Annotated Learning Plan

Exploratory Activities
Introductory "hands-on" activities that introduce students to a concept, e.g. a two-team mathematical Tic-Tac-Toe game that leads students to graph ordered pairs. These activities need to provide thinking and are preferably not of the textbook or worksheet variety.
 Concept
An idea important in the main body of mathematics, e.g. multiplication, linear equations, area, slope. Concepts are used to organize instructional units. Concept-based organization encourages broad, rich units with connections among concepts.
Concept Development Activities
Activities/problems aimed at providing students with experiences to explore and think about the concept in many situations so that formal learning and understanding can take place. (See The Psychology of Learning Mathematics Model by Richard Skemp)
 Materials and Resources
Examples: Algebra tiles, geoboards, Cuisenaire rods, etc., as well as, any necessary printed materials needed for the entire unit.
Basic Facts and Standard Algorithms Formalized
Taken from the TEKS, the basic facts and standard algorithms are the computational strand of the instructional unit. Once students have a foundation of interesting experiences and explorations with a concept, then the basic facts and standard algorithms can be formalized - with greater success, one hopes. Textbook exercises and sets of concept-related problems are needed here.
 Originality and Creativity
Student Products

Written

Verbal

Kinesthetic

Visual

 

 

Encourage the
development of
products - written
articles, etc. - that
have students
organize what they
have learned in new
ways that make sense
to them. Providing
opportunity for
creativity in the
classroom tends to
increase interest and
motivation.

Assessment
Teacher-made tests and alternative assessments (i.e. observations, student writing, portfolios, student self-evaluations, interviews, demonstration tasks) provide information about student learning and thinking, as well as, information upon which to base instructional decisions.
Related TEKS
These are the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills covered by teaching this concept.