Domain: Knowledge

Learners

Patricia Arredondo
SEDC 713
Exam

Dimension 1: Knowledge of

3/26/14
Midterm

1. Choose a topic in the 7-12 from the Common Core Standards in

Mathematics. State the standard and explain how you would implement
the Primacy-Recency Effect of David Sousa in a lesson on this topic.
Using Sousas theory of the Primary-Recency Effect, the lesson should begin
with new material and instruction, which is known as the Prime-time 1 phase,
when students are most attentive and receptive to new information. As attention
span dwindles, the Down-time phase, the lesson should move onto practice work.
Towards the end of the class (last 10 minutes or so), there is another peak in
attention / retention called Prime-time 2 phase, in which the lesson should switch
gears into concluding the opportunity for the learner to find sense and meaning in
the new material.
A sample lesson using this theory and Common core standard:
CCSS.Math.Content.7.G.A.2
Draw (freehand, with ruler and protractor, and with technology) geometric shapes
with given conditions. Focus on constructing triangles from three measures of
angles or sides, noticing when the conditions determine a unique triangle, more
than one triangle, or no triangle.

Minutes leading up to Prime-time 1: Pass out handouts and materials (protractors

and rulers)
Prime-time 1: Introduce new material (focusing on working with degrees today)
with a demonstration. Have on the board various measures for degrees, such as
30, 45, 60, 90, 110. Select three from the board at a time. Draw on
overhead and show how to connect them into a shape. For example: Select 45,
45, 90, connect to form a right triangle. Select 60, 60, 60, connect to form
an equilateral triangle. Select 30, 60, 110, connected will not result in one
triangle, perhaps some other shape. Select 30, 30, 30 and demonstrate the
same. We have just proven that all triangles must add to 180, despite there
being different ways of constructing them.

Down-time: In groups, have students work on hand-outs which include doing

similar drawings with 3 given sets of angles to work with. Have them use their
protractors. As Down-time is wrapping up, select 3 students to show work on

overhead projector.
Prime-time 2: Conclude the lesson by using the students work on overhead as
further proof that a single triangle must have a sum of 180.

2. Choose one aspect of a lesson that Sousa raises in Chapter 8 and

explain why you think it is important.
Chapter 8 of Sousas How the Brain Learns focuses on learning and teaching
strategies, and how to incorporate them together in a lesson plan. In listing out the
components of lesson plan design, regardless of teaching method, Sousa describes
the component of modeling. It is interesting to see that modeling is employed in
almost all of the eight teaching methods Sousa describes. According to Sousa,
models help students make sense of the new learning and establish meaning.
Models must be given first by the teacher and be accurate, unambiguous, and
noncontroversial (2011).
I think modeling in a lesson plan is important. Modeling provides a physical,
visual, and auditory framework for students to process information and more clearly
understand underlying math concepts. For example, when learning about
multiplying fractions, the teachers initial demonstration of taking a third of a half
with fraction blocks helps the learner visualize what that means and more
effectively process and establish meaning. Simply writing 1/2 x 1/3 = 1/6 because
1x1 = 1 and 2 x 3 = 6 is not going to help anyone understand what multiplying
fractions means. The modeling component of the lesson plan is important in driving
that meaning home.
Additionally, as Sousa mentions, it is important that modeling be done by the
teacher clearly and accurately. The Primary-Recency Effect tells us that instruction
on new material should be conducted first and correctly, because the mind is
geared to pay closest attention at this time and remember that information best.
So, if beginning a lesson with modeling, it must be conducted by a teacher correctly
so the content is absorbed in the Prime-time 1 phase.

3. Use a simple explanation of absolute value to show how to set up the

two equations for the problem: |3x + 5| = 20
The absolute value of a number represents that numbers distance from zero. If I tell
you Object A is 10 steps away from zero, we know the absolute value of Object A is
10 (or |Object A| = 10). What numbers could Object A be then? What numbers are
10 steps away from 0?

If |Object A|=10, then Object A is either at +10 or -10 on the number line.
What is inside the absolute value brackets, in this instance Object A, is either 10
steps to the right of zero (+10) or ten steps to the left of zero (-10). Therefore:
Object A = +10

or

Object A = -10.

Now lets take |3x + 5| = 20. Lets call 3x + 5 Equation A. |Equation A| = 20.
Setting up the problem similarly to the above:

If Equation A is 20 steps from zero, then

Equation A = +20

or

Equation A = -20.

Going back to our original question, if Equation A = +20 or -20, then

3x + 5 = 20

or

3x + 5 = -20

We now have broken down |3x + 5| = 20 into two equations to solve the problem.

4.

Use diagrams to explain how to find 35% of 1200.

The below diagram demonstrates how to solve the problem. The right-hand side of
the scale represents percentages, labeled from 0 to 100. The left-hand side of the
scale includes numbers 0 to 1200.
Directions: On the left, start with 0 at the bottom and 1200 at the top (level with
100%). Move halfway up the scale. Corresponding to 50 on the right, include the
number 600, which is half of 1200. Count the lines as you move from line 0 to line
600. There are 10 lines. Therefore, each line will increase by increments of 60 (split
up 600 among 10 lines). Begin at the bottom number 0 on the left, move up a line;
add 60 to the preceding line until you reach the 1200 at the top (blue arrows). We
have now filled out the scale. Look for the 35% mark on the right-hand column of
the scale, and match it up with the left-hand column of the scale. You will find the
figure 420. We have broken down the number 1200 into percentages and labeled on
a scale, where now you can easily visually find what 35% of 1200 is. 420!

+60

5. Explain why the acronym foil is not good for teaching binomial
multiplication.
Using the acronym FOIL to teach binomial multiplication, just like
using any acronym in teaching concepts, is harmful for math students
because it is not teaching them the underlying concept and not facilitating
the key goal: conceptual understanding. When one multiplies two binomials
by FOIL-ing them, he or she is merely carrying out a mindless exercise and
not considering how or why FOIL might work to achieve a correct answer.
Apart from the key problem in teaching to imitate and not to
understand, FOIL is also not a good teaching method for binomial

multiplication because it can lead to confusion and misuse later on. For
example:
Binomial multiplication. FOILfirs
(x + 3)(x 7) x2 + -7x + 3x 21 = x2
t

4x 21.

inne
r last
oute
r

That worked ok.

Now what happens when you move passed that unit to other polynomial
multiplication?

firs
t

last

Polynomial multiplication. FOIL (x + 3)(x2 + 4x 1) x3 + -x + 3x2

3

3 = x + 3x x 3

oute
inne r
r

That did not work ok. That answer is incorrect.

What happened to the 4x

in the trinomial? It seems to have been ignored. This might happen because
the acronym FOIL gives no instruction for that middle term in the trinomial.
First, Outer, Inner, and Last does not work when multiplying anything
but two binomials. Therefore, the acronym should not be taught from the
beginning as it doesnt lead to conceptual understanding and also leads to
errors in the future when moving onto more advanced topics. Multiplying
polynomials should be thought of as multiplying with the distributive
property. All the elements inside one set of the parentheses should be
multiplied by all the elements in the other set of parentheses. Forget FOIL.
6. How do these multiplications have similar mathematical
structure?
35 x 27; 3 x 6 ; (2x + 5)(3x + 7); (33 + 2)(2 5 + 1); (3 + 4
i)(2 + 6i);

All of these multiplication problems can be thought of as multiplying

with the distributive property. I like to use the box-method for multiplying
and distributing.
35 x 27. Break this into two binomials (30 + 5)(20 + 7). Same with 3 x
6 (3 +)(6 + )
Dont FOIL, but use the box method to multiply (below).
All other problems can be solved similarly.