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Emily Strupp
Math, Term III Lesson Plan
To be taught: 12/1/2014
What:
A few weeks ago, I decided to conduct a number talk with my third graders about
the equals sign. The same number talk I watched another teacher conduct online
fascinated me, and I was very interested to find out what my own students knew and
understood about the equals sign and whether or not they could complete an equation
with an addition expression on either side (i.e. 8 + 4 = + 5). The number talk did not
fail completely, but it proceeded entirely differently from the one by which I had been so
impressed. What I realized, both through analyzing my own number talk and through
readings and class discussions, is that the teacher in that video probably deliberately
designed the number talk based upon knowledge of her students and what they already
could do. Buy transplanting her talk into my classroom without any prior knowledge of
their understanding of the equals sign, I was setting myself up for many surprises.
About a week after the number talk, I decided to give the students a sort of exit
slip on which they were asked to fill in the blank: 6 + 7 = + 4. I also asked each
student to write what he or she knows about the = symbol and how that information
helped with filling in the blank. The responses to these questions confirmed my
suspicions about the students understanding of the equals sign; most students in the class
understand its function well, and they were able to articulate that it indicates the same
or even on both sides. The rest, however, seemed to be missing all of the information
needed to correctly complete the slip. Not only did these students fill in the box
incorrectly, but they were unable to articulate a real understanding of the = symbol or
how the information could be helpful. [and the others that understood the meaning of the
=sign also did the problem correctly??]
For my Term III mathematics lesson, I will work with a small group that includes
each of the students who struggled with the concept of the equals sign, as evidenced by
their answers on the exit slip. I will aim to teach that the equals sign is not just an
indication that the next space should include an answer, but that it symbolizes a

Emily Strupp 12/31/2013 7:21 PM

Comment [1]: This was actually a typo
but a very important one! The students who
filled in the box incorrectly were unable to
articulate a clear understanding. Those who
filled in the box correctly were able to
articulate this.

balance on either side. I believe this concept is vital for students as they move forward in
school and eventually will need increasing amounts of algebraic thinking.
This material may be challenging for my students (and has proven so in the past
few weeks) because essentially all addition and subtraction problems I have seen them
work on this year (and likely in previous years) follow the structure a + b = c or a b =
c. Several students seem to believe that = signals something along the lines of: put an
answer next, and it is easy to see why.
Chapin and Johnson (2006) place the principle on which this lesson is based in
their chapter on Algebra. Though my students are third graders and they have not begun
technically working algebraically, I want to build the understanding that a blank line or
box in an equation is really more like a missing piece than a place to put an answer.
Establishing this understanding now will provide a base upon which to build algebraic
thinking in future math classes. Good, you are really building understanding of the idea
of equivalence, which is what most of algebra is based on.
How:
I will begin the lesson with a segment modeled after the troubleshoot and revise
methods laid out by Kazemi and Hintz (2014). I will access students prior knowledge by
showing them a problem they have seen before in the same format. Throughout the
lesson, I will ask students questions in order to hear their thinking and gauge their
understanding, but I would like most of the talking to come from the students. By
allowing students to agree or disagree with a solution, before giving them any
information, I plan to establish an environment of inquiry, curiosity, and freedom to make
mistakes. I will also make clear to students that they are free to revise their thinking at
any point if they feel it is necessary.
At specific points during the lesson, I will employ cooperative learning strategies
such as turn and talk and partner work. This way, more students will be able to
contribute simultaneously to productive conversation that if only one of six was allowed
to talk at a time (though this will remain the rule during whole group sections of the
lesson). Each of these will be followed by discussion in order to share and compare
strategies and ideas.

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After students have had opportunities for discussion and questions and I have had

the opportunity, through listening to these, to gauge their initial and developing
understanding, I will use concrete manipulatives in order to engage both visual and
kinesthetic learning. I have chosen to incorporate these tools in the later part of the lesson
so that they function as a way to reinforce learning rather than as toys.
Why:
Of the eight students who struggled with the equal sign exit slip, I will exclude
only two such students for this lesson. One is a beginning English Language Learner and
has a very limited grasp of English and therefore I do not believe this lesson will be
effective for him. The other student has an IEP and is several grade levels behind in both
math and reading. She has been diagnosed with ADHD and has a very difficult time
focusing. I do not believe this small group setting will be a successful learning
environment for her with this particular subject matter.
I have chosen to use this lesson format, utilizing troubleshoot and revise,
partner work, and open strategy sharing in order to reinforce the idea that mistakes and
misunderstandings can be opportunities for advancing mathematical thinking (Kazemi
& Hintz, 2014, p. 112). I believe this is an important learning opportunity both for my six
students and for me as an aspiring teacher. Having reviewed students prior work on the
exit slip on which this lesson is based, I believe I see the logic in their errors, but I would
like to listen and see how they are able to work through these errors themselves with my
guidance. Rather than if I were to simply correct their thinking in hopes that they would
understand their errors, I hope that these methods will lead to collaborative sense
making (Kazemi & Hintz, 2014, p. 126).
While I recognize that the teachers in the vignettes in Intentional Talk open up
troubleshoot and revise discussions in the presence of other students who have not
exhibited the same errors in logic as that being presented, I believe it will be beneficial
for these six students to work together in a small group setting without other students
who have a stronger understanding of the equals sign concept. In a whole class setting,
these six students participate infrequently in discussion, and it is therefore difficult to
gauge their understanding. I hope that this small group setting will provide a safer

environment in which students will feel freer to share their ideas. For one group member
in particular, I have seen the positive effects of a small group setting during previous
lessons. Specifically because this group will include only students who struggle with the
main concept, I have added another portion of the lesson (partner work to determine
whether equations are true or false) in which I will challenge students thinking and
hopefully push them to question their previous ideas.
Very nice articulation of your core decisions, Emily.
Lesson Plan
Goals and Objectives:
Students will be able to understand the purpose of the equal sign in order to correctly
solve problems that require balancing on either side of an equal sign.
Students will increase understanding of the function of the equals sign in order to identify
whether various types of numbers sentences are true or false.
Standards:
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.3.NBT.A.2

Fluently add and subtract within 1000 using strategies and algorithms based on
place value, properties of operations, and/or the relationship between addition and
subtraction.
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.3.OA.D.8

Solve two-step word problems using the four operations. Represent these
problems using equations with a letter standing for the unknown quantity. Assess
the reasonableness of answers using mental computation and estimation strategies
including rounding.3
[This lesson addresses parts of this standard, but more importantly, it addresses a level
of understanding that I believe should precede this third grade standard.]

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.2.OA.A.1

Use addition and subtraction within 100 to solve one- and two-step word problems
involving situations of adding to, taking from, putting together, taking apart, and
comparing, with unknowns in all positions, e.g., by using drawings and equations
with a symbol for the unknown number to represent the problem.1
[This is a second grade standard that students need to master before moving on to the
one above in third grade. This is the standard primarily addressed in this lesson.]
Materials and Preparation:

Worksheets with six number sentences

Pencils

3 balance scales and 6 cups

Unifix cubes (100)

Exit slips

mini dry erase board

Dry erase markers

Blank sheet of paper

Thin marker/sharpie

Scotch tape

Classroom arrangement and management issues:

I will seat students around a round table in pre-arranged pairs for a short partner
activity within the lesson. Before beginning, we will go over a set of expectations for the
room and for the lesson, as we will be outside of the regular classroom. These
expectations will include respecting each other as we buzz about math, a common
refrain in the classroom. I will emphasize the importance of listening while I or another
group member is speaking, of using six-inch voices while working in pairs, and of being
respectful of others ideas even if someone makes a mistake. I will remind students that
none of us is a perfect mathematician, not even me, and mistakes can help everybody in
the group to learn. I will also let students know that I have specially chosen them to be a
part of this group because I believe they can work well as a math team, but if they decide

to show me that this is not the case, I will send them back to the classroom and ask them
to move their colored cards (a consequence system in place in the class).
Until the later part of the lesson, the scales and unifix cubes will be placed on
another table or countertop until it is time to use them. I anticipate that this will avoid
distraction issues.
Plan
Introduction, the hook [5 minutes]
I will begin by telling students that I have brought us all together to have a math
strategy meeting. I want to make it clear that we will be investigating math as a team
today, so everyone should participate and share their ideas. I will also include an brief
discussion of rules for small group work.
Rules (3 minutes):
I will write the general rules formulated by the group on the blank sheet of paper, and I
will then tape this sheet of paper to the wall where all group members can see it.
What kinds of rules do you think will help us all have productive discussions in
our group today?
I will generally take all reasonable student suggestions, asking why they think each is an
important rule. When students have agreed upon a rule, I will add it to our list.
I will add my own rule at the end: while other group members are sharing answers or
ideas, we are going to use a thumbs up if we agree and a thumbs down if we disagree. If
students disagree, they should not interrupt the speaker, but we will have time to discuss.
[this is a very good way to start. Be careful about keeping this part concise and
the rules fairly general. Third graders can set lots and lots of detailed rules if you let
them!]
Lesson intro (2 minutes):
The goal today is not about being right or wrong, but to work together to come up
with good strategies. We are going to talk today about the equals symbol. I know I
have talked about it before in class, but I am interested to see what ideas this
group can come up with as a team.

Emily Strupp 12/31/2013 7:24 PM

Comment [2]: A very good point. I capped
the rules at about 4 and told students the
rules should be general ones that they
already know and that we should use
throughout the entire lesson.

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First, we are going to have a whole group discussion about a strategy for using
the equals sign. This discussion is called Troubleshoot and Revise. That means
we are going to find out which ways of answering a math problem work well, and
which ones dont. You can all feel free to agree or disagree with someones ideas.
But if you disagree, you have to have a reason why.

Nice intro. I think its great to have scripted it, even if you dont say these exact
words, it gets you thinking about it.
Body of the Lesson [30 minutes]
I will begin by drawing the = symbol on the dry erase board.
Where do you usually see this symbol?
What does this symbol mean?
Here is a problem you have seen before with an answer filled in:
I will write the following: 6 + 7 = 13 + 4. This is the problem used on the exit slip
with which these six students had difficulty.

Who agrees that the correct number is in the box? If all agree, I will ask, Why do

Janine Remillard 11/28/2014 11:34 PM

Comment [3]: Most of them will say they
see this symbol before the answer in a
problem. Before you move onto the rest of
the lesson, why dont you ask them what the
= sign means. I dont think you want to go
much further without emphasizing that the
= sign means the same value or is the same
as.
Emily Strupp 12/31/2013 7:26 PM
Comment [4]: I added here a note to
guide students to the understanding that =
means the same as before moving on.

you agree?

If someone (or multiple) disagree, I will ask them to share why. I will use the
words tell us or share rather than tell me to emphasize the shared effort of
the learning process.

After each student has had a chance to explain why he or she agrees or disagrees, I will
give students worksheets with six different equations listed. I will tell them they are
going to work with the person sitting next to them (prearranged pairs) in order to
determine whether each equation is true or false. The equations will read:
8=8

(T)

12 = 5 + 7

(T)

6 + 12 = 15

(F)

6+3=9

(T)

Emily Strupp 12/31/2013 7:26 PM

Comment [5]: I agree with this suggestion
and added this into my final lesson plan.
Janine Remillard 11/28/2014 11:39 PM
Comment [6]: Would it make sense to do
this one together, just to be sure the
understand that they are evaluating each
equation to say whether it is true or not?
Doing so would also provide an opportunity
to see what they are understanding about
the =sign.

12 = 5 + 5

(F)

1+5=2+4

(T)

Great task!
I will tell students to work together in their pairs to decide whether each equation is true
or false, and I expect them to talk to each other about it and make sure they agree. If they
dont agree, they should both let the other explain. If there is still no consensus, the pair
should mark the problem to talk about with the rest of the group.
Students will have 3-5 minutes to talk through the problems in pairs. I will stop after 3
minutes if it seems like all groups have finished.
Next, I will ask groups to share their answers for each equation (going around the circle)
and ask for justification each time. (i.e. How do you know that this equation is
true/false? How does the equals sign help you figure that out?) I will remind students to
use thumbs up and thumbs down symbols while other pairs are sharing, and if there is
discord, I will stop and ask the student who disagrees to explain why.
At this point, I anticipate that we will have had some discussion about the idea that the
numbers on either side of the equals sign have to come out to the same total (using any
operations present), be even, but I do not expect all students to have fully grasped this
concept. Even if students understand enough to have determined whether the equations
are true or false, I will try to move them toward transfer of this knowledge, ensuring they
can fill in the blanks when a box is present instead of only numerals.
Next, I will bring over the balance scale and unifix cubes and place them in front of me
on the table.
Now that we all agree about which of these statements are true and which are
false, we are going to use some materials in order to model what the equals sign
is doing in these equations. Lets use the first equation as an example. Take a look
at your paper. What does the first equation say? (8 = 8)

Janine Remillard 11/28/2014 11:44 PM

Comment [7]: The same

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So for our model, the piece in the middle is going to be like the equals sign. And
what do we have to do in order to keep the scale balanced? (put the same number
of cubes on both sides).

I will put 8 cubes in one cup on the scale and ask,

how many do I need to put in the other side? (8) Is the scale balanced now?
Take the cubes out again.
Lets try the next one, 12 = 5 + 7. What is on the left side of the equals sign? (12)
Can you (ask a student) put 12 cubes in one side of the scale? Now what is on the
other side? (5 + 7 or 12). If a student says 12, I will ask him or her what parts it
is made up of. Can you put 5 cubes on the other side of the scale? Now how many
more do we need to make it even?
Lets see what happens with one we decided was false. 6 + 12 = 15.
I will have students complete the same steps as with the previous problem.
This is great!!
Check for understanding:
So how does the scale relate to the equations we are working with?
Lets try out the last one now, because that one has four numbers instead of three.
What needs to go in the first side?
We will model this one together using the balance scale.
I will then bring back the mini white board with the original problem:
6 + 7 =

+ 4. I will also add 2 more:

12 + 7 = 10 +

8+

= 12 4 (challenge)

Lets go back to our original problem, and you will work in pairs with the scales to
decide what should go in the box. When you have agreed on an answer, try the next
two. The last one is a challenge. You have 5 minutes.

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The equations with the empty boxes will remain on the mini white board while students
work in pairs.

Debrief, closure [5 minutes]

Afterward, I will ask:
What do you think the box represents? How did you figure out what number needs
to go there? How did you use the equals sign to help you?
Pointing back to the written equations, I will tell students that the

is the mystery piece

that will help us make the 2 sides balanced.

Before we end our math strategy session today, does anyone have anything else
theyd like to ask or share with the group about what we have been discussing
today?
Discuss any student questions or comments that remain, allowing other students to offer
suggestions if they can help answer any of the questions.

Exit Slip [5 minutes]

Thank students for being great participants and mathematicians today.
Before we go, I have an exit slip that I would like each of you to work on
independently. You should think about what we learned and talked about in
todays math meeting and do your best to show me what you know.
[See exit slip in Appendix.]
Assessment of goals/objectives listed above:

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First, I will assess achievement of objectives based upon students responses

discussion during the lesson, including the answers they give, the justification and
reasoning the provide, and the explanations they give to help classmates understand their
thinking. Ideally, students will not only be able to correctly designate equations as true or
false and fill in blank boxes in equations, but they will be able to explain that all of the
numbers on one side have to be equal to those on the other side. A student would exhibit
even deeper understanding if he or she were able to articulate that you have to do the
math on both sides and make sure you get the same answer. This explanation could apply
to subtraction as well.
I will also assess understanding n the end with the final exit slip. I will be looking
to see if students can correctly fill in equations, and, more importantly, if they can explain
something useful they learned about the equals sign (i.e. that it tells you that the
numbers on both sides have to come out to the same thing or that you have to have a
balance on each side of the equals sign.
Anticipating students responses and our possible responses:
Management issues:
I anticipate that students may be resistant to rules and unsure about norms in a small
group environment outside the regular classroom. If students talk over one another rather,
I will calmly remind them that even though we are not in the classroom, we are still
buzzing about math, and it is important that we listen to each other and share ideas. If a
student is disruptive, I will give a general warning to the group and tell students that I
will start keeping track if they are not being polite and professional, two of the
primary classroom rules. If a student gets three strikes after that, he or she will be asked
to return to the classroom and move his or her colored consequence card.
Response to content of the lesson:
I anticipate that students will initially stick to their current understanding of the indication
of the equals sign, and I think this notion will be difficult to change in the course of a 45minute lesson. I am hopefully that two parts of the lesson will challenge this
understanding enough to make students open to a new way of thinking:

Emily Strupp 12/31/2013 7:30 PM

Comment [8]: Assessment checklist
reflects these objectives.
Janine Remillard 11/28/2014 11:46 PM
Comment [9]: Put these things into your
assessment check list.

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1) discussing true or false for the six different equations
2) modeling with cubes and the balance scale

After the second partner activity, an exemplary response to demonstrate understanding

would be: Well, we know that 6 + 7 = 13, so the 2 numbers on the other side have to be
13 also. So what plus 4 equals 13? 9!
Accommodations:
For students who may find the material too challenging
For students do not show evidence of understanding as we move along, I will
keep numbers low so that each side adds to ten or less. If any students are stuck when
asked to revisit 6 + 7 = __ + 4 using the scale, I will ask them to try 2 + 6 = __ + 5 first. If
half of students or fewer struggle during this activity, I will ask other students to show
explicitly how they got their answers, using the balance scale and cubes, and I will ask
those who are unsure to watch carefully. If more than half struggle, I will model the
problem using the scale and ask all students to watch and to share ideas as they come up.
For students who may need greater challenge and/or finish early
For students who need greater challenge, I will ask them to try balancing to solve
equations with subtraction. The third problem during the second round of partner work
will be a subtraction problem. These students will be the ones asked to help others
understand and demonstrate their thinking if other team members are unsure.

References
Chapin, S. H. & Johnson, A. (2006). Math matters: Grades K-8: Understanding the math
you teach. Sausalito, CA: Math Solutions.

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Hiebert et al. (1997). Making sense: Teaching and learning mathematics with
understanding. Portsmouth, ME: Heinemann.
Kazemi, E. & Hintz, A. (2014). Intentional talk: How to structure and lead productive
mathematical discussions. Portland, ME: Stenhouse Publishers.
Appendix: Exit slip