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Report III

Hayley Bragdon

Instructional Design FRIT 7231

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1.1 What is your system of interest?

For the past three years I have worked at Fairmount Elementary School as a special education
teacher. I have primarily worked with fifth grade in all academic areas, mostly in the inclusion
setting. Every year in mathematics, I watch my special education students struggle to add and
subtract fractions. From personal observation, it is the most difficult concept to teach to my
students in mathematics.
1.2 What are the sub-systems?

 Lack of Basic Mathematics Skills

For students to be able to add and subtract fractions with unlike denominators, they must
know their basic multiplication facts, as well as their basic addition and subtraction facts.
Most of my students do not have a strong foundation of multiplication fact fluency.
 Student Motivation
Most of the students that I work with have a lack of motivation. When they are asked to
complete a difficult problem, they often shut down or display escape behaviors such as
asking to use the restroom or to go to the nurse. For students to be successful with adding
and subtracting fractions, they must be taught strategies to help them when the content
gets difficult.
 Academic Vocabulary
Students do not understand academic language used on standardized tests. For adding and
subtracting fractions with unlike denominators, students have to understand the meaning
of terms such as, numerator and denominator.
1.3 What symptoms drew your attention to this system of interest?
Every April, my 5th grade students take the Georgia Milestones End of Grade Assessment.
On the Georgia Milestones, Fractions is 30% of the exam. This area has the highest content
weight of any other area on the assessment. Below are the Georgia Milestones End of Grade
Assessment scores for mathematics from Fairmount Elementary School from the Georgia
Department of Education. Over half of my students scored below the developing and
proficient learner mark.

Mathematics

System Name School Name Mean %

Number % Beginning % Developing % Distinguished
Scale Proficient
Tested Learner Learner Learner
Score Learner

Gordon Fairmount
County Elementary School 62 507 27.4 38.7 30.6 3.2
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Is there a performance gap?

Yes No

If their life depended on it, Ask these questions:

could they do it?

No Is performance punishing?

No

Is non-performance rewarding?
If not, then use the following
No

NN
Is it motivational?
Training: Before learning how to add and subtract fractions, students
need to learn and memorize basic multiplication facts. I would work in No
a small group where I explicitly teach fluency facts.

S
Feedback: Teacher will be working in a small group p with five students. This
Is it environmental? Possibly. Most of the students I work with come from
allows for frequent feedback. When each student has completed a problem, the
teacher will review it before allowing the student to go to the next one.
low-income families, who have parents that struggled in school too.

Coaching: Once the teacher has provided feedback on a post-it note to

the student, the student will correct mistakes.

Job Aids: The teacher will provide the students with a multiplication
fact tower sheet, as well as a laminated chart that has each step of the
process printed on it.

Mentoring: The teacher will create a safe environment within the

small group, showing students that it is okay to make mistakes with
team building activities.
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3.1 Optimals
3.1.1 What information and data would you collect?
During planning, I would review their fractions exam. I would review student work and leave
post-it notes on the errors they made. Then, I would go over the exam with my students.
3.1.2 How would you collect that information and data?
I would grade each exam and keep a data sheet on the most missed questions. I would then let
students correct their errors and turn it back in for partial credit.
3.2 Actuals
3.2.1 What information and data would you collect?
I would want to collect data on where each of my students show a weakness in the process of
adding and subtracting fractions with unlike denominators. Some areas I would be examining
would be: multiplication fact fluency, addition and subtraction fact fluency, academic
vocabulary, and finding the least common multiple.
3.2.2 How would you collect that information and data?
I would give my students a pre-assessment with each area that I listed above. While reviewing
them, I would keep a data sheet of what each student needs to improve on to decide where I
would begin with my small group instruction, for my students to meet their goal of adding and
subtracting fractions.
3.3 What are the discrepancies between the current and desired state?
The biggest discrepancy is the lack of instructional time in the current state. The curriculum map
does not allow much time for students who are struggling to catch up when they fall behind.
Most of the time, once they are almost caught up, a new concept is already being taught.
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3.5

Program: Mathematics Date: 09/24/2018 Instructor(s): Bragdon

LEARNING GOAL
Fifth grade students will recognize all the steps to correctly add and subtract fractions with
unlike denominators.
MEASUREMENT
Class Evaluation………….. X
Learning Outcomes
Performance Test…………X _
Performance Condition Criterion
(tasks to perform goal)
(learning
On-the-Job Follow-Up……. __
(restrictions, tools)
environment) ROI Effect………………… ____
Intellectual Cognitive Verbal Motor Attitude
Skills Strategies Information Skills

Learn the meaning Small

of the words, Group in
X X Flash Cards
numerator and the
denominator classroom

Learn basic Small

multiplication facts group in
Flash Cards
0-9 the
X X and Math
classroom
Tower Sheets

Small
group in
Finding the least
the
common multiple X
classroom X

Solving the Small Paper and

expression group in pencil
X X X
the
classroom

4.1 Goal Analysis

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4.1.1 The domain classification for the learning goal is cognitive skills. Adding and subtracting
fractions with unlike denominators for students to be able to meet this goal, they will need to
have working memory skills, as well as reasoning skills.
4.2.1 Below is a hierarchal analysis
Add and subtract fractions
with unlike denominators

Add numerators Do not add denominators

Simplify answer

Multiply your
numerators by the
Write down the multiples Circle the least common multiple
same number you
of each denominator between the two numbers
multiplied the
denominator

Look at the denominators to

If they are unlike denominators, decide whether they are alike Look at the math symbol to
find the least common mutiple or unlike decide the operation

Write down
expression

4.2.2 Entry Level Skills

 Memorizing basic multiplication facts 0-9
 Knowledge of math vocabulary for words such as numerator, denominator, and least
common multiple
 Adding and subtracting numbers 0-9
Objectives
Fifth grade students will recognize all the steps to correctly add and subtract fractions with
unlike denominators.
Given a fraction, the student will identify the numerator by pointing to it.
During a class exercise, the student will demonstrate how to solve basic multiplication facts with
the use of multiplication strategies.
During a class assignment, the student will demonstrate the knowledge of the steps to add and
subtract fractions with unlike denominators by writing it down with a pencil.
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5. Learner and Context Analysis

5.1. The target population is a group of twenty-two fifth grade students. The students range
from ages 10 to 11. In the group of twenty-two students, some are high, average and low
achievers.
5.2. In order to determine the characteristics of the target population, I would collect data
monthly on each student in a small group setting. Another efficient way to collect data on
the target population would be to give them math fact fluency drills every Friday. With
the fluency drills, I could determine where each child was ready to begin instruction.
5.3. After conducting a technical analysis, I discovered that my school would be under a level
6 on the ISTE Level of Technology Implementation Framework. This past year, my
school system went 1:1 with Apple iPads. Each student was provided with an iPad for
instructional use. The students spend a lot of time learning and using their iPads for
school projects and assignments. The students enjoy the iPads. In my instruction, I try to
in cooperate technology into every lesson. I have found the Kahoot! application to be
very successful for data collection and a fun activity for students. I frequently attend
professional learning opportunities to learn more about the iPad for instructional use.
These sessions have been successful in helping me become an Apple Teacher.

6. Assessments
6.1. To assess if my students were understanding the content and meeting the learning objective,
I would give my students a numbered list. For each number they would list the step to
completing adding or subtracting fractions with unlike denominators. Once I viewed the
assessments on this, I would determine whether they had met the learning objective.
6.2. Assessment instruments that would be used for this exam would be a numbered list, a word
bank and a pencil.
6.3.1. To assess if my students were able to identify the numerator and denominator in a fraction,
I would let them verbally state their answer. During small group time, I would call each student
to my table and show them a fraction. I would either point to the numerator or the denominator
and have each student identify it.
6.3.2. To assess if my students were able to solve basic multiplication problem 1-9, I would pull
their data from a mathematics program called, Reflux. Students work on this program during
small group time for twenty minutes per day. One feature on this application is that its provides
data of each specific facts that the student knows.
6.3.3. To assess if my students were able to find the least common multiple, I would have my
students write down the least common multiple for a series of numbers. Tower sheets would be
provided for struggling learners.
7. Instructional Strategy
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7.1. An appropriate pre-instructional activity for the terminal objective would be to display an
addition problem with fractions with unlike denominators with the answer provided. Students
would then raise their hand and explain either what they noticed or wondered about the problem.
This would be a way to get the students thinking, as well as catching their attention.
7.2. To add or subtraction fractions with unlike denominators, students must know basic
multiplication facts. For struggling students, an appropriate strategy would be for them to fill out
tower sheets for basic multiplication facts 0-9. This could be used as “cheat sheet,” while they
are adding and subtracting fractions.
7.3. An appropriate practice activity for struggling students would be playing around the world
with their classmates using multiplication flash cards.
7.4. An appropriate evaluation follow-up activity would be giving the struggling students a
fluency drill. This would be an effective way to collect data to examine which specific facts the
students are struggling with.

10. Developing Instructional Materials

10.1. Pre-instructional materials that are needed to complete the terminal objective are chart
paper, chart markers, multiplication tower sheets, pencils, a checklist, and fraction tiles. The
chart markers and paper are needed to create a notice and wonder organizational map for
students to share their ideas too. The multiplication tower sheets will be used for learns who have
trouble with fact fluency. This can be a quick reference for them. The fraction tiles will be used
to visually demonstrate how to add and subtract fractions. This is a great visual for my students
who are visual learners.
10.2. One of the subordinate objectives is for students to understand and be fluent in basic
multiplication facts. Materials for students to achieve this subordinate objective would be pre-
made flashcards with basic multiplication facts 0-9 written on them. Another instructional
material needed for this objective would also be blank math multiplication towers worksheet for
the students to fill out.
10.3. A great practice material for the students to master their basic multiplication facts 0-9 is to
play a game of around the world. In around the world, two students are presented a
multiplication fact on a flashcard. The first person to answer the fact correctly moves on to battle
the next student. Whoever is the first in the room to make it around the room and beat every
student is the winner. This is a great practice activity because it motivates the students because of
the competition. It also allows me to collect data to discover what certain facts that students need
to work on in small group instruction.
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10.4. Appropriate follow-through materials would be white boards, dry-erase markers, and
fraction tiles. These materials would be needed once a week during station day. On station day,
students work in stations. During this time, I could have a fraction station. In this station,
students would work in pairs and write addition or subtraction fraction problems for their
partners to solve with the fraction tiles.
11. Formative Evaluation
For a formative evaluation, I would have students to complete a Kahoot! Quiz on the iPad. The
Kahoot! App is a helpful way to collect data quickly and efficiently. The quiz would have
vocabulary questions, addition and subtraction problems, as well as question for students to
answer how they felt about the mastery of this unit. Using Kahoot! shows me what type of
content which students are not mastering, as well as showing me which questions the majority of
the students did not answer correctly.
12. Revision
After collecting data from the Kahoot! quiz, I would design small groups for struggling learners.
The small groups would be no more than five students in a group. There would be multiple
groups all working on different skills in the steps of adding and subtraction fractions. Struggling
students would stay in these small groups until they mastered their goals for the small group.
13. Summative Evaluation
To save instructional time, in the formative evaluation, on the Kahoot! quiz, I would ask students
how confident they felt about mastering the terminal objective. On the quiz, they could make
green, yellow, or red. I would also provide a comment box for the students, who mark red, to
explain what step they are struggling with or what they feel is keeping them from mastering the
objective.