LESSON PLANS...

click here to returen to my home page

DESCRIPTION OF CLASS:

The class I am teacher is rather small, there are 20 students (eleven girls, and 9 boys). The school is located in a small country town which is economically booming. The school has eight computer, two of which are in my grade 3/4 class. The students I teach have had little experience using computers as actual computer lessons are not given until grade 5. However, six of my students have a home computers which have access to the Internet. These students regularily use the classroom computer in their free time. The children in my class are a mixed bunch. This does not mean some are good and some are bad, it means that some of them come from farming backgrounds, while others live in town. I also have four students who have spent most of their lives in the city. Given this information, all the children are fantastic, and they all have so much to offer.

Lesson plan 1: This plan does not involve the children using the computer, however it prepares them for lessons to follow.

Subject: Maths

Topic: constructing and completing addition and subtraction problems.

Grade: 3/4

Date: 22/10/97

Time: 10.30 am

Learning Objectives:

Children should be able to understand the use of whole numbers and addition and subtraction relationships to construct and complete simple statements of equality(Mathematics Profiles: Strand -Number: Level 2: Area- Equations).

Preparation:

Organise groups for the following activity, keeping mind the levels of the students. For this activity I would prefer the levels of the children to be mixed. This is so that when then students do the activity, they will not be getting too hard or too easy problems..this will be further explained in the procedure.

Procedure:

2 minutes: Explain to class that they will be getting into organised groups shortly to make up 20 addition and subtraction problems. They will also be told that once they have made up the problems they must swap their problems with another group. Therefore they must have the answers to their own problems and complete the problems from another group.

5minutes: In groups of 4, the students must make up their addition and subtraction problems(5 problems each).

5 minutes: The groups work out the answers to their own problems, before handing on the problems to another group. Once completed, the groups exchange problem sheets.

10mins: children complete each others worksheets(5 problems each). Once completed, sheets are handed back to their original groups.

10minutes: The groups mark the completed work sheets.

2minsutes: Conclusion: group marks are read out.

Evaluation:

- amount of correct answers per group

-group cooperation

-observation- seeing that all children make up their 5 problems and also attempt to answer 5 problems.

Lesson Plan 2: This is a continuation from lesson 1.

Subject:Maths

Topic:Calculator work

Grade:3/4

Date:23/10/97

Time:10.30am

Learning Objectives:

Children should be able to identify that micro-electronic devices are used in everyday life(KITOS), and can use a calculator to explore numbers, place value and operations(Profiles-Mathematics: Strand-Number: Level 2: Area: Calculators).

Students Prior Knowledge:

-Students have had little calculator use in class.

-Students also know the basic addition and subtraction facts and have developed some strategies for problem solving.

Preparation:

-Timetable for class computer use (2 computers, 3 students on at a time for 10 minutes). The rostered times will extend past the actual maths lesson, therefore those who don't get a chance to use the computer while the math's lesson is in operation can use it during the writing lesson(this follows maths).

-Reserve 20 calculators from the maths store room.

Procedure:

off the computer:

20mins:Children can practice using the calculator starting off by punching in the maths problems used in the previous maths lesson. Other problems will then be put on the white board. As the problems are put into the calculator, the children must write down the steps they take to get the answer. Once this has been done, they can write a list of where calculators can be used in the real world.

on the computer:

10mins: Children can work out their normal maths on the 'Broken Calculator' program. This will show children that different micro-electric devices can be used in everyday life. It will also give them the opportunity to experiment with the operations, numbers, and the answers will be given using the 'place value rule'.

Evaluation:

Observation: See that children get the same answers on the calculator as well as manually. Also see that children can use the 'Broken Calculator' program, and that they experiment with the different operations given.

Lesson Plan 3:Continuation from lesson 2.

Subject: Maths

Topic:Calculator work/basic subtraction and addition facts.

Grade:3/4

Date: 24/10/97

Time: 10.30am

Learning Objectives:

Children should be able to estimate and calculator mentally, including adding and subtracting numbers to 10 and making estimations based on place value.(Profiles: mathematics: Strand- Number: Level 2: Area-Mental Computation).

Preparation:

-reserve calculators

-make timetable for computer use

Procedure:off the computer

10mins: with a partner test one another on 10 subtraction and 10 addition problems. The answers must be accessed mentally (If unsure, materials may be used to work out the answer). The problems will be on the white board.

10mins: An overview of the strategy to 'subtract or add ten on' to a problem will be revised in class. For example: 4+8=?/ therefore- 4+10-2=12 or 4+10=14-2

5mins: Questions will then be asked. For example: Who likes to mentally access answer in this way? Lets try this on the calculator. Questioning of place value will then take place. For example: what does the 4 mean in 14? and, what does the 2 mean in 23? Other questions may include: How would you work out the answer to the problem 10+4 if the 4 button was broken on the calculator? Write down in pictures or words your answer.

on the computer

15mins: The teacher can give the children a set of subtraction and addition problems to do on the 'Broken Calculator' program. They can also determine which keys on the calculator are broken (this would depend on the level of the student). By doing this children will be able to see that there is more than one way to get an answer. Again the children should record the ways they obtained their answers, so they can be used in later work.

Evaluation:

-From the teachers toolkit section of the computer program 'Broken Calculator', teachers will be able to see a record of how the children worked out an answer, therefore they will be able to determine where some children may be having difficulties and decide which children are ready for extended activities.

-observation-group questioning time.

THE END and GOODBYE!!

click here to return to the software evaluation