CP Math Survey, Thursday 3/2/17

Teacher: Joe Eggert Grade Level: 11/12

I. Content and Standards: 5.C Apply the properties of logarithms to simplify or

evaluate logarithmic expressions.
II. Prerequisites: Students should understand the basics of exponents and logarithms.

III. Essential Questions: How do we use properties of logarithms to simplify

expressions?

IV. Instructional Objective: Given a logarithmic expression, students will be able to

expand it using the product, quotient, and power rules for logarithms .

V. Instructional Procedures:

a. Before. The teacher will facilitate a class discussion about debt. This will provide
students with practical knowledge related to the exponential growth applications
discussed in the unit. Students will complete a Think-Pair-Share activity with
their seat partners. They will indicate on the Before checklist whether they
agree or disagree with each statement about debt. Then students will share their
thoughts with the class. Following this class-wide discussion, students will revise
their answers on the After checklist. (8 min.)

b. During.

i. Students will complete a brief warm-up that reviews exponent basics.

This will help to activate prior knowledge and identify holes in
prerequisite knowledge. (2 min.)

ii. The teacher will guide students through notes that review the basics of
logarithms. This will include definitions and examples of important
vocabulary terms. This will serve as a refresher to help ensure that all
students possess the prerequisite knowledge. (10 min.)

iii. Students will work with their seat partners to complete practice problems
about the basics of logarithms. The teacher will monitor for
errors/misunderstandings and address them. (5 min.)
 iv. The teacher will play a brief video about logarithm rules. After each rule,
the teacher will pause the video. Students will record the rule, identify
practice problems that require it, and then apply the rule. (10 min.)

c. After. Students will complete example problems and practice problems at the
board. The teacher will again answer questions, watch for errors, and address
misunderstandings. (10 min.)

VI. Materials and Equipment: Students will use a calculator to evaluate expressions.
Students will complete the Debt Discussion sheet. Students will use the Properties of
Logarithms notes and homework sheet.

VII. Assessment/Evaluation: The teacher will monitor students struggles while

completing practice problems. The teacher will analyze students performance on
homework problems, enabling adjustments in the following lesso n.

VIII. VII. Differentiation: The teacher will use scaffolding techniques to make the lesson
accessible to all students. This will include verbal or visual cues to guide students
through practice problems. When students are confused, the teacher will model
his/her thinking, using the same or similar problems. The teacher will offer additional
prompting and guided practice, as needed. Students who lack prerequisite
knowledge will receive extra help to prepare them for the lesson. Assistance will
come either from their collaboration partners (ideally) or from the teacher (if
necessary). The teacher will circulate and provide additional support to students who
continue to struggle.

IX. Technology: Students will use a calculator to evaluate exponential expressions.

The teacher will use a smartboard to present a video and discuss problems and
solutions.

X. Self-Assessment: I will monitor for student misconceptions throughout the lesson. I

will note recurring student errors on practice problems and the homework. My CT
and I will discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the lesson execution.

Brief reflection: Following this lesson, I considered how well my instruction helped students to
meet our learning goal. I communicated our essential question and instructional objective to
students early in the lesson. I feel that I was mostly successful in helping students to understand
and meet this goal. This lesson began with discussion activities. The questions about debt
interested students and led to a lively classroom discussion. They also provided practical
knowledge and connected students understandings of exponential function to real-life scenario s.
I also liked that the practice problems allowed me to immediately identify and address students
mistakes. I even used brief episodes of direct instruction to help large groups of students
overcome these misconceptions. Finally, one student connected logarithm properties to
exponent rules, and another pointed out the need for a change-of-base formula. In each case, I
used these students contributions to spend 2-3 minutes expanding our understandings of
logarithms. Regarding areas to improve, I would have liked to work in more high-level discussion
of logarithms. Also, I misjudged students prerequisite knowledge. More students were unfamiliar
with logarithm basics than I had anticipated. I helped these students briefly during the lesson.
But this unexpected situation required me to adjust the next lesson, so we could address these
gaps more completely.