Construct-a-Concept Lesson Plan for Prime Numbers

Michael Buhler, Jeremy Hidalgo, Melissa Andersen Objective: Students will conceptualize prime numbers by distinguishing between examples and non-examples. (construct a concept) Stage 1: Sort and Categorize With the class organized into a single large group, we will direct them to take 11 minutes to write down (in their notebooks) the following numbers as seen on the white board: 0, 1, 2, 10, -27, 6.835, e, 37, 13, -13, 109, 51, 59, -2.307, 14, 4, 100, and analyze these examples and non-examples. Have each student individually develop 5 categorizations (patterns or conjectures) about this list of numbers. Stage 2: Reflect and Explain After everyone has written their categorizations and conjectures, we will conduct a large-group question-discussion session in which they will share and discuss a sample of their categorizations (conjectures). We will raise questions that lead them to verbalize their rationales for their categorizations, such as: What categories did you develop? In what categories did you group these numbers? What did you notice about the factors of the integer numbers? What name is given to numbers with positive factors other than 1 and itself? With only 1 and itself? As the discussion proceeds, we will focus the direction of the discussion toward the intended objective - discussing prime numbers. Stage 3: Generalize and Articulate Continuing with the large-group question-discussion session, we will lead students to compare their conjectures with each other, emphasizing similarities and differences in intent as well as in wording. Using their previous conjectures, we will have students form a general conjecture about the definition of a prime number. To do this, we will need to develop a test for concept attributes. Why is zero, 0, not a prime? Why is one, 1, not a prime?

 Why are negative numbers not considered prime? (history of mathematics) Why is two, 2, prime, even though it is an even number?

Stage 4: Verify and Refine At the end of the question-discussion session, we will assign student the following task for homework: 1. Clarify our definition of prime numbers for yourself. 2. Make a list of five prime numbers that you think that no one else will choose and explain why they are prime numbers. 3. From this explanation, create your own definition of prime numbers. (This definition can be the same as the one we came up with during class, if that definition was clear to you.) On the following day, we will direct several students to display their responses to Item 3 of the homework on the board. We will then engage in a questiondiscussion session in which we scrutinize those definitions for validity, as well as clarify misunderstandings that may arise. The intent is to lead everyone to refine their own definitions until we converge on one that is consistent with the conventional meaning of prime number and which they both comprehend and own.

Mini-experiment: 1. Come up with an example of a prime number. Write a paragraph (3-4 sentences) about why this number is prime, based on the definition that we developed in class. Focus on the characteristics of a prime number. 2. Come up with a non-example of a prime number. Write a paragraph (3-4 sentences) about why this number is not a prime number, based on the definition that we developed in class. Provide at least two reasons why the number is not prime.

Observers Rubric: Part 1: +1 +0 +1 +0 +1 +0 +1 +0 +1 +0 Part 2: +1 +0 +1 +0 prime. +1 +0 prime. +1 +0 +1 +0

Student provides an example of a prime number. Student states that the number is a positive integer. Student states that the number is divisible by 1 and itself. The student has written at least 3-4 sentences in their explanation. There is nothing erroneous or extraneous in the explanation.

Student provides a non-example of a prime number. Student provides and explains one reason why the number is not Student provides and explains another reason why the number is not The student has written at least 3-4 sentences in their explanation. There is nothing erroneous or extraneous in the explanation.