Introduction:
In my last blog post I talked about the importance of play and how to helps to spark student curiosity and builds creative learners. Thinking about hands-on play, I decided to create a math lesson that incorporates play and hands-on discovery. I created a lesson called, "Doh You Like Multiplication?" In this lesson, students will explore modeling base-ten using play-doh, constructing an area model with their play-doh base ten and then recording themselves all throughout this process. This lesson incorporates content knowledge and technological knowledge of the students and allows for exploration of hands-on and technological tools. This lesson is intended for use in my 4th grade classroom after students have been introduced to the area model strategy and have practiced it. This is meant to be an application of skills that they already are comfortable with in the classroom. This lesson is based off the Common Core State Standards and 4th grade math concepts. We focus heavily on multiplication, specifically area models to show multiplication, as this is a foundational aspect of math and will continue to be built upon for years to come. Over the course of my teaching career so far, I have noticed that many students learn with hands-on exploration. That is when I decided to have the students build models of an area model for multiplication. This also connects with the videography piece of this assignment because many of my students are just beginning to experiment with video production and editing. Through this assignment they will be able to investigate and explore first-hand while documenting their mathematical experiences.
What's the Significance of Hands-On Manipulatives?
According to Liggett, "a study such as this supports the belief that when students use mathematical manipulatives, not only does it increase their mathematical achievement scores, but it may also provide them with additional methods or strategies that are critical to building problem solving skills," (Liggett, 2017, p 97). Student use of manipulatives is extremely helpful in visualizing a multiplication problem and the understanding of the mathematical reasoning. When students create their own manipulatives, in this case play-doh base ten pieces, they are able to show their content knowledge because they are creating a representation of the manipulative. Since they created it themselves, they have to think critically about the value of each piece and how it can be implemented in their area model.
These are pictures of drawings I sketched in the planning process, possible setups, possible ways students could create different looking base-ten (led to the. think-pair-share discussion before the hands-on, and an example of what a final product could look like.
What's the Significance of Creating a Video?
Technology can be an extremely powerful and helpful learning tool in the classroom. Giving students the ownership and flexibility of video making has the ability to allow students creative control and creative thinking. According to Lifelong Kindergarteners, "if digital technologies are properly designed and supported, they can extend the kindergarten approach, so that learners of all ages can continue to learn in the kindergarten style (Resnick, 2017, p 51). This activity has structure but not too much where students are limited. They still have their creative freedom and ability to play around with their manipulatives and the ways they decide to film and edit their video. The technology piece of the lesson is open-ended enough that students can feel confident in their video-making process. Video is an important tool in the classroom as well because it allows for collaboration and discovery. "Using videos for educational purpose generate connection with students, focus on learning steps, increasing learning self-management, decreasing anxiety and helping students to create independent strategies for learning," (Tripon, 2021, p 503). This quote explains a good reason I used video as a pedagogical strategy in this lesson. It emphasizes all the ways videos in the classroom can help enrich student learning and personal growth. The video will also show mathematic reasoning and allow for me to hear the thought process behind solving the math problem and using the play-doh manipulatives.
TPACK Connections:
TPACK is a very important aspect of educational technology. If you aren't familiar with TPACK, here is a video you can watch that will give you a short overview. TPACK combines technological knowledge, content knowledge and pedagogical knowledge. My lesson incorporates TPACK because it addresses all areas of the TPACK Venn diagram. It addresses content knowledge because students need to have an understanding of base ten as well as area models of multiplication. This lesson will be taught after the original background knowledge of these concepts is built, but students have to demonstrate their knowledge of these content areas to complete this activity. It is also helpful that the video creates a space for them to explain their thinking and allows me to hear their thoughts and mathematical thinking. This lesson includes technological knowledge because the students are creating a video that documents the whole process of the project. This gives students independence and creative freedom to explore different filming and editing techniques. Students are practicing using this important technological skill in this project and they are collaborating to enrich the experience. I made this lesson based on my experience with students and multiplication. I know that many students benefit from using manipulatives and by creating their own manipulatives, they are extending their knowledge and showing their understanding. I also know that students can creatively solve problems and explore while making a video that follows their process through the project. I also will be able to hear student thinking in a video that will allow me to support and challenge my students.
This is a screenshot of my description of how my lesson ties into the TPACK Venn diagram.
Lesson Plan
My lesson plan is designed to be an outline of how I will teach this in my classroom. This lesson can be extended upon or can be a 1 or 2 day long project, depending on how much time is allotted. I see myself teaching this in 2 sessions. I plan to have students get as much done on the first day and finish on the second day, giving time for reflective conversations and presentations.
This lesson is intended for 4th grade students. This lesson was built off this 4th grade standard: CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.4.NBT.B.5
This is a hands-on, technology based lesson for students to record themselves building an area model of multiplication using play-doh as a base ten model.
Materials for Students:
-ipad/ filming device
-tripod
-microphone
-video recording/ editing software
-2 tubs of play-doh
-virtual dice
Learning target: I can create a video that demonstrates my multiplication knowledge using play-doh as base ten
Success criteria: You’ll Know I’m Successful When I make a video that models an area model using play-doh as base ten.
Watch my prototype video below. I made this video as if I were a student participating in this lesson:
Reflection on the Process
I really enjoyed creating this lesson. I can see myself using this for years to come as an interactive, hands-on and engaging lesson that will support student learning and growth. I learned a lot through this process and made many changes along the way. For example, I decided to implement a Think, Pair, Share thinking routine before so students could have some context of making play-doh into base ten. This choice will help student confidence and plant a seed of motivation for the rest of the project. I enjoyed making the prototype and putting myself in the shoes of my students. This allowed me to realize what may go wrong and solutions I could share with students. I am looking forward to watching my students play and learn through digital technology!
My peers offered me some very insightful feedback that allowed me to reflect on my teaching process and pedagogical decisions made in this lesson. I decided I will most likely split this lesson into 2 days (depending also on student progress & understanding). The first day will be the overview, instructions, play-doh exploration and introduction. The students will roll for their factors and draw an area model first. Then, the next day, students will create the play-doh models and record and edit their videos. I also received a great suggestion- have students use cookie cutters to help them create the base ten pieces out of play-doh. This was a great suggestion and also led me to consider the other tools in my classroom I could use to help students mold the play-doh into base ten representations. It was helpful to think about my lesson from an outside perspective and consider things that can help me make the lesson even better and reflect on the choices I made.
I am looking forward to teaching this lesson in my classroom and including the TPACK concepts as I move forward in my career. I greatly enjoyed planning this lesson and it helped to create a prototype myself so I could visualize what my students would be going through as they did the project themselves. I look forward to using many of these principles and strategies moving forward as a teacher!
Additional Resources:
Sources:
Robert Scott Liggett. (2017). The Impact of Use of Manipulatives on the Math Scores of Grade 2 Students. Brock Education: A Journal of Educational Research and Practice, 26(2).
Resnick, M., & Robinson, K. (2017). Lifelong kindergarten: Cultivating creativity through projects, passion, peers, and play.
RIPON, C. (2021). Using Video-Tools to Maximize Classroom Time and Learning Experiences. ELearning & Software for Education, 2, 502–507.
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