Online Projects, Collaboration Sites and Publishing Opportunities

Lesson Idea Name: Equivalent Fractions

Content Area: Math
Grade Level(s): 3rd grade
Content Standard Addressed:
MGSE3.NF.3 Explain equivalence of fractions through reasoning with visual fraction models. Comparing
fractions by reasoning about their size.

Technology Standard Addressed:

3- Knowledge constructer

Selected Online Project/Collaboration Site/Publishing Opportunity:

https://www.mathcircles.org/

URL(s) to support the lesson:

Describe how you would incorporate an Online Project/Collaboration Site/Publishing Opportunity in your
classroom:
I chose an online collaboration site for math. I want to incorporate this at the end of my lesson for students
to be able to have exposure to other students and how they learn the standard. This is a collaboration site
that connects students and even teachers to mathematic mentors that help with challenging problems. This
would be a great resource for my students who are having trouble understanding the content. This is also a
great resource for my advanced or gifted students. I will provide students with specific mentors online that
I find the most beneficial for my students. During math lessons I would teach the content, use my resources
and manipulatives. I would then allow students to practice the content with me, with their small groups
and then on their own. Once I have completed the lesson then I would break the class to work on the
content alone, then I would pull small groups. I would have a variety of small groups, but this tool allows
me to reach students that I do not have a chance to help. It is almost like having another person in the
classroom. I could also align with that mentor, so they know my expectations and goals for my students in
the content.

I would have to obtain permission from my students’ parents to use this site in class. The issue that parents
could have is with their children collaborating with other mentors from outside of the classroom. The
interaction could seem harmful but I as a teacher would send home information. I would provide parents
with the link to the website, research that I have done, the benefits of the website and how I think it would
impact my students. Giving parents this information would provide them with a sense of security and that I
care enough for my student’s safety. After I obtain permission from parents, I would teach a math lesson
and do small group work with students in class, but I would add a group in the classroom where students
log onto the computer and

What technologies would be required to implement this proposed learning activity in a classroom?
a. I would need a computer or an iPad to implement this learning activity. The computer and the iPads
would have to have a camera with a microphone for students to be able to communicate with the
mentor/peer. I would also provide headphones for students who might have a slight hearing
impairment and need audio to be louder for them.

Describe how the following features are addressed in this learning experience (note: all of them may not be
addressed in the project, but most should be if you are reaching a high LoTi Level).

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 Online Projects, Collaboration Sites and Publishing Opportunities
a. Collaboration with peers, near-peers, mentors outside their classroom and often beyond their
school: Collaboration is addressed in this learning experience because the whole site is meant for
students to collaborate with outside mentors to help them with other challenging math problems or
concepts that they need help on.

b. Student-centered learning and knowledge creation (creating original data and or producing original
products as a result of engaging in a project): This is student centered in the sense that students have
to realize they need help with understanding the content so they have to pursue other measures of
learning to help them. This is also knowledge created by learning new knowledge about the same
content.

c. Higher-order thinking: This online learning site definitely supports higher order thinking because it
exposes students to other concepts or strategies for learning math. Although this is meant to help
students with difficult problems, it can also expand students learning. Students can get help from a
mentor for harder problems. I would use this as an accommodation to my gifted students who need
more help. I could focus on the students who need small group, physical interaction. While my
accelerated or gifted students could work with a mentor to master more difficult content.

d. Students publishing their original work to others who will use/care about their product: This site is
not mean for publishing purposes. There is a lot of sharing of ideas, but students cannot publish their
work anywhere. This is more of a collaboration site for students to interact with other peers/mentors.

Bloom’s Taxonomy Level(s):

☐ Remembering ☒ Understanding ☒ Applying ☐ Analyzing ☐ Evaluating ☐ Creating

Levels of Technology Integration (LoTi Level):

☐ Level 1: Awareness ☒ Level 2: Exploration ☐ Level 3: Infusion ☐ Level 4: Integration
☒ Level 5: Expansion ☐ Level 6: Refinement

Universal Design for Learning (UDL):

When it comes to teaching a math lesson there is a lot of accommodation/differentiation that could take
place. This tool differentiates for students by allowing students to interact with another mentor/peer that
isn’t in the classroom. This is online through video so students with a visual impairment have audio to hear
the tutor or mentor. I would provide students with templates on what they should be asking their mentor,
this is a keyway to organize their thoughts. I could provide them with a concept map or a graphic organizer. I
would have students evaluate what they aren’t understanding. This allows students to focus on what they
need to master.

Lesson idea implementation and Internet Safety Policies:

I would implement this activity for my lesson, but I would first have to get approval from my principal about
it. Then I would like to run the site through my technology director to see if they website is safe. I would also
do my research on the site and see their privacy policies and how they are safe on the internet. Then after all
my research and approvals are done, I would send home a classroom letter or make a post on the classroom
blog of the site. I would provide parents with information of what this site is and how I think it can benefit my
students in the classroom. I would also provide them with a permission form to participate in this activity.
This eliminates any error or miscommunication from parents. Even if parents don’t want their students to
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 Online Projects, Collaboration Sites and Publishing Opportunities
participate, I can still modify or accommodate to students who need more advanced work or just need more
help with the content.

Reflective Practice:
I think this website is amazing and could really impact many students. Math is such an important content area
and students can sometimes have more trouble in this area than others. This site is meant to support those
students. I also think a change of scenery is also so impactful for students. Students learn from us on a daily
basis and sometimes as teachers we run out of ideas or are still learning new concepts. This site provides
collaboration not only for students but teachers. I could also be the one to use this site and collaborate with a
mentor and learn something new. I think the exposure to others is so important and you can learn new
strategies that may work along the way for current or future students. This lesson is just like any standard
math lesson with a twist to it by adding another resource for my students to master the content.

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