Web 2.

0 Tools for Communication and Collaboration

Lesson Idea Name: Extending and interpreting math concepts on vacation
Grade Level/Content Area: 9th / Foundations of Algebra

Content Standard Addressed:

MFA.AA.1 Students will generate and interpret equivalent numeric and algebraic expressions.
MFA.AA.2 Students will interpret and use the properties of exponents.
ISTE Technology Standard Addressed:  What would you like students to know and be
able to do by the end of this lesson: 
1.7 Global Collaborator Students will be able to generate numeric and
algebraic expressions to represent real-world
scenarios. 
Given real-life situations, students will be able to
interpret and use exponents to find plausible
solutions for those real-life situations.

What is the student learning goal(s) for this lesson idea?  

1. Students will analyze data from a recent vacation by generating numeric and algebraic
expressions and then respond by collaborating with classmates in Pear Deck.
2. Students will interpret and use exponents to find solutions to real-life situations at an
amusement park and collaborate with classmates in Pear Deck on those solutions.

Bloom’s Taxonomy Level(s):

☐ Remembering ☒ Understanding ☒ Applying ☒ Analyzing ☒ Evaluating ☐

Creating

Students must explain why they gave their answer rather than just providing an answer. For
example, when students answer what they think is the best route, they have to justify their answer
with an explanation in a long-response text box.

How do you plan to implement this lesson and integrate the technology? Check all that apply: 
 
X Teacher-led: There is no student voice and choice in the activities. Students are guided by
teacher direction and expectations. Learning activities are assigned to the
student and mostly practice based. 
    
X Student-Led: Students are given voice and choice in the activities. They may select the topic
of learning and/or determine the tool they will use to meet the learning goal. The
teacher facilitates the learning as the students direct their own learning processes. 
 
☐ Problem-based and/or Publishable: Students are solving problems
and completing projects to demonstrate their learning. Additionally, the projects can be shared
outside of the classroom. (Note: This objective could be reached by displaying the project on the
school’s morning newscast, posting the project to the classroom blog, presenting it to another
class, or publishing via an outside source.) 
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 Web 2.0 Tools for Communication and Collaboration

Lesson idea implementation:

The classroom is a Flipped Classroom on a block schedule, so students have 90 minutes of class
time. Following checking and discussing the previous night’s homework (beginning with the opening
collaborate activity in Pear Deck), students will separate into groups for the activity time. Each
student will have a Chromebook with the Pear Deck Google Slides activity loaded from Google
Classroom. During the activity time, students will work on their individual Chromebooks while
collaborating with their group members to solve the different problems. Students all type their own
ideas on the collaborative response questions so everyone’s voice is heard. During this time, the
teacher circulates around the room, listening to the groups’ discussions, paying attention for signs of
understanding and/or misunderstand of the information. The teacher does not intervene unless a
group indicates no one in the group can figure out a problem. At this point, the teacher asks
questions to help guide the group in the correct direction so they can formulate an answer.
During the activity, students will be analyzing actual data from a family vacation. They must
generate numeric and/or algebraic expressions to answer the questions about the data posed on the
slides. The various real-life scenarios can each be solved in a variety of methods, including numeric
expressions and algebra, so students can reason and problem-solve about the best strategy for
handling each situation. Each group will progress through the activity at its own pace. At specific
checkpoints during the activity, the teacher will pause the activity, bring the class back together as a
group, and discuss some of the collaborative responses to the questions before having the groups
resume their work. The activity contains an interactive quiz at the end to assess student learning.
Managing student learning:
The tools used for this lesson should cause a shift in the behavior of students where they move
from passive to active social learners in that students who normally do not participate in class will be
fully participating in the lesson. Students who are usually fully engaged in a lesson will most likely
not have a behavioral change. However, students who are either withdrawn or off task during a
passive lesson time should see a behavior change to being engaged and on task during an active
social lesson.
There will be time limits for each section of the activity. It is a long class period (90 minutes) and
the time must be broken up to help manage student learning. After the time limit for each section of
the activity has passed, I will pull the class back together to recap what they were discussing in their
groups for that section, answer questions, and to ensure that everyone is understanding before
breaking them into groups again. When the groups reconvene, the group members’ roles change, so
students have different responsibilities within their groups. This will also help to keep student
engaged in the learning since they will have jobs as team captain, or making sure everyone’s voice is
heard, or making sure the math processes are valid, etc.
Universal Design for Learning (UDL):
This lesson supports the UDL component of multiple means of representation by presenting the
material in a variety of methods. As part of the flipped classroom approach, student first see the
material in a video, followed by a written sheet and/or website. In class, students are again exposed
to the material through a variety of activities that include verbal descriptions, maps, and videos.
Students also discuss the ideas in their groups, allowing for peer-representation of the ideas.
This lesson also supports the UDL component of multiple means of expression by allowing
students to respond in different ways to express their understanding of the material. Prior to the
activity, students have the option of filling out a paper worksheet or completing the worksheet
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 Web 2.0 Tools for Communication and Collaboration
online. During the activity, students are responding to multiple choice questions, short-answer
questions, having discussion among their groups, and oral class discussion to explain their thinking.
This lesson supports the UDL component of multiple means of engagement. The entire lesson is
woven around real-world scenarios that students could encounter on a vacation and/or a trip to an
amusement park. Because each scenario in the activity is something the students either have
experienced or could experience, it makes the activities relevant to them. Additionally, the use of
virtual reality in some of the videos help students who have not had the opportunity to experience
the activity in the scenario in real life to better understand what is happening.
Reflective Practice:
This lesson idea is similar to a lesson idea I implemented in my classroom. The tool I used helped
students build understanding in a way that would have been impossible with traditional tools
because students were able to see and experience what was happening with the math instead of
just trying to picture or imagine it. The technology made the math come alive for all of the students
and made the math relevant to them where they are in their lives now.
I look forward to implementing the video portion of the lesson again because students who have
never been to an amusement park have just imagined what it is like. Not only are those students
learning math as they do this activity, but they are also getting a cultural education and an
experience that allows them to discuss something relevant to their peers. Several of my students
who have never had the opportunity to visit an amusement park thanked me for this lesson because
it gave them the ability to talk about the rides with their friends in a more intelligent way.

SBooker, 2022