4.2 Mathematics Resource Kit
(individual or pairs) -- 40% -- (10% for kit presentation and
30% for kit) [due on presentation date--Nov. 30 or Dec. 2]
This resource kit could contain a variety of activities
from different strands of the elementary mathematics curriculum--for one or more grade levels. The kit could also address one curriculum strand and/or
one grade level.
This assignment can be individual; it could also be done in pairs or in groups of 3 or 4. A larger group does not
mean that this assignment will be easier to do. Here is how it might work.
Each kit must have the following:
1. A rationale for selecting this grade level/topic, including a
philosophic overview of how children learn mathematics, use of materials, hands-on experiences etc.
2. An outline
of how the kit is organized, legend, location system
3. A set of activities geared to a specific grade level and/or topic, complete with all the materials needed to do the
activities and some kind of 'container' for the activities (e.g., a plastic tub, archive file box, shoe box, etc;
usually each activity is placed in a plastic bag, which is then placed inside the box)
4. A teacher card
for each activity
5. A student task card for each activity
1, 2, 4, and 5 above need to be word processed
and submitted in a folder. 4 and 5 need to ALSO be placed beside each activity in the container. I will examine
all the activities and materials during the presentation times. Usually I try to make digital pictures of everything
you have made. Then I can return the activities to you quickly and keep the folder with all of the written material
for grading purposes.
If one of you wishes to do this assignment
alone then all of the above five areas must be addressed. If two of you wish to work together then each of you needs to develop five different activities, complete with teacher card and
student task card, but you can work together on the rationale and outline, and of course on the presentation of
your kit at the end of the semester. If more than two of you wish to work together then the same goes (i.e., each
develop 5 different activities and work together on the rationale and outline).
Each activity should have a teacher
card--like the one that follows.
The following template illustrates 10 same-sized sections. By examining the sections you will probably realize
that some will require more information that others. The template is shown here only to illustrate the different
sections that need to be included in the teacher card. You can format the card in a template form similar to the
one following or you can write the headings one below the other.
Activity Name: |
Number of Students and Location: |
Learning Objectives (taken from the math curriculum if possible): |
Advance Preparation: |
Resources/Materials/Equipment: |
Description of Activity (procedure): |
CELs: |
Adaptation/Variation/Extension: |
Assessment (students): |
Reflection (if you taught the activity): |
The teacher card will thus have the following
components:
Name of activity:
Number of students who would do the activity;
where does the activity get worked on?:
Learning objectives (from the curriculum):
Advance preparation (what do you need to
set up/do prior to doing the activity):
Resources/materials/equipment:
Description of activity (what is it you want
the children to do?):
CELs [don't try to address all CELs in one
activity. Select one (other than numerical literacy) and say how this CEL would be developed through your activity]:
Adaptations (how will you adapt your activity
for children with special needs or who learn differently):
Assessment (what form of assessment will
you employ so that you will know if the children have learned the concept. The assessment must MATCH the objectives
(lesson intentions):
Reflection (write something here ONLY if
you have used this activity in the classroom and you have something to reflect on).
Each activity needs to also have a student
task or activity card. This card
needs only to have the following information for the student (or the adult helping the student):
Activity Name: |
Number of Students (how many of us can work together?): |
Location (where do I do the activity?):
|
Description of the Activity (what am I expected to do?):
|
Resources/Materials/Equipment (what do I need to do this activity? I need to collect some stuff to work with): |
After the Activity is Finished (what do I do when I am done? Do I show it to the teacher, put it in my portfolio,
pin it on the wall, etc?): |
Please note that you do not need to compile
your student task card as I have above. Use your own system/style, etc.
KIT ASSIGNMENT
You need to compile a small mathematics resource kit. The purpose of this kit is to give you a start to your personal
collection of excellent teaching resources to help you in your career. The total kit will have 5 fully developed
activities if you are working alone, or 10 or 15 or even 20 activities, but each
student will be responsible for making 5. You may want to make multiple copies of your 5 so that each member of
your group ends up with a complete set of 20, but that will be up to each group to decide.
Remember, this kit is due on the date of your presentation --November 30 or December 2/2004.
The kit is worth 40% of your total marks, which is broken down as follows:
1. Activities 20%
Questions w.r.t. activities that I will be asking as I examine your kit address the following areas:
- is sufficient information given to determine
if activity is for one student, a small group, or the whole class, etc?
- is sufficient information given to enable
a 'stranger' to implement the activity?
- is there a curriculum link?
- is this activity appropriate for the grade
level selected?
- is there indication given of how the activity
can be integrated (i) within mathematics, and (ii) across the curriculum?
- are assessment strategies included with the
activities?
- is the activity written up for a child to
follow or for a teacher; whichever is the case, are the language and directions suitable for the 'audience?'
- are the activities in the form of student
task cards or teacher directed cards or are both forms included?
- where did the activity originate from (your
own ideas, the curriculum, program material, a trade book)? Is appropriate credit given to source? Is a bibliography
included?
- are these activities from a variety of sources
(if so, which ones) or they come from a single source? To what extent have you extended or elaborated on the original?
- are these activities in keeping with sound
mathematics theory and pedagogy?
- do the activities allow for hands-on exploration
with concrete materials?
- do the activities provide for varying levels
of difficulty or challenge?
- are the activities developmentally appropriate?
- do the activities provide opportunities for
exploration, investigation, questioning, discussion, and reflection?
- are the activities worthwhile enterprises
for children to engage in?
I would also like to see some evidence of the following:
2. Rationale 3%
Write a paragraph or so explaining your choice of activities/grade level(s) etc., why you think these activities
are important. Also write a few sentences about your (group) mathematics philosophy--why would you even consider
using math ACTIVITIES for teaching mathematics? How do you think children best learn mathematics?
3. Organization 2%
Write a paragraph or so about how you have organized your kit, is there a scope and sequence to follow, do you
have different sections, do you plan to add to this in the future (how), are your activity write-ups and materials
together (if not where are they located), how are materials marked for easy identification, retrieval, return,
are there separate student task cards from teacher cards?
4. Appearance 3%
Questions w.r.t. appearance that I will be asking as I examine your kit are:
A. Is there an appealing/original layout and/or organizational system?
B. How is your total kit presented?
C. Are the ideas and/or activities contained in the kit creative in design and/or adaptation?
D. How much effort have you gone to beyond what was "asked for?"
5. Written Language 2%
I will be looking for the following as I examine your kit:
- clarity of language and writing style
- correctness of forms (spelling, punctuation,
syntax, grammar, etc.)
- well organized, easy to follow
- attractive, well formatted, legible
On November 30 or December 2 you will "present" your kit to the class.
The following is information about the presentation of your kit. This presentation is worth 10 % of your resource
kit mark.
Presentation Information
Your presentation is worth 10% of your mark for the entire kit project. The presentation
will be evaluated in three ways:
- You will give yourselves a mark out of 10--based on criteria that you will select. You
will need to write a few sentences stating why you think you deserve the mark you have given yourselves.
- You will ask 2-3 of your colleagues to judge your work. You will give your colleagues
a criteria sheet and explain to them what to be looking for. Your colleagues will meet and "compare notes"
and arrive at a mark out of 10--again with a few sentences of explanation.
- I will give you a mark out of 10, again based on your criteria. I may also comment
on other aspects of your presentation.
Altogether you will end up with three marks out of ten, which you will average. This
will be your mark out of 10 for your presentation. You will need to let me know your mark.
Your presentation should involve the following:
- An introduction of your kit, why you selected your topic/grade etc., how you organized
your activities, how you will use them with children.
- An overview of the contents of your kit (an overhead or chart would be handy here)
- A display of all your activities, materials, etc.
Each member of the group should be involved in the presentation and this involvement should be evident to the audience.