Edu 505 Fieldwork

Fieldwork Packet
EDU 505
ELEMENTARY CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION:
MATH & SCIENCE
Daniela Cupples
CALIFORNIA BAPTIST UNIVERSITY

EDU 505: FIELDWORK ACTIVITIES
The following activities will be part of the fieldwork experience. These reports are also available at the end of
chapters in the Mathematics Methods for Elementary and Middle School Teachers textbook. Twenty hours
are required for this course, l0 hours for mathematics and l0 hours for science. Please staple each Activity
separately.
Activity #1: Preparation for Designing Instruction by Learning About Students TPEs 1,4,6,7,8,9,
& 13
Select a classroom where you can come to know general information about students and provide the following information
listed below.
Develop a Class List: (No Real Names) describe the class by using the list below and any other relevant information
that would be important to providing equitable instructional opportunities for this group of students. Keep these
students in mind as you develop your unit lessons and as you complete TPAs.
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Note typical cognitive ability

English Speaking students
ELL students (CELDT Levels)
GATE students
IEP students
Foster Students (if available)
Cultural/Ethnic groups represented
General Socio-economic level of students
Describe the classroom and students (grade level, demographic profile from above)
How are topics in math or science presented so as to maintain equity in this classroom?
How does knowing the students affect how student work is being valued and organized?
What evidence do you find to support equity for all students? Who are the outliers and what specific learning/social
needs do they have that must be addressed in order to provide equitable learning opportunities?
What SDAIE/ELD strategies did you notice being used?
What strategies were used to accommodate children with different levels of ability? (Example, gifted or learning
disabled)
How are the needs of English speaking students being met in ways that are different than for the ELD students?
List several Common Core Standards that apply to equity in the grade level you have observed.
Step One: Complete the following table for the class in which you are observing
(Feel Free to change chart to fit all required information)
All student names changed for privacy purposes.
Name
and
Gende
r
Ethnicity
and Home
Language and
CELDT level.
Describe General
Learning Level
Gener
al SED
Level
(Free
Lunch
)
Classroom
Behavior
Other Relevant Issues (i.e., Health,

Visual, Speech, Parent Involvement)
Good
Parents are very involved in the classroom
Yes:
disadva
ntaged
No: Not
Disadva
ntaged
EX:
Caucasian/
GATE
No
John
Sally,
female
English
Caucasian/
English
Dori,
female
Hispanic/
Spanish
CELT level
beginning
Ariel,
female
Reading: advanced
Math: advanced
Science: at gradelevel
Reading: below
basic
Math: at grade level
Science: basic
Yes
Good
Very limited parent involvement.
Yes
Good
Caucasian/
English
Reading: advanced
Math: at grade-level
Science: basic
No
Eric,
male
Hispanic/
English
Reading: basic
Math: below basic
Science: basic
Yes
Fair
Student
refuses to do
work when the
work is
challenging.
Poor
Student is
disruptive,
often off task
Sam,
male
Caucasian/
English
Reading: basic
Yes
Transferred from Mexico in the middle of the

year. Identified English Learner
Student struggles with language acquisition.
Receives 1:1 support by EL tutor 2 x per week.
Very limited parent involvement, parents speak
limited English
Special needs student. IEP Student has cerebral
palsy, walks with a walker, has a one-on-one
aide, struggles with fine motor skills, her hands
get tired when holding a pencil for longer
periods of time.
Adoptive parents are very involved in school.
Special needs student; NOT Identified as English
Learner the teacher thinks that he should be
identified that there was an error on his intake
survey.
Special needs student, IEP for speech.
Limited parent involvement.
Special needs student; the student has an IEP for
a general learning disability and ADHD. Student
on medication for ADHD.
Yorobi,
male
Reading: basic
Yes
Mia/
female
Excellent
Identified English Learner close to exiting the

program
Limited parent involvement
Peter/
male
Yes
Carrie/
female
Caucasian/
English
10
Alexis/
female
Caucasian/
English
11
Paul/
male
Caucasian/
English
Reading: at gradelevel
Math: advanced
Science: advanced
no
Fair, often off

task student
struggles with
structures and
routines.
Poor, student
is defiant and
disruptive
Fair, student
becomes
disruptive
when bored,
needs to be
challenged.
good
The student is in foster care.

No parent involvement.
Math: basic
Science: basic
Math: basic
Reading: basic
Math: below basic
Science: below basic
GATE
Reading: advanced
Math: advanced
Science: advanced
Yes
Vietnamese/
Vietnamese
and English
CELT level
early
intermediate
Hispanic/
Spanish
CELT level
advanced
Indian/African
-American
English
Yes
No
Poor,
Frequently off
task,
disruptive,
often
disrespectful
to the teacher.
Good
Student is very
shy rarely
participates in
class
Identified English Learner

Attendance problems: Excessive absences,

student misses school for weeks
Severe peanut allergy,
12
Karl/
male
Caucasian/
English
13
Hector
/male
Hispanic/
Spanish
14
Scott/
male
AfricanAmerican/
English
15
John/
male
Caucasian/
English
16
Maria/
female
17
Susan/
female
Hispanic/
Spanish
CELT level
early
intermediate
Caucasian/
English
18
Samm
y-Joe/
female
Caucasian/
English
19
Talia/
female
Caucasian/
English
20
Trevor
/male
Caucasian/
English
21
Rosa/
female
22
Benny/
male
Hispanic/
Spanish
CELT level
early
intermediate
Caucasian/
English
23
Daniel/
male
Caucasian/
English
24
Tanner
/ male
Caucasian/
English
Reading: advanced
Math: advanced
Science: advanced
Science: advanced
GATE
Reading: advanced
Math: advanced
Reading: basic
Math: basic
Science: basic
no
good
yes
excellent
Student reclassified from EL program

no
good
yes
excellent
yes
good
Special Needs student, English Learner. IEP for

vision problems student uses a special color
overlay to help her read.
No parent involvement
Reading: advanced
Reading: below
basic
Math: below basic
Science: below basic
no
good
yes
fair
Math: advanced
Science: advanced
Reading: advanced
Math: advanced
Reading: basic
Math: basic
Science basic
no
good
Student referred to SIT team for evaluation for a

learning disability.
Frequent absences, the student, has been to
many different schools.
Limited parent involvement in the classroom.
no
good
yes
good
English Learner
Receives 1:1 services with EL tutor 1 x per week.
Reading: basic
Science: basic
no
good
no
good
yes
good
Student referred to SIT team for evaluation for

speech services.
25
Yun/
female
Vietnamese/Vi
etnamese and
English
CELT level
early
intermediate
Reading: basic
Science: basic
no
excellent
English Learner
Describe the classroom and students (grade level, demographic profile from above)
rd
This 3 -grade classroom is culturally and demographically diverse. There are thirteen girls and twelve boys in
the class. Of the twenty-five students in the classroom, there are two GATE students, six English Learners, four
special needs students, and two students that were referred for evaluation for eligibility for special education
services that are currently undergoing the SIT process. 14 students are economically disadvantaged and are on
the free and reduced lunch program. Twenty percent of the parents are very involved in the classroom; they
regularly participate in classroom events, field trips and volunteer weekly in the classroom. Twenty percent of
the students have no parent involvement; parents do not respond to parent-teacher communications, dont
participate in school events or parent-teacher conferences. Sixty percent of the students have limited parent
involvement; their parents communicate with the teacher and attend parent-teacher conferences.
How are topics in math or science presented so as to maintain equity in this classroom?
Topics are presented in multiple ways; the teacher uses auditory, visual, tactile and kinesthetic approaches to
reach all learners. The teacher uses the textbook, worksheets, videos, illustrations, interactive technologybased activities, hands-on experiences, and body movement to engage all learners and their different learning
styles. The teacher holds high expectations for all students and provides opportunities for all students to
succeed by including heterogeneous small group activities, hands-on learning experiences, experiments,
technology-based simulations, realia, and field trips.
How does knowing the students affect how student work is being valued and organized?
Knowing the students is an integral part to valuing student work and organizing student activities and groupings
for instructional activities. By getting to know the students, the teacher gains a deeper understanding of their
strengths, interests, and areas the students need extra support in. Through the use of anecdotal observation
logs, the teacher continuously evaluates student progress, adjusts the lessons based on the needs of the
students, and reteaches concepts the students struggle with. Technology enabled the teacher to use datadriven instruction to accelerate instruction for advanced learners, and provide additional support for students
who struggled with certain concepts.
What evidence do you find to support equity for all students? Who are the outliers and what specific
learning/social needs do they have that must be addressed in order to provide equitable learning
opportunities?
The teachers lesson plans included specific strategies and activities that meet the needs of English Learners,
students with special needs, and advanced learners.
The English learners have specific needs, which are related to their language acquisition level. The English
learners struggle, with content vocabulary, syntax, grammar, oral discourse, and are often reluctant to
participate in whole group discussions. To increase their comfort level, the teacher included various types of
flexible groupings based on the needs of the students. She employed heterogeneous supportive groupings to
encourage the students participation in small groups and to provide the students with examples of proper use
of oral language. Students were also grouped by Language acquisition levels to introduce vocabulary. The
inclusion of images, video, hands-on activities, and realia improved the students vocabulary acquisition and
understanding. The students social needs include the need to feel included, cared about and respected by their
peers and their teacher, and the need to communicate with somebody in their home language. The teacher
assigned a buddy who speaks the home language to a newcomer English learners to improve her social
integration in the classroom, at recess, and during other school activities. Through the use of clear enunciation,
by providing adequate wait time, and by providing additional small group instruction, the teacher further
ensured that the English learners had equitable learning opportunities.
Students with special needs have specific needs based on their disability, which is documented in their IEP, and
they receive accommodations and modifications as outlined in the IEP. The student with cerebral palsy
struggled with movement and fine motor skills; she had accommodations for activities that included writing.
She used assistive technology, an iPad to type her answers and also used the text to speech feature when her
hands got to tired. One of the students had ADHD, which caused him to have trouble focusing, he was fidgety
and had a short attention span. To address the needs, the student had a behavior plan; he was allowed to take
breaks and move around the room. The student also received extra time on assignments, and his tasks were
often broken down into smaller segments. The special needs students also received additional support from a
SAI teacher; they were pulled out for small group instruction with the SAI teacher. The teacher focused on the
main concepts with the SAI students and also retaught concepts the students were struggling with.
Advanced Learners need to be challenged to ensure that they do not get bored during instruction and loose
interest in the learning. The teacher included additional concepts for those students, the students worked on
applied projects in a group. They created a presentation about where they can find fractions in real life.
What SDAIE/ELD strategies did you notice being used?

The teacher used a KWL chart, brainstorming, concept mapping; the students drew thinking maps. Co-op Coop was implemented, the students, worked in small groups. The students completed a jigsaw activity, wrote
journals, and completed learning logs for science activities. Furthermore, Round-Robin activities, Think-PairShare, and visualization were used.
What strategies were used to accommodate children with different levels of ability? (Example, gifted or
learning disabled)
English Learners: Small group instruction supported the needs this group. The teacher, used both
heterogeneous and homogeneous flexible groups. The teacher incorporated visuals and manipulatives. The
teacher pretaught vocabulary in a small group. The teacher explicitly introduced content vocabulary. Some
students received extra one-on-one support by the EL tutor.
Students with special needs the students received extra support from the SAI teacher. They were pulled out
for small group instruction. One student used assistive technology, an iPad, to support her. The teacher focused
on key concepts; she also retaught concepts the students struggled with, in a small group setting.
Gifted and advanced learners students were challenged to apply the concepts in a different way. They
performed research in a small group and presented their findings to the class. The GATE students participated
in special GATE activities with the Targeted Intervention Specialist. The teacher incorporated the TenMarks
math software to integrate advanced math instruction.
How are the needs of English speaking students being met in ways that are different than for the ELD
students?
The teacher used continuous assessment to drive instruction; the assessment provided deep insight into the
specific needs of the students. To address the needs of the English speaking students the teacher focused more
on content acquisition. To address the needs of the ELD students, the lessons included English language
development components, which encouraged the students to listen, speak, read, and write within the content
areas. Strategies used with ELD students in mind, such as brainstorming and making connections with prior
knowledge, Think-Pair-Share, and hands-on activities benefited all students and also supported the
cohesiveness of the classroom. The use of heterogeneous flexible groupings fostered a collaborative classroom
environment that encouraged all students to collaborate and engage with each other and the content.
List several Common Core Standards that apply to equity in the grade level you have observed.
The use of visual representations and real life application supports equity as evidenced by the following Common Core
Standards.
3 OA Operations and Algebraic Thinking

Solve problems involving the four operations, and identify and explain patterns in arithmetic.
8. Solve two-step word problems using the four operations. Represent these problems using equations with a letter
standing for the unknown quantity. Assess the reasonableness of answers using mental computation and estimation
strategies including rounding.
9. Identify arithmetic patterns (including patterns in the addition table or multiplication table), and explain them using
properties of operations. For example, observe that 4 times a number is always even, and explain why 4 times a number
can be decomposed into two equal addends.
3 MD Represent and Interpret Data
3. Draw a scaled picture graph and a scaled bar graph to represent a data set with several categories. Solve one- and
two-step how many more and how many less problems using information presented in scaled bar graphs. For
example, draw a bar graph in which each square in the bar graph might represent 5 pets.
4. Generate measurement data by measuring lengths using rulers marked with halves and fourths of an inch. Show the
data by making a line plot, where the horizontal scale is marked off in appropriate unitswhole numbers, halves, or
quarters.
3 MD
Geometric measurement: recognize perimeter as an attribute of plane figures and distinguish between linear and
area measures.
8. Solve real-world and mathematical problems involving perimeters of polygons, including finding the perimeter given
the side lengths, finding an unknown side length, and exhibiting rectangles with the same perimeter and different areas
or with the same area and different perimeters.
The math lessons I observed included language arts, collaboration, and technology components. Which were evidenced
by the following standards:
ELA Standards Grade 3
Writing
2. Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.
a. Introduce a topic and group related information together; include illustrations when useful to aiding
comprehension.
b. Develop the topic with facts, definitions, and details.
c. Use linking words and phrases (e.g., also, another, and, more, but) to connect ideas within categories of
information.
Speaking and Listening
1.
a.
b.
c.
d.
Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led)

with diverse partners on grade 3 topics and texts, building on others ideas and expressing their own clearly.
Come to discussions prepared, having read or studied required material; explicitly draw on that preparation
and other information known about the topic to explore ideas under discussion.
Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g., gaining the floor in respectful ways, listening to others with care,
speaking one at a time about the topics and texts under discussion).
Ask questions to check understanding of information presented, stay on topic, and link their
comments to the remarks of others.
Explain their own ideas and understanding in light of the discussion.
Technology Standard ISTE NETS for Students

3. Research and information fluency
Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information.
a. Plan strategies to guide inquiry
b. Locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and ethically use information from a variety of
sources and media.
c. Evaluate and select information sources and digital tools based on the appropriateness to
specific tasks
d. Process data and report results
5. Digital citizenship
Students understand human, cultural, and societal issues related to technology and practice legal and
ethical behavior.
a. Advocate and practice safe, legal, and responsible use of information and technology
b. Exhibit a positive attitude toward using technology that supports collaboration, learning, and
productivity
c. Demonstrate personal responsibility for lifelong learning
d. Exhibit leadership for digital citizenship
Step Two: Complete Table 2 below:
Use this table to help you plan instruction for your focus students and provide a rationale for your decisions.
Candidate Name
Daniela Cupples
ELD Student
Student: Dori
Hispanic
Learning Modalities
and Learning Style
Preferences (i.e.,
Visual, Auditory,
Kinesthetic/ hands on)
Cultural
considerations:
Ex.
Cultural Group
Proximity issues
Eye contact
Home Language
What sources
were used to
gather
information?
1. Student
learning styles
inventory
(attached)
2. Informal
observations
3.
Communications
with teacher
- Student CUME
file
- Home language
survey
- I asked the
teacher
- I asked the
English learner
tutor.
- Through the use
of informal
observations
Grade level 3
What information was
gathered?
1. The student likes to read in

Spanish, perform
experiments, draw and color,
learn by touching things, sing,
sharing with others, make
connections with content,
care about animals, and
connect with the world
through hands-on
experiences.
2/3 The student prefers visual
and kinesthetic/hands-on
learning experiences and likes
to work in a small group.
1. The student came from a
rural community in central
Mexico. The student is
Hispanic.
2. Student comes from a
culture that emphasizes closeknit families.
- To best support this student I will include visual

learning experiences, such as videos, images, and
concept organizers in my instructional practice.
3. The student is very

expressive, uses gestures and
close body contact such as
embracing others. This
creates issues with other
students who get upset when
she is hugging them or
infringing on their personal
space.
3. Part of schoolwide PBIS expectations is that students

keep their hands and feet to themselves. I will work
with the student and provide extensive modeling, and
practice to help the student understand how to follow
the rules at school. I will work with the student to get
used to providing personal space to other students.
4. I will not require the student make eye-contact with
me, and understand that her lack of eye-contact is
based on her cultural background. I will communicate
this to other teachers and staff.
5. Spanish home language: during instruction, I
capitalize on cognates, words that transfer from
Spanish to English.
- Other students speak Spanish; I will assign a buddy to
the student to support the students social interactions
and sense of belonging.
- The buddy student will also serve as a translator.
- I will allow the student to discuss activities in Spanish
to provide opportunities for the student to make
connections with prior knowledge.
4. Extended eye contact

represents a challenge to
authority in the students
culture.
5. Home Language: Spanish

Conversational
1. CELT test data
What impact will this information have on

instruction?
1.The student scored at the
- I will also include hands-on experiences by

incorporating interactive activities and through
the inclusion of manipulatives, and technologybased activities.
- I will include small group activities.
1 / 2. The student is not used to the large school and

community. To facilitate the students transition, I will
provide opportunities for the student to share her own
cultural and family experiences.
1.
To best support, the students basic
Language Basic
Interpersonal
Communication Skills
(BICS)
Academic language :
Cognitive Academic
Language Proficiency
(CALP)
2. Anecdotal
observation logs that
track observations in
the classroom.
3. Comments and
observations by the EL
tutor regarding the
students social
interactions.
3. Comments and
observations by the
Tier III intervention
provider.
4. Conversations with
the student.
1. CELT test data
2. Classroom
assessments
- Star Reading test
- Weekly vocabulary
tests
- Sight word tests
3. Anecdotal
observational data
records compiled by
the teacher, el tutor,
and Tier III
intervention provider.
4. Observation of the
student during
instruction.
Study skills and

general academic
ability
1. Home language
survey
2. Teachers anecdotal
observational records.
3. Classroom
beginning level in listing and

speaking.
2.The student has been at
the school for 5 months
now. The student shows
great improvement in her
BICS. She is now able to
engage in daily
conversations on the
playground and in the
classroom.
The student still uses short
sentences but feels clearly
more comfortable
participating in social
interactions, in the
classroom and on the
playground.
1.CELT test data:
- Listening: beginning
- Speaking: beginning
- Reading: beginning
- Writing: beginning
The students strength: she
scored highest on her
listening skills.
2. The student scored 0.6
pre-primer on the Star
Reading test.
- Student struggles with
vocabulary tests 56%
- Student thrives on sight
word tests 100%
3. The student needs explicit
instruction in basic phonics,
sight words, word attack
skills.
4. The student benefits from
small group instruction
2.
3.
4.
interpersonal communication skills I

will provide extensive modeling in the
class.
The EL tutor will work with the student
to learn basic conversation and
interpersonal communication skills.
The student will participate in small
groups with other EL students and
practice BICS.
The teacher will provide a nurturing,
safe learning environment that helps
the student feel more confident in
expressing herself and practicing oral
language.
1. I will incorporate explicit instruction that

includes phonics and sight word instruction and
word attack skills.
2. I will implement vocabulary and content

specific texts at the students independent
reading level.
3. I will provide frequent opportunities for the

student to practice oral listening, reading and
speaking skills.
4. I will incorporate heterogeneous supportive

small groups so that the student can be
exposed to good language examples.
5. I will provide sentence strips to facilitate the
students participation in activities.
1. The student is fluent in

Spanish, at her school in
Mexico, she scored
advanced in reading and
mathematics.
2. The student is able to do

mathematics assignments at
grade-level, if she receives
6. I will incorporate many opportunities to

apply the vocabulary in reading, writing,
speaking, and listening.
1. I will capitalize on transfer from the students
first language. Highlight cognates and provide
explicit instruction for non-transferable
phonemes, vocabulary.
2. I will also provide explicit instruction in

syntax and grammar.
assessments
ELA, Math, Science,
Social studies.
4. Observations in the
classroom.
5. District math
benchmark test
directions provided in
Spanish
Specific knowledge
related to the lesson
content
1.Lesson assessment
data
2.Teacher's anecdotal
observation log
3. Journal assessments
graded with project
rubric
3.End unit of fraction
unit test
Physical, Social, and

Emotional
Development:
1.
Observations
by the classroom
teacher and EL tutor.
2. Observations during
the lesson.
3. Scores on physical
education
assessments
4. Group participation
assessments
extra support providing

directions, or if directions to
assignments are provided in
Spanish.
3. The student has good
study skills; she tries hard
and completes her
assignments if she
understands what to do.
4. The student is at a basic
level in science.
1
1. The student struggled
with the directions to the
assignment.
T
2. The student highly
benefits from visual and
hands-on experiences, which
help her navigate around her
language acquisition
problems.
E
3. After the student was
provided with instructions in
Spanish, the
J student was
able to complete
the end of
unit test at 80%.
1. The students physical

development is appropriate
for the students age.
The student is able to
connect a variety of
locomotor and nonlocomotor movements. She
is able to demonstrate
coordination; she can
bounce, kick, catch, throw
and strike a ball with an
implement.
3. I will provide instructions to complex

assignments in Spanish and allow the student
to discuss the directions in Spanish with her
buddy student.
1.
I will provide instructions to the

assignments in Spanish and provide an
opportunity for the student to discuss
the directions to the assignments with
a buddy student.
2.
I will enable the translation feature for

TenMarks assignments.
3.
I will incorporate visual and hands-on

experiences in my lessons to better
support the student in all areas.
4.
I will provide simplified instructions in

English for the student to transition
her to be able to complete an
assignment when only English
instructions are provided.
The student enjoys movement and
dance; this is one of her favorite forms
of expression. Incorporating dance
activities during physical education
instruction has been a helpful strategy
to support the student in the
development of both her physical and
social development. I will continue to
provide such opportunities.
1.
2.
The student shows improvement in

her social development. I will include
heterogeneous supportive small group
activities that support the student and
provide a stress-free environment for
the student to practice social
interactions.
3.
The student still struggles with her

emotional expressions in the
classroom. To facilitate her
assimilation to U.S. classroom culture
and interactions, the student is
2. Social development: The

student is starting to form
social connections with
peers. The student is still
transitioning to the new
environment but has made
some friends that she is able
to make connections with.
3. Emotional development,
the student is very
expressive with her
emotions. She sometimes
struggles to express her
emotions in an appropriate
way in the classroom.
Interests /aspirations
1. Student Interest
survey
the student.
the teacher.
4. Observations of the
student during
instruction.
- The student likes to draw

and paint.
- The student likes to sing
and listen to music.
- The students favorite
subject in school is art.
- The student loves animals.
- The student wants to be a
veterinarian when she grows
up.
currently participating in a small group

with the counselor where the student
practices how to express her emotions
in a constructive fashion.
1. To facilitate the students expression of her
knowledge when she struggles with expressing
her thoughts, I will incorporate activities that
allow the student to express herself in
alternative formats, include art activities,
dancing and singing.
2. The student loves animals; I will provide
opportunities for the student to connect with
the classroom by providing chances for the
student to learn about different animals as part
of supplemental language arts activities that
support the students language acquisition.
3. I will provide opportunities for the student to
take care of the classroom pet, a guinea pig.
This activity will tie into the students interests
and also help her collaborate with students in
the classroom and strengthen her social
connections.
Learning Styles Inventory for Dori
Student Interest Survey

1.What is your favorite book?
The Hungry Caterpillar.
2. My favorite food is tacos.
3. My favorite sport of game is jump rope.
4. My best friends are Tina and Joe.
5. The three things I do best in school are
art, math, and science experiments.
6. I would like to get better at reading and writing
English.
7. My favorite subject is art, I like to dance.
8. This year, I would like to learn more
about science.
9. Some of the sports and hobbies I like are
swimming and singing.
10. Some of the chores, jobs, or
responsibilities I have at home are feeding the cat
and making my bed.
NOTE: The rubric below will guide you in evaluating how useful and appropriate the information gathered will be in creating
student-focused instruction and assessment in the identified content area.
Rubric to Guide Collection of Student Data

Useful and Appropriate
Info
Functional Info/Basic
Incomplete Info
Three different sources in

addition to personal
observations were used to
gather data. (i.e., teacher
responses/teaching
strategies observed,
observable information,
student responses/interest
survey)
Two different sources in

addition to personal
observations were used to
gather data.
Personal observations were primarily

used for information on the focus
student.
A representative sample is
provided to substantiate
the data gathered on the
student.
The sample provided does

not clearly connect to the
content area and/or
information gathered on
the student.
No sample is provided to verify the

accuracy of the information gathered on
the student.
The data gathered is

connected to content that
would encompass a specific
lesson in the identified
subject area.
The data gathered is

connected to the general
content area, but not
necessarily to a specific
lesson.
It is difficult to see a relationship

between the data gathered and the
identified subject area.
Activity: Evaluate Fieldwork Lessons Observed

Instructional Strategies
Student Activities
What did the teacher do? List
What did the students do? List
1.
The teacher used a video as an anticipatory set to get the

students engaged and interested in equivalent fractions. She
also used the video to make connections with prior learning.
Equivalent Fractions Video: https://youtu.be/wL4hICyMLKU
1.
The students watched the

video and wrote down one
thing they learned from the
video.
2.
The teacher incorporated a KWL chart to assess prior

knowledge, support the students in making connections with
previously learned content, and to engage the students with
the concept.
2.
The students brainstormed

what they already knew about
fractions and equivalent
fractions. The whole class
participated in the creation of
the KWL chart.
3.
The teacher used direct instruction to introduce the concept

on equivalent fractions. She modeled the concept of
equivalent fractions through the use of fraction strips on her
document camera. The teacher asked guiding questions, how
many pieces do I have to put down to make a whole if I have
halves? How many pieces do I have to put down when I have
thirds? etc.
3.
The students observed the

teacher modeling how to use
the fraction strips.
4.
She used different colored fraction strips to represent the

different fractions. She started with 1/1 then did 2/2, 3/3,
4/4, 5/5, 6/6, 7/7, 8/8, 9/9, 10/10, 11/11, 12/12.
4.
The students watched the

teacher.
5.
She lined the different fractions strips up on top of each

other.
5.
The students lined up their

own fraction strips like the
teacher did and created their
own fraction block. The
students used a ruler to see
which fractions were
equivalent.
The students raised their hands

to answer the questions.
The students used their
Next, she reviewed with the students that two make one
whole. Three 1/3 make a whole.
= 2/4 = 3/6 = 4=8
6.
Next, the teacher provided guided practice, she did two math
problems about equivalent fractions with the students and
showed them how to do the problems.
7.
The teacher released the students to practice with the

fraction strips with a partner. The teacher roamed the room
and observed and supported the students as they practiced
using the fraction strips in a small group. The teacher
provided extra support to groups that were struggling with
the concept.
8.
The teacher released the students to practice the math

independently. The teacher used an anecdotal observation
log and recorded which students mastered which concepts,
and which students struggled with certain concepts.
9.
The teacher instructed the students to write a journal entry

about what they learned today. She provided a visual word
wall that included pictures. She instructed students to apply
and incorporate the academic vocabulary of the lesson in
their journal entries. The students shared their journal
entries in a small group.
fraction strips to visually

compare the fractions and
placed two halves on top of the
whole.
6.
The students did a math

problem using the fraction
strips along with the teacher
and learned how to use the
strips to solve equivalent
fractions.
7.
The students practiced using

the fraction strips to solve
equivalent fraction problems
with a partner. They took turns
and talked about why they
used certain fraction strips.
8.
The students did an entire

practice page of equivalent
fractions by using the fraction
strips to help them visualize
the concept. They manipulated
the pieces and gained hands-on
experiences on equivalent
fractions.
9.
The students wrote a journal

entry about their experiences
with equivalent fractions. They
applied the academic
vocabulary in their writing.
10. The teacher used a rubric to grade the journal entries.
10. Students reviewed their journal

rubrics and added details to
their reflection if needed.
11. The teachers graded the worksheets the students completed

independently. Based on the students work she retaught the
concept to a small group of students that struggled with the
concept.
11. The students reviewed their

corrected worksheets.
12. The teacher provided an opportunity for the students to

practice the concept in a different way by during an
equivalent fraction assignment on the Chromebooks. This
was a TenMarks activity.
12. The students participated in

the TenMarks equivalent
fractions assignment.
Rationale: Why are these strategies appropriate for this class? (Three or more reasons/areas)
1. Developmentally appropriate (state what and why for each area)
rd
The activity was developmentally appropriate because it incorporated academic vocabulary at the 3 grade level.
The lesson was developmentally appropriate because it provided explicit instruction, guided and
independent practice and introduced the concept in a clear sequential fashion, which helped the students
understand the concept.
The lesson was developmentally appropriate because it provided a way for students to form connections
with previously learned concepts through the use of the video.
2.
Cognitively appropriate
The lesson was cognitively appropriate because it provided hands-on experiences that helped the students
visualize the abstract concept of equivalent fractions.
The lesson incorporated manipulatives that provided an opportunity for the students to apply the concept
by manipulating the different fraction strips.
The lesson included multiple representations of the same concept; the students watched a video, they
used hands-on experiences, they did a worksheet, and they used a technology-based activity for deeper
practice. This helped to deepen the students understanding.
3. Social needs
The activity included whole group instruction. For the KWL chart, students participated in a whole class
brainstorming activity, which supported the collaborative creation of an anchor chart and fostered whole
class cohesiveness.
Students worked in pairs during the practice activities; This provided a socially supportive environment for
the students to experiment and practice with the fraction strips.
The students shared their journal entries in supportive small groups, which provided opportunities to
practice oral language in a comfortable, safe social environment.
4. Language Level
The academic vocabulary was pretaught in a small group for English learners, which helped the students be
more successful with the lesson, it increased their participation in the whole group and also improved the
students confidence levels.
The teacher introduced academic vocabulary through the use of a visual word wall. She included pictures
to facilitate the acquisition of the vocabulary.
The students applied the academic vocabulary in their writing. They wrote a journal entry about their
equivalent fraction experiences. The activity provided an opportunity for the students to apply the
vocabulary they learned in writing. The teacher provided feedback through the use of a rubric, which
helped to motive the students. The students practiced oral language by discussing their journal entries in a
small group.
1. Describe a classroom as it relates to being a math or science environment. What evidence do

you see that tells you that math or science is a vital part of the learning environment? Use
pages 1-B for recording your observations and 1-C for responding to the REFLECTION
questions.
2. Observe gender equity in a science classroom; whole class, group work, and for students with
Special Needs. Complete three surveys and REFLECTIONS on pages 2-A, 2-B, and 2-C.
3. Complete a survey of classroom manipulatives and observe a class where manipulative are
being used. Respond to the REFLECTION questions on pages 3-B and 3-C.
4. Observe two individual students in a math lesson and a science lesson. Complete the
Focusing on Individuals Observation Sheet page 3-D. Please respond to the REFLECTION
questions on page 3-E.
5. Collect sample math and science assessments as required by the local school. In this activity,
you will document and compare the types of mathematics and science tests that students are
required to take. Complete the questions on page 4-A
6. Create a math performance task and a science performance task for a pair of students using
the Performance Task Template on page 5-B. Complete the REFLECTION questions on page 5C.
7. Investigate Problem Solving Strategies with a small group of students (3 4) and teach one of
your math and science activities. Complete the REFLECTION questions on page 5-D.
8. Working with a group of 5-6 students plan and conduct a survey, Lets Find Out utilizing the
directions from page 5-H and then responding to the REFLECTION questions on page 5-I. This
lesson integrates math and science.
The Learning Environment Observation Sheet 1-B

Time
Physical Space & Materials

Mathematics and science were part of the overall friendly and inviting
Math: The daily schedule included a 60-minute math classroom dcor; the teacher incorporated math and science in the dcor in
block in the morning.
active ways to support the overall experience. The curtains had math
formulas on them.
The teacher incorporated math activities into
independent learning times. Students used the
Mathematics Classroom:
Chromebooks to practice math concepts during
Thematic Bulletin board
independent learning time.
A thematic bulletin board displayed math concepts. There was an anchor
chart on fractions and various posters.
The teacher incorporated technology to differentiate
instruction and provided extra time for students to
Math Manipulatives: There was an area with math manipulatives that was
practice concepts they struggled with. She assigned
accessible to every student.
different math activities in TenMarks based on the
students needs. Advanced students had accelerated Math Centers: There was an area set aside as a math center where students
assignments, students who struggled were provided could choose different math activities.
with extra time to practice the concepts in different
ways.
Technology Based Math Activities: the students used the Chromebooks to
practice their math. The teacher assigned math activities in TenMarks and
The teacher provided extra time for students to
First in Math.
practice math concepts and receive additional
support through the use of small group instruction.
Science Classroom:
Based on her anecdotal observation log, she pulled
A thematic science bulletin board about states of matter displayed a class
students aside individually or in small groups to
created anchor chart on the states of matter.
provide extra support.
The teacher posted academic vocabulary as part of the bulletin board.
Math practice activities were part of homework
assignments; the teacher provided opportunities for
practice during homework.
A science experiment exhibit showed a science experiment the class did

together.
Science: The teacher incorporated 50 minutes of

science instructon 3 times per week.
The students were given opportunities to choose
science activities during independent activity time;
this was accomplished during a center time where
students were able to choose a center activity they
were interested in.
Cross curricular connections: The teacher extended
math and science times and opportunities for
students to apply concepts by incorporating crosscurricular projects that incorporated math and
science activities into language arts and arts
activities.
The thematic classroom library had many books about famous scientists,
science experiments ideas, science concepts and different animals.
The students grew radishes as part of an experiment; the plants were on the
window sill. The students observed and recorded the growth of the plants in
their journals.
Student Work Exhibit showed student created crayon resist images of the
solar system.
Science Centers: different science centers were available to the students.

These included a hands-on specimen center were students used magnifying
glasses to explore specimens, such as different types of bone, feathers, and
fur. A weather station, and a physical science activity lab were also available.
Context
Respect & Value Students' Ideas
The teacher provided worthwhile tasks connected to
mathematics Common Core Content standards. She The Student Work Exhibit showed work created by every student in the
implemented the district approved Engage New York class and provided opportunities for all students to feel included and
Math Curriculum, and the district approved
worthwile.
Houghton Mifflin science curriculum.
Classroom environment: The teacher provided clear rules, expectations, and
The tasks introduced students to significant
incentives that fostered an open and active learning environment, where all
mathematical and scientific concepts as outlined by
students felt safe to participate. Clear procedures for science expriments
the standards, the tasks connected to the students
ensured the safety of all students.
understanding, interests and experiences.
Example:
The students performed a geometry
scavenger hunt and looked for geometric
shapes in their lives. They took pictures of
these shapes on the playground, in the
classroom, and their homes and
incorporated them into a project.
The teacher incorporated a range of different ways to
instruct the students, to engage all students, and to
address different learning styles.
She incorporated direct instruction with
explicit modeling, guided and independent
practice.
Hands-on experiences and experiments
Technology-driven interactive experiences
and simulations.
She engaged the students' intellect by
providing opportunities for the students to
apply the concepts they learned in projects
and presentations.
She promoted the development of the
students' mathematical and scientific
understanding and skills by incorporating
projects that provided a practical application
of the concepts in a project.
She stimulated the students to make
connections and develop a framework for
mathematical and scientific reasoning.
She included active discourse in her
classroom to promote communication about
math and science concepts. The students
participated in small groups.
She provided all students with opportunities
to succeed by being sensitive to the
students diverse backgrounds and providing
possibilities for the students to share their
backgrounds and helped the students share
their learning in different ways and through
different forms of expressions such as
presentations, drawings, written journals,
and project exhibits.
The students participated in Market day and
got to apply mathematical concepts in a
real-life context by creating a business that
sold an item they created.
The teacher provided opportunities for students to demonstrate their

mathematical and scientific thinking by providing opportunities for an
exploration of concepts. Students worked in small groups to share ideas;
they also discovered new concepts through hands-on experiences.
The use of positive discourse showed that the teacher respected the
student's ideas and values. By limiting teacher talk and providing extensive
opportunities for the students to explore and express concepts the teacher
created an environment that fostered participation of all students.
The teachers classroom management ensured that all student participated
in the groups. She assigned each group member a job and the students were
held accountable for their contributions. The teacher actively listened to the
students ideas and provided them with opportunities to discuss their ideas
in small groups to increase their engagement with ideas and concepts. The
teacher actively monitored group discussions and interactions and ensured a
safe and caring group environment where all students participated.
Students used books, encyclopedias, the Chromebooks, and experts as
additional resources to explore math and science concepts; the students
shared their findings with the class in presentations.
The Learning Environment: Observing the Teacher and the Students 1-C
Observe in an elementary or middle school classroom during at least one entire mathematics lesson.
Use the observation sheet on the previous page so you can make special notes about the four items in
the learning environment underlined and described below.
In 1991, the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) published Professional Standards
for Teaching Mathematics, a book that promotes a vision of mathematics teaching in which
developing mathematical power in all students is central.
Mathematical power includes the ability to explore, conjecture, and reason logically; to solve
non-routine problems; to communicate about and through mathematics, and to connect ideas
within mathematics and between mathematics and other intellectual activity. Mathematical
power also involves the development of personal self-confidence and a disposition to seek,
evaluate, and use quantitative and spatial information in solving problems and in making
decisions. Students' flexibility, perseverance, interest, curiosity, and inventiveness also affect
the realization of mathematical power. (NCTM 1991).
This vision of mathematics teaching was reaffirmed in 2000 with the publication of Principles and
Standards for School Mathematics (NCTM 2000).
What does the classroom environment look like when a teacher is committed to pursuing this vision?
According to Professional Standards for Teaching Mathematics. the teacher of mathematics should
create a learning environment that fosters the development of each student's mathematical power by
providing and structuring the time necessary to explore sound mathematics and grapple with
significant ideas and problems;
using the physical space and materials in ways that facilitate students' learning of mathematics
providing a context that encourages the development of mathematical skill and proficiency;
respecting and valuing students' ideas, ways of thinking, and mathematical dispositions. . . .
(NCTM 1991, p. 57, emphases added)
Read pp. 57-61 in Professional Standards for Teaching Mathematics for a more complete description
of the Learning Environment Standard. These pages also include three vignettes (elaborated
examples) of classroom environments that exemplify the standard. (Available on the World Wide Web
(standards.nctm.org.)
REFLECTION:
1. Summarize your observation and discuss each of the four items, comparing and contrasting what you
observed in the classroom with the vision provided in NCTM's Learning Environment Standard.
Time: The NCTM's Learning Environment Standards outline that teachers need to provide adequate time for
students to explore sound mathematical concepts. My observations clearly demonstrated the time constraints
teachers face when trying to provide adequate time for all the required subjects. The teacher incorporated 60
minutes of daily math instruction, where she covered the required concepts as outlined in the district
provided pacing guide. The teacher extended the math time by providing cross-curricular projects and
connecting math to different content areas such as science, social studies, language arts, and the arts. She also
included centers which provided students with additional time to practice math concepts.
Physical Space: NCTM's Learning Environment Standards outline that teachers need to provide a physical
environment that facilities the students learning of mathematics. The teacher provided a learning
environment that encouraged all students to value math experiences. She provided areas set aside for math
centers and provided resources for students to explore math concepts through hands-on experiences. Part of
this encouraging learning environment were manipulatives and resources such as technology applications
TenMarks and First in Math that provided additional opportunities for students to explore math concepts in
different ways.
Context: NCTM's Learning Environment Standards outline that teachers need to provide a context for the
learning of mathematical concepts. The teacher achieved the implementation of this standard through the
implementation of standards-based activities and through the faithful implementation of the district adopted
math curriculum. She allowed the students to apply concepts in different ways and provided multiple
opportunities for the students to interact with content. The use of positive discourse was essential to provide
a learning environment where students interact with others and content in a constructive fashion.
Respecting and Valuing Student Ideas: NCTM's Learning Environment Standards outline that teachers need to
provide a learning environment that respects students and their ideas. The teacher accomplished that by
displaying work from all students. She also incorporated group activities that provided a safe and nurturing
environment that made all student feel comfortable to participate. The teacher incorporated classroom
management that ensured that all students felt safe, cared for and respected.
2. What will you do to support the learning environment in your own classroom?
To support the learning environment in my classroom, I will provide at least 60 minutes of math instruction
every day and will include cross-curricular activities that provide many opportunities for students to apply
math concepts in their writing, in applied science projects, during social studies, and art activities. I will also
incorporate technology-infused activities, which will provide additional time for my students to interact with
math concepts at their individual levels. I will also try to incorporate 50 minutes of science instruction every
day.
I will provide an engaging physical space for math instruction by providing a variety of manipulatives, a center
area where students can explore concepts, and will also include an extensive collection of mathematics and
science related books in my classroom library so that students will gain a deeper understanding of the
interconnectedness of math and science concepts to our daily lives. I will also offer technology-based
resources to my students to support the additional practice, support, and application of math and science
concepts. I will also display images of people of different cultural backgrounds engaged in math and science
tasks.
To support a context in which students can apply mathematical concepts and gain proficiency I will integrate
Common Core Content standards, implement the district adopted math curriculum and incorporate projectbased learning activities that foster collaboration of the students and provide opportunities for the students to
interact with the content in various forms. I will also implement the NGSS science standards.
I will create a learning environment that respects all students and values their ideas by implementing
classroom management that creates a safe and nurturing learning environment. I will include small group and
paired activities to provide learning environments for students that feel less comfortable in whole group
instruction. I will incorporate group activity rules and monitor student learning to ensure that all students are
held accountable for participation and are respectful, kind, and supportive in the group environment. I will
incorporate multicultural learning experiences that foster the inclusion and sharing of experiences of all
students.
Equity in Whole Class Lessons: Observing the Teacher 2-A

Observe a mathematics class and specifically be sensitive to the verbal and physical clues that suggest
boys are treated differently than girls.
Research studies report patterns of behavior where teachers
When questioning and answering
Call on boys more than girls
Wait longer for boys to respond than for girls
Allow boys to interrupt their speaking more easily than girls
Accept boys "called out answers" more than girls
When giving feedback and directions
Give boys more criticism
Praise girls for the appearance of their work and boys for the content of their work
Tell boys how to solve problems, but solve the problems for girls
Allow students to self-select groups by sex
Give girls less time with computers and models than boys
Assign different tasks on the basis of gender
A more detailed list of these behaviors is available in the Gender Equity Sources and Resources for
Education Students by Jo Sanders, Janice Koch and Josephine Ursa published by Erlbaum Publishers,
Mahwah, NJ, 1997.
1. Did you see evidence of any of the above behaviors suggesting that boys and girls were treated
differently? Check all behaviors observed and provide specific examples.
Questioning and Answering: The teacher used a randomized system to call on students. She used cards
and drew the students names. This ensured that all students were called equally there was no
difference between boys and girls. The teacher provided equal wait times for boys and girls; she also
adjusted the levels of the questions to provide opportunities for all students to feel successful. The
teacher made a clear effort of teaching students positive discourse; students learned to listen when
others were speaking, all students that disrupted others were reprimanded; the teacher did not
differentiate who interrupted. Two boys in the class continuously interrupted other students, she
removed one of them from the class to reduce the disruptions and removed the other one from the
learning activity. The teacher did not accept shouted out answers; she required all students to raise their
hand, regardless of gender. While some of the boys were louder and shouted out answers, the teacher
did not encourage that behavior by acknowledging those answers.
REFLECTION:
1. What do you think causes boys and girls to be treated differently?
The teacher did not treat boys and girls differently she had clear expectations and rules for all students and
implemented them equally. The temperament of the boys was different than of most of the girls; the teacher
made sure that all students were respected and included.
2. What will you do to ensure equity in your classroom?

My observations really showed me the value of a randomized system to call on students as not all
students raise their hands. I will include a randomized calling system in my classroom; I will use the
ClassDojo randomizer to call on students. I will also incorporate group activities with flexible
heterogeneous or homogenous groups as applicable to provide opportunities for all students to
participate. Through the use of a classroom management system that implements clear rules,
expectations, routines, consequences, and rewards I will ensure that all students receive equal
opportunities to succeed in my classroom.
Equity in Mixed-Gender:Group Work Observing Students 2-B

1. How many groups were involved?____6______How many children were in each group?_4-5____
Focus your observation on one of the groups. Record the first names of group members:
Dori, Peter, Alexis, John
2. Was the group leader a boy or girl?___John (boy)_____Who decided?_____The group decided.
3. Did everyone seem to contribute equally to the group's work?
If not, who (boy/girl) contributed the most/least?
John (boy) contributed the most. Dori (girl) contributed the least.
Yes No
4. Did everyone speak equally in the group?

If not, who (boy/girl) spoke the most/least often?
Peter (boy) spoke most often. Dori (girl) spoke least often.
Yes No
5. If manipulative materials are being used, did everyone have equal use?
If not, who (boy/girl) has the most/least use?
All students used the manipulatives equally.
Yes No
6. Did you observe any examples of learned helplessness"?

Yes No
If yes, who (boy/girl) exhibited this trait?
All students tried and participated. Dori clearly struggled, but she made an effort and tried. The students
limited English proficiency was clearly evident. The group was very supportive and helpful.
7. Did you find evidence that boys are greater risk takers than girls?
Yes No
If yes, describe a situation you observed.
The boys took initiative; they came up with a plan on how to do the task. They grabbed the digital camera
right away and had many ideas on where to find geometric shapes in the world. The teacher reminded the
group that they had to assign jobs, and all do part of the project.
8. Did you notice any difference in the group dynamics between the boys and girls?
Yes No
If yes, give an example.
The boys clearly took the lead; they were less hesitant to get started. They went and gathered the needed
supplies right away and had no doubt what to do. The girls deferred to the boys and had them decide how to
approach the project.
REFLECTION:
1. Based on your observation of the mixed-gender groups describe any patterns or trends that suggest either
gender equity or inequity within the groups?
The individual academic skills and abilities of the students had a large impact on the interaction of the
students within the group. One of the girls, Dori, was an English learner that clearly struggled with the
language component of the task. Because Dori struggled so much, Alexis was very focused on supporting her.
The girls mostly worked together, and so did the boys. To promote greater gender equity and to increase
cooperation within the group, I would structure the groups differently and not include such a wide range of
ability within the group. The GATE student, John, was very outgoing and kind of intimidating to the other
students. Furthermore, the age of the students also contributed to the fact that the girls and boys mostly
worked together, I would provide further practice in collaborative group projects to increase collaboration.
Equity for Students with Special Needs: Observing Students 2-C

Observe in a mathematics class where students identified for special education services are included in the
room.
1. About how many children appeared to be in need of special help?___9_____
2. How many children did the teacher report had been identified to receive special education
services?____4__What types of special needs have been identified in the class? How many of each?
Two students were going through the SIT process to get extra special help.
1. One student had a physical impairment: cerebral palsy she needed extra help with fine motor and
gross motor skills tasks.
2. One student had a general learning disability and ADHD
3. One student had low vision
4. One student with a speech and language impairment.
3. Focus your observation on one or two of the children with special needs.
1. First name:___Sam________Special Needs: General Learning Disability & ADHD
2. First name:___Maria_______Special Needs: low vision, also English Learner
3. First name:___Ariel________Special Needs: Physical Impairment, Cerebral Palsy
4. What type of adaptations were made for the child? Was the child successful? Explain.
1. Sam:
The student was provided with extra time on assignments.
The student received additional one-on-one, small group instruction for mathematics 2 x per week
for 30 minutes through the SAI teacher.
The teacher provided written step by step instructions for the student
The students tasks were broken down; he completed one task before he was given a new one.
2. Maria:
The student used a special colored overlay when reading.
The student adjusted the size of print and colors on the Chromebook.
3. Ariel:
The teacher provided large print reading materials.

The student was provided with extra time on assignments.
The student was assigned a one-on-one aide.
The student used assistive technology, an iPad,for her writing tasks.
The student was provided with opportunities to complete assignments in a different form;
instead of writing them by hand she used a word-processor or did an oral presentation.
5. Who provided special help to the child? (circle all that apply)
(Classroom teacher, special education teacher, assigned aide, another child, volunteer, you)
6. About how much time (approximate minutes) was spent helping the child?
1. Sam received 30 minutes of extra support by the SAI teacher 2x a week. The teacher provided extra support
in a small group for 30 minutes per day.
2. Maria received extra support in a small group for 30 minutes per day.
3. Ariel received continuous support from the one-on-one aide all day long, they aide only worked with her
and accompanied her to lunch and recess.
4. Eric received 30 minutes of speech instruction with the Speech and language pathologist one a week.
7. Describe the nature of the special help provided.
One-on-one or small group instruction to review concepts the students did not master.
Small group activities that included manipulatives that helped the students visualize concepts.
Reading directions to the students.
Helping the students break the tasks down into manageable parts.
8. Was there sufficient time and staff to provide help to each special needs child?
Yes No
If no, how many were unattended?
______What seems to determine who gets help?
There were 9 students that the teacher identified as needing special help; they were all basic or below basic in
math. The four students that were identified as special needs students received the most support. The student
with the one-on-one aide received continuous support, even though she didnt need that much help. The 5
other students that were struggling received very little extra support. The specifications outlined in the IEPs
largely determined, which students received extra help, the teacher mentioned that she had two more
students that she feels should qualify for special education services.
REFLECTION:
1. Think about the extent to which the children with special needs were being served. What would you do to
increase the support provided in this mathematics class?
I think that not all students with special needs were serviced because not all of them were identified. The
teacher largely relied on the support of the SAI teacher, which was very limited as the teacher had a caseload
of 50 students with only one aide. The students were serviced in a reduced capacity and could have been
serviced better by providing more targeted interventions in the classroom.
I would include peer tutoring and cross-age peer tutoring, and use volunteers to provide extra support for
students with special needs. I would also incorporate targeted interventions for students who are basic or
below basic and provide additional technology-based targeted interventions to those students.
Classroom Manipulatives-Finding Them 3-B

Manipulatives provide valuable support for mathematics teaching and learning. These materials may be on
shelves, in cabinets, closets, teacher and children's desks or in a library or storage area for teachers to check
out. The manipulatives needed depends on the grade level, mathematics being learned and the commitment
of the teacher toward using them. This is a fact-finding mission to learn the range of manipulatives available to
support the mathematics learning of children.
Once you have done your fact-finding (i.e., talked with teachers, teacher's aid, librarian, etc.), complete the
chart below by placing a check by materials available. Then ask a teacher which of the available materials have
been used with her/his children, and add any additional materials that are available (used) but not listed
below.
)Manipulative
Available
Attribute Blocks
x
Base ten blocks
x
Calculators
x
Cuisenaire rods
x
Decimal models
x
Fraction models
x
Geoboards
x
Geometric models
x
Interlocking Cubes x
(ex. Unifix etc.)
Other Manipulatives:
Fraction strips____ x
Used
[]
[]
[]
[]
[]
[]
[]
[]
[]
Manipulative
Measurement devicesLiter
Meter sticks
Scales
Thermometer
Pattern Blocks
Play Money
Tangrams
Available
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
Used
x
[]
x
[]
[]
[]
x
[]
Virtual manipulatives
Number tiles
[x]
[x]
____________________________
[]
[]
_________________ [ ]
[]
____________________________ [ ]
[]
REFLECTION:
1. Did you see any of the available manipulatives being used during you classroom visits?
Yes No
2. If Yes, were the manipulatives used by the teacher? By the children? Explain.
The teacher used the fraction strips to model how to complete the equivalent fraction activity; she modeled
the use of the strips on the document camera.
The students used the fraction strips and play money during the time I observed.
3. If Yes, name or describe the manipulative(s) and the mathematical topic being discussed.
Fractions: the students used fraction strips
Money: the students used play money and made change.
Geometry: the students used a virtual manipulative, a geoboard, to draw different shapes.
Classroom Manipulatives-Using Them 3-C

Manipulatives provide valuable support for mathematics teaching and learning. Some popular materials are
listed in the previous activity, Classroom Manipulatives-Finding Them. The following questions provide several
different perspectives to consider about the use and availability of manipulatives.
OBSERVE A CLASS WHERE MANIPULATIVES ARE BEING USED:
1. Did the teacher use manipulatives for demonstration?
Yes
No
If yes, name or describe the manipulative(s) and the mathematical topic being discussed.
The teacher used colored fraction strips; she placed them on the document camera to model how students
can visually see the equivalence of fractions. The strips were color coordinated in different colors, which
helped the students compare the sizes of the fractions and see the ones that are equivalent.
2. Were the students using manipulatives during the lesson?
Yes
No
If yes, name or describe the manipulative(s) and the mathematical topic being discussed.
The students used the same fraction strips to work on their math worksheets. They manipulated the strips to
visualize how the fractions were equivalent.
3. Were there other manipulatives visible in the classroom?
If yes, name or describe them.- Yes

No
- number tiles
- Three-dimensional shape blocks
- virtual manipulatives: the teacher created a link to a huge collection of them.
- play money
- tens frames
- fraction models
- fraction strips
- calculators
ASK THE TEACHER:
1. Do you think manipulatives are useful in helping children learn mathematics? Please explain.
Yes
No
Manipulatives help students visualize concepts and gain hands-on experiences,
manipulating items helps them understand ideas and concepts. Many students gain a deeper understanding
when they manipulate items; it also helps them remember concepts and apply learning.
If Yes to #1, ask some of these questions.
2. Do you often use manipulatives in your mathematics classes?
Yes
No
If yes, ask her/him to name or describe "some favorite manipulative(s)" and to describe what mathematics
they help children learn.
I try to incorporate manipulatives as much as possible because it supports all students and increases their
interest. Manipulatives are also helpful for English learners and students with special needs.
I incorporate: number tiles, geoboards, fraction strips and play money
The challenge is that parts of the manipulatives often get lost and then manipulatives cant be used properly
anymore; we have a very limited supply of manipulatives. I therefore often use virtual manipulatives.
http://nlvm.usu.edu/en/nav/vlibrary.html
3. Are there some manipulatives you would like to have for your classroom?
Yes
No
If yes, ask him/her to name or describe them.
Algebra tiles
Equivalency cubes instead of fraction strips
Place value disks
Geo Solids (three-dimensional shape manipulatives)
Fraction dominoes
4. How do you get new manipulatives? (i.e., Do you recommend their purchase to the principal? Do you pay
for them yourself? Is there an annual budget submitted to the district? Is there money from PTA or PTO?)
We usually only get the manipulatives that are provided with the math textbooks, we can request the
purchase of additional manipulatives by making grade level approved suggestions to the principal; there is no
money budgeted for manipulatives. The PTA provides money for each grade level that could be used for
manipulatives; however, there are many other needs. So far we have never used the money for manipulatives.
I try to use virtual manipulatives and dont buy my own.
REFLECTION:
1. What benefits appear to be gained from the use of manipulatives?
The students seem to like working with the manipulatives; they appear to be more engaged when
using the manipulatives.
The manipulatives help the students understand concepts.
The manipulatives help the students visualize a concept.
The teacher can use them to model a task or concept.
Manipulatives allow the students to incorporate kinesthetic experiences.
3. What questions or concerns do you have about the use of manipulatives?
Many different manipulatives are needed to help the students understand the different concepts.
Parts of manipulative kits get routinely lost, how do we keep them better managed or get replacement
parts?
Lack of manipulatives: not all classrooms have a good variety of manipulatives; this makes it difficult to
plan for the use of manipulatives if they are not available.
Some students seem to be very dependent on the manipulatives; manipulatives will not always be
available when students need to solve problems. Teachers need to make sure that students dont
become reliant on the manipulatives to do the math.
Many virtual manipulatives are available; I wonder what the difference in the learning benefit is
between actual and virtual manipulatives.
Focusing on Individuals Observation Sheet 3-D

Time
11:45
Lesson Segment
Introduction to bar graphs
Child 1
Child 2
Tosses paper at another student. The student is digging through her pencil box.
11:50
The teacher shows a picture

graph, which displays recorded
tally marks of a student survey.
On task. The teacher called on

the student the student
answered correctly.
The student is actively listening; she is

engaged, nodding her head.
The teacher asks the students to

interpret the graph.
11:55
The teacher assesses what

The student plays with a tennis
students know about bar graphs; ball.
she asks guiding questions in a
whole class discussion.
The student is actively listening.
12:00
The teacher assesses what

The student plays with a pencil.
students know about bar graphs;
she asks guiding questions.
The teacher calls on the student; the student

answers the question correctly.
12:05
The teacher uses a TenMarks

concept trajectory (computer
based video focus lesson) to
introduce the concept of bar
graphs. She pauses the lesson at
key parts and asks the students
questions.
She randomly calls on students.
The student is not listening. The

teacher calls the students name
to get the student to focus. She
reminds the student that he
needs to focus.
The student talks to her neighbor because the

teacher is focused on student1 and his
misbehavior.
12:10
The teacher introduces the topic

of making graphs as a visual
representation to display the
answers of surveys.
The student stands up and walks

to the trash can.
The student is listening.
12:15
Teacher asks how could you

show the answer of the survey
they did in the video more
effectively?
Student plays with things on his

desk.
The student is actively listening.
The teacher draws the tally

marks on the board.
A student answers her questions
and tells the class that they could
make a graph.
12:20
The teacher continues to play the The student yells out an answer
video lesson on bar graphs.
to a question in the video before
the teacher pauses the lesson.
The teacher ignores the student.
The student is listening.
12:25
12:30
The teacher reads the bar graph

story prompt to the class. The
students are to listen to the
prompt and then ask questions.
The student is out of his seat. The

teacher tells the student to sit
down.
The teacher calls on the student;
the student does not know the
answer. The teacher tries to
redirect the student to get back
to focusing.
The student raised her hand.
The teacher demonstrates how

to make the bar graph and pull
up the bars within the program
to represent the answers in the
tally chart.
The teacher asks the students
where she needs to click to get
the correct answer.
The student yells out bananas

and plays with his scissors.
The student is on task, actively engaged.
The student raised her hand and answered the

question why the bars are not all the same
height. Not all students like the same things.
The teacher redirects the

student.
12:35
The students log into TenMarks The student whistles.

on their Chromebooks they do
the activity bar graph/info graph.
The student has difficulty logging into her

Chromebook; she cant find the website; she
cant log in.
12:40
The classroom teacher moves

around the room and supports
students that need assistance
with the activity.
12:45
The classroom teacher works

The student is not in the room at The student is on task.
with an EL student who struggles this time he is working with the
She uses strategies to check her work. She
with the reading on the
SAI teacher in her room.
uses the process of elimination.
assignment.
12:50
The classroom teacher is still

working with the EL student.
The SAI teacher comes in to work She tries again and is able to problem-solve
with the student 1:1 the student independently and is now ready to do the
goes to the teachers room to
assignment.
work on writing. The student
does not get to participate in the
technology activity, and he also
misses his independent choice
time.
The student is not in the room at The student is stuck on a problem; she raises
this time he is working with the
her hand for help. I go to the student and
SAI teacher in her room.
guide her through the problem by providing
guiding questions.
The student is able to solve the problems after

additional support.
Focusing on Individuals
Observing Students 3- E
Observe a mathematics lesson. For this observation you should focus your attention on just one or two students. Your
goal is to document what they are doing at all times during the lesson, in an attempt to see how the lesson impacts
them individually.
1. Choose one or two students to observe. (Ask the classroom teacher for advice.)
2. Use the observation sheet on the previous page to keep running notes throughout the lesson.
3. In the Time column, make note of the time whenever you enter an observation in one of the other columns (e.g.,
9:00, 9:05, 9:07 and so on).
4. In the Lesson Segment column, make notes about what is supposed to be going on. If the teacher is talking to the
whole class, note this. If the teacher stops lecturing and tells the students to work individually using manipulative
materials, note this. If the teacher tells the children to share their work in small groups, note this. In other words, the
first two columns together give a time specific outline of the various segments of the lesson.
5. In the Child 1 and Child 2 columns, make notes about what children are doing throughout the lesson. Note if they are
listening, or talking, or staring out the window, or using materials or a calculator, or writing, etc. Make notes about the
looks on their faces (eager, excited, bored, frustrated, etc.) Try to position yourself so you can make notes about
everything they say and do. If possible, get a copy of the work your focus students did during the class.
REFLECTION:
1. Write two brief narratives about the lesson, each from the point of view of one of your focus students. How would
they report what happened during math class that day?
Student1: Today we were learning about bar graphs. The teacher showed a very boring and long TenMarks video to
explain the lesson. I had a hard time focusing; the video was very small on the whiteboard, and I had a hard time seeing
the tally marks. The teacher was asking questions, and I raised my hand, but she didnt call on me, even though I knew
the right answer. When we finally got to start on the activity and use the Chromebooks, my SAI teacher came in and
pulled me out of the room, and I didnt get to work on the Chromebooks again. I was so disappointed!
Student2: Today we learned how we could show the answers of a survey in a bar graph. We watched a video, the
teacher explained the video, and asked us questions about the video. Then we got to work on the Chromebooks and do
the activity independently. I love working with the Chromebooks! The math was kind of hard at first. I raised my hand
and did one of the problems with Mrs. Cupples and after that, I was able to complete the rest of the problems by myself.
I didnt get to finish the activity, the teacher didnt give me enough time.
2. Did your focus students engage in the lesson in different ways? How? What were they doing whenever they were off
task? What do you think caused their inattention? What could the teacher have done to bring them into the lesson?
The two students engaged with the lesson in very different ways. Student 1 was bored with the entire lesson, he was
very disruptive during the direct instruction part of the lesson, he made noises, played around and was not engaged at
all. He never got to complete the activity because he got pulled out by the SAI teacher. Student 2 who struggled with her
math really enjoyed the lesson; she liked to listen to the video and was very excited to use the Chromebook to practice
the math. The student was talking to a neighbor when she was off task.
The inattention of Student 1 was caused by the fact that the student sat in the very back close to the door, removed
from everybody else, where he could not see and hear the video very well. The constant interruptions by student1 and
the teachers redirection made the lesson introduction very long, and several of the students lost interest because of
that. The flow of the lesson was broken by the misbehavior of two students.
The teacher should have placed her projector at a better location in the room so that she can project the video larger so
that all students can see and hear the video clearly. The teacher should have engaged the students by allowing the
students to form connections to previously learned content and their lives. The teacher could have incorporated a class
survey and only played a smaller segment of the video instead of the whole video, which she stopped several times. I
would have placed the student1 in close proximity to the projection station to increase student1s supervision and
would also have used proximity and non-verbal communication to keep the student on track. The verbal warnings to the
student disrupted the flow of the lesson. I would also make sure that Student1 can participate in technology lessons; he
seemed to be very disruptive and disengaged because he knew that he would be pulled out by the SAI teacher.
3. Speculate about what the focus students learned about mathematics during this lesson. Back up your speculations by
pointing to specific things that they did or said or wrote.
Student1 learned that bar graphs can be used to show the tally marks. He never learned how to do an actual graph
because he didnt get to finish the activity.
Student2 learned how to make a bar graph. She was able to explain to me how she counts the tally marks, and that the
tally marks represent how many people liked a certain color. She also told me that the taller a bar is in a bar graph, the
more people like that color. Based on the bar graph the students created in the lesson, the student was able to tell me
which color was the favorite color of the class in the activity and which color was the least favorite color.
Testing 4-A
In this activity, you will document and compare the types of mathematics tests that students experience in your school.
1. Talk with your classroom teacher about the types of assessments he/she uses for classroom grading purposes. If
teacher-made tests are used, ask if you can look at some examples. If tests from the textbook are used, get some
copies of those. (The teacher may also use other sources of information for grading (e.g., written classroom
assignments, homework, student interviews, classroom observations), but your focus here is on testing.
The teacher used 5-minute math drills to test students on their multiplication facts.
The homework for each lesson in Engage New York.
She used the lesson Sprint for each unit
Lesson exit tickets
Chapter tests
She also used journal entries
Anecdotal observation records from her observations during instructional activities.
TenMarks assessments
2.Talk with the teacher about what other sorts of math tests his/her students must take (for exam
pIe, school, district, or state-mandated assessments, including standardized tests). Obtain a copy of each, if possible.
Some tests are kept secret, so you cannot examine them. But often test guides are available which provide sample
questions and information about the test as a whole. Get whatever information you can about tests the students
take. A good place to look for information about state or district testing may be on the state or district website.
District benchmark tests for each trimester (which are kept secret)
CAASPP Smarter Balanced Math test administered on the computer. Further information about the test can be
found at http://www.caaspp.org/
Screenshot from practice test 3rd grade:
CAASPP Smarter Balanced Math performance task administered on the computer, further information about the
test can be found at http://www.caaspp.org/

Screenshot from practice test:
5. Make the following comparisons of the various tests youve collected:

List the grade-level examined for each type of test and give the name of the test.
(b) How are the formats of the tests alike or different? For each type of test, are there: multiple choice questions?
questions where students must work out their own answers and show their work? questions where students must
explain their thinking in writing? Are rubrics used for scoring? Is partial credit available? If so, how is it awarded? For
each test, are there sections where students may use a calculator or sections where calculators are not allowed? (Do the
sorts of questions where calculators are permitted differ from those where calculators are not permitted? If so, how?)
For each answer above, give an example to illustrate.
Grade Name of test
3
3
3
Multiple Questions
Choice
where
students
must work
out their
own
answers
and show
their work
no
no
5 Minute
Math Drill
Multiplication
Engage NY
no
Lesson Sprint
Engage NY
Chapter tests
Engage NY
no
lesson exit
Questions
where
students
must
explain
their
thinking in
writing
Are
Partial Calculator
rubrics
credit permitted
used for
scoring?
no
no
no
no
no
no
no
no
no
yes
yes
no
yes
no
3
3
3
ticket
Engage NY
End-ofModule
Assessment
Task
TenMarks
Assessments
Math Journal
District
Benchmark
Assessment
Smarter
Balanced
Math Test
Smarter
Balanced
Performance
Task
no
yes
yes
yes
yes
no
yes
yes
no
no
no
no
no
Yes
some
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
no
no
Yes
some
yes
yes
yes
yes
no
no
yes
yes
yes
yes
no
Examples/comparisons:
The 5 Minute Math Drill for Multiplication is unlike any of the other tests that students need to complete in this 3rdgrade classroom. The focus is on multiplication fluency; the students need to be to answer 100 multiplication problems
in 5 minutes.
The TenMarks assessments, the district benchmark assessment ,and the Smarter Balanced Math test all include some
multiple choice questions and some questions where students have to explain their answers through the use of writing.
The writing questions are graded with a rubric; partial credit is awarded for the writing questions based on the criteria in
the rubrics.
Engage NY End-of-Module Assessment Tasks mimic Smarter Balanced assessments there are areas where students have
to show their work and use writing to support their answers. The writing portions are graded through the use of a rubric.
(c) What major content areas are included in each test? For example, are there questions on number, geometry,
measurement, data, and probability, patterns and algebra? How are the questions distributed across these content
areas? Are some content areas not included? Are some content areas emphasized more fully? Give examples to
illustrate your responses.
Concepts
Number
5 Minute
x
Math Drill
Multiplication
Engage NY
X
Lesson Sprint Available for each unit in
each content area
Geometry
Measurement
Data & probability
Patterns
algebra
Available for each unit in
each content area
each content area.
each content area
X
Not all teachers
implement
Target area emphasized
Target area emphasized
per district pacing guide.
District
Benchmark
Assessments
Smarter
Balanced
per district pacing guide.
and
Math Test
Area of emphasis
Area of emphasis
All areas are represented in the different assessments; however, they are not emphasized in the same manner. Smarter
Balanced Assessment Blue Print 3rd grade
(d) Are there questions where students' mathematical processes (e.g., communication, connections, problem-solving,
reasoning, representations) are assessed? If so, are mathematical processes tested separately, or do the test questions
integrate processes with content? Give examples to illustrate your responses.
Some questions address student mathematical processes. The test questions integrate the processes with the content.
The above 3rd-grade SBAC assessment blueprint clearly indicates that student need to distinguish correct logic or reason
from that which is flawed, and if there is a flaw in the argument explain what it is.
This problem from the Engage NY End-of-Module Assessment Task makes a real life connection and asks students to
solve a problem in that content. Students are invited to use words, pictures, and numbers to explain their answers.
Example from the Smarter Balanced 3rd Grade math test: Students need to analyze the
graph to answer the question below.
4. Choose one content area from the content list in (c) above. Read the description for this content area and this gradeband in Principles and Standards for School Mathematics (NCTM, 2000). Compare the expectations revealed by questions on
the district or state test with expectations described in the Standards. Overall, how do the two documents compare in
this content area? Give at least one example of how they are the same and one of how they are different. Would you
say the test was "aligned with the Standards?
I focused on the 3rd-grade geometry content area. The Principles and Standards for School Mathematics (NCTM, 2000),
lists the following Grades 35 Expectations: In grades 35 all students should:
identify, compare, and analyze attributes of two- and three-dimensional shapes and develop a vocabulary to
describe the attributes;
classify two- and three-dimensional shapes according to their properties and develop definitions of classes of
shapes such as triangles and pyramids;
investigate, describe, and reason about the results of subdividing, combining, and transforming shapes;
explore congruence and similarity;
make and test conjectures about geometric properties and

relationships and develop logical arguments to justify conclusions.
According to the district provided guidelines the teacher showed to me,

roughly 15-20% of questions on the district benchmark and the 3rd grade
Smarter Balanced math test were from those content areas. Therefore I
would say that the tests were aligned with the standards as they show a
smililar percentage.
Primary Interview on Place Value 4-E

Observation of a 1st-grade student
Materials: Unifix cubes, paper, and pencil, base-ten blocks
Tasks:
1. Can you show me twenty-four Unifix cubes? Observe if child counts accurately (says numbers in proper
order, uses one-to-one correspondence, has a method for keeping track of which cubes have been counted)
The student counted accurately; the student said the numbers in proper order; he used one-to-one
correspondence; he lined the blocks up in groups of ten on the left side of the desk to keep track of the cubes
that he had already counted.
2. Now let's suppose we want thirty-four cubes. Can you show me that? Does
child count out ten more or count over from beginning?
The student did not start from the beginning. The student counted ten more to show me 34 blocks.
Can you write the number thirty-four here?
The student was able to write the number 34 without any problems.
4. Let's put the thirty-four cubes into groups of ten. How many tens do you think we can make? Do you think
you'll have any cubes left over? Shall we count out the thirty-four cubes into piles to make sure?
The student had already used the strategy of grouping the counters in groups of ten when he did the task
without assistance. The student made three groups of ten and then showed me the 4 remaining cubes in the
last separate pile. The students practiced this strategy extensively in class.
5. Let's look at thirty-four, the number you wrote. Can you show me with the cubes what the 3 means? Can
you show me what the 4 means?
The student showed me three groups of ten cubes and told me that three groups of ten cubes make thirty
cubes. He made a group of four cubes and said that there were four cubes by themselves to make four.
6. Now let's make four piles of ten cubes each. And let's have five left over. Do you know how many cubes we
have here altogether? How can you tell? (Does student know to count the piles by ten and add the leftovers?
Or does he or she count all?)
The student lined the cubes up in four groups of ten and then counted the groups by counting by tens, 10, 20,
30, 40, and then he counted up from 40, he counted: 41, 42, 43, 44, 45 and told me that he had 45 cubes. The
student was able to count in piles of ten and did not have to count each single cube.
6.
a. If the child has trouble with the questions above, check further by asking again to count out several
different numbers of cubes, for example, l7, 26, or 30-and to predict how many tens and how many left over.
Ask the reverse question. For example, if we have 2 tens and 7 left over, how many cubes would that be?
The student had no problems with the questions; I did try the reverse question because I wanted to make sure
the student understood the concept if it was represented to him in a different format.
I asked you have 3 tens, and 8 left over how many would that be? The student arranged the cubes in 3 groups
of then and then showed me 8 more and told me that the total would be 38.
b. If the child has no trouble with the questions above, probe for understanding of place value of larger
numbers such as 123 or 347 using base ten blocks and asking how many piles of one hundred could be made
and how many piles of ten and how many ones. Also ask the reverse question: if we have three flats and six
sticks and two units, how many cubes would that be altogether? Extension: Check to see how many different
ways the child can show 136.
Since the student had no trouble with any of the previous questions, I had the student experiment with the
larger numbers. I wrote the number 123 and asked the student how many piles of one hundred could be
made. The student told me 1 pile of 100 or use a flat. Now many piles of ten? The student told me 2 or use
two sticks. How many piles of one. The student told me three. I tried a larger number 947 the student again
without any problem told me 9 flats, 4 sticks, and 7 blocks.
I, therefore, tried the extension activity and asked the students to show me how to make 136.
Student: 1 one hundred, 3 tens, 6 ones.
I asked: Can you show me a different way?
Student: I could put 136 ones, and that would be the same thing.
I asked: Can you find another way?
Student: No, there is no other way.
I asked: Can you show me a way that uses tens and ones?
The student seemed confused I, therefore, asked the student: How many tens are in one hundred?
Student: 10 Oh, I get it now, I could make 13 tens and 6 ones.
Interview Reminders:
Listen and watch carefully! Let them do it! Don't teach!
Be flexible. Ask for more examples, if needed.
Ask: How would you show a friend? How would you explain it to a little kid?
Primary Interview on Place Value Interviewing a Student 4-F

Grades K-2
Materials Needed: Primary Interview on Place Value, counters (around 50 connecting cubes), base-ten blocks
(flats, longs, and units may be constructed from grid paper)
The following questions will help you learn about children's beginning understanding of place value. Place
value concepts are foundational to student number sense. Many young children can count to one hundred or
beyond, but actually, have little or no sense of what numbers like twenty-four or fifty-three or seventy-nine
actually mean. Before students can make sense of addition or subtraction of multi-digit numbers, it is essential
that they develop a good understanding of place value.
Conduct an interview on place value, like the one on the reverse of this page (Primary Interview on Place
Value), with at least four different primary aged children. If possible, take them out of the classroom
individually to conduct the interview. Tape record it so you can review your questions and their answers. Each
interview should take approximately 15-30 minutes.
Primary Interview on Place Value
Student 1
1. Can you show me twenty-eight cubes?
st
1 grade
The student counted twenty-eight counters silently; she seemed to struggle I, therefore,
English
asked her to count out loud. She counted each counter separately. She student did not
Learner
group the counters, she was very unaware, which counters she had already counted
because she did not arrange the counters.
2. Now let's suppose we want thirty-eight cubes. Can you show me that?
The student moved all the counters back into one big pile; then she started counting 38
cubes from this pile, one at the time. Again the student did not arrange the counters; the
student miscounted this time. I asked the student if she could think of a way to make it
easier for her to know, which blocks she had already counted. The student shook her
head; I showed her to move the counters she already counted to the other side of the
table and then asked the student to recount them.
3. Can you write the number thirty-eight here?
The student wrote 308. I asked the student to read the number to me, and she read
thirty-eight. I wrote the number 38 and asked the student to read this number. The
student read thirty-eight. The student recognized the number 38.
4. Let's put the thirty-eight cubes into groups of ten. How many tens do you think we can
make? Student: I dont know.
Do you think you'll have any cubes left over? The student was confused and had no
answer.
Shall we count out the thirty-eight cubes into piles to make sure?
The student started counting the cubes but forgot to make piles of ten. I, therefore,
stopped her in her task and had her start a new pile when she got to eleven. The student
was able to arrange the cubes with some assistance.
I asked the question again: How many piles of ten do you have? Student: 4
I asked: Do all the piles have ten blocks? The student looked at the piles and realized that
the last pile had fewer blocks.
I asked again: How many piles of ten blocks do you have? Student 3
How many blocks are left over? The student counted each block in the smaller pile and
said 8.
5. Let's look at thirty-eight, the number you wrote. Can you show me with the cubes what
the 3 means? The student showed me three cubes.
Can you show me what the 8 means? The student showed me eight cubes.
6. Now let's make five piles of ten cubes each. And let's have eight left over. Do you know
how many cubes we have here altogether? How can you tell? (Does student know to
count the piles by ten and add the leftovers? Or does he or she count all?)
The student made five piles, and then started counting all the blocks in all the piles; she
did not know to count the piles by ten and then add the leftovers.
7. Since the student had great difficulty with the above questions. We tried some lower
numbers.
Can you show me 12 cubes? Can you put the cubes to the side so that you can tell which
cubes you have already counted?
The student started moving the cubes around but still did not make a separate pile for
the cubes she already counted.
Can you write the number 12?
13. The student correctly wrote the number.
Student 2
1st grade
Advanced
learner

The student counted the counters silently and arranged them in groups. He tapped each
cube and moved it in a straight line on the right-hand side of the table. He lined up ten
cubes, and ten lined up ten cubes right above the first ten cubes. Then, he made a third
line with 8 cubes lined up. The student was very systematic about the task. The cubes
were aligned like they were on an invisible grid.
The student told me o.k. we already have 28 cubes, and then placed the additional
cubes next to the cubes he already lined up. He continued his 3 rd row of cubes and
filled it up by counting to thirty and then started the 4 th row and counted to 38.
The student wrote 38.
4. Let's put the thirty-eight cubes into groups of ten.
The student had already lined up the cubes in nice lines of ten cubes each during the first
activity without being prompted to do so.
How many tens do you think we can make? Student: 3 tens.
Do you think you'll have any cubes left over? Student: I have 8 cubes left over.
Student: The cubes are already in lines of ten all we have to do is count by ten, 10, 20, 30
and then add 8 more that makes 38. See!
the 3 means? The 3 means 3 groups of ten cubes or 30.
Can you show me what the 8 means? The 8 means 8 single cubes or 8.
The student didnt even have to make the piles and count them.
Student: 5 piles of 10 cubes, I can just count by tens 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 and then add the
left over eight cubes. That is fifty-eight cubes all together.
7. Since the child had no difficulty with the concept of place value we tried some larger
numbers.
Can you show me 428 using these blocks?
The student picked up 4 flats and said: Here is four hundred.
Then he picked up 2 sticks and said: thats twenty.
Next, he picked up 8 single cubes and told me thats 8.
All together we have 428.
I asked: How many cubes do I have altogether if I have when I use 7 flats, 8 sticks, and 9
cubes?
Student: 789.
How many different ways could you make 194?
1. I could put 194 single cubes.
2. I could put 1 flat, 9 sticks, and 4 cubes.
3. I could put 19 sticks and 4 cubes.
4. I could put 1 flat and 94 cubes.
5. The student told me that he can make even bigger numbers.
9439 means 9 thousand 4 hundred thirty-eight.
Student 3
1st grade
SAI

The student counted 28 counters. He moved each counter away from the big pile and
lined them up in a long line around the edge of the table.
student
The student placed all the blocks back into the big pile of blocks and started counting
thirty-eight blocks and lined them up along the side of the table he counted each block.
The student got confused on some of the numbers as he was counting. We, therefore,
counted together.
The student: I dont know how to write numbers that high.
I asked the student to write the number thirty.
The student was not able to write the number. I, therefore, wrote the number 30.
I asked the student: What does the number thirty-eight look like.
The student was still confused. I wrote down 38 for him.
make? I dont know. The student looked at his long line of blocks along the table.
Do you think you'll have any cubes left over? I dont know. I think so?
O.k. lets check this out. Lets count out the thirty-eight cubes into piles so that you can
figure this out?
The student lined up the blocks around the table, counted to ten and made a gap after
the tenth block, then he started counting to ten again and made a gap, started again and
made a third gap and then lined up the remaining eight blocks.
So how many piles of ten do you have? The student looked at the blocks counted the
piles and said 3. How many blocks do you have left over? The student went to the last
group of blocks and counted each one and said 8.
5. Let's look at thirty-eight, the number I wrote for you. Since the student was not able to
write the number 38, I wrote the number for him. Remember the number 38? Can you
show me with the cubes what the 3 means? Can you show me what the 8 means?
Student: it means 38.
What does the 3 stand for? Student: 3
What does the 8 stand for? Student: 8
Lets look at the cubes, what groups did you make? Groups of 10.
How many groups of ten did you make? Student: 3
Student: Oh, I remember the 3 means three groups of 10 and the 8 stands for 8 ones.
The student again lined up the cubes along the side of the table and made a gap after
each ten and then placed the remaining eight counters down, the student did not know
to count the piles of ten and then add the leftovers. He counted each cube separately.
7. I did not try the harder activity with the student as he was struggling with the concept of
place value and got agitated.
Student 4
1st grade
At gradelevel

The student counted 28 counters; she lined them up in piles of 10 counters. When I
asked her what she was doing, she told me that she was putting the counters in groups
of ten because she had two tens and eight ones.
The student created another pile of ten counters. Then she went to the first three piles
and told me that there were already 28 blocks here altogether, now I just count ten
more. 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38.
The student was able to write the number 38 without any problem.
make? Do you think you'll have any cubes left over?
Student: I think I can make 3 groups of ten and have 8 cubes left over.
The student gathered all blocks up and then started counting to create 3 piles of 10
blocks and then a smaller pile of 8 blocks.
Student smiles: See, I was right!!!
the 3 means? Can you show me what the 8 means?
The 3 means 3 tens and the 8 means eight ones. Here are my three tens, she pointed to
the three larger piles and here are my eight ones.
The student made 5 piles and then put 8 more tiles into a pile. She ten counted the piles
by ten and added 8 more.
7. We started the extension activity, and I asked the student about a larger number
Can you show me 428 using these blocks?
The student was confused by the concept; she seemed not ready to move on to larger
numbers despite the fact that she appeared to have a clear grasp on place value of
double digit numbers.
Make notes about what the students do during the interview. You may also want to comment aloud on things
they are doing so the tape recorder can pick up your comments and remind you later of student actions (for
example, you might say, OK, Jeremy, you've counted out three piles of ten and put out four other cubes too"
or "I see you are touching each of the cubes and pushing them aside while you count them silently."
REFLECTION:
1. What sorts of strengths with counting, place value, or number sense did some of the students evidence
during your interviews? What do they already understand well?
Student 1
Strengths: the student was able to count to ten in English independently. The student was
able to count to 30 with assistance.
Student 2
Strengths counting: the student was able to count to 1000. The student was able to count by
tens.
Strengths place value: the student understood the concept of place value up to 1000. He had
a clear understanding that each digit in the number 789 had a different value and that the
seven stands for 700, the 8 stands for eighty, and the 9 stands for nine.
Strengths number sense: the student clearly knews how to count up from the base number,
the students was able to count by tens. The student was able to add ten more without
counting the numbers. The student was able to perform mental math to solve the problem.
Strengths problem solving: the student was able to apply strategies the teacher modeled
independently; he lined the counters up in rows of tens.
Student 3
Strengths Counting: The student was able to count to 30.
Student 4
Strengths counting: the student was able to count to at least 100. The student was able to
count by tens. The student was able to count up from the first number and did not have to
start over to count all the counters.
Strengths place value: The student had a good understanding of place value up to 99. She was
able to identify the tens and ones in the problems.
Strengths number sense: the student can perform mental math to solve addition problems.
2. What sorts of difficulties or misconceptions with counting, place value or number sense did some of the
students evidence during your interviews? What do they still need more experience with?
Student 1
Student 2
Student 3
Student 4
Difficulties counting: The student was not able to count higher than 10 without assistance.
The student was an English learner and the student may have struggled with counting in
English. The student was very shy and unsure of herself as she performed the task. She
gained some confidence when we counted together.
Difficulties place value: The student struggled with place value; she clearly had no
understanding of the concept.
Difficulties number sense: the student was not able to count up, he started over every time.
The student exhibited no difficulties or misconceptions he was able to do problems well
beyond the ones we worked on.
Difficulties counting: the student struggled with numbers that were higher than 30.
Difficulties place value: The student had not developed an understanding of the concept yet.
The student looked at each number at its face value and was not able to understand that the
3 in 38 stands for 30.
Difficulties number sense: the student was not able to count up or add numbers.
Difficulties counting: the student was able to count up to one hundred but was not able to
translate the concept and move to larger numbers without instruction.
Difficulties place value: the student was not able to transfer the concept to numbers higher
than 100.
4. Give some examples of the types of tasks, questions, or probes that you found useful (or problematic) in
getting students to explain their thinking about place value. Discuss why you think these task or questions
worked well (or not so well).
Student 1
Student 2
Student 3
Student 4
Problematic: Can you write the number 38?

The student did not have an understanding of the correspondence of the written and spoken
numbers.
Useful: providing little assistance, the student seemed to thrive and enjoy the task when I
gave him the number and asked him how many different ways he could arrange the blocks to
make that number.
Problematic: The step by step scripted questions seemed to bore the student.
Problematic: Can you show me with the cubes what the 3 means? Can you show me what the
8 means?
The student got kind of frustrated with the question the 3 means three and the eight means
eight. The student had not developed an understanding of place value yet. The student was
used to having tasks modeled, doing them independently confused him.
Useful: counting together with the student, tapping each block and moving it.
Problematic: Moving beyond concepts already covered. The student was not confident
enough in her abilities; she needed additional practice and direct instruction to be able to do
the advanced task to use blocks to represent 428.
5. What surprised you most about the students' responses to your interview questions?
1. The wide range of students abilities was surprising, one student was able to do place value problems
up to 1000 while another student struggled with counting higher than 10.
2. The teacher had explicitly modeled how to line up counters and place them in groups of ten, the
students had practiced this several times before, I was surprised that only one of the students used
the strategies the teacher modeled.
3. The students seemed to be surprised that I had them do activities where they had to manipulate the
counters, and that I wanted to observe and know how they solved the problem. I was surprised how
little the students were used to hands-on activities; they did many worksheets in class but not many
hands-on activities. The tasks I asked them to do seemed foreign to them.
5. If you were these students' teacher, what sorts of activities would you plan next, to help them in further
developing their number sense?
I would incorporate different place value activities that are games such as a place value bingo, the tens and
ones game, and incorporate money activities where students understand that ten pennies make a dime and
manipulate dimes and pennies. I would incorporate place value mats to provide a deeper understanding for
the students.
I would differentiate the activities to the needs of the students and incorporate activities with larger numbers
for the advanced learners and focus on lower numbers with the students that are struggling
Performance Task Template 5-B

Grade: _______3_______
Objective(s):
Students will be able to demonstrate that fractions are part of a whole.
Students will be able to demonstrate and apply academic vocabulary related to fractions.
Students will be able to demonstrate their understanding of equivalent fractions.
Task Description:
In this task student will apply their knowledge and understanding of ways of representing numbers and
fractions and their ability to use models, benchmarks, and equivalent forms of fractions to add fractions.
Students must be able to apply their understanding of the concept of one whole when trying to combine
fractions. Students must be able to use their knowledge of fractions and tools with fractions to construct a
convincing argument about relative size of total and write a reflective journal entry on how they performed
the task.
Directions to Students:
These leaping frogs are playing a fraction game. They leap from Lili pad to Lili pad adding up the fractions as
they go. They have just three Lili pads each. When the fogs have counted up to a whole but no more, they
reach the island in the middle of the lake.
1. Complete the Lily pad fractions for all 5 frogs and write your answers inside the Lily pad.
2. Frog number 6 wants to join his friends on the island. His three pads are 1/5 + + 10/20.
Can he make it?
3. Write a constructive response answer (math journal answer) explaining how you solved the math
problems, use your knowledge of fractions.
Benchmark Performance Levels: (rubric optional)

Advanced
Student shows detailed
evidence of problem-solving
skills used during the task.
Student shows an excellent
application of academic
vocabulary and demonstrates
an exceptional understanding
of the concepts through his
writing.
Student solved all
mathematical calculations
correctly, and all answers are
displayed in the correct
format.
The student showed excellent
problem-solving skills and
developed a clearly outlined
strategy to solve the task.
Benchmark
Student shows evidence of
problem-solving skills used
during the task.
Student shows an appropriate
an outstanding understanding
of the concepts through his
writing.
Student solved all
correctly, and all answers are
displayed in the correct
format.
The student showed good
Basic
Student shows some evidence
of problem-solving skills used
during the task.
Student shows some
an adequate an outstanding
understanding of the concepts
through his writing.
Student solved 4 mathematical
calculations correctly and most
answers are displayed in the
correct format.
The student showed some
Below Basic
Student shows no evidence of
problem solving skills used
during the task.
The student does not
demonstrate the application of
academic vocabulary and
demonstrates little
understanding of the concepts
through his writing.
Student solved 2 or less
correctly and some answers
are displayed in the correct
format.
The student did not
demonstrate problem-solving
skills student guessed at the
answers.
Performance Task Observing Students 5-C

Use the performance task template on the previous page to create a performance task that is at a reasonable level for
the students in your class. Get permission from your teacher to administer the task to at least three target students. (It
may be helpful to get advice from the teacher about an appropriate task and expectations.)
A performance task can be defined as any assessment of student learning that requires evaluation of student writing,
student work, or student behavior. Performance tasks often mirror the real world, are open-ended, and require time for
grappling with a problem. A problem with a single correct answer, unaccompanied by explanation, is not a performance
task. Examples of performance tasks might include: measuring objects with a ruler or meter stick, estimating the number
of candies in a jar; deciding what size and shape garden is best for planting 24 plants 1 foot apart with a minimum of
fencing; explaining which of several recipes for powdered lemonade makes the most lemony drink; or determining how
to scale up a recipe for 4 people to feed 8 (or 10 or 100).
1. Administer the task and observe while the children work. (It often is helpful to pair children when observing their work
on a performance task so that you can hear their talk as they work.) Make notes about how the students approach the
task and what they do and say. You might plan a checklist ahead of time to help you keep notes about student
performance in certain areas of particular interest (for example: strategies used-trial and error, organized list, look for a
pattern; skill in measuring-decides appropriately what units to use, lines ruler up with edge of object correctly, reads
measurement accurately to nearest quarter inch; or attitudes-confidence, curiosity, enthusiasm, perseverance).
Four students participated in the performance task. I paired the students to be able to observe the problem-solving
strategies the students employed. I used an anecdotal observation log to facilitate my data gathering effort.
Student 1/2
Strategies used to solve the problem:

1. The students did not read the directions. They just jumped in and started solving the problems by
looking at the picture.
2. The students used the guess and check method. They looked at each frog, guessed an answer
Student 3/4
and then tried to add the different fractions to a whole.

3. The students did not write the process down they used to get to their answers.
Student one kept saying: I know what it is.
4. The students were most concerned with getting the task done fast; they did not check their
work.
5. They lacked confidence and perseverance.
Strategies used to solve the problem:
1. The students used a step by step approach.
a. They read all the directions first.
b. They organized their work by dividing the paper into different blocks for the different
frogs.
c. The students applied their knowledge of equivalent fractions to convert the fractions to
the same denominator.
2. The students were very engaged in the task; they were confident in their abilities, and they
persevered throughout the task.
3. The students checked their answers and showed evidence of all the steps of the work they
performed.
4. The students applied their vocabulary, and each of them wrote a summary of the task and how
they solved the problem. They even wrote about different ways the task could be improved.
They had the idea to add crocodiles to the lake so that the frogs have to jump around the
crocodiles to make it to the island in the lake.
2. Analyze the students' written work. You should judge students' work on a performance task by comparing it with
benchmark performance levels that you establish beforehand. One way to do this efficiently (especially when you have
many students) is to begin by sorting responses into three piles: (1) needs more instruction, (2) on the right track but
needs some improvement, (3) proficient. Put papers in the first pile, if you think you'd need to talk to the child in order
to help him or her. Put papers in the second pile if the work is not totally correct, but you think the student could
correct the work if you returned the paper with a small sticky note attached. Put papers in the third pile if they are
entirely (or almost entirely) correct. Note that you are not comparing the students with one another; instead, you are
comparing their work against your predetermined standards of achievement. If possible, talk directly with the students
about their work. How is what you learned from the written assignment different from what you learned from talking
together?
I analyzed the students work through the use of the task rubric first.
Next, I talked to each student and asked them about the task, how they liked the task, how they solved the task
Student 1:
Student 2:
Student 3:
Student 4:
I got the sense that student 1 was actually quite capable of solving the task; I, therefore, talked to the
student and asked her about how she approached the problem. I also asked her if she would solve it
differently if she had another chance. The student worked on the task again and was able to show me
her work. After reevaluating the students work, I came to the conclusion that the student is on the
right track but still needs some improvement.
Clearly needs more instruction.
After talking to the student, I got the understanding that students work did not demonstrate an
understanding of the concept and he did not have a clear idea on how to approach the concept.
The students work showed an advanced understanding of the concepts; the student included clear
problem-solving strategies and even had some ideas to improve the task.
The students work showed an understanding at benchmark level; the student was proficient in her
application of the task. The student seemed to benefit from being paired during the task.
REFLECTION:
1. Write a written summary about the performance of your target students. Describe what they did, how it was
correct or not, and what steps you would take next if you were their teacher.
The different students performed quite differently on the task. The students performance ranged from below basic
where the student clearly had no understanding of the concepts to advanced where the student came up with
ideas to make the task more interesting and challenging. One of the students performed at a benchmark level, the
other student, was on track to solve the problem but still needed to improve her work.
One of the students answered all the questions correctly, demonstrated an advanced understanding of the
concepts, by demonstrating clear steps he used to solve the problem, and by effectively explaining the problemsolving strategy used in the journal entry. The student did exceptionally well on the task because he had a clear
idea on how to solve problems independently.
The student, who scored lowest, was guessing and did not show any effort on the task.
Next steps: The students clearly were not used to doing performance task activities; most of them had no clear idea
how to approach the task. I would practice doing performance tasks with the students and provide them with a
checklist that helps them do a performance task as we practice it to help students develop confidence in
performing performance tasks.
2. How appropriate was your assessment for students of this age? Explain.
The assessment was age appropriate for the students. The language of the task and the complexity of the task
mirrored the level of assignments used in the classroom. The students had completed similar activities with their
teacher in different formats. The directions of the task were broken down into steps to help the students be successful
with the task.
I found it difficult to effectively evaluate the task because the students performance was so different. Since I only
used such as a small sample of students, I got no clear indication of the difficulty of the task. Had the whole class
performed the task I could have gotten a much better understanding regarding the effectiveness of the task as an
assessment.
3. What have you learned about the strengths and weaknesses of students of this age?
Strengths: the students were enthusiastic about doing the task. Most of the students were able to take some the
concepts they learned and apply them in a different way.
Weaknesses of the group: was working in pairs, the pairs did not seem to be a supportive environment for all
students. Staying on task in the small group and working collaboratively on a problem was a challenge. Some of the
students are not proficient in the expression their ideas and dont know how to show how they solved the problem in
writing.
The students need practice solving multi-step problems. Some of them gave up just because the problem had
multiple parts to it.
4. How would you design or score this assessment differently if you were using it again?
I did not feel that the administration of the task in a paired environment gave me that best insight into the individual
students abilities. In both pairs, one student seemed to take over the task and I, therefore, think that some of the
students would have solved the task differently if they had been on their own. The teacher gave me permission to
work with four specific students; I had no prior knowledge of the students academic or language acquisition levels. I
would therefore either not group the students if I did the task again or I would use homogeneous teacher created
groups to get a better understanding of the students proficiency levels. I would add an oral component where
students talk about and present how they solve the problem as many students seemed to struggle with the writing.
Problem Solving Strategies: Interviewing a Student 5-D

Materials Needed: counters, paper, and pencil, problems
The following questions will help you learn about children's use of problem-solving strategies.
Ask the teacher to identify at least two children to work on a problem while you watch. Your
task is to identify the strategies each child uses and to write an evaluation of their efforts. If you
can get more than two children, you may choose to have them work in pairs so that you can
listen while each pair talks about the problem together.
"Problem solving is one of the five process standards described by Principles and Standards for
School Mathematics (NCTM, 2000). By definition, a problem is a situation in which a person
wants something and does not know immediately what to do to get it. Identify problem(s)
appropriate for use with children in the classes you visit by consulting Principles and Standards,
your mathematics methods textbook or instructor, the textbook being used in those classes, or
the classroom teacher.
If a student doesn't know how to solve a problem, how can he or she ever hope to get started?
Strategies such as act it out, make a drawing or diagram, look for a pattern, construct a table,
identify all possibilities, guess and check, work backward, write an equation, or think of a
simpler problem are useful in attacking problem-solving situations. Make a list of the problemsolving strategies that may be useful for each of the problems you plan to use for this
assessment.
1. Examine the students' work while you talk with them about how they approached the
problem. Ask questions such as: "What would be a reasonable answer?" "How did you know
what to do at first? "How did you decide to do that?" "What did you do next?" "How did
that help you? "What made you think of doing _?" "What else could you have done?"
2. Talk more generally about problem-solving strategies. Ask questions like: "What do you do if
you're not sure how to get started on a problem?" "If a friend of yours was stuck on a problem,
what strategies might you suggest that he or she use?"
REFLECTION:
Include a copy of the problem and grade level, a copy of the children's work, and answers to the
following questions.
Copy of the problem: 3rd grade released SBAC test question.
Student work:
1. Why did you choose this problem for your problem-solving assessment? What mathematical
concepts and skills does it involve?
I chose this problem because many students were struggling with these types of
problems and I wanted to use the problem to help the students build problem-solving
strategies.
The problem included problem-solving skills, choosing the proper operation: addition,
subtraction, multiplication, or division to solve the problem. Applying proper academic
vocabulary to solve the problem, and solving multi-step problems were also included.
Using basic operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division to solve a
problem.
What problem-solving strategies did you consider most useful in solving it? Explain.
Understand and visualize the problem, explain the problem in your own words.
Making a drawing or diagram would be a useful strategy; this could help the students
understand the problem better.
Acting the problem out could also be helpful and help the students break the problem
into the different parts and solve the problem step by step. The students could draw a
picture of each type of tree and then move the different trees around to visualize the
problem.
Breaking the problem down step by step and writing each equation down.
Estimating to check the validity of answers.
Double checking your work by using a different strategy.
Using the think-aloud technique to think through a problem to demonstrate to how to
approach a problem.
Using scratch paper to help solve problems on the computer.
2. How appropriate was the problem for these students?
The problem was appropriate for the students it incorporated concepts the students
covered in class, the complexity of the problem was comparable to problems the
students worked on in class.
About how long did the student spend on the problem?

One of the students spent 10 minutes on the problem the other spent 25 minutes.
Was it too easy or too hard?
The problem was difficult for the students they had a hard time doing the different
steps and thinking it through. I dont believe the problem was too hard; the students,
however, had to learn to use problem-solving strategies to solve these types of
problems.
What strategies did they use? How? Were the strategies appropriate? Helpful?
.
One of the students used guess and check; he selected the answers that he thought
worked best and then added the answers together; the student was able to solve the
problem using this method.
Breaking the problem down and reading each line separately and writing the equation
down for each step of the problem.
One student used his finger to help him with the addition. The strategy was not helpful.
One student checked his work by solving the problem a different way.
3. Describe what you learned about each student's problem-solving abilities and
understandings of the mathematics involved in the problem.
One students was giving up, he said this is too hard; I dont understand it.
The students had pretty limited problem-solving techniques. I had to really prompt
them to think about the problem and write down the steps they took to address the
problem.
The students problem-solving abilities were clearly evolving; they were in the process
of learning more strategies and exposing the students to multiple step problems and
making them figure out the problem themselves instead of providing the algorithm
would clearly support the students problem-solving skills.
The teacher often provided direct instruction and because of this the students were not
very used to trying to figure the problems out themselves.
Having a problem that involved multiple steps and a larger introduction was also
confusing to the students.
One of the students struggled severely with the problem, I had him draw the trees and
act out the problem, and that helped the student understand the problem.
4. What, might you do differently if you were designing another assessment for these
students?
I would design a multi-problem assessment that gradually increases in difficulty to

provide an opportunity for all the students to show their skills.
I would include problems that have less text, to ensure that a students difficulty with
reading the problem does not reduce his or her problem-solving ability.
I would administer the assessment in teacher selected homogeneous pairs, to provide
an opportunity for the students to discuss the problems and use the think-aloud
technique to show how the approached the problem.
Let's Find Out 5-H

Steps
1. Think of a question you would like to answer. Here are some ideas to get you started.
Questions about ourselves: Who can tie our shoes? How far can we throw a
softball? What is our class's typical height, eye color, shoe size, number in family,
amount of allowance, pets. . . ?
Questions about opinions or feelings: How do you feel about fractions? Does life
exist on other planets? What should be done about pollution? What country do you
want to study in social studies? What is your favorite television show, song, book,
sport, color, food. . . ?
Questions about the world: Which month has the most birthdays? What is the most
popular color of car in the school parking lot? Which brand of cookie has the most
chocolate chips? How many paper towels do we use in one day? What is the effect
of fertilizer on bean plant growth? What type of paper airplane will fly the farthest?
My Question:____________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
2. Plan the survey by answering these questions.
a. Where or from whom will I collect the data?
b. How will I collect the data?
c. How much data will I collect?
d. When will I collect the data?
e. How will I record the data as I collect them?
e. What else do I need to do before I start collecting data?
3. Collect your data!
Let's Find Out: Grades K-8 5-I

Objective: Planning and conducting a survey.
Getting Ready: All you'll need for this lesson is Let's Find Out, paper, pencils or markers.
Launch: Talk with the students about surveys and why people conduct them. Tell them
today they will be conducting their own survey. Share some of the sample survey ideas
found on Let's Find Out. Together brainstorm other ideas they might like to investigate
for each of the three categories. Allow individuals or small groups to select one idea
they would like to investigate and write it as a question.
Investigate: Help students get organized to collect their data by discussing questions A-F
on Let's Find Out. Have students collect their data. Once it is collected, they may
organize it in a chart or graph.
Summarize: Have students display and discuss their results.
Gearing Down: Simplify this activity by increasing the amount of guidance you provide
with questions A-F and making some or all of the decisions for the students. You could
also help them write the question and provide a chart or table for recording the data.
Gearing Up: Challenge students to select a question that requires conducting a larger,
more complex survey. Once data have been collected, have students display the data in
a graph and present their results.
REFLECTION:
1. What types of survey questions were the students most interested in? Why do you
think students have those types of interests at this age?
Students were most interested survey questions that included information about
themselves. Favorite foods, favorite pets, favorite colors were the three most popular
questions. Since I did this activity in a first-grade classroom, the students were not into
trying some of the more complex survey questions.
I think that younger students dont have as many experiences with as many different
types of things and are still more focused on themselves. When the questions are not
related to something they are very familiar with they dont have an opinion for the
survey.
2. When planning their survey, which details were the most difficult for students to
decide?
The whole process was difficult for the first graders; they needed a lot of guidance. I
talked to them about the process, and we brainstormed ideas for the different parts of
the survey.
1. The students had a hard time deciding where or from whom to collect the data.
2. How to collect the data and how much data to collect.
3. Also narrowing down the survey question so that they could collect the data.
To make the survey most successful, the categories had to be narrowed down so that
they could compare the data and make a bar graph.
One group decided to do a survey on favorite colors, and they wanted to include every
color possible in the survey. This led to two challenges, it took a lot longer to collect the
data and many students could not decide what their favorite color was, or they changed
their mind.
After some confusion, I guided the students to pick 4 basic colors and to add a category
for other colors.
4. How successful and engaged were the students in conducting a survey?
The students liked conducting the surveys because they were able to ask their own
questions. They were engaged in the task of coming up with the questions and they
liked gathering the data.
What would you do differently if you were to do this again with this age level?
The students had a difficult time deciding which questions to ask, and they also had a
hard time recording the answers in an efficient way.
Since the students were first-grade students, I would provide a worksheet to help the
students record the answers for the questions. This worksheet would assist the students
by providing them with a spot where the can make tally marks to record the answers to
the survey. Example:
Favorite Color
Number of students
I would conduct the activity in a more guided format. I would start with a whole group
brainstorming activity about conducting a survey and providing the students with some
examples. I would also do one survey together as a class first. I would limit the choices,
where the students can conduct the survey and break the process into steps.

Edu 505 Fieldwork

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Edu 505 Fieldwork

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Fieldwork Packet

CALIFORNIA BAPTIST UNIVERSITY

Note typical cognitive ability

Other Relevant Issues (i.e., Health,

Parents are very involved in the classroom

Very limited parent involvement.

Transferred from Mexico in the middle of the

Identified English Learner close to exiting the

Fair, often off

The student is in foster care.

Identified English Learner

Attendance problems: Excessive absences,

Parents are very involved in the classroom

Limited parent involvement.

Student reclassified from EL program

Parents are very involved in the classroom

Parents are very involved in the classroom

Special Needs student, English Learner. IEP for

Limited parent involvement.

Student referred to SIT team for evaluation for a

Limited parent involvement.

Limited parent involvement.

Limited parent involvement.

Student referred to SIT team for evaluation for

What SDAIE/ELD strategies did you notice being used?

3 OA Operations and Algebraic Thinking

Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led)

Technology Standard ISTE NETS for Students

Step Two: Complete Table 2 below:

1. The student likes to read in

- To best support this student I will include visual

3. The student is very

3. Part of schoolwide PBIS expectations is that students

4. Extended eye contact

5. Home Language: Spanish

1. CELT test data

What impact will this information have on

1.The student scored at the

- I will also include hands-on experiences by

1 / 2. The student is not used to the large school and

To best support, the students basic

Study skills and

beginning level in listing and

interpersonal communication skills I

1. I will incorporate explicit instruction that

2. I will implement vocabulary and content

3. I will provide frequent opportunities for the

4. I will incorporate heterogeneous supportive

1. The student is fluent in

2. The student is able to do

6. I will incorporate many opportunities to

2. I will also provide explicit instruction in

Physical, Social, and

extra support providing

1. The students physical

3. I will provide instructions to complex

I will provide instructions to the

I will enable the translation feature for

I will incorporate visual and hands-on

I will provide simplified instructions in

The student shows improvement in

The student still struggles with her

2. Social development: The