Math Unit Plan May 8, 2014 Lisa Forcellina and Kimberly ... Forcellina and Kimberly DePaolis ECE 415...

Math Unit Plan

May 8, 2014

Lisa Forcellina and Kimberly DePaolis

ECE 415

Domain and Standards

This unit plan explores the third grade geometry domain. We chose geometry as our

domain because we found that this was a domain that we had little experience with in terms of

knowing the specific standards thoroughly as well as creating lessons that aligned with these

standards. We decided to pair our geometry math unit with an around the world theme because it

allows for students to compare similarities and differences across cultures through the vehicle of

math. We both find cultural exploration to be a critical element of early childhood education.

This unit plan allows us to incorporate that exploration easily in the classroom by presenting

flags that represent different countries around the world and identifying the shapes that make

them up. This plan allows for students to apply both prior knowledge and new knowledge of

geometry to actively engage in culturally stimulating activities.

Our first lesson draws on children’s prior knowledge to identify shapes and their

attributes. This lesson aligns with CCSS.Math.Content.3.G.A.1 Understand that shapes in

different categories (e.g., rhombuses, rectangles, and others) may share attributes (e.g., having

four sides), and that the shared attributes can define a larger category (e.g., quadrilaterals).

Recognize rhombuses, rectangles, and squares as examples of quadrilaterals, and draw examples

of quadrilaterals that do not belong to any of these subcategories. This lesson aligns with this

standard because students will be identifying the characteristics that help us to identify and

classify shapes. For example, students will be asked, “How many sides does a square have?”

Our second lesson asks children to actively partition pictures of flags into quadrants.

Students will then look at how shapes and patterns within the flag are changed by the division

into four equal quadrants. This aligns with CCSS.Math.Content.3.G.A.2 Partition shapes into

parts with equal areas. Express the area of each part as a unit fraction of the whole. This lesson

aligns with this standard because students will represent the part-part-whole relationship while

http://www.corestandards.org/Math/Content/3/G/A/1/


exploring the various shape attributes on the flags.

Our third lesson, which includes children categorizing different shapes, also aligns with

CCSS.Math.Content.3.G.A.1 Understand that shapes in different categories (e.g., rhombuses,

rectangles, and others) may share attributes (e.g., having four sides), and that the shared

attributes can define a larger category (e.g., quadrilaterals). Recognize rhombuses, rectangles,

and squares as examples of quadrilaterals, and draw examples of quadrilaterals that do not

belong to any of these subcategories. This lesson aligns with this standard because when given a

flag of a different country, students will identify the shapes on that flag and categorize them as

triangles, quadrilaterals, polygons, and non-polygons. Students will be required to apply their

prior knowledge of the attributes of shapes to accurately classify them.

Our fourth lesson asks students to combine and apply geometry knowledge gained from

previous lessons to create a classroom flag. This lesson aligns with both geometry standards

because the children, given instruction with specific shapes and quadrants, will have to create

their shape in the specified quadrant on the classroom flag.

Unit Plan Overview

Lesson one: Students will work to identify shapes with an emphasis on their specific attributes.

This lesson is helping to progress the child’s ability to classify into various categories later on.

Lesson two: Students will divide rectangles (flags) into four quadrants. Students will notice what

changes this makes to the patterns and shapes that were previously identified within the

rectangle. Students will become more familiar with part-part-whole relationships.

Lesson three: Students will work in small groups to identify the different shapes on a given flag

and categorize those shapes as triangles, quadrilaterals, polygons and non-polygons.


Lesson four: Students will create a classroom flag by producing shapes given on an instruction

card and placing them in the specified quadrants of the flag.

The lessons were placed in a sequence that allows for students to gradually progress from

applying prior knowledge to applying new and more advanced knowledge. The final lesson

incorporates all of the knowledge that students have acquired from the previous lessons and

provides a fun way to wrap up the unit while producing something that represents their

knowledge and will be showcased in the classroom.

Curricular Connections:

Our math unit plan includes subject integration with social studies and language arts.

With connecting our geometry math unit plan with an “All Around the World” theme, we are

integrating social studies. Before the start of the unit, the children will be bringing home a letter

to their families (see end of unit plan), which asks that families to submit a flag that represents

their ethnicity. This will stimulate a conversation about the families within the classroom and

their culture. Families are welcome to come into the classroom to talk about their ethnicities and

the flags that represent them before beginning our math unit relating to those flags. We also

incorporated the use of literacy very strongly in our math unit plans by using literature to initiate

our different activities. The content of the books include shapes, shape categories, quadrants and

flags. We also have a list of other books (see end of unit plan) that will be present within the

classroom throughout the math unit for the children to read during free time or reference during

the different activities planned.

Effective Teaching Strategies:

Within our math unit plan, there are many effective teaching strategies that would be

used. To start with, our unit plan exemplifies great differentiation. With each lesson and activity,

there are different types of grouping strategies used. This is because all children have different

preferences when it comes to working with one another. Therefore, we present the opportunity to

work in a number of different scenarios by pairing them, putting them in small groups, and

having whole group lessons, as well as working individually. These grouping strategies allow for

children to expand on their abilities to work cooperatively with one another, scaffold one

another, as well as work alone for the students who may work better that way or prefer to do so.

Also along the lines of differentiation, we created a variety of different ways that each

lesson could be adapted to fit the needs for our students that are enriched or need additional

assistance. These adaptations range from providing different materials needed, such as self-

assisted scissors, to creating instructional cards that vary in terms of range of difficulty for the

final lesson. It is our goal to create lessons and adapt them to all of our students’ needs so that

each child is comfortable, excited to learn each day and no matter what pace they work at or

what materials they use, they’re all essentially still learning the same content.

Finally, our instruction creates great opportunity for teachers to scaffold the children.

Within the initiations and instruction, the plans indicate that the teacher will provide an example

of what is to be done by physically doing what the children are expected to do. The teacher will

also be available during small group and individual work for the children to reference. Parents

and family members are invited into the classroom each day so that there are more adults to help,

especially when the children are in small groups or working individually, which provides a

greater number of resources to scaffold student thinking.

Family Participation

If this unit were to be implemented within a classroom setting we would have asked

parents to send in an image of the flag that represents the ethnicity of their family prior to the

start of our unit. We would base our lesson around the various flags from the collected images or

countries. For this assignment’s purposes, we went ahead and selected six flags that display

different shapes with various attributes that meet the varying needs of students within the

classroom. The flags that we chose represent the following countries: America, Brazil, Japan,

Israel, Kuwait and Nepal.

To further involve parents in the classroom life and unit, we will begin by providing

some guiding questions to help stimulate conversation with their child while finding an image of

the flag that is representative of their country. In addition to these crucial at home conversations,

parents will be invited to come and share personal stories and general information regarding the

culture of their country. This will help students to understand that a flag is symbolic of people,

culture, and ideas, and is not simply just an item. Parents will be welcome at all times during this

unit to work directly in the classroom with the students. Parent volunteers will be especially

critical when it comes to putting together our classroom flag (during lesson four), as there will

likely be a need for additional support. Students will look forward to sharing what they have

learned with their parents.

Technology

There are many technological components to this unit plan. All four of the lessons will

require a smart board for whole group instruction activities. It will provide an additional visual

source for the children. In addition to the smart board, students will be using various

technological applications including; math cat’s polygon playground, and geoboards. Both of

these apps will allow students to explore shapes in a creative way.

Eastern Connecticut State University Lesson Plan One

What makes a shape?

Student Teacher Lisa Forcellina and Kimberly DePaolis

Grade Level Third Date of lesson TBA

Institution Eastern Connecticut State University Length of lesson 30 minutes

Content Standards:

CCSS.Math.Content.3.G.A.1

Understand that shapes in different categories (e.g., rhombuses, rectangles, and others) may

share attributes (e.g., having four sides), and that the shared attributes can define a larger

category (e.g., quadrilaterals). Recognize rhombuses, rectangles, and squares as examples of

quadrilaterals, and draw examples of quadrilaterals that do not belong to any of these

subcategories.

Prior Knowledge/Connections:

Students will be able to identify the following shapes: square, rectangle, circle, triangle, star,

trapezoid, rhombus, hexagon.

Students will be able to classify shapes into the following categories: square rectangle, circle,

triangle, star, trapezoid, rhombus, hexagon.

Students will know what a flag is and be able to identify the flag that represents the United States

of America.

Student Learning Objective(s):

Students will be able to identify properties that can be used to classify various shapes; sides and

angles.

Students will be able to count sides, angles.


Students will be able to classify based on similarities in shapes.

Vocabulary:

Angles, sides, square, rectangle, circle, triangle, star, trapezoid, rhombus, hexagon, flag,

countries, similar, different, attributes, classify

Assessment-Essential Key Question:

Essential Question: What parts of the shapes can we use to help us identify them and classify

them?

Assessment: Students will be assessed informally, as the teacher observes participation in whole

group lesson, and work in partners.

Students will be assessed formally, via a summative assessment which students are to complete

in partnerships. Students will turn in this worksheet and the teacher will provide feedback based

upon the following rubric:

Student

correctly drew

each shape.

Student correctly

recorded the

amount of sides.

Student

correctly

recorded the

number of

angles.

Student

identified a

pattern.

Notes:

Materials/Resources:

Pencils

What makes a shape? Worksheet (one per child)

Clipboards

Shapes by David Goodman and Zoe Miller

Geoboards app

Technological resources:

Smart board

tablets/class iPads

Learning Activities:

Whole group- 10 minutes- Picture walk through the first half of Shapes by David Goodman then

use of Geoboards App on the smart board

Partners- 15 minutes- Complete What makes a shape, a shape? Worksheet

Individual- if there is extra time- Use of Geoboard app on class iPads

Initiation: To begin the teacher will say- “Today we are going to look at many different types of

shapes, many of them you might already know! I want you to think about all of the parts of each

shape and how you know what shape it is when you see it.” Allow for children to contribute/ask

questions.

Lesson Procedures: “This book is about shapes, there are many images. Let’s look at the first

page for example, what shape you see here?” children will respond. “What are some

observations you might make about this circle?” Teacher will scaffold children’s thinking to

identify that a circle has no sides, and no angles. Teacher might ask students to identify circles

around the classroom. Teacher will ask whether or not a circle can be made on the geoboard (on

the smart board), and ask a student to try. Teacher will repeat these steps for each of the two

dimensional shapes in the Goodman and Miller text. Students will be placed in partnerships.

Teacher’s helper will pass out clipboards to all students. Teacher will pass out worksheet to be

completed and as students to read the directions aloud. Students will spread out around the room

and complete the graphic organizer. When the worksheets are completed, students may get an

ipad and work on the Geoboards app until all students have completed their work or until math

has come to an end.

Closure: “It is time to clean up, please place your worksheets in the blue basket, if you have not

finished you will be able to work on it during choice time, if you are using an ipad, please log

off, place it back in its cubby and then everyone join me on the carpet.” Teacher will have six

flags laid out on the carpet. “Can you all take a look at these flags and name some of the shapes

that you see?” Teacher will call on students. Teacher will scaffold student’s responses by asking

questions like, “what have you observed about this shape?” or “What attributes of this shape help

us identify it?” Teacher will transition students to next activity.

Intervention:

Students can have access to shape prompting cards if necessary, this will aid in

completion of the worksheet (image a)

Students will have guidance and prompting from adults in the classroom

The geoboard images from initiation will be left on the smartboard as a point of reference

for all students

Enrichment:

Students will be given a written description of shape attributes instead of the name when

they are asked to draw it on their “What makes a shape?” Worksheet

Students may be asked to draw a shape with the same number of sides that is different

than the represented shape, on the back of their worksheet

Square Image A

What makes a shape?

Name:__________________________________

Partner’s Name:_________________________ Date:_________________________

Please draw the following shape:

Record how many sides:

Record how many angles:

Draw a shape that has the same

number of sides:

Square

Rectangle

Circle

Star

Trapezoid

Rhombus

Triangle

Hexagon

Do you see any patterns? Describe it below.

Early Childhood Education Technology Evaluation Toolkit

Date:Spring 2014 Evaluator(s):Lisa Forcellina and Kimberly DePaolis Organization:Eastern Connecticut State University Age group: School Age (Grades : third) Type: Regular Education, Special Needs Title: Geoboards

GOALS

___X_a. Approaches to learning (curiosity, attention, flexible thinking/creativity, persistence)

____b. Language/Literacy __X__c. Mathematics ____d. Science

____e. Social Studies ____f. Social-Emotional (cooperation, collaboration, identifying emotions)

HARDWARE

__X__a. Desktop or laptop computer (mouse and keyboard) _X___b. Desktop or laptop computer (touch

screen)

__X__c. Interactive whiteboard __X__d. Tablet __X__e. Multi-touch table or surface

SOFTWARE

Software Title: Math Learning Center (1=No 2=Unsure 3=Somewhat 4=Yes)

1. Educational a. Learning versus focus on winning? 1 2 3 4 b. Content research and/or learning standards based? 1 2 3 4

c. Feedback informative/teaches? 1 2 3 4

2. Appropriate a. Appropriate cognitive skill(s)/subject matter? 1 2 3 4

b. Set in interesting/appealing context? 1 2 3 4

c. Pre/non-readers can navigate? 1 2 3 4

d. Free from bias? 1 2 3 4

3. Child-Friendly a. Simple/clear choices? 1 2 3 4

b. Multiple, positive opportunities for success? 1 2 3 4

c. After adult support, children can use independently? 1 2 3 4

4. Enjoyable/Engaging a. Enough activities with varieties? 1 2 3 4

b. Appropriate use of rewards? 1 2 3 4

c. Realistic graphics and appealing to intended age? 1 2 3 4

d. Activities match well to attention span? 1 2 3 4

5. Progress Monitoring/Assessment

a. Covers all the key areas the software teaches? 1 2 3 4

b. Easy to use and interpret? 1 2 3 4

6. Individualizing Features

a. Can be customized for child’s needs? 1 2 3 4

b. Allows creation of new activities? 1 2 3 4

INTEGRATION

a. Initial training/professional development on integration included? 1 2 3 4

b. Ongoing training/professional development opportunities? 1 2 3 4

SCORE

(Total Score ÷ 80) x 100 = __83.75%-B

(90-100=A,80-89=B, 70-79=C, 60-69=D, <59=F)

__X__Purchase ____Continue to Consider this Option

____Do Not Purchase ____Consider other Options

COMMENTS

Eastern Connecticut State University Lesson Plan Two

What’s in your Quadrant?

Student Teacher Lisa Forcellina and Kimberly DePaolis

Grade Level three Date of lesson TBA

Institution Eastern Connecticut State University Length of lesson forty minutes

Content Standards:

CCSS.Math.Content.3.G.A.2 Partition shapes into parts with equal areas. Express the area of

each part as a unit fraction of the whole.



Students will be able to identify shapes on the flag by their name.

Students will be able to recognize the number of sides that each shape has.

Students will know what a flag is.


Students will be able to partition a flag into four equal parts.

Students will understand that each area is a quadrant.

Students will identify shapes within each quadrant.

Vocabulary:

Shapes, attributes, quadrants, equal, part, whole, divide


Essential Question: How can we divide a flag (an image) into equal parts?

Assessment:

Teacher will informally assess students by monitoring whole group participation, small group

participation, and worksheet completion. Teacher will have a class list complete with areas next

to each child’s name to record notes as he or she observes each child around the classroom.


6 Images of the flags from the following countries: American, Japan, Brazil, Israel,

Kuwait, Nepal

Ziploc baggies

tape

Quadrant recording sheet

Pencils

“Shape” by David Goodman and Zoe Miller

Scissors

Rulers


Smartboard


Whole group- twenty minutes- initiation/mini-lesson, reference Shape by David Goodman and

Zoe Miller, smart board quadrant activity

Individual- fifteen minutes- completion of flag partitioning

Small group- five minutes- quadrant guessing game

Initiation:

Students will be seated around the carpet facing the smartboard. The teacher will have a

document open on the smart board that displays four quadrants and a bank of shapes on the side

of the document. The teacher will start by saying, “Today we are going to talk about ways in

which we can divide a shape into equal parts.” The teacher will show and read the pages from

the Shape text that discusses the division of shapes.

Lesson Procedures:

The teacher will hold up a large (11x14 inches) image of the American flag. The teacher will ask

student to identify the shape of the flags and the shapes that they see on the flag. The teacher will

then ask the students how they can divide the flag into two equal parts, he or she will scaffold

children’s responses so that it is clear that there are two equal halves of the flag. The teacher will

then physically cut the flag into two halves. The same steps will be repeated until the flag has

been divided into quadrants, or four fourths. After dividing the flag, students will sort the shapes

in the shape bank by sliding them into the respective quadrant on the smartboard. Next, children

will be divided into five groups of four. Each group will be given a designated flag and each

child in the group will receive their own image of the flag. Students will work independently to

record the shapes that are present in each quadrant of the shape.

Closure:

After the completion of quadrant division recording sheet students will be asked to find the

image of the flag that they are working hung on the wall around the room. The four students in

each group will reach into the bag (underneath the image of the whole flag) and select one slip of

paper (one quadrant of the flag, the top and bottom of the quadrant will be labeled directly on it).

Students will not show the others in their group the quadrant they have selected but instead will

verbally describe the quadrant. The three other children in the group must work to actively listen

to the clues to decipher which quadrant their friend is describing. Students may use their

recording sheet. Once the students have correctly guessed the quadrant they must glue it on top

of that part of the flag. Students will have completed the activity when all four quadrants are

successfully glued in the accurate places on the flag.

Intervention:

Students will have access to adult assistance folding/divid ing the paper equally

Students will have pre-cut tracers that will help determine equal parts before division

Students will have access to self-assisted scissors

Enrichment:

Students may be asked to give a size relationship when describing their shape- i.e. “There

is a shape with four sides that are each one inch long on my quadrant.”

Students may be asked to divide shapes with their flag into quadrants- i.e. divide a star

from the American flag into quadrants

Name: ______________________________

Country that your flag represents: _________________________________

(You may use the Flags of All Nations text if you are unsure.)

Date:_______________________

First, you need to div ide and cut your flag into four equal parts.

Each of these parts is called a quadrant and represents ¼ of your

whole flag.

Label all four of the quadrants below.

Use the quadrants below to describe the shapes represented in

each quadrant of your flag using pictures and words.

You may want to label your cut quadrants or refer to the image of

your whole flag

Eastern Connecticut State University Lesson Plan Three

Student Teacher

Kimberly DePaolis

and Lisa Forcellina Grade Level: 3

Content Standards:





Eastern Connecticut State University Lesson Plan Three

Upper left quadrant quadrant

quadrant quadrant


Student Teacher Kimberly DePaolis and Lisa Forcellina Grade Level: 3

Content Standards:






subcategories.


Children will have already reviewed the identification of varying shapes and what a quadrant is

in the previous lessons. The activities from those lessons have reinforced this knowledge.

Student Learning Objective(s): Identify specific and measurable learning objectives for this

lesson.

Students will be able to accurately identify and categorize different shapes including

triangles, quadrilaterals, polygons and non-polygons.

Vocabulary:

Shapes

Sides

Quadrilaterals

Triangles

Non-polygons

Polygons

Categorize


Essential key question: What types of shapes belong in the following categories: triangle,

quadrilateral, polygon and non-polygon?

The assessment type that will be used in this lesson is informal assessment. While the children

are in small groups, the teacher will walk around and visit each group to observe each child’s

input on the shapes and their categories. When the children share their findings in front of the

class, the teacher will observe their work based on the accuracy of the categories they placed

their shapes in as well as their explanations for why. The teacher will have a class list and check

off when a child shares something about the categories accurately. If the child says something

that is inaccurate, the teacher will circle the child’s name so that he or she knows to work further

with that child.



American Flag

Brazil Flag

Japan Flag

Nepal Flag

Kuwait Flag

Israel Flag

Recording sheets

Picture cards (for children needing additional accommodations)


Smart board


Whole group – initiation (15 minutes) – read “Shape Up!” and identify the different attributes of

shapes in specified categories.

Small group – 10 minutes – classify the different shapes on a given flag

Initiation:

Instruction for this lesson will be completed in a whole group setting. The teacher will read aloud

the book, “Shape Up!” to the whole group, which describes triangles, quadrilaterals, polygons

and the characteristics that make different shapes fit into these categories After the book is read,

children will have the opportunity to ask questions they may have about shapes. The teacher will

then review the material to the whole group by holding up different shapes and having the

children raise their hands to identify what type of shape it is. All answers will be recorded on

chart paper along with an explanation for what makes the shape fit into the specified category

(ie. “It’s a quadrilateral because it has 4 sides). The teacher will then explain in whole group the

activity for categorizing shapes.

Lesson Procedures:

In whole group, the teacher will take the time to explain the categorizing shapes activity and give

an example. The teacher will review triangles, quadrilaterals, non-polygon, and polygon and

referring to the chart paper from the initiation, and again describe the attributes that make certain

shapes a part of these specific categories. The teacher will then hold up the American flag as an

example. The teacher will identify out loud the different shapes seen on the flag and record them

on another piece of chart paper. Once this is completed, the teacher will introduce the recording

sheet that will be used during the activity, which includes a chart for students to record the

different shapes found on their flag according to the shape categories. Using a smart-board, the

teacher will put the worksheet on the board for all the students to see and with each shape on the

American flag, scaffold her thought process for putting it in a certain category. The teacher will

then split the class into five small groups. Each group will have a different flag: Japan, Brazil,

Nepal, Israel or Kuwait. The groups will be instructed to work together to identify the different

shapes on the flag as well as the categories that those shapes belong in. Their work will be

written on the recording sheet given. The book, “Shape Up!” will be available for reference and

the chart paper from the initiation will also be posted for children to refer to about the categories

and the shapes’ features within those categories.

Closure

At the closure of this lesson, each group will be asked to hold their flag in front of the class and

identify each shape within the flag, the category that shape belongs in and why. At this time,

other children in the class will be able to ask questions to the presenting group about their shapes

and categories.

Intervention:

Children who require accommodations to their instruction will be prompted to start by describing

shapes by their attributes. For example, “Both the rectangle and the rhombus have 4 sides.” This

will allow them to create an understanding of what is similar between the shapes before

attempting to categorize them as quadrilaterals. These children will be provided with picture

cards of shapes that are quadrilaterals, triangles, polygons and non-polygons, so that they have a

visual in front of them of what the different shapes in those categories include while categorizing

the shapes on their flags.

Enrichment:

For students who benefit from unique challenges within the classroom curriculum, the teacher

will ask the children to not only provide a verbal explanation of the attributes of the shapes in

each category, but also a written explanation. These children will then be encouraged to assist

the students who require accommodations to their instruction by sharing their written

explanations to further the students’ understanding of the shapes and the different categories.

What shapes are on your flag?

Name(s):______________________________________________________________________

Flag: _________________________

Working together, list and draw the different shapes you can find on your flag in the section of the

shape category that they belong in.

Triangles Quadrilaterals Polygons Non-polygons

Eastern Connecticut State University Lesson Plan Format

Lesson Plan 4

Student Teacher Kimberly DePaolis and Lisa Forcellina Grade Level: 3

Content Standards:






subcategories.


Partition shapes into parts with equal areas. Express the area of each part as a unit fraction of the

whole


Students from the previous lessons will have background information on different shapes,

quadrants and categorizing shapes. These lessons have reinforced this knowledge through the

various activities planned.


Students will be able to accurately produce specified shapes in specific quadrants on a classroom flag.

Vocabulary: Identify essential terminology to be used during instruction.

Shapes

Quadrants

Quadrilaterals

Triangles

Non-polygons

Polygons

Categorize


Essential key question: How can we use our prior knowledge on geometry to create a classroom

flag?



The assessment type that will be used in this lesson is a formal assessment. The teacher will be

using a rubric for each student that assesses the students’ abilities to accurately produce a shape

in the correct quadrant according to the specific instructions given while creating the classroom

flag. The rubric follows this lesson plan.

Materials/Resources: List the materials you will use in each learning activity.

Colored felt

Scissors

Large piece of fabric for flag

Markers

Glue

Instruction cards (example follows lesson plan)

Picture cards (for children needing additional accommodations)

Shape blocks (for children needing additional accommodations)

“The Flag Maker” by Susan Campbell Bartoletti

Technological resources: List the technology resources that you will use in this lesson.

Smart board

iPad

Application: Polygon Playground


Whole group – Initiation (15 minutes) – read “The Flag Maker” and discuss processes of making

a flag

Individual – 10 minutes - Follow instructions to create the specified shape in the given quadrant

on the flag

Initiation:

The initiation for this lesson will be completed during whole group, using the book “The Flag

Maker” which is about a young girl and her mother whom made the American flag and the

different steps they had to go through to do so. After reading this book, the teacher will ask the

children to reiterate what processes the flag maker in the story had to go through to create the

American Flag. All of the children’s answers will be recorded on a large piece of chart paper.

The teacher will then explain that together, the students will create a flag for the classroom.

Lesson Procedures:

The teacher will then hold up an instruction card that specifies the shape that a child needs to

produce for the flag and in which quadrant and read it out loud. The teacher will then go over to

the smart board, where the “Polygon Playground” application will be presented, and show the

children how to use it by dragging the shapes to the different quadrants on the screen. The

teacher will exemplify this process by again reading her instruction card out loud and creating

what the instructions say on the application. Once the children verify that the teacher is correct

based on the instructions given, he or she will produce the given shape on a piece of felt, cut it

out and glue it to the flag in the given quadrant. The teacher will then give each child an

instruction card and one by one they will read their card to the class, go up to the smart board to

demonstrate what they will be making on the flag, the class will verify if they are correct or not

and help the child if they are not correct, and then they will produce the shape and place it on the

classroom flag. Each child will take a turn doing this.

Closure:

At the end of this lesson, the children will all help the teacher determine an area in the classroom

to hang the flag and then assist the teacher in doing so. The students will then gather on the rug

as a whole group and help the teacher write a letter to visitors of the classroom on a large piece

of chart paper that explains how the flag they created represents what they learned throughout

the math unit. The letter will then be hung in the classroom next to the flag and family and

friends will be welcomed to come view the flag and read about what the children learned.

Intervention:

Children who require accommodations to their instruction will have extra assistance while

producing their shape and placing it on the classroom flag. Depending on the level of assistance

needed, the child will have the opportunity to work with a partner in the class to complete his or

her assigned instruction. For children who have difficulties with fine motor skills, there will be

shape tracers available as well as self-assisted scissors. There will also be picture cards and/or

shape blocks available to help children visualize the given shapes.

Enrichment:

For students who benefit from unique challenges within the classroom curriculum the teacher

will have more advanced instructions for the shapes and quadrants, or give clues rather than

explicit instructions. For example, the student will have to work to solve the clues “A four sided

shape that does not have equal sides in the upper left quadrant” rather than be told “Place a

rectangle in the upper left quadrant.”

Early Childhood Education Technology Evaluation Toolkit

Date:Spring 2014 Evaluator(s): Lisa Forcellina and Kimberly DePaolis Organization: Eastern Connecticut State University Age group: School Age (Grades: third) Type: Regular Education,Special Needs Title: Polygon Playground

GOALS

_X__a. Approaches to learning (curiosity, attention, flexible thinking/creativity, persistence)

____b. Language/Literacy _X___c. Mathematics ____d. Science

____e. Social Studies ____f. Social-Emotional (cooperation, collaboration, identifying emotions)

HARDWARE

___X_a. Desktop or laptop computer (mouse and keyboard) __X__b. Desktop or laptop computer (touch

screen)

__X__c. Interactive whiteboard _X___d. Tablet __X__e. Multi-touch table or surface

SOFTWARE

Software Title:__Math Cats_____________________ (1=No 2=Unsure 3=Somewhat 4=Yes)

1. Educational a. Learning versus focus on winning? 1 2 3 4 b. Content research and/or learning standards based? 1 2 3 4

c. Feedback informative/teaches? 1 2 3 4

2. Appropriate a. Appropriate cognitive skill(s)/subject matter? 1 2 3 4

b. Set in interesting/appealing context? 1 2 3 4

c. Pre/non-readers can navigate? 1 2 3 4

d. Free from bias? 1 2 3 4

3. Child-Friendly a. Simple/clear choices? 1 2 3 4

b. Multiple, positive opportunities for success? 1 2 3 4

c. After adult support, children can use independently? 1 2 3 4

4. Enjoyable/Engaging a. Enough activities with varieties? 1 2 3 4

b. Appropriate use of rewards? 1 2 3 4

c. Realistic graphics and appealing to intended age? 1 2 3 4

d. Activities match well to attention span? 1 2 3 4

5. Progress Monitoring/Assessment

a. Covers all the key areas the software teaches? 1 2 3 4

b. Easy to use and interpret? 1 2 3 4

6. Individualizing Features

a. Can be customized for child’s needs? 1 2 3 4

b. Allows creation of new activities? 1 2 3 4

INTEGRATION a. Initial training/professional development on integration included? 1 2 3 4

b. Ongoing training/professional development opportunities? 1 2 3 4

SCORE

(Total Score ÷ 80) x 100 = 83.75%-B

(90-100=A,80-89=B, 70-79=C, 60-69=D, <59=F)

__X__Purchase ____Continue to Consider this Option

____Do Not Purchase ____Consider other Options

Rubric

Student: ____________________________

1 2 3 4 5

Shape Identification

and production

Student cannot

accurately produce the identified

shape.

Student shows some

difficulties producing the

identified shape and

needs assistance to complete.

Student can independently

and accurately produce the

identified shape.

Quadrants Student

cannot accurately

place the shape in the given

quadrant.

Student can

accurately and

independently place the shape in the

given quadrant.

Notes:

Example of Instruction Cards (Varied difficulty for student differentiation):

Create and place a trapezoid in

the lower right quadrant of the

flag.

Create and place a polygon of

your choice with more than 4

sides in the upper left quadrant

of the flag.

Create and place a circle in the

upper right quadrant of the flag.

Create a shape that has 4 sides.

Not all of the sides should be the

same size, but the ones parallel

to each other should measure

the same. Place this shape in the

lower left quadrant of the flag.

Below is a list of child-friendly literature that may aid in understanding of our All Around

the World/GeometryUnit:

Adler, David, and Nancy Tobin. Shape Up! New York, New York: Square Moon Productions,

1998. Print.

Bartoletti, Susan, and Claire Nivola. The Flag Maker. New York, New York: Houghton Mifflin

Company, 2004. Print.

Elting, Mary, and Franklin Folsom. Flags of All Nations and the People Who Live Under Them. :

International and Pan-American Conventions, 1969. Print.

Firestone, Mary, and Matthew Skeens. Our American Flag. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Picture

Window Books, 2007. Print.

Goodman, David, and Zoe Miller. Shape. Milbank, London: Tate Publishing, 2008. Print.

Prince, April, and Joan Paley. Meet Our Flag, Old Glory. New York, New York: Little, Brown

and Company: Time Warner Book Group, 2004. Print.

May 2014

Dear Parents,

It is a very exciting time in our classroom and we need your

help! Our class is beginning our Around the World Unit; this will

encompass many parts of our day. One of our main focus’ are

flags, as symbols, and as shapes.

To help us get started we ask that you submit an image of the

flag that represents the ethnicity of your family. If it is not possible to

submit an image, simply the name of the country of origin would be

appropriate. This is an excellent opportunity to create meaningful

dialogue with your child. Try asking questions like, why do you think

the flag makers chose this design? What shapes make up the flag?

We also have quite of few projects that we will be completing

during this unit (on 5/20, 5/21, and 5/23) that could use extra adult

support. The students are always excited and proud to have the

opportunity to share their knowledge, classroom, and friends with

you! Please complete and submit the bottom half of this sheet by

Monday May 12, 2014. Thank you for your constant support!

Ms. Forcellina and Ms. DePaolis

1) We have attatched an image of the flag that represents our family’s

country of origin to this sheet OR we have written our family’s country

of origin on the line below:

______________________________________

2) I am looking forward to visit ing the classroom and would like more

information regarding t ime and activity on

___________ 5/20

___________ 5/21

___________5/23

Please call me at: ________________ or email me at: __________________

Feel free to contact Ms. Forcellina or Ms. DePaolis, with any quest ions,

comments, concerns or ideas!

Math Unit Plan May 8, 2014 Lisa Forcellina and Kimberly ... Forcellina and Kimberly DePaolis ECE 415...

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