LESSON PLAN TEMPLATE

C. OPPENHEIM

Nov. 24th Equality and Inequality 2

Date Lesson Title Grade Level
Math Unit Lesson
Time in Lesson Subject
30 mins #

Learner Outcomes from the Program of Studies

What SPECIFIC outcomes will be addressed in this lesson?

Model equality and inequality between two quantities, including with a balance.

Main objective in simple (grade 6 reading level) language Assessment Strategies

How will students have changed in what they understand/know/are able to What will I seek as evidence of learning? How will I employ formative
do/appreciate as a result of this lesson? assessment? How will I use prior assessments in this lesson?

By the end of this lesson students will be able to tell me what equality
(equal) and inequality (unequal) mean in their own words and use the
symbol properly within a written equation. Students will understand that
inequality is an imbalance between two quantities.
Students will be able to iterate that equal means “the same as” and
unequal means “not the same as”
Do students:
… recognize that the symbol ≠ means "not equal"? (determined by
conversation, index card activity, and through their independent
work)
… relate the diagonal line through the equal sign to other signs they
have seen, such as a bike with a diagonal line through it to mean no
bike riding here? (through conversation)
… understand and use the term “equal” and "unequal"? (determined
by their index card definitions)

Resources Personalization/Differentiation
What materials/resources/technology will be required? How will I attend to the needs of ALL learners in this lesson?

Math problems will be presented physically, pictorially and written

Adapted from Wiggins, Grant & J. McTighe (1998)
3 scales, multi-coloured snap blocks, markers, 14 blank index cards, as an equation.
students’ math grid booklet Progressions – increase complexity by adding a fourth addend to the
equation (a+b=c+d)

How will I ENGAGE (Hook) students in the lesson; ACTIVATE prior knowledge; and LINK this lesson connect to prior lessons?

We will review the “Signs of our World” poster and read through the poem about signs. We will discuss what signs they have seen and where
these signs can be found.

Learning/Activity Sequence
How will students ENGAGE, EXPLORE, EXPLAIN, ELABORATE, and/or EVALUATE their understandings of the outcomes.

What are the STUDENTS doing? Approx. time

What is the TEACHER doing?
Intro Students are sitting at the round table with their math grid 5 mins
- We will read through the “signs in our world” poem book, a marker, a pencil and two index cards
- identify some of the signs they recognize, and I will
have the students explain what they mean and where
they have seen them before
- I will introduce the equal and unequal signs
- Introduce the terms Equality and Inequality
o Explain how “IN” at the beginning of some
words makes the word have an opposite
meaning (e.g. correct and incorrect)
- Give the students each two index cards and have the
students write an equal sign on one and an unequal
sign on the other (with marker, BIG in the middle of
the card)
Group Activity Students will be gathered around the scale with their index 10 mins
- I will demonstrate a concrete example of both equal cards
and unequal on the scale (a+b=c) using multi-coloured
Adapted from Wiggins, Grant & J. McTighe (1998)
 blocks
- I will have the students look and tell me how many of
each coloured blocks are on each side, recording them
pictorially on the whiteboard with corresponding
marker colours
- After they are displayed pictorially on the whiteboard,
I will have the students hold up an index card
indicating whether they think it is equal or not
- Once they vote if it is equal or not, I will write the
equation on the board
o I will be sure to reverse the equation (c=a+b)
and ask them if it means the same thing

Independent Work Students will be working with a partner at a scale to develop 10 mins
- I will have set out three scale, each on a mat with their own equal and unequal equations
multi-coloured cubes
- Students will be asked to create AT LEAST one equal
and one unequal equation, drawing a picture in their
grid book as well as recording the equation
o For the more advanced learners, I will ask
them to do more than one and if it seems easy,
I will have them explore an equation with four
addends, with two colours of blocks on each
side of the scale (a+b=c+d)

Group Sharing Students will gather again at the round table to discuss their 5 mins
- Once students are done their equations, we will come equations
back and share one of their equations
- I will ask the group to hold up their signs as to
whether they agree or disagree with their classmates’
equations

Conclusion
How will I ensure students leave understanding the PURPOSE of the lesson and its IMPORTANCE to their learning?

As a conclusion, I will ask the students to write on the back of each index card (in their own words) what they think equal and unequal mean. I will ask
students why they think it is important to be able to recognize these signs? And what could happen if you didn’t know what they mean?
Adapted from Wiggins, Grant & J. McTighe (1998)
 - Talk about the slashes and why it is important that people are able to recognize the meaning behind that slash – refer to the signs in real life
- How do you know when two quantities are equal? – the pan balance will be balances/even
- How does the pan balance show you if two quantities are unequal? – the pan balance is imbalanced/uneven

PRE-SERVICE TEACHER SELF-REFLECTION

In your self- reflection of your lesson, please consider the following questions:

1. What went well in your lesson? What were the strengths of the lesson?
2. What needs refinement? What might you do differently next time?

These additional questions can help guide your response to the two self– reflection questions above:

 How do you feel your students experienced this lesson?

 How were they able to make explicit and self-evaluate their growing understanding, skills and/or knowledge?
 How did you employ formative assessment for/of/as learning?
 Were you successful in reaching all students? How do you know? How did you accommodate for diverse learners and those requiring
accommodations?
 Were there opportunities to address Indigenous, multicultural and interdisciplinary activities and knowledge?

Signs poster was effective. Kids already had an idea about what the signs meant, they could explain the “no” aspect—translated nicely into
equal and unequal.
Explanations good, clear and to the point. Lots of repetition and scaffolding to ensure comprehension. I create a dialogue with the students to
better engage them in the conversation.
Repeat instructions – gave lots of opportunity to understand
Useful use of manipulatives – kids were super hands on in making and writing their equations. Could have been more clear about having one
colour on one side and two colours on the other (a + b = c) – they were not ready for another addend (a + b = c + d).
“Does that make sense” – question means nothing – ask something specific

Adapted from Wiggins, Grant & J. McTighe (1998)

Adapted from Wiggins, Grant & J. McTighe (1998)