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Maiko Hosokawa
EDUC 659
Dr. Alan Campbell
February 18, 2017

Module 4 Activity 2 — Planning in the Problem-Based Classroom

Step 1: Determine the Mathematics Content and Learning Goals.

Lesson: Earning from Working
Learning objectives:
1. Students will be able to find how much they earn from working (hourly, daily,
monthly, and annually).
2. Students will be able to explain why wages are important in our lives.

Step 2: Consider Your Students’ Needs.

 Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
 Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder(ADHD)
 Speech Language Impairment (SLI)
 Developmental Cognitive Disabilities (DCD)

o Sensory activities
o Access to fidgets and rocking chair
o Longer waiting time
o Hands-on activity
o Minimize writing tasks
o Repetition
o Organized lesson structure
o Scribing if needed

 Students already know the meaning of hourly wage

 Students can calculate elapsed time at different achievement levels but need the
instruction for minute in hours. (2:30 = 2 hours and 30 minutes = 2.5 ≠ 2.3)
 Language “per hour”

Step 3: Select, Design, or Adapt a Task.

 Research favorite store’s hourly wage
 Find work time in decimals (students roll two dices for hours and ten-minutes)
 Express the wage in decimals
 Use at least one problem solving strategy and decide what operation is used
 Find the total salary from given work time
 Play “life” game with different wages

*Based on students, work time is given as start and end time. Students need to find
elapsed time. Or students role two dices for hours and minutes.

Step 4: Design Lesson Assessments.

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Learning objectives:
1. Students will be able to find how much they earn from working (hourly, daily,
monthly, and annually).
Assessment: through activities, teachers and paraprofessionals circulate and record
the students’ work, and how they needed support

2. Students will be able to explain why wages are important in our lives.
Assessment: Exit slip.

Step 5: Plan the Before Phase of the Lesson.

 What types of wages are there?
 What is hourly wage?
 How different from monthly wage?
 How many hours do you work? (students who have a part-time job now)
 Why do we need to know the wages?
 What did you learn about money and job in transition class?

Step 6: Plan the During Phase of the Lesson.

 Questioning to guide students (Module 3 Activity 2, and 100 questions that
promote Mathematical Discourse)
 Circulating and assessing students work

Step 7: Plan the After Phase of the Lesson.

 Questioning (Module 3 Activity 2, and 100 questions that promote Mathematical
Discourse)
 Eg) Barger King $8.00/hr 3 times a week or McDonald $9.00/hr 2.5 time a week
Which do you want to choose? Why?
 How does finding the wages help you in your life?
 When can you use the skills, you used today, in another situation? Any similar
situation?

Step 8: Check for Alignment Within the Lesson.

The lesson focuses on the transition related functional math skill. The lesson starts
with researching students’ favorite fast-food restaurant or any restaurant, where they often
eat, to connect the lesson to their lives. Also, having students choose their own restaurants
promotes their interests and provides some freedom in the lesson. Asking questions about
what they've learned in transition class also makes connections with their transition
program and across subjects. Our students have difficulties in making connections across
subjects. So, intentionally students are asked these questions in the lesson. With the game
activity, students have opportunities of repeated practices and fun, which minimizes
students’ stress but maximize perseverance.
After the activity, students are asked more life-related questions about the skills. The
questions students are asked before, during, and after the lesson are aligned with CCSS
Standards for Mathematical Practice.

Step 9: Anticipate Student Approaches.

 Half of the students likely add wages or multiply wages by the number of hours.
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 Other half of students likely confuse with the different measurement of salary
(hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, and annually). Therefore, in the beginning of the
lesson, this is addressed with visual aids such as tables, calendars, and money
through manipulative activities.
 Students are likely confused with decimals to express hours and minutes. (2:30 = 2
hours and 30 minutes = 2.5 ≠ 2.3) Therefore, this is addressed with a table
describing decimals and ten-minute increments. Students struggling with this task
can complete the activity by rolling two dices for hours and minutes.

Step 10: Identify Essential Questions.

 Connect to Step 7
 Questioning (Module 3 Activity 2, and 100 questions that promote Mathematical
Discourse)
 Eg) Barger King $8.00/hr 3 hours 3 days a week or McDonald $9.00/hr 2.5 hours
3 days a week Which job do you want to choose? Why?
 How does finding the wages help you in your life?
 When can you use the skills, you used today, in another situation? Any similar
situation?