A teacher writes a fifth-grade lesson plan in which students will use a pan bala

Question

A teacher writes a fifth-grade lesson plan in which students will use a pan balance to demonstrate equalities in equations. The students will use counters and the pan balance to make the equations balance for ten open-sentence equations (15 + 34 = n + 21). The following standard was included within the plan: NCTM (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics): Principles & Standards for School Mathematics: Analyze characteristics and properties of two-and three-dimensional geometric shapes and develop mathematical arguments about geometric relationships. How would an administrator rate the learning activity for its overall quality and alignment with the standard? The activity was effective in demonstrating the concept of equality in equations, and the standard aligned with the lesson. The activity was ineffective in demonstrating the concept, but the standard aligned with the lesson. The activity was ineffective in demonstrating the concept of equality in equations, and the standard did not align. The activity was effective in demonstrating the concept of equality in equations, but the standard did not align with the lesson.

Explanation / Answer

Rating:

The activity was effective in demonstrating the concept of equality in equations , but the standard did not align with the lesson.

Justification for the rating: The concept of equality in equations is definitely brought out well using counters and balances. In fact this is a good way of solving simple equations.

But the method did not conform to the standard of using the geometry of shapes.

Suggested method to interpret an equation in terms of sides or areas of shapes and trying to solve for the unknown

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