Lesson 2

Lesson Plan #2 Title:  Am I adding or subtracting and how do I know?

Performance Objective: Given a math word problem, students will identify what is being asked of them by identifying the math words and translating them into an equation scoring a 7 out of 9.

Resources or Materials Needed: Projector, pencil, paper.  

Time: 75 minutes.  

Step 1: Pre-Instructional Activities: The teacher will ask students what they remember about using academic language in past years.  The teacher will use words such as add, sum, plus, increase, total, less, deduct, difference, and decrease to engage them in a group discussion.  The teacher will ask the students when they might have heard these words used in everyday situations and ask for examples. These examples should be situations where the students are not in math class but instead in their everyday lives outside of school.  For example, “Can you please put less cream in my coffee next time.”

Step 2: Content Presentation: The teacher will show students an anchor chart placed in the front of the classroom containing “clue words” for subtraction and addition.  The teacher will read each of the words that describe subtraction and addition. The teacher will then place math word sentences on the board that contains the clue words and asks the students if they can decide what form of an equation the sentence is asking for.  The teacher will show the students what happens when they pick the wrong equation and how to identify if this happens to them when they are doing independent learning. When the wrong equation is picked the answer doesn’t sound right. For example, “Tommy wanted more apples than the 2 he had so he asked his friend for 1 of his apples.  How many apples does Tommy now have?” If the student came up with a subtraction equation the answer would not make sense as it would show Tommy had fewer apples than what he started with and the question clearly states he wanted more apples. This would mean an addition equation is needed.

Step 3: Learner Participation:  Students will work with a partner answering 20 math word problems by identifying if it is a subtraction or addition problem then discussing why they feel the way they do.  The students need proof by stating what happens if they do the wrong equation. The teacher will walk around the room to ensure the students are participating and using academic language.  The teacher should make sure the students are explaining their reasoning and explaining why their reasons work or why they did not work.

Step 4: Assessment: Students will be given 4 math sentences requiring them to identify if the problem is addition or subtraction.  The students will then need to identify the math word and what the translation is. Then students will have to write the equation to solve.  Given a math word problem, students will identify what is being asked of them by identifying the math words and translating them into an equation scoring a 7 out of 9.

Step 5: Follow-Through Activities:  In the days to come the teacher will ask students to identify math words and their translations.  This can be as simple as placing a sentence on the board at the beginning of the period and spending 3 minutes discussing it.  This will help the concept to become more concrete.

Lesson Plan Summary: This lesson plan starts off by linking prior knowledge to the current lesson.  The teacher then shows students how using what they know about the math words and putting them in the math context can be the same thing.  This is an explanation and a demonstration in one. cognitivism theory supports these techniques. During learner participation, the teacher is assisting learners in organizing the information.  The teacher is guiding students to also share this new knowledge with a partner showing the new information can be readily available.

Assessment:

Directions:  1. Decide if the sentence is asking you to add or subtract.

        2.  Identify the math words and translate them into a math symbol.

Answer Key:

Rubric:

Performance objective: Given a math word problem, students will identify what is being asked of them by identifying the math words and translating them into an equation scoring a 7 out of 9.