they can help each other figure out the best route to go in the
game. To address representation in this activity, students will be able to read the directions on the screen as
well as listen to me say them out loud.
Lesson idea implementation:

To introduce this lesson, I will start with a quick 5-minute activity to get the students up and moving. I will
present a problem, like the ones they will see in the game (ex. 5+5=10). Once the students have figured the
problem out they will do the answer in jumping jacks. Allowing students an opportunity to get up and move
will help energize them and wake up their brains. Once we have completed the warm up, I will read the
standard to the class and then have them read it back to me. This will give students the opportunity to listen
to what the lesson is about and then read it for themselves. After going over the standard, I will explain to the
class that they will be playing an instructional game on the computers that addresses the standard. Once
every student has logged into BrainPOP I will show an example of how to play on the SMART Board. I will
allow students to ask any questions and then they can get started.

In order to extend student learning, I will provide students with a real-world scenario based on the game. I
will provide them with the details on how many students can fit on a school bus. Students will then figure out
what different numbers add together to get the total number of students that can fit on the bus. This lesson
will take roughly 45 minutes to an hour. As the students are working, the teacher will check in with each
student or group to make sure they’re on the right track. In order to provide feedback to students, I will have
them choose one game to SnapThought. This is a tool on BrainPOP that allows students to screenshot their
screen and then write down a description. I will have them explain their thinking on why they chose to stop at
each stop and if they were able to get a full load. Also, to keep it interesting, I can have students keep track of
how many full loads they got and the top 3 groups could win a prize.
Reflective Practice:

After designing this lesson idea, I feel the activities used can impact student learning by making it fun and
engaging. Students love to play games and they will also be solving math problems while doing so. It also
impacts student learning by allowing them to collaborate in a group if they choose to do so. To further extend
the lesson, I can apply the game to a real-world scenario with a real school bus. I could present it to the
students as a problem and have them figure out the solution. To further enhance this extension, students
could be placed in groups to create an Adobe Spark or a PowerPoint presentation. In this presentation
students would state the real-world problem they are given, the solution they found, and how they found
that solution.

SBooker, 2020