Elementary Formative Assessment Re-engagement Lessons Using Student Work

Research Results "Relative to typical growth in mathematics from ninth to tenth grade, the effect size for MDC represents 4.6 months of schooling.” (p. 9) “Intervention dosage is another factor to consider in evaluating LDC and MDC effects. In general, the longer and more intensive the treatment, the more likely an intervention is to show measurable effects. LDC teachers typically implemented two modules of two-to-three weeks’ duration each during the study year, meaning that LDC-oriented coursework totaled four-to-six weeks, only a small fraction of the full academic year. For MDC, participating teachers were expected to implement between four and six Challenges, meaning that students were engaged only 8-12 days of the school year. “Nonetheless, the studies found statistically significant learning effects for both tools, the approximate equivalent of 2.2 months of schooling for LDC and 4.6 months [f]or MDC. Given their contexts of early implementation and limited dosage, these small effects are noteworthy.” (p. 10) That’s noteworthy indeed - more than half a school year’s growth (4.6 months) for roughly half a month (8-12 days) of instruction!

“… understanding should be the most fundamental goal of mathematics instruction, the goal upon which all others depend.” Making Sense, p. 18

Area Lesson Imagine you are teaching a lesson to 4 th or 5 th graders on area. What are the big mathematical ideas you want to develop? What activities might you use to help students gain understanding? Why is this particular piece of mathematics significant?

Area Lesson How can your lesson help students learn and “own” new mathematics (not just rely on the math they already know?) What is the new thinking or problem-solving students are being asked to do? How can the lesson promote student explanations and justifications? How does the structure allow access and help move all students in the classroom?

Viewing the Video Think about how the teacher highlights the key or core mathematics by what is shown on the white board. How does the whiteboard “tell a story”? How does the teacher write on student work to highlight big ideas?

Work the Task Think about important mathematical ideas. What is the grade level mathematics that you want students to move towards? What strategies might students use?

Read Lesson What is the story of the task? How do you move students from where they are to grade level mathematics? What do you want to highlight on student work as you listen to students?

Work in Pairs What do you think students might say? What would you right on the work? How would you highlight the big ideas?