Lesson Plan (Primary)

Lesson title: Sequences, pronumerals and variables Date: 3/9/19 Year level: 6 & 7
Topic: Patterns and Algebra Duration of lesson: 70 mins
Learning areas Strands & sub-strands Content descriptors
Year 6
Continue and create sequences involving whole numbers,
Links to the
fractions and decimals. Describe the rule used to create the
Australian Number and Algebra, Patterns and
Mathematics sequence (VCMNA219)
Curriculum: Algebra
Year 7
Introduce the concept of variables as a way of representing
numbers using letters (VCMNA251)
Lesson rationale: This unit of patterns and algebra is broken up into flexible learning groups within the three year 6 classes. I will be teaching the class which
comprises of students who are at the year 6 and 7 level.
Students background knowledge: Teacher focus:
The students have been broken up into two groups (year 6 content and Classroom management. As I have a mixed class of students from the cohort,
year 7 content) based on their pre-test and point of need. classroom management is a focus as I don’t know the students from the other classes
Starting point for the year 6 group is to find the rule in a sequence of very well.
numbers and apply it to find an unknown number. Time management. There is a lot of content to get through for both groups.
Year 7 students are at the point to where they are introduced to
variables and how they are represented using letters.
Learning objectives: Learning environment and resources:
Year 6: Google site with teaching content:
Learning Intention: I am learning to continue and create sequences https://sites.google.com/a/orchgveps.vic.edu.au/ogps-patterns-algebra/patterns-and-
involving whole numbers, fractions and decimals. I am learning to functions/sequences-involving-whole-numbers-fractions-and-decimals
describe the rule used to create the sequence.
Success Criteria: I can continue and create sequences involving whole Students need:
numbers, fractions and decimals. I am learning to describe the rule • iPads
used to create the sequence. • Headphones
Year 7: Maths book
Learning Intention: I am learning to use letters and symbols to • Pencils/pens
communicate general rules found from patterns and to solve problems.
Success Criteria: I can use letters and symbols to communicate
general rules found form patterns and to solve problems.
Assessment strategies:
Questioning before, during and after.
Exit slip (reflection)
Roaming the classroom, checking students work

Stage of lesson Approx. Pre-service teacher’s actions

time
10 mins Warm up activity:
Stage 1 Play the game buzz, then ask what did students notice about the patterns/sequences?
Introduction
Introduce new concepts of patterns and algebra and go through the learning intentions and success criteria to ensure students
have a clear idea of what they need to know.
20 mins
Explicit teaching:
Group 1 (year 6) (group 2 students are watching a TED talk on algebra on their iPads)
Explain using worked examples how to use the recursive and function rule in number sequences.
Complete examples together

Group 2
Explicitly teach students what variables mean, using examples, how they are presented and the conventions of algebra.

Stage 2 Students complete individual practice, questions located on google sites page (activities are a mixture of videos, practice
Body of lesson questions, games and hands on activities)

30 mins https://sites.google.com/a/orchgveps.vic.edu.au/ogps-patterns-algebra/patterns-and-functions/sequences-involving-whole-
numbers-fractions-and-decimals

Roam around the room to identify students who may need help.
Stop to address misconceptions/understanding of concepts if multiple students are confused.

Stage 3: Exit slip/reflection:

Conclusion Close the lesson by putting multiple questions on the board, cold calling, ask students to come and show how they work out the
10 mins answers.
Include questions about BODMAS – Some students had misconceptions about BODMAS on their pre-test.

Follow up:
Based on the exit slips, some students in group 2 (year 7) haven’t grasped the algebra conventions (eg writing 4 x a instead of 4a)
Students also had trouble remembering how to solve equations using BODMAS. This will be the key concept to be taught/followed up in next lesson.
Lesson Plan (Primary)
Lesson title: BODMAS – Order of operations Date: 4/9/19 Year level: 6
Topic: Patterns and algebra Duration of lesson: 90 mins
Learning areas Strands & sub-strands Content descriptors
Links to the
Australian Number and Algebra, Patterns and Explore the use of brackets and order of operations to write
Mathematics
Curriculum: Algebra number sentences (VCMNA220)

Lesson rationale:
Based on the exit slips/reflection from last lesson, informed the teaching of the next lesson.

Students background knowledge: Teacher focus:

Students have already learnt the order operations. It is evident they Assessment. Order of operations is a key concept that needs to be understood to
require further teaching and practice continue on with following algebra concepts. Focus on monitoring students
understanding.

Learning objectives: Learning environment and resources:

Learning Intention: I am learning to follow the correct order of Google site with teaching content:
operations in equations. https://sites.google.com/a/orchgveps.vic.edu.au/ogps-patterns-algebra/patterns-and-
Success Criteria: I know the order of solving an equation with multiple functions/sequences-involving-whole-numbers-fractions-and-decimals
operations is to use BODMAS • SignPost maths worksheet
Success Criteria: I know that BODMAS means brackets, indices, • Kahoot:
division, multiplication, addition and subtraction https://create.kahoot.it/details/bodmas/0bce7844-23a5-42f7-ae95-b818608e5216
Success Criteria: I can apply the rules of orders of operations
(BODMAS) to solve equations with multiple operations Students need:
• iPads
• Headphones
Maths book
• Pencils/pens
Assessment strategies:
Questioning before, during and after.
Exit slip (reflection)
Roaming the classroom, checking students work

Stage of lesson Approx. Pre-service teacher’s actions

time
Warm up:
Stage 1 SignPost maths activity (quick general maths questions)
Introduction 30 mins Students have 5 minutes to complete work sheet
Correct the answers with students

Explicit teaching:
Ask students what BODMAS and order of operations is.
Explain to students using worked examples how to solve equations using BODMAS
Reflection: Thumbs up – ready for individual practice, thumbs down – need more instruction

Stage 2 Create a focus group with students who require greater explanation.
Body of lesson
Other students conduct individual work (can work with a partner) from google site (activities are a mixture of videos, practice
45 mins questions, games and hands on activities)
https://sites.google.com/a/orchgveps.vic.edu.au/ogps-patterns-algebra/patterns-and-functions/sequences-involving-whole-
numbers-fractions-and-decimals

Stage 3: Exit slip/reflection:

Conclusion
Play the Kahoot with students
15 mins https://create.kahoot.it/details/bodmas/0bce7844-23a5-42f7-ae95-b818608e5216

Follow up:
Going through the results of the Kahoot, there are still students who require additional support with BODMAS. This will be addressed in a focus group next
lesson.
There were some difficult questions in the Kahoot that most students got wrong. I will address these misconceptions in the warm up of the next lesson.
Lesson Plan (Primary)
Lesson title: Algebraic terms & pronumerals and variables Date: 6/9/19 Year level: 6 & 7
Topic: Patterns and Algebra Duration of lesson: 90 mins
Learning areas Strands & sub-strands Content descriptors
Year 6
Continue and create sequences involving whole numbers,
Links to the
fractions and decimals. Describe the rule used to create the
Australian Number and Algebra, Patterns and
Mathematics sequence (VCMNA219)
Curriculum: Algebra
Year 7
Introduce the concept of variables as a way of representing
numbers using letters (VCMNA251)
Lesson rationale:
Majority of students have understood BODMAS, so each group will move onto their next concept in the sequence of learning patterns and algebra.

Students background knowledge: Teacher focus:

Group 1 (year 6) students now have a good understanding of rules of Student engagement. Now students have had a few lessons on patterns and algebra,
number sequences, they are moving on to pronumerals and variables. the focus of the lesson is to ensure they are still engaged and that the work is still
Group 2 (year 7) have an understanding of variables and variables, challenging for them.
required for the next concept which is algebraic terms
Learning objectives: Learning environment and resources:
Year 6: Google site:
Learning Intention: I am learning to use letters and symbols to https://sites.google.com/a/orchgveps.vic.edu.au/ogps-patterns-algebra/patterns-and-
communicate general rules found from patterns and to solve problems. functions/5-pronumerals-and-variables
Success Criteria: I can use letters and symbols to communicate
general rules found form patterns and to solve problems. Students need:
Year 7: • iPads
Learning Intention: To understand the mathematical language of • Headphones
algebra. Maths book
Success Criteria: I know that a constant is a number by itself. • Pencils/pens
Success Criteria: I know that a term is made up of combinations of
pronumerals and numbers.
Success Criteria: I know that the number in front of the pronumeral is
called the coefficient.
Success Criteria: I know that expressions are made by adding terms.
Success Criteria: I know that an equation contains an equal sign, and
are made by writing two expressions to equal each other.
Assessment strategies:
Questioning before, during and after.
Exit slip (reflection)
Roaming the classroom, checking students work

Stage of lesson Approx. Pre-service teacher’s actions

time
Warm up:
Stage 1 Address the questions students got wrong in the Kahoot from the day before. Get a student to come up and see if they can work
Introduction out the answers. Explain how to solve the equation.
30 mins
Explicit teaching:
Group 2 (group 1 watch the TED talk while explicitly teaching group 2)
Ask students what the terms equation, expression, coefficient, constant and terms mean.
Explicitly explain with worked examples what each on is.

Group 1 (year 6)
Explicitly teach students what variables mean, using examples, how they are presented and the conventions of algebra.

Stage 2 Other students conduct individual work (can work with a partner) from google site (activities are a mixture of videos, practice
Body of lesson questions, games and hands on activities)
50 mins https://sites.google.com/a/orchgveps.vic.edu.au/ogps-patterns-algebra/patterns-and-functions/sequences-involving-whole-
numbers-fractions-and-decimals

While students are working independently, pull aside the students who had difficulty (based on the Kahoot responses) with the
BODMAS questions.

Stage 3: Exit ticket/reflection

Conclusion 10 mins Traffic light reflection. Ask students to write on a piece of paper, red = something they don’t understand, orange = something they
have an idea on but need more practice and green = something they understand really well and could teach someone else.

Follow up:
Using observations, student work samples and the traffic light reflection, determine what students need focusing on for next lesson.