Week 2 - Math Lesson Reflection

Candidate: Brigid Duffy
Lesson Topic: Number Line Addition
Date: 7/16

This week, I felt more like a teacher and less like a chicken running around with its head cut off. (Okay, that might be an exaggeration). Regardless, I came into this week with a greater knowledge of my students' personalities, strengths, and abilities. With this knowledge and with the data we gathered from pre-assessments, I felt ready to differentiate my instruction to meet the needs of each student in our class.

My observed lesson this week was during our math time. Pre-assessment data indicated that each of our students struggled in their addition skills. Not a single student was able to successfully use a number line to add. As such, we decided to address addition skills before anything else. We covered the traditional algorithm using color coding supports, utilized manipulatives and games, and even practiced our addition facts using jumping jacks. But I wanted our students to be immersed in the addition problems even further. I wanted to create a multi-sensory lesson that was catered to all learning needs and provided students with visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and tactile opportunities. I wanted to incorporate a gradual release of responsibility, beginning with teacher modeling and direct instruction, guided practice, peer practice, and eventually independent practice.

We accomplished this through a lesson using a life-sized number line on which each student "hopped" out each problem to solve the number sentence. Peers assisted one another in making their way down the number line and completing addition problems to a sum of 20. After this, students were given their own number lines (again, through 20) which were made from manila folders. Using these and small pom-poms, students "hopped" their way along their own number lines once again to solve more problems during guided practice. Each problem was both verbally spoken and visually written on a white board within the view of each of the students. Then, we paired students up to play an addition game, using their personal number lines and a graphic organizer recording sheet. Finally, students were given a formative assessment during independent practice to close the lesson.

What went well:

I think our multi-sensory approach to addition was incredibly successful. Not only did it provide multiple means of representing the content, but it actively engaged students in their learning. They were able to practice the number line addition strategy in a variety of ways and weren't just restricted to a paper/pencil assessment.

The life-sized number line allowed students to get out of their seats and physically become part of the problem at hand. Our students absolutely loved it. Not only were they eager to participate and motivated to learn, but they were actively conceptualizing our strategy in real time. They were able to conceptualize that in addition, we start at the first number, then add on the second, etc. This increased their understanding of number sense as well.

The personal number lines made from manila folders allowed them to generalize their understanding from our life-sized number line. Using the pom-pom ball appealed to our tactile learners, as they use their sense of touch and physically moved the pom-pom across the line to solve each problem.

Throughout all of this practice, I was not only modeling the strategy but also writing the number sentence on a white board to make sure that students were connecting what we were doing on our number lines to real-life equations. We also used visual timers for students to reference. These appealed to our visual learners.

Our auditory learners benefited from verbal directions and explanations as well as auditory cues for transition between activities.

I was proud of the fact that this lesson was able to reach each of the diverse learners in our class. With the multi-sensory approach, use of graphic organizers, and gradual release of responsibility, all students were able to demonstrate their knowledge effectively!

What did not go as planned:

After introducing our number line strategy using our life-sized number line and practicing using individual number lines, we moved onto a peer-to-peer game. The game was almost like war, the card game. Both students had a stack of notecards with a number written on one side. Students were to flip their cards, then add the two numbers together using their personal number lines and pom-pom "hoppers." After they got their sum, they were to record the full number sentence on their graphic organizer to keep track of the problems that they completed. Sounds simple enough, right?

I was a bit pressed for time and went through the directions quickly on my own, then modeled expectations with the help of a student and asked clarifying questions before transitioning the students into the activity itself. Looking back, I should have spent more time on the directions because as soon as the students were paired up and began the activity, I could see the confused look in many of their eyes. Abby and I were circulating around the room to assist these students, of course. With a little bit of clarification and encouragement, those students were on their way. However, some students kind of came up with their own rules, taking two cards from their own pile to add up. With only about five minutes to complete the activity, I figured that was acceptable as long as they were getting the practice in. Sometimes, you have to pick your battles!

How to change for subsequent lessons:

In subsequent lessons, I would keep a closer eye on the clock to make sure that each activity was given enough time. I feel as though our game was not given the attention it deserved because we were so pressed for time! My directions for the game, as I previously mentioned, were subpar. This is something that I need to keep in mind as I plan future lessons. It is important to provide explicit directions, modeling, and practice time.