Elementary Education: Literacy with Mathematics Task 4

Task 4: Mathematics Assessment Commentary

TASK 4: MATHEMATICS ASSESSMENT COMMENTARY

Respond to the prompts below (no more than 8 single-spaced pages, including prompts) by typing your responses within the
brackets following each prompt. Do not delete or alter the prompts. Commentary pages exceeding the maximum will not be
scored. Attach the assessment you used to evaluate student performance (no more than 5 additional pages) to the end of this
file. If you submit a student work sample as a video or audio clip and you or your focus students cannot be clearly heard, attach a
transcription of the inaudible comments (no more than 2 additional pages) to the end of this file. These pages do not count
toward your page total.

1. Analyzing Student Learning—Whole Class

a. Identify the specific learning objectives measured by the formative assessment you
chose for analysis.
[ The specific learning objective measured by the formative assessment I chose is: Students will
understand what the three digits of a number mean in terms of ones, tens, and hundreds. ]
b. Provide a graphic (chart or table) or narrative that summarizes student learning for the
whole class. Be sure to summarize student learning for all evaluation criteria submitted
in Mathematics Assessment Task 4, Part D.
[
Student Question #1 Question #2 Total Score
(2 points possible)
Student 1 N/A N/A Absent
Student 2 1 1 2
*focus student
Student 3 1 1 2
Student 4 0 1 1
Student 5 0 0 0
*focus student
Student 6 1 1 2
Student 7 N/A N/A Absent
Student 8 N/A N/A Absent
Student 9 1 0 1
*focus student
Student 10 1 1 2
Student 11 1 1 2
Student 12 0 0 0
Student 13 0 1 1
Student 14 1 1 2
Student 15 N/A N/A Absent
Student 16 1 1 2
Student 17 1 0 1
Student 18 N/A N/A Absent
Student 19 0 0 0
Student 20 1 1 2
Student 21 1 1 2
Student 22 1 1 2
Student 23 0 1 1
Student 24 1 0 1
Student 25 1 1 2

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 Elementary Education: Literacy with Mathematics Task 4
Task 4: Mathematics Assessment Commentary

Student 26 1 0 1
Student 27 1 1 2
Points per
category/Total 16/22 14/22 31/44
points per category
Total percentage per
category 72% 63% 70%
*5 students were absent on the day of the assessment.]
c. Using examples from the summary chart, discuss the patterns of learning across the
whole class relative to
 conceptual understanding
 procedural fluency
 mathematical reasoning/problem-solving skills
[The chart above shows the total possible points students scored on each question. The chart
shows that 16 out of 22 students had 72% understanding of the conceptional understanding,
procedural fluency, and mathematical reasoning/problem-solving skills for question #1. For
question #2 14 out of 22 students had 63% conceptual understanding, procedural fluency, and
mathematics/problem-solving skills. 11 out of 22 students were able to demonstrate conceptual
understanding, procedural fluency, and mathematics/problem solving skill for the entire
assessment. The pattern that I saw throughout the learning lesson and the results of the
assessment was that most of the students had a good grasp on the learning objective to
understand what the three digits of a number mean in terms of ones, tens, and hundreds but
struggled to create a number when given their digit values. Questions 1 and 2 showed that
about 87% of the whole class demonstrated conceptual understanding and procedural fluency. I
think that the students who struggled with question 2 on the assessment struggled with
conceptually because they did not understand the value of each digit and that caused confusion
among students. ]
2. Analyzing Student Learning—3 Focus Students
From your analysis of whole class student learning, identify one area where students
struggled mathematically. Select 3 student work samples that represent the struggles in
this area. These students will be your focus students for this task. At least one of the focus
students must have specific learning needs, for example, a student with an IEP
(Individualized Education Program) or 504 plan, an English language learner, a struggling
reader, an underperforming student or a student with gaps in academic knowledge, and/or a
gifted student needing greater support or challenge.
a. In what form did you submit the work samples for the 3 focus students? (Delete choices
that do not apply.)
 Written work samples in text files
b. Analyze the 3 students’ work samples and describe the students’ struggle(s) as they
relate to the underlying mathematical understanding and/or concept. Cite specific
evidence from the work samples in relation to mathematical errors, confusions, and
partial understandings.

What do the students’ errors tell you about their mathematical understanding? For
example, if a student error occurs in a subtraction problem, then the underlying
mathematical understanding may include regrouping, meaning of subtraction, and/or

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 Elementary Education: Literacy with Mathematics Task 4
Task 4: Mathematics Assessment Commentary

subtraction as the inverse of addition. The related mathematical understanding becomes

the basis for the targeted learning objective/goal for the students.
[ Question #2 seemed to be the area that students struggled the most with. This question on the
Exit Ticket asked students to create a number using 5 tens, 4 hundreds, and 8 ones. I noticed
that most of the students who missed question 2 on the exit ticket just wrote the numbers in the
order they appear on the assessment (i.e: 548). I wanted to focus on the place value terms to
help these students during the re-engagement lesson. I decided to show three students of
different learning levels as my focus students. Student 1 (student 5 on the chart) did not even
attempt to answer the two questions in the assessment. I think this student struggled the most
because they are an English Language Learner. I chose this focus student because I wanted to
see how he would do after the re-engagement lesson that I would implement. I chose student 2
(student 9 on the chart) because they were able to answer question 1 by looking at the base ten
block model and identify each number in the three-digit number. This student seemed to
struggle on question 2 when they were asked to create a number with corresponding values (5
tens, 4 hundreds, 8 ones.). This student answered question two by just writing the numbers
listed in the order on the exit ticket (ie: 548) I think they struggled with this question because
they are struggling with reading. I chose student 3 (student 2 on the chart) because they are
above grade-level and answered both questions correctly.]
c. If a video or audio work sample occurs in a group context (e.g., discussion), provide the
name of the clip and clearly describe how the scorer can identify the focus student(s)
(e.g., position, physical description) whose work is portrayed.
[ Not applicable]
3. Developing Students’ Mathematical Understanding
a. Based on your analysis of the focus students’ work samples, write a targeted learning
objective/goal for the students related to the area of struggle.
[ Students will be able to create three-digit numbers that include terms “ones”, “tens”, and
“hundreds”.]
b. Describe the re-engagement lesson you designed to develop each focus student’s
mathematical knowledge in relation to the targeted learning objective/goal. Your
description should include
 targeted learning objective/goal from prompt 3a
 state-adopted academic content standards that were the basis of the analysis
 strategies and learning tasks to re-engage students (including what you and the
students will be doing)
 representations and other instructional resources/materials used to re-engage
students in learning
 assessments for monitoring student learning during the lesson (e.g., pair share, use
of individual whiteboards, quick quiz)
[The learning objective/goal for my re-engagement is: Students will be able to create three-digit
numbers that include terms “ones”, “tens”, and “hundreds”. I chose a learning objective that
would include place value terms (ones, tens, hundreds) because that seemed to be the area
that the students struggled with the most. The Utah Core Standard 2.NBT.1 Understand that
the three digits of a three-digit number represent amounts of hundreds, tens, and ones; for
example, 706 equals 7 hundreds, 0 tens, and 6 ones.

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 Elementary Education: Literacy with Mathematics Task 4
Task 4: Mathematics Assessment Commentary

I will begin my re-engagement lesson by passing out a place value worksheet (materials 1.2)
and a clip board for students to use on the carpet. This worksheet asks students to determine
the place value of the underlined number in two or three-digit numbers. For example: 53 the
underlined number is 5 and it is in the tens place. I will model how to read the number, point to
the underlined number, and verbally say what its place value is. I will also be using a graphic
organizer (materials 1.1) one, tens, hundreds so the students can visualize the place values. I
will ask students to point to number 1 on the worksheet (materials 1.3): 463. I will say the
number, have students say it with me, and then have them say it independently. I will model
how to write the answer for question 1, by writing on the worksheet I have displayed under the
document camera. I will write 4 hundred on the answer line and have students write the answer
on their worksheets. Next, under the camera I will display the graphic organizer (material 1.1)
and the base ten blocks (material 1.2). I will place 4 big base ten square (100’s) in the hundred’s
column, I will place six thin sticks (10’s) in the ten’s column, and then I will place three little
squares (ones) in the one’s column. I will say: “This is how to represent 463 using the base ten
blocks and the graphic organizer. If we look at the organizer and the number 463, we see that
the 4 is in the hundreds column and that’s why we wrote 4 hundreds on our worksheet. As a
class we will do the first four problems together. For questions 5-16, I will have students think-
pair-share with their carpet partner to complete the questions. After they finish, I will call on
students to come to the front to model for the class, using the organizer and base ten blocks
displayed on the board via the camera. I will then ask students to go back to their seats to finish
side 2 (material 1.4) of the worksheet while I walk around the room checking for understanding
and answering any questions students might have. When they are finished with side 2, I will call
students to the carpet and pass out whiteboards and markers. Using the document camera, I
will write a random number on my board and underline a digit. I will have students write the
answer on their boards and hold them up when they are done.
Students will complete an exit ticket (material 1.5). They will be asked to create a number using
2 tens, 6 hundreds, 5 tens and to identify the underlined number in the number 670.
The formative assessments for this lesson include a think-pair-share, use of whiteboards,
circulation of the teacher, and an exit ticket. A summative assessment will be completed at the
end of the unit. ]

Before responding to prompt 4, you will teach your re-engagement lesson.

This lesson may be taught with the 3 focus students one-on-one, in a small
group, or with the whole class.

4. Analyzing Teaching

Cite evidence from the 3 focus students’ work samples from the re-engagement lesson to
support your response to prompt 4b.
a. In what form did you submit the 3 students’ work samples from the re-engagement
lesson?
 Written work samples in text files
[ I submitted my three focus students work samples in a text file. ]
b. Analyze the effectiveness of the strategies you used during the re-engagement lesson to
develop students’ mathematical understanding in the identified area of struggle.

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 Elementary Education: Literacy with Mathematics Task 4
Task 4: Mathematics Assessment Commentary

Consider the change in students’ mathematical understanding or misconception(s) in

relation to the identified area of struggle when describing the effectiveness of the re-
engagement lesson.
[ The area that I identified as the area of struggle was for students to create a number with 5
tens, 4 hundreds, 8 ones (question 2 on the original assessment). The data that I collected from
the re-engagement lesson made it clear that the whole class made significant growth. The main
change/improvement that I saw in students was, they improved on being able to read and
identify each digit when asked to create a number with the terms: ones, tens, hundreds. Each of
my three focus students were able to answer both questions on the re-engagement assessment
correctly. Focus student 1 was able to correctly answer question 2 (determine the value of the
underlined digit: 670) but struggled answering question 1 (create a number with the following: 2
tens, 6 hundreds, 5 tens) on the re-engagement assessment, he was the last student to turn his
assessment in, but he was able to answer it correctly. This student is an ELL student and is still
learning to read in English. I believe this is why this student took so long to finish the re-
engagement assessment. This student improved from the original assessment, where they did
not answer either question, to answering both questions on the re-engagement assessment
successfully. Focus student 2, was able to correctly answer both assessment questions. This is
an improvement from the first assessment because this student only answered one question
correctly on the original assessment. This student was the first one to finish the assessment and
was confident with his abilities in solving the assessment questions. Focus student 3 was able
to correctly answer both questions on the re-engagement assessment. The whole class made
big improvements throughout the re-engagement lesson and on the assessment.
Based on the results of the re-engagement assessment I was able to see that my teaching/re-
teaching strategies and the use of instructional materials helped improve student understanding
of place values. I do think that there are areas of the lesson that effectively helped students
understand place values, like having students look at two-digit numbers and determining their
value, but other aspects of the lesson could improve. For example, I would like to add small
group mini lessons so that I can really focus on struggling students in a one-on-one
environment. I think this would help students tremendously by clearing up any further
misconceptions or confusion that they might have. For the gifted students I would like to find
interactive computer games that would allow them to learn about 4-digit numbers and to review
three-digit numbers.
Overall, all the students improved their skills and understanding of the learning objective. I
believe the re-engagement lesson helped improve student understanding of place value.]
c. If a video or audio work sample occurs in a group context (e.g., discussion), provide the
name of the clip and clearly describe how the scorer can identify the focus student(s)
(e.g., position, physical description) whose work is portrayed.
[Not applicable ]

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 Elementary Education: Literacy with Mathematics Task 4
Task 4: Mathematics Assessment Commentary

Formative Assessment (original lesson assessment)

Exit Ticket

Lesson Materials
Re-engagement Graphic Organizer Base Ten Blocks
 Materials 1.1 Material 1.2

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 Elementary Education: Literacy with Mathematics Task 4
Task 4: Mathematics Assessment Commentary

Re-engagement lesson materials

 Side 1 Side 2

 Material 1.3 Material 1.4

Re-engagement Formative Assessment (Material 1.5)

Name____________________________

1. Create a number with the following: 2. Determine the value of the underlined
digit.
2 tens 670
6 hundred
5 ones ______________
__________________

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