Debbie Waguespack

Matoaca Middle School Teacher-7th Grade Math

SIOP Lesson Plan

Date: November 5, 2008 Grade: 7th Grade Math (MSMII)

Unit/Theme: The Real Number System Standards: SOL 8.2

Content Objective: The students will draw conclusions about the Real Number System.
The students will create a manipulative to better understand the Real Number System
after experimenting with filling and empting different sized cups of rice.

Language Content: The students will write, read, and tell the conclusions they make
about the Real Number System.

Key Vocabulary: real numbers, rational numbers, irrational numbers, integers, whole
numbers, natural numbers, terminating decimals, repeating decimals, and perfect squares

Supplementary materials: paper plates, 3 oz cups, 5 oz cups, 7 oz cups, 16 oz cups,

another 3 oz cup that looks different than the previous 3 oz cups, pipe cleaners, markers,
strips of paper, ribbon or string, hole puncher, scissors, white boards, dry erase markers,
stacking cups (baby toy)

Preparation: Links to past learning using the stacking cups to play as they played as a
child, and review of the vocabulary words before the activity starts.

Scaffolding: Modeling, and Independent practice with a partner

Grouping Options: Small groups of 2 or 3 students

Integrations of Process: Writing, speaking, listening

Applications: Hands-on, meaningful, linked to objectives, promotes engagement

Assessment: Individual, written, oral

Lesson Sequence: This is a culminating activity after leaning the vocabulary of the real
number system.
1. The students will receive a brown lunch bag with 4 different sized cups and
more than enough rice to fill the largest. They will also receive a paper plate,
white board, and a dry erase marker.
2. I will use the stacking cups to demonstrate how they played about larger and
smaller and filling and empting as a child.
3. I will then explain how they will use the different sized cups to compare larger
and smaller by filling and empting the cups of rice into each other.
 4. As they discover what cups overflow or can fit into each other without
overflowing, they will write 5 All statements about the rice into the cups.
For example, All of the rice from the dog cup can fit into the red cup.
5. After about 10 minutes, I will ask each group to clean up their spot and put
every thing back as they found it. Each group will then read one or two of
their conclusions (the all statements) to the class. The class will then discuss
each conclusion.
6. Once the discussion is finished, each student will make the manipulative.
7. The Real Number System is to written on the paper plate with its definition.
On the side of each sized cup a hole will be punched so the students can attach
with ribbon a slip of paper with the definition and examples of each subset of
the Real Number System. After a small hole is punched in the center of the
cups bottoms, a pipe cleaner attaches all of the cups to the plate by threading
the pipe cleaner through each hole.
8. The students will answer all questions about the Real Number System
during class discussions, group work, individual work and quizzes and/or test
in the future.

Reflection: Although I think this manipulative is VERY useful and beneficial to the
students, it is costly for each student to make if you have many students. The students
can truly see and understand the Venn diagram that we are to teach (SOL 8.2). The
students have an opportunity to read, write, speak, listen and draw conclusions by this fun
activity.