Summative Math Assignment

Hannah Stephenson
February 28th, 2015

Table of Contents
Annotated Bibliography

NCTM Article Reviews

Identifying Fractions and Decimals on a Number Line

An Appetite for Fractions

An Arts-Based Approach to Teaching Fractions

Review of Mathematics Manipulatives

Base-ten Blocks

9
9

Unifix Cubes

10

Double-Sided Counters

11

Rainbow Fraction Tiles

12

Rekenrek

13

Mathematical Technologies

14

SMART Board Resource

14

YOUR Teacher iPad App

16

Virtual Manipulatives iPad App

17

Illuminations

19

Interview with a Student

Math Journal

20
22

Annotated Bibliography- Technology in the Elementary

STEM Classroom

Cotabish, A., Dailey, D., Robinson, A., & Hughes, G. (2013). The Effects of a STEM
Intervention on Elementary Students Science Knowledge and Skills. School
Science and Mathematics, 113 (5), 215-266.
A study was conducted in an Elementary School where students were assessed after
one year of participation in a STEM classroom. The students were assessed based
on their process skills, content knowledge, and concept knowledge. According to
research, elementary teachers foster the gifts and talents that are associated with
the STEM approach. It was evident that the teachers who were a part of this study
did not receive enough professional development related to science. Results of this
study indicate that there was a significant gain in the science process skills, science
concepts, and science-content knowledge. Results state that STEM teachers have a
relatively important to the students variability. Overall, the elementary school that
took part in the study showed significant improvements. There was a recorded gain
in science process skills, science concepts, and science-content knowledge.
Teachers also showed growth because they had the opportunity to attend
professional development. Researchers indicate that STEM teachers have endless
opportunities as elementary teachers.

Cunningham, C. and Higgins, M. (2015). Engineering for Everyone. Educational

Leadership. 42-47.
The integration of STEM in the classroom has paid little or no attention to E in STEM.
As educators begin to introduce engineering into the class, it may be difficult to
design learning for all students that are engaging and effective. The main focus is
to make STEM more inclusive especially towards women and minorities. The
question is how we can make STEM more inclusive. There are six design principles
related to STEM that educators can use to ensure that it engages all students. The
six principles are meant to guide students through the engineering activities related
to authentic principles. It is important that a teacher set engineering in a real world
context. This can be integrated in the classroom through a story such as a fictional
story. Choosing engineering activities that are relevant to students are essential
and can include but not limited to people, animals, the environment, and todays
society. Educators should introduce to students the eight step engineering design
process that includes identify, investigate, imagine, plan, create, test, improve, and
communicate. The eight steps will help students guide their work related to STEM.

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It is important to highlight to students how engineers help others since they are
often interested in helping. Teachers should design their lessons that provide
students with open-ended activities since it enables students to become problem
solvers to generate more creativity and exploration of original ideas. It is important
to teach students that failure is a part of life and it can prompt reflection. Teachers
need to communicate to the students that they dont fail themselves, the design
fails. Fostering collaboration is another important component of the six principles
related to STEM. Collaboration helps students develop a larger range of ideas and
will give students the chance to demonstrate their strengths. To keep the
engineering aspect engaging for the students, the teacher should provide students
with materials that are ready to use and that are inexpensive. Research greatly
states that we as teachers need to introduce the new concept of engineering in an
engaging manner for all students in a meaningful concept.
Moorehead, T. & Grillo, K. (2013). Celebrating the Reality of Inclusive STEM
Education: Co-Teaching in Science and Mathematics. Teaching Exceptional
Children. 50-57.
The reality of STEM in the science and mathematics classroom is that it can be
challenging to make it inclusive therefore they bring in two educators with the
intentions of increasing the achievement of all students. Research states that
when two professionals are assigned to a single classroom, their roles are often
undefined, leading to confusion. It is recommended that teachers implement
station centers into the classroom because it allows them to instruct smaller groups
on the tools content in any subject area but most particularly science and
mathematics. The use of station centers in the classroom gives the teachers
flexibility to integrate various interactions for the students including teacherstudent, student-student, independent, and hands-on. The study recommends first
time co-teachers using stations start with two stations led by two co-teachers.
Implementing stations teaching into your STEM classroom can be difficult that is
why they recommend starting small, and then adding in the third station that is
focused on an independent engaging activity. Technology can also provide coteachers with the option to create a fourth station in the classroom which can lead
to an even further reduced interaction between student and teacher with more of a
focus on direct support and small-group interaction. The use co-teaching and the
integration of stations in the classroom provides a more supportive and inclusive
classroom for students with disabilities.
Sondergeld, T.A. (2014). Closing the Gap Between STEM Teacher Classroom
Assessment Expectations and Skills. School Science and Mathematics.
151-152.

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The use of STEM in the classroom is being used by teachers to increase the level of
critical thinking and problem-solving skills. The developments of these skills are
important in preparing students for the future. Teachers who use the STEM
organization in the classroom must develop and utilize high quality formative and
summative assessment on a daily basis. Research indicates that there is a gap
between expectations of teachers assessment practices and actual skills of
assessment they portray. The instructional aspect in the classroom is important to
keep in mind because assessments were not often correlated with NGSS standards.
It seems as though teachers need to develop skills to assist them in the creation of
assessments to show student progress. The teachers and administrators who took
place in the workshops provided said that they had never been took a course in
educational assessment. After completing the workshop, teachers stated that they
had the privilege of learning assessment strategies. In order to close the gap in
expectations of STEM teachers assessment practices and skills, research states
that strong relationships should be developed between k-12 educators and that
STEM teachers are provided with support related to instructional strategies. It is
also recommended that teachers receive practical skills related to assessment. If
the STEM teachers receives what is necessary to be successful, it seems as though
classrooms will be a positive shift in student learning.
Vasquez, J. Beyond the Acronym. Educational Leadership. 11-15.
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education is an
approach to learning that diminishes the traditional barriers related to teaching.
Research indicates that implementing STEM into the classroom can be challenging
because it can be difficult to vision what it is going to look like. Teachers can take
on various different forms in the classroom and they do not need to include all four
disciplines of the STEM learning. One thing in common with STEM is that it provides
the students the opportunity to apply the skills and knowledge that they have
learned or what they are learning in the classroom. It is important to provide
students with the purpose as to why they are learning what they are learning. One
benefit of the STEM experience is that provides students with the answer
independently. The STEM approach being integrated into the classroom has been
transformed into a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary approach where the
teachers organize the curriculum across the four different disciplines. The two
approaches within the STEM often increase relevance and rigor into the classroom
for both, teachers and students. The development of STEM requires collaboration
and preparation and will often leave teachers thinking why havent I been teaching
this way all along?

NCTM Article Reviews

Identify Fractions and Decimals on a Number Line

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In the math classroom, teachers often ask students to represent fractions on
pictorial objects such as a pizza or a chocolate bar. We often do not ask students to
show fractions on number lines. Showing students fractions on number lines gives
students a more concrete and flexible understanding about fractions. Shaughnessy
states the teachers should be having students use the fractional notation to label
the number line rather than just asking them to place the fraction on the number
line. In doing this, students will develop the ability to be able to strategize.
According to research, there are four common reasons why students tend to
label a number line incorrectly. The first reason is unconventional notation. In order
for a student to know how to place a fraction on a number line, they need to be able
to understand the convention of fractions. Some students may not use the
standard convention related to understanding fractions. An example of this may be
a student showing a fraction as 10/4 instead of 4/10. The second reason why
students may label the number line incorrectly is redefining the unit. When the
students are given a number line and it is not shown in the unit distance, they may
change the unit distance on the number line. An example to demonstrate this is a
student labeling 6/20 on a number line. The reasoning of a student behind this is
they think there needs to be ten tick marks between 0-1 and ten tick marks from 12. Thirdly, Shaughnessy indicates that there is a two-count strategy that focuses on
tick marks rather than distances was also recorded. Last but not least, a one-count
strategy focuses on tick marks rather than distances.
Students in California were interviewed to determine the difficulties that
students often experience when labeling fractions on a number line. During the
interview, the students were asked to complete a variety of different tasks using a
number line as well as labeling marked points on a number line using both fractions
and decimals. The study proved that students were able to label number lines using
decimal notations representations compared to fractional notations. The study was
specific to grade 5 students in an urban city school.
The implications that were discussed at the end are especially useful to
consider as teachers. Being able to identify the common errors and being able to
explain them to students can show them how to label a number line correctly using
fractions. As a teacher, it is important to take into consideration the fact the
students make mistakes but it is even more important to understand their mistakes.
Trying to understand the mistakes being made will allow the teacher to make sense
of the students reasoning behind their errors. The flexibility of a student is just as
important as the flexibility of a teacher in the math classroom. A teacher is the one
responsible to create flexibility in the classroom by utilizing a variety of different
number lines as well as being able to label both fractions and decimals on the
number line.
From a future teacher perspective, this investigation conducted was very
limited. The data gathered was very limited to a specific age group and area. It

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should have been gathered from different grade levels and rural areas as well as
urban areas. I also think that the students would need to be interviewed more than
once to get more accurate results because students perform different on a daily
basis. I feel as though the information gathered from the study will allow teachers to
be more aware of errors that students may make with the time line. As the teacher
gains more experience in the math classroom, the common errors students make
may be reduced in the future.

Shaughnessy, M.M. (March 01, 2011). Identify fractions and decimals on a number
line.
Teaching Children Mathematics, 17 (7), 428-434.

An Appetite for Fractions

Sixth grade students are being asked to represent fractions whose
denominators are factors of twelve. Interestingly enough, students are using candy
bars as models to represent fractions. The students are involved in Math Super
Saturday, which provides students with an engaging and hands on investigation to
support mathematical understanding. The concept of fractions is known to be the
most crucial area of math that students need to understand. As students enter the
sixth grade, they are required to work efficiently with fraction models and work
flexibly with fractions.
Schools have been reviewed and it has been discovered that students need
to have experience with different fraction models. When a teacher is teaching
students fractions, the basis of the teachers lesson relies upon the students ability
to connect concepts and ideas about fractions. Students first explore the new
model which allows them to be able to make connections to develop an
understanding of the fractional parts of the model.
The article made it clear that students need to consider the whole to compare
the size of two fractions. In order to understand one-part of the fraction, we must
be able to understand what the whole represents. The basis of the fraction lesson
with candy bars shows that learning through a discovery basis is very important.

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The teacher provides the students with multiple different fractions to represent
using the candy bar such as one-half and one-third. Students follow the same
process as they represent different fractions using the candy bar. The activity
continued until the students had the opportunity to represent and explore one-sixth
and one-twelfth of the candy bar.
The Hershey chocolate bar was used to see how many different ways
fractions can be modeled. It allowed the students the opportunity to make
connections. The activity provided students with the foundation for exploring what
equivalency is. Along with many other topics discussed in mathematics, there are
student misconceptions related to fractions. According to Petit, Laird, and Marsden
(2010), students inappropriately use whole-number reasoning when it comes to
representing fractions. An example of this is that when students equated one-third
with three-twelfths because of the number three. This particular activity that
students participated in was student-centered but the exploration aspect was
predominately teacher-oriented.
From a critical perspective, I think the students may get annoyed with having
to complete showing different representations of fractions from a one-half up to
one-twelfth. It was interesting to learn that if students have the opportunity to
discover several representations for a fraction further motivated students to be
creative and engaged. I think it is great that this lesson has been successfully
adapted into grade 3, 4, and 5. The conclusion indicates that this lesson should be
a review for students in grade 6 but can definitely benefit sixth-grade students
when transferring their understanding of fractions to a different model.
Wilkerson, T.L., Bryan, T., & Curry, J. (September 2012). An appetite for fractions.
Teaching
Children Mathematics, 19 (2), 90-99.

An Arts-Based Approach to Teaching Fractions

The unique concept of integrating both art and math to teach fractions
caught my eye. Van de Walle (2004) stated that Fractions have always
represented a considerable challenge for students, even into the middle grades.
From a student perspective, I always experienced difficulties with fractions. I found
it a difficult to understand and it needed to be more abstract for me in order to
understand. National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (2000) also referred to as
NCTM suggest that students are provided with manipulatives and number lines to
help them understand the concept of fractions. The use of hands on manipulatives
can boost a students understanding.

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Three different lessons have been developed to teach student basic fraction
concepts. Two elementary schools in Kentucky had the opportunity to see the
integration of these lessons in the class. One fourth grade class including students
of average ability and one fifth grade class of students below average ability took
part in this study. The three different lessons incorporated poetry, movement, and
music. The goal was to create lessons related to fraction concepts that were
engaging and appropriate. Three methods used included having the students recite
a poem related to fractions, having them jump fractional distances on a number
line, and by having the students beat the fractional beats of a song with rhythm
sticks.
Engaging the students in an arts-based approach to learning fractions
seemed to make them more interested. They asked questions but the students also
had to provide their understanding of fractions by writing down the meaning of
fractions, whole, and quarter. This was used as a pre-assessment. Over the three
days that the students had the chance to learn math through music, movement,
and poetry, the students appeared to be engaged in the lessons. They stayed on
tasks and didnt need a lot of redirection. The students seemed to understand the
first lesson taught on wholes and halves. Since fractions can be difficult to grasp,
the students had difficulties being able to determine whether one half was larger or
smaller than a whole. By the end of the third lesson, the students were able to
understand and answer questions based on wholes, halves, and fourths. The
majority of students also understood eighths.
After integrating music, poetry, and movement in the math class, students
seemed to clearly be engaged in the activities and met the objectives of the
lessons. The integration of other subjects in math is something that teachers
should strive towards. It is something that be used at different grade levels. The
approach discussed throughout this article by Goral and Wiest may improve
mathematics with the use of arts that is often neglected in the classroom.
From my perspective, integrating different subjects into mathematics can be
beneficial since it may allow the students to become more engaged in the subject
area. Days in the classroom are jam packed therefore you are able to meet the
curriculum outcomes when you integrate subjects together. The twist of music or
art into the mathematics classroom can make learning more engaging for students
but also allow them to develop an improved understanding of the concept such as
fractions. As a teacher, I will definitely integrate different subject areas into the
mathematics classroom to make learning more engaging for all students.
Goral, M.B., Wiest, T.R. (September 01, 2007). An Arts-Based Approach to Teaching
Fractions.
Teaching Children Mathematics, 14 (2), 74-80.

Review of Mathematic Manipulatives

Base Ten Blocks

Base ten blocks are a very common manipulative that can be used in the
elementary classroom. This manipulative is used mostly to explore the ones,
tens, and hundredths place. In k-2, the base ten blocks are used to provide a
better understanding of number sense and place value for students. This
manipulative is a great visual representation of numbers and very hands on
for students. In 3-5 classrooms, teachers can utilize base ten blocks to
practice larger numbers and to teach students about decimal numbers. As a
teacher, I would use base ten blocks when teaching math concepts such as
place value, fractions, and decimal numbers.

Unifix Cubes
Unifix cubes, also referred to as snap cubes, are a common
manipulative used in the k-2 classroom. This manipulative can also be used

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to learn multiple different topics related to mathematics including addition,

subtraction, multiplication, division, and patterns. In my experience with the
unifix cubes, I gave each student 10 cubes all of the same color to prevent
any disagreements between students about the colors they received. The
unifix cubes are very hands on and are a great manipulative to use when
introducing new concepts to the students.

Double-Sided Counters

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Double-sided are a great manipulative to use in the elementary

classroom especially in k-2. They are about one-inch in size and have one
red side and one white side. This manipulative is great for a teacher to
introduce to the students when they are learning number sense and number
operations. In my experience with the double-sided counters, I used this
manipulative to introduce the ten frame and the beginning stages of addition
referred to as partitioning. The double-sided counters would be a great tool
to use when introducing probability. Shake and spill is an entertaining and
interactive game for students to play when learning addition. This
manipulative is very cost effective and can be made easily.

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Rainbow Fraction Tiles

Fraction tiles are another manipulative that can be used in the
elementary classroom to provide students with a better understanding of
equivalent fractions. It is a great visual representation for fractions. This
manipulative can be used when solving problems with whole-part
relationships. Teachers can also use transparent manipulatives on the
overhead projector or the Smartboard to model how they are to be used or to
represent equality or inequality of fractions. If you want your students to
have their own personal set, fraction tiles can be easily by using laminated
paper labeled with fractions.

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Rekenrek
The rekenrek is a mathematical manipulative used to support students
development of number sense. The smaller version of the rekenrek consists
of two rows of ten while the larger version has ten rows of ten. Each row has
ten beads; five are red and five are white. The two variations of colors on
the rekenrek allow the students to make mental images of numbers. In my
personal experience using a rekenrek in the elementary classroom, I asked
the students to show me a number on the rekenrek. The students would
show the number on the rekenrek by moving the beads. This manipulative
can be rather expensive to purchase a class set but you can make one by
using red and white beads, pipe cleaners, and cardboard with whole
punches.

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Mathematical Technologies
SMART Board Resource
February 18th, 2015

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This is a Smartboard activity that I created to interactively engage

students to show what they know about data analysis in a fun way. The M&M
data analysis on the Smartboard is a great tool to use in the classroom
because it is hands on and is acts as a great motivator for students. As a
classroom tool, this notebook would be great for grade 3 students but could
also be used as a review tool for grade 4 students when they go into further
depth with data analysis. I adapted this from Smart Exchange and I give
permission for others to use it in their classrooms. The photos above are a
screen shot of the Smartboard activity.

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App for iPad

Your Teacher is an apple application that can be downloaded onto an

IPad or IPhone to assist students with mathematical concepts that they may
be experiencing difficulties with. The price of this app is very reasonable
($11.99). The app provides several different mathematical subjects that can
be discovered under subject headings. Within each lesson, Your Teacher
provides students with video lessons to explain the mathematical concept.
The lessons include a step-by-step process for the students. The app offers
practice problems at the end of the lessons and a self-test. This is a great
help especially for those who are experiencing difficulty with any particular
mathematical concepts. In my own personal experience, I have used Your
Teacher as a student in high school. It was very helpful because it allows you
to learn at an individual rate. I would recommend this app to students who

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may be experiencing difficulty with mathematical concepts. It has the

potential for students to gain a better understanding on the topic outside of
the classroom by being able to watch videos demonstrating the concept,
practicing the concept, and to complete self-tests.

App on iPad

Virtual manipulatives is a great free app that allows students to

focus on fractions, decimals, and/or percents. These three concepts listed
above are known to be a few of the toughest concepts taught in the
elementary classroom. Fractions, decimals, and percents all link together
and by adding interactive technology into the mix, students can physically
manipulate questions and answers. The app shows the equivalence to a
solution that is easy to see. This technological tool is a great replacement
for the traditional rainbow fraction tiles. Virtual Manipulatives can represent
fractions, decimals, and percents in different ways such as tiles or shapes.

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The color can be either opaque or transparent. If the teacher wants to make
the app a little more challenging for students, the numbers on the fraction
tiles can be hidden. As a teacher, I would definitely integrate the use of
technology into my classroom to promote learning. This app allows students
to learning about fractions, decimals, equivalency, and comparing decimals
and percentages. Fractions, decimals, and percents can be a difficult
concept for students to grasp, therefore, Virtual Manipulatives makes
learning a bit easier to understand. It is a great visual representation but also
provides students with a hands-on manipulative.

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Illuminations- Resource for Teaching Math

Illuminations provide several helpful resources for math teachers. In

my placement experience, I used this technology resource several times to
make learning fun and interactive. Using a ten frame is a helpful way for
young students to learn basic number facts and concepts. The ten frame
activity provided by Illuminations includes instructions, exploration, and
related resources. It also includes a video tutorial on how to use the applet.
This particular applet on the illuminations site provides teachers and

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students with four different games related to the ten frames. It can be used
mainly to develop counting and addition skills. The ten frame activity is
geared towards k-2 students. I used this resource to model to the students
how to use a ten frame appropriately before they had the opportunity to use
one independently at their desks. After gaining knowledge and experience
about the ten frames, I began to explore the ten frame more in depth with
the students by asking them questions such as to what does zero look like on
the ten frame and what does zero even mean.

Interview with a Student

This is my interview with a 12-year old about math. I conducted this
interview to show what students really think about math, what they like
about math, what they find challenging. Interviewing a student based on
their own personal experience was an eye opener. As a teacher, the childs
perspective towards math made me reflect upon my own teaching practices
and philosophy.
Q: Do you like math? Why or why not?
A: Nope, I think math is hard because I dont understand it. I never have.

Q: What do you dislike most about math?

A: I dont like that there is only one right answer. I always have the wrong
answer.

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Q: Why dont you like math tests?

A: Because they are hard and I never get 100%. My parents get upset with
me.

Q: What is your favorite part about math class?

A: My favorite part of math is when we get to play fun games on the
Smartboard. I like when the teacher shows us YouTube videos.

Q: If you had to change one thing in your math class, what would
you change and why?
A: No tests! I would make it fun.

Q: If you could create a math teacher, how would he or she teach

math?
A: They would be nice, fun, and give no homework or tests.

Q: What is your favorite topic in math class?

A: I really really really like multiplication. I am good at it.

Q: Do you ever have math homework?

A: All the time and it sucks. It makes me cry.

Q: What type of math homework is usually assigned?

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A: Questions from the textbook and long worksheets. If we dont do it, we

have to stay in at noon or recess.

Q: If you have a difficult time doing homework at home, do you

have someone who can help you?
A: Yeah, my dad helps me. He has more patience than my mom.

Math Activity Journal

Dear Math Diary,

Today, I found this engaging resource on Pinterest for students. This is

a fun way to introduce the beginning concepts of addition and subtraction. It

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allows them to be kinesthetically involved in the learning process. This

activity is made from 10 plastic water bottles that contain a dye inside to
make it colorful. A soft foam ball will be used as the bowling ball. I like this
idea because it is interactive and would likely engage students in learning
addition and subtraction. I would use this activity in k-1. I would have the
students work in pairs and record their results on a recording sheet. Having
the students record their results will allow them to develop awareness
towards the skills used to apply addition and subtraction.

Dear Math Diary,

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Today, I found an interactive and engaging resource related to number

sense to use in the classroom on Pinterest. This game would be used as a
warm up to have the students practice their numbers from one to ten and
ten to one. I would also have the students toss a bean bag on the hopscotch
and whatever number the bean bag lands on they have to jump until that
number and continue backwards. The students will be in completing this
activity in groups of four and taking turns. This activity will continue until
each student has had the chance to use the hopscotch to count upwards and
backwards as well as tossing the beanbag two times each. I like this activity
because it allows the students to be actively involved in learning math in a
fun way. I could adjust this activity towards the individual needs of each
student.