TPE 1: Specific Pedagogical Skills for Subject Matter Instruction
_Lesson Plan: T-charts and Patterns (Teaching Evaluation)
Lesson Summary —This lesson introduces students to T-charts, another tool they can use to solve problems. To kick it off, I reminded students that patterns are all around them. I used a T-chart and tell them a story about a dragon, made out of pattern blocks, that grows every year. Together we looked at the data generated from the story and the students contributed different patterns they saw in the numbers. I introduced the first of a series of practice worksheets and students could progress through them at their own pace. There are many ways this lesson demonstrates quality math instruction. Age Appropriate—A lot of care went into making the independent study worksheets, developmentally appropriate. I kept the patterns in the first two worksheets concrete and linear. Also my modeling used pattern blocks, so the worksheets did too. To scaffold the first worksheet, I filled-in the t-chart column titles as well as the first three rows of data to get them started. However, as they moved through the worksheets, the prompts faded. In addition, each successive worksheet had a more difficult type of pattern and greater level of abstraction. Multiple Points of View—Even in this lesson, in which I focused on relatively simple linear patterns, students spotted more patterns than I did. This reminds me that even with something simple, there can be multiple points of view and multiple ways of expressing oneself. In examining the t-chart data from the dragon story, I accepted any pattern the students noticed, even if it was as simple as, "the dragon's age increased by one year each time". In each worksheet, students must explain how they solved the problem but how they explain is up to them. The most popular methods to explain their process were numberlines, number sentences (i.e. equations), word sentences, and pictures. Student Connections—I've peppered the lesson with connections to the students. For my anticipatory set, I brought in jewelry realia not only as an example of patterns in our lives but also because many of my students enjoy beading. I also used students’ names in the worksheet word problems. Reflection—Overall, I was satisfied with this lesson. There was high student engagement throughout the modeling and throughout the independent work. Students were by and large capable of filling in the t-chart with the logical progression of the pattern. Mistakes were mostly made by not reading the directions thoroughly and failing to pull the answer out of the completed t-chart. There were three small victories from this lesson: my lowest math student saw the pattern and correctly explained the relationship between the numbers, my top math student was stumped trying to explain an exponential pattern in the last worksheet, and the class made an interdisciplinary connection when they spotted a t-chart in the Piet Mondrian art lesson later that day. |