Problem Based Enhanced Language Learning

iteachELLs, Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College at Arizona State University

Teacher: Grade/Subject:
Rachel Chacon 7th grade Mathematics
Title of Experience/Topic:
Geometry and Volume
Problem (framing words + person + action + audience1):
The average person uses approximately 80 gallons of water per day. The city of Mesa is home to
about 600,000 people. Their current water system allows for the use of 27,000,000 gallons of water
per day. Is this enough for everyone?

Imagine you are a team of engineers for the city of Mesa. Using your knowledge of area, perimeter,
and volume, create a new water tower that will hold enough water for everyone.

❏ Relevant to students
❏ Addresses real-world problem
❏ Allows for multiple solutions

Time Frame: (number of sessions and length of sessions)

Approximately 2 weeks (10 days total) and 40 minutes per day (Can go longer if students need more time.)
• @10 minutes: Warm-ups
• @25 minutes: Project
• @5minutes: Debrief and homework
Content Standard(s): (must put code and verbiage)
7.G.A: Draw, construct, and describe geometrical figures, and describe the relationships between
them.
7.G.B: Solve mathematical problems and problems in real-world context involving angle measure,
area, surface area, and volume.

Integrated Language Arts Standard(s):

7.L.6 Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words
and phrases; gather vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to
comprehension or expression.

English Language Proficiency (ELP) Standard(s):

Reading:
LI-22: following a set of written multi-step instructions to perform routine procedures,
answer questions or solve problems in math, science and social studies.

1
Buck Institute for Education (2011). Driving Question. Tubric 2.0. Retrieved from
http://www.bie.org/object/document/driving_question_tubric
 Writing:
E-1: organizing information using non-linguistic representations, and/or simple words and
phrases (e.g., tables and maps).

Speaking/Listening:
PE-2: segmenting sentences into words. (Breaking down what it is looking for. For example:
Using the given diagram, solve for x. > Use diagram to find x.)

❏ Assessed
❏ Not Assessed
Content Language Objective (Language Function + Content Stem + Supports2): (verbs should be in bold)
Students will be able to identify key information* to design a new water tower using diagrams
(drawings of what it will look like). Students may use guided notes from geometry lesson.

*All key information will be bolded.

Sub-Objectives: (steps to achieving main objective – verbs should be in bold)

• Recognize/identify key information.
• Find amount of water needed per day.
• Use a variety of shapes/objects to create a new water tower.

Materials:
• Guided notes for geometry
• Packet with pictures of different shapes and 3-dimensional objects (attached to guided notes)
• Project Task Chart (See Appendix)
• Pencil
• Notebook
• Colored pencils, markers, or crayons (will be provided by Ms. Chacon)

Vocabulary taught prior to the experience Vocabulary developed during lesson:

(Background): • Solve
• Area • Find
• Perimeter • Diagram
• Volume • Design (create)
• Cylinder • 2-dimensional
• Cube • 3-dimensional
• Sphere
• Rectangular Prism
• Triangular Prism
• Cone

Lesson Planning Considerations:

2
World Class Instructional Design and Assessment Consortium (2012). Model Performance Indicator. Retrieved
from https://www.wida.us/downloadLibrary.aspx
Academic Conversation:
What language function will students have the opportunity to practice? How will this language be explicitly
taught? How will this language be applied and practiced?
Reading: Read sentences to find what the problem is asking the student to do. During the lesson and
explanation of the project, we will pause and define difficult words as a class. As a class, we will look at two
to three problems and look at the verbs being used and go over what those verbs mean.
Speaking: Explain why and how they created the water tower. For this section, I will provide sentence
starters, students will prepare what they’re going to say, and then each group will answer why and how
they created their towers. Example sentence starters:
• “I/we designed the water tower to look like this because…”
• “I created it using…” (This sentence starter is specific to the shapes they use.)

Establish the Problem:

How will prior knowledge be accessed? How will the problem be introduced to students? How will students
inquire about the problem (optional planning tool attached) How are students using language (reading,
writing, listening, and/or speaking) and how are they being supported?
Prior knowledge: geometry unit. Students will have a notes packet from the geometry lesson to use as a
reference guide.
Problem introduction: Begin talking about water. How many of you use water every day by show of hands?
(Hopefully everyone raises their hand.) Discuss how evergrowing population leads to higher needs of things,
specifically water.
Language: Reading problems, speaking to discuss the problems in groups, listening to others to problem-
solve together.
Supports: Written guided notes with images and information for shapes and objects (information being how
area and volume are found for each).

Creating the Experience:

How will students work together to develop and present solutions? How are students using language
(reading, writing, listening, and/or speaking) and how are they being supported?
• Speaking: with group, students will explain to each other what ideas they came up with and decide
whose plan they’re going to use, if they’re going to combine multiple plans, or to create something
new.
• Writing: in small groups, students may use a white board or piece of paper to draw out their plans,
with labels for shapes and dimensions.

Evaluate:
When and how will you use formative and summative assessments to measure student progress and
learning (content and language)?
• Formative: For each step of the problem, groups will check-in with teacher before moving on to the
next step. (Must get initials from teacher. See Appendix for sheet.)
• Summative: Final design with information (data, how, why) and each step complete with initials.

Lesson Plan Step-by-step instructions:

Engage:
How will you introduce the lesson/engage the learners to either build background knowledge and/or build
on background knowledge? *NOTE: There should be as many as or more student actions than teacher actions –
use this table to ensure students are doing more of the work to support learning
Teacher will: Student will:
• “By show of hands, how many of you use • On a blank sheet of paper, list 5 household
water every day?” uses for water.
• Ask students to list uses of water • On same piece of paper, list 5 out-of-the-
house uses for water.

Explore:
How will students explore the problem/concepts to find a purpose for learning the content vocabulary?
Teacher will: Student will:
• Provide images of water towers for students • Take notes on images of water towers,
to look at and take ideas from. specifically on the shapes used.

Explain:
How will students learn the key vocabulary? This is the direct instruction part of the lesson to ensure all
students have access to all the content and key vocabulary to support the understanding of the content
Teacher will: Student will:
• Provide vocabulary and go over definitions • Take notes on vocabulary.
as a class.

Elaborate:
How will students move the learning from short term to long term memory to ensure they KNOW the
content?
Teacher will: Student will:
• Use some sort of game on multiple • Be responsible for knowing ALL shapes, even if
occasions to ensure students know the they aren’t the ones that they are using for
shapes. (Flashcards, Kahoot games, their water towers.
Flyswatter game*, etc.) • Actively participate.
• Talk to teacher for help if they are struggling.
*For the flyswatter game, images will be drawn on
the board, students will come up 2 at a time and
use flyswatters to hit the correct shape when I say
the word out loud.

Evaluate:
How will you use formative and summative assessments to measure content and language objectives?
Teacher will: Student will:
• Formative: task chart, games for vocabulary • N/A.
• Summative: final sketch with dimensions
that work for the amount of water needed.

Post teach Reflection: (should be done after teaching this lesson in your classroom OR as a microteach)
It went great! I think the best parts were all of the games they played. The games really reinforced the
vocabulary, but it was in a way that was fun for them. Initially they had to take notes, which isn’t fun, but
then they had games opposed to quizzes or worksheets. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to get a copy of their
notes packet from their math teacher. I think being able to do things that weren’t on the computer was
good for them because they are on them all day long. Also, it was different math for them. Not that their
teacher isn’t fun, they were just able to do a real hands-on project—all of the others are done on Google
Docs worksheets. I wish I had the materials for them to be able to create a 3D model of their water towers
instead of just sketching them.
Appendix.

Name: ____________________________ Group Number: _________

Project Task Chart

You must complete each step, provide an answer, and get initials
from Ms. Chacon in order to move on to the next step. If I am talking
to another student, please write your name on the whiteboard and I
will call you up when I am ready.

Teacher’s
Step Task Answer
Initials
1 Find out how much water (in
gallons) the city of Mesa needs
for one day. (Individual)
2 On page 2, sketch what you
want your water tower to look
like. (Individual)
3 Create dimensions for your
sketch that allow for the volume
of water that is needed. Write
them here and label them on
your sketch. (Individual)
4 With your group, talk about each
of your sketches and decide
whose you will use or if you’re
going to create a new sketch.
Please draw it on page 3 with
dimensions.
5 Make any adjustments or
changes after talking with Ms.
Chacon. Draw final sketch with
color on page 4.

Page 1
Name: ____________________________ Group Number: _________

Sketch 1


Page 2
Name: ____________________________ Group Number: _________

Sketch 2


Page 3
Name: ____________________________ Group Number: _________

Final Sketch

Page 4