Jenna Kavaler 11/23/18

EDU 341 Professor Wisnewski

Assessment Assignment
Part A
Question NYS Next Learning Procedural Conceptual Problem
number Generation Objective Fluency Understanding Solving
Learning (Target) (yes or no) (yes or no) (yes or no)
Standard

1 NY-4.NBT.5 To estimate, Yes Yes No

multiply, and
be able to
explain the
reasoning
behind the
answer.

2 NY-4.NBT.5 To multiply Yes Yes No

using partial
products and
an area model.

3 NY-4.OA.3 To solve a Yes Yes Yes

multi-step
multiplication
problem
involving
money.

4 NY-4.OA.2 To draw a Yes Yes Yes

model to solve
a comparison
multiplication
problem.
 Part B- Student 1

The first Student, M, did well on the four questions. He answered the first two questions

completely and correctly. The second two questions are where he lost points. He only received

partial credit because he did a lot of the work with correct computations, but failed to answer the

question that was asked. For #3, he failed to complete the final step in solving the problem. For

#4, he had the answer in his work, but did not present it as the answer to the question. Problems

#1 and #2 focused on the standard NY-4.NBT.5. This standard covers multiplying two two-digit

numbers using strategies based on place value and the properties of operations. M answered

these questions completely and correctly, demonstrating his mastery of this standard. Question

#6 asked students to explain their process behind finding an estimate. This thinking about his

thinking process demonstrates that M understands the concept fully. Along with multiplication,

#2 asks students to solve the problem using partial products. It is clear that M understands that

concept, as well. Question #3 covers standard NY-4.OA.3, which is solving multi-step word

problems using the four operations. This standard has not been met because M left out a step of

the word problem. He did not successfully demonstrate that he knows how to complete

multi-step problems. Though he did receive some credit for problem #4, I would say that the

standard NY-4.OA.2 has been not met. This standard asks students to solve multiplication word

problems involving multiplicative comparisons. M did this, but failed to answer the question that

the word problem was specifically looking for. The correct answer was in his work, but it was

an accident. Had he written it as the answer, it would’ve been correct, but for the wrong reason.

M has not successfully mastered this standard.

 Overall M is very bright and has demonstrated vast knowledge of the content. Where he

needs assistance is remembering to fully answer multi-step problems. M also needs help solving

equations with unknown numbers. He did not interpret the word problem correctly, so he had the

wrong equation. He also needs to double check the question and find what information the

problem is looking for, so that he can make sure to answer the entire question.

Part B- Student 2

The second student, C, got full credit for only one out of the four questions. The first two

questions were for the most part complete and correct. It is evident that J knows how to multiply

two two-digit numbers. He has mastered the standard that these problems address, which is

NY-4.NBT.5. He lost a point on the first question because he failed to put a period at the end of

his sentence. The teacher considers this a “non-negotiable” that the students know they must

always do, even on tests other than ELA. She also corrected his spelling in his answer, though

she did not take points off for that. Interestingly, he did not seem to actually provide an estimate,

but the teacher did not deduct any points for that. The second question was entirely correct. The

third problem was difficult for C. He started off in the right direction, multiplying 6 x 3 to find

that there are 18 chalkboards. His trouble began with him scribilling out what is supposed to be

98 x 18. It looks like he made a mistake and instead of erasing or crossing out, he just wrote new

numbers on top of the old numbers. The result is messy, illegible, and incorrect. He also only

finished about half of the multiplication required to get the answer. His answer did not fulfill the

standard NY-4.OA.3, which is solving multi-step word problems using the four operations.

Interestingly, C answered #4 very similarly to M. C started off in the right direction, but wound

up going about the problem the wrong way. He happened to land upon the right answer, but
failed to attend to precision. The teacher only took one point off for this reason. Because the

work was wrong, standard NY-4.OA.2 has been not met. C does not yet know how to solve

multiplication word problems involving multiplicative comparisons.

Similarly to M, C needs help in two areas. The first is solving multi-step problems. He

begins with correct first step and is heading in the right direction. He needs to understand where

to go after solving the first step. The second area that C could use some assistance is in

multiplication word problems involving multiplicative comparisons, especially using a variable.

Perhaps introducing a method such as guess and check would be helpful for C to understand why

his answers seem correct, but in reality do not match the information provided in the word

problem.

Part B- Student 3

The final student that I analyzed is J. J got full credit for the first two questions. He

demonstrated clear mastery of multiplication, estimates, and partial products. He has successfully

completed the objectives of standard NY-4.NBT.5. Question #3 presented some interesting

feedback on J. He started off correctly, completing the first step of multiplying 6 x 3 to get 18.

Next, J knew he had to work with $98 and 18. He made the mistake of adding these numbers,

rather than multiplying them. He may have realized this because he used partial products to

multiply them on the side. He had the correct answer to the problem there, but the correct answer

never made it to the answer box. Instead, he wrote $116 and a random 1,700 under it. He didn’t

get much credit for this problem, and has not yet mastered NY-4.OA.3. J did not correctly

answer #4. He went about the problem in a similar manner as the other students. He was close to

the correct answer, but just by happenstance. For these reasons, NY-4.OA.2 has been not met. J
does not yet know how to solve multiplication word problems involving multiplicative

comparisons.

Like the other students, J did well with simple problems that only ask for multiplication,

estimates, or partial products. He struggled on the more complex and multi-step problems. It is

clear that he was not thinking about word problems in a real-world way. For example, question

#3. If J had been thinking logically, he would have realized if one chalkboard costs $98, you

can’t possibly get 18 for $116. Perhaps drawing a picture would help J visualize the real word

item that the number represents. More practice with money problems would also help him to

understand the value of a dollar and how money problems have to make sense. Like the rest of

the students, J also needs help solving multiplication word problems involving multiplicative

comparisons and using a variable.

Conclusions

Overall, the students all shared many of the same successes and struggles. They all

successfully demonstrated how to solve problems that ask for estimates and partial products.

They also all clearly have a strong understanding of basic multiplication. Where they need

assistance is in doing multi-step multiplication. Looking at the entire classes’ tests, many

students either missed steps or ended the problem before they completed all the steps. The main

issue among the entire class was the multiplicative comparison problem. The teacher’s grading

and markings on the papers show that she herself did not have the correct setup to the problem.

Perhaps the lesson was not properly taught to the class, resulting in the students not grasping the

concept.
 Reengagement Lesson

I have chosen J as the student to focus on for the reengagement lesson. To reteach the

topic of solving multi-step multiplication word problems, I would present him with a worksheet

with new problems, a few different colored pencils, and a highlighter. J would read through the

problem a few times. Once he read the problem thoroughly, he would then go through and find

the first step of what he need to do to solve the problem. He would choose one colored pencil

and underline this step in the word problem and in the workspace write a #1. He would then do

this again, this time with another color and looking for the next step in the word problem. He

would then find it and label it #2. He would continue until he went through the entire problem.

At the end of the word problem, he would highlight what the question is specifically looking for

in the answer. After mapping out the entire problem, he would go through the steps and solve the

problem. This would teach J how to be organized and ensure he completes every step and

answers the problem fully. To reteach the concept of multiplicative comparison word problems, I

would create a worksheet with similar problems to question #4, involving food items. I would

use cube manipulatives to represent the different foods. I would start with the question from the

test in which he struggled to answer. I would put twenty counters aside, to show him that we

have twenty hotdogs and hamburgers in total. From there, I would show him the guess and check

method to determine how many hotdogs and hamburgers we have. Once he understands how

these problems work, I would show him how to solve them using an equation. I would present

him with a worksheet with new problems, in which he must use both of these methods to answer

the problems.