Model Math Lesson

Model Math Lesson Plan

TEKS:

K.2.G  compare sets of objects up to at least 20 in each set using comparative language;

1.6.H identify examples and non-examples of halves and fourths   

Materials: Give Me Half by Stuart J. Murphy, 3 paper pizzas (cut into 6 equal pieces, divided into 4 equal pieces, divided into 4 unequal pieces), 2 paper cupcakes, 8 paper cookies, an equal and unequal sign for each student, a square divided into two unequal pieces, 8 paper apples, manipulatives (bears, legos, counters, etc.), construction paper, markers

Engage

Ask the students if their parents ever make them share with their siblings. Have some of them share what they have had to share and if they made it fair or not. Now introduce the book, Give Me Half by Stuart J. Murphy and begin to read it. As you are reading the book for each food have a student come up to demonstrate the sharing. For example, with the pizza have a student take one slice and keep the rest for yourself. Ask the students if it seems fair to them, if they say no ask what we could do to make it fair. You will do this for each food in the story. Make sure to call on different students to demonstrate as well as different students to answer the questions.

Facilitation Questions:

• Have your parents ever told you that you needed to share with your siblings?
• If they have, did you make sure that it was fair or did you give them only a little bit?
• I am sharing my (pizza, cookies, cupcakes) with (student), does it seem fair? Why not?
• What could we do to make it fair?

Explore

After you have finished discussing the book, give each student an equal and not equal card. Before you start the activity ask students why their cards have an equal sign. The discussion should lead to them saying that when they are being fair in what they share they are also being equal in how much each one gets. Explain to the students that you will describe a scenario along with a picture to go along. Their job is to, with the cards, show if it is equal or not equal. You can chose to allow the students to discuss with each other or to decide independently. You may also group the students and have them answer as a group. The first scenario is, Jacob had four (two) slices of pizza. His sister wanted pizza as well so he shared with her. He gave her two (one)  slices of pizza. Is this equal or unequal? Second scenario, Sarah was asked to cut a square into two pieces. Her teacher said that both pieces needed to be the same size. Did Sarah cut her square in equal or unequal pieces? Scenario three, Mrs. Read had 8 apples that she wanted to share between 2 students. She gave one student 4 red apples and one student 4 green apples. Did Mrs, Read share her apples equally or unequally?

Facilitation Questions:

• Why do you think your cards have an equal and unequal sign instead of saying fair and unfair?
• What do you think  it means to say it is equal?
• Jacob had four slices of pizza. His sister wanted pizza as well so he shared with her. He gave her 2 slices of pizza. Is this equal or unequal?
• Sarah was asked to cut  a square into two pieces. Her teacher said that both pieces needed to be the same size. Did Sarah cut her square in equal or unequal pieces?
• Mrs. Read had 8 apples that she wanted to share between 2 students. She gave one student 4 red apples and one student 4 green apples. Did Mrs, Read share her apples equally or unequally?

Explain

Have the students explain what it means for something to be equal and what it means to be unequal. Allow a moment for them to discuss with you and make connections to the activity they just did. After, begin going through each scenario with them. Ask who thought it was equal and who thought it was unequal? Give everyone time to answer before starting to discuss their why. Ask those who chose equal to explain their reasoning. Then ask those who chose unequal to explain their reasoning. For the pizza scenario, show them a new pizza that is not cut equally. Ask if that pizza would have been split equally. For the square scenario, point out how it is cut into two pieces. Then ask, so why can it not be equal? For the apples scenario, point out to them how one student got all the red apples and the other got all the green apples. Would this make it equal or unequal? Both students received apples but each one had different colors. Even though they are different colors Mrs. Read was only splitting the apples. It did not say she wanted them to have the same amount and same colors. Then you will lead the discussion with the students but allow them to explain their thought process during the elaborate portion of the lesson plan.

Facilitation Questions:

• How did you know when something was equal or unequal?
• Why do you think it is equal or unequal?
• It is cut into two pieces, so why can I not say they it is equal?
• What could I have done to make the square equal?

Elaborate

Have students pair up with a partner.  Each group will get eight manipulatives (candy, counter bears, etc.).  The group will first divide the manipulative in a fair way between the two partners. Each partner should end up with four. Practice this with multiple numbers. The students will give back the manipulatives and then get into groups of four.  You will then give each group eight manipulatives once again and each group will divide the manipulative fairly between themselves. Practice this with multiple numbers. You may also use a story format as a means for the students to split up the manipulatives fairly. Make sure that you stop and talk as a class how they made it equal. Also show them a scenario where it is unequal but they can make it equal. For example, if two people are sharing five cookies how can they make it equal? The students should say to split the fifth cookie in half.

For first grade, remember to have them refer to halves and fourths when asking them for the fraction.

Facilitation Questions:

• How many manipulatives did each partner get? (Ask this during 2-person groups and 4-person groups).
• How did you decide to split up the manipulative so that it was fair for everyone in the group?
• If each person in your group did not get an equal amount how can you fix it?
• What fraction did each of you get? Was it split into halves or fourths? (first grade)

Evaluate

The students will complete an exit ticket to turn in after completion.  Each student will get a piece of construction paper that they will divide into a chart with a marker. One side will say equal and the other unequal. You will then tell them what they should be drawing. For Kindergarten, make sure to just have them work with halves. First grade should be using both halves and fourths. Some examples are, having them draw a circle split in half equally. Then ask them to do it where it is unequal. Make sure that for each shape they show it as an equal and unequal. You may use circles, squares, rectangles, or triangles. You may also have the students decide instead how to draw each shape (split in half, into fourths, or unequally) but there must be shapes in both sections (equal and not equal).

For Kindergarten, you may have to have the shapes already drawn for them. First grade should be able to draw the shapes on their own. If they have trouble they may trace the shape using the shape manipulatives if needed.

For first grade, on the equal side only have them label each shape ½ or ¼. Ask them if we divided the shapes into halves or fourths?

Facilitation Questions:

• How would you draw a square into half/four equal parts?
• How would you draw a circle into half/four equal parts?
• What would it mean for the shapes to not be equal?
• What does it mean for the shapes to be equal?

Closure:

You will ask the students to quietly finish gluing in their last shape and pick up any materials or trash. Then you will ask the students to sit on the carpet and will ask them a series of questions that remind the students of what the math lesson was about. Afterwards, have the students turn and share with their shoulder partner something new that they learned today.

• What did we learn today?
• What does it mean to be equal/ not equal? Which one is fair?
• What does splitting something equally in half mean?
• What does splitting something equalling in fourths mean? (first grade)
• What is something new that you learned today?