*showcase*

Teacher Candidate: Caroline Tolleson

Date and Time of Lesson: 10/10/14 1:00pm

School: Mathews Elementary School

Subject/Grade Level: Math- Fourth Grade

Description of Lesson: Students will estimate products by rounding.

DOK: 3
Essential Question: How does an estimated product relate to an actual product?
Lesson Title: Estimate Products
Curriculum Standards Addressed
SC Curriculum Standard: 4.NBT.3 Use place value understanding to round multi-digit whole
numbers to any place.
Instructional Objective Criteria: Students will understand and be able to complete the independent
practice worksheet with at least 85% accuracy.
Assessment of the Objective: Independent practice worksheet
Materials/Resources: math workbook that includes independent practice handout, rounding song
handout
Prerequisites (Prior Knowledge): Students will know how to multiply by 10.
References: McGraw-Hill My Math. Volume 1.
Procedures:
1. Ask students, Raise your hand and tell me what you know about rounding numbers to the nearest
tens and hundreds? I will then tell them that we will be using rounding to estimate in this lesson.
2. I will write some vocabulary words on the board: about, at least, at most, less than, more than. I will
then explain to them that these words indicate estimation.
3. Pass out rounding song sheet- I will go over the song and then teach the song to the students.
Underline the guy youre rounding to, circle the guy next door, if hes weak hell run away, if hes strong
hell add one more. Strong numbers are 5-9 and weak numbers are 0-4. I will then explain to them how
it is used and that is can be used with estimating whole numbers or decimals.
4. I will give the students a word problem so they can apply the song. A hamster sleeps 14 hours each
day. About how many hours does a hamster sleep in 3 weeks? I will explain how to estimate these
numbers through the song. After getting the answer, we will then determine whether the estimated
product is less than or greater than the actual product using pictures.

5. I will go over some guided practice with the students so they can have some more practice with
problems: Is the estimate greater than or less than the actual product? Problem: 57x25. I will then
give a word problem, Tonya spends 35 minutes playing at the park each day. About how many minutes
does she play at the park in 38 days? Problem: 38x35.
6. Tell the students, Now were going to work backwards, Im going to give you one factor and the
product and you must find the other factor. Im going to use the problem 70xa=2,100
7. We will then work another problem backwards. I will use the problem 80x a= 6,400
8. I will have students complete the independent practice in their workbooks.
Accommodations: For any student that is struggling with the content, I will guide them through the
independent practice for further instruction and practice.

Teacher Candidate: Caroline Tolleson

Grade Level: Grade 4

Description of Lesson: Students will use skills such as; observing, concluding and interpreting when
looking for signs of animals at their school playground.
Lesson Title: Schoolyard Safari
Essential Question: What is the importance of a habitat?
Curriculum Standards Addressed
SC Curriculum Standard: Standard 4.S.1: The student will use the science and engineering,
including the processes and skills of scientific inquiry, to develop understandings of science content.
SC Academic Indicator: Indicator 4.S.1A.8: Obtain and evaluate informational texts,
observations, data collected, or discussions to (1) generate and answer questions, (2) understand
phenomena, (3) develop models, or (4) support explanations, claims, or designs. Communicate
observations and explanations using the conventions and expectations of oral and written language.
Lesson Objective:
1.

Students will identify signs of animals living in the schoolyard.

2.
Students will describe ways the school environment provides suitable habitat for animals living
there.
Assessment of the Objective:
1.

Students will complete Schoolyard Safari Survey handout with at least 5 observations.

2.
Students will answer verbally the follow up questions I have listed in procedure number 6. They
will also write down their thoughts on the importance of a habitat.
Materials/Resources: Schoolyard Safari Survey handout and clipboards for writing surfaces
Prerequisites: The students will have an idea of animals and the habitat they belong to.
Procedures:
1.
I will first engage the students with questions about animals and their habitat. What is a
habitat? What does a habitat provide for an animal? Are habitats a certain size? I will continue to
explain to them that all animals, large or small, need food, water, and shelter from their environment to
survive. I will then ask students if they have ever heard of the word safari. Then I would ask what they
saw or might see on a safari. I will explain to them that safaris dont have to be to a faraway place.
Safaris can be done in your backyard. I will ask what they might see on a backyard safari.
2.
Tell the students that we will be going on a safari of the school playground. Students will look
and listen for signs of animals living or visiting there. I will explain to students that they must search

carefully and quietly for animals. I will ask students their ideas about where they might find animals. I
will point out to the students to not only look for actual animals, but to look for signs of animals. This
may include insect-egg masses, spider webs, feathers, nests, animal tracks, or bird and insect sounds. I
will remind them that people are animals too and they can record signs of people life.
3.
I will go over the appropriate behavior and safety precautions that will need to be obeyed
outside. Students are to look, learn, and leave alone. I will also be setting boundaries so that students
dont roam too far.
4.
Since I am already working with a small group, students will work in one group together. I will
hand out the schoolyard safari survey worksheet to every student. Students will use their clipboards for
a writing surface.
5.
Students are to walk around school playground area and observe and record any animals or
signs of animals they see.
6.
After about 7 minutes of observing, students will come together to share and compare what
they have recorded. Students should be focused on, what animals they saw, evidence of animals, what
the animals needed to live, what foods animals might find on the school grounds, where animals get
water, what shelter animals may find on the school grounds, and if they saw any damage or unhealthy
conditions in the habitat.
7.
At the end of sharing and comparing, I will ask the students what the importance of a habitat is.
Students will write their response on the back of the handout. I will then take up the observation
handout. Students will return to the classroom.
Accommodations: For younger students, questions like: what were the largest and smallest animals
you found? What surprised you the most? and How are those animals harmful or helpful to you?
may be more appropriate.
References: American Forest Foundation. Project Learning Tree: PreK-8 Environmental Education
Activity Guide. 2012.

The design of my lesson plan is to engage my students in learning mathematics in an enjoyable

but also relevant way. In my showcase lesson plan, I was able to incorporate a song. This is a song that
will help students learn how to round numbers, whether it is whole numbers or decimals. Music is an
ideal form of art to be integrated into mathematic instruction. By integrating a song into my lesson, Im
able to provide diverse learning strategies to the students. This provides students with learning
experiences that can motivate intellectual and emotional understandings. This improves the students
attitudes towards learning mathematics and increases their students achievements. Students with mild
disabilities can benefit from mathematic learning activities that provide an engaging and authentic
context for learning.