Early Stage 1, Kindergarten
Lesson Evaluation:
Did the lesson go as planned?
Were the instructions clear?
Did the students understand the story?
Did the students understand the task?
Did the students work well together in groups?
Did the students enjoy working together? Were there any problems during the group activity?
Were there any unexpected outcomes?
How would I change this lesson for future use?
Did the lesson cater for all students?
Where do I take the students now?
Sample Train Pocket Chart
MATHEMATICS LESSON PLAN #2
Early Stage 1, Kindergarten
Lesson Evaluation:
Did the lesson go as planned?
Were the instructions clear?
Did the students understand the task?
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Did the students group the blocks correctly?
Did the students work well together with their partners?
Did the students enjoy working together? Were there any problems during the group activity?
Were there any unexpected outcomes?
How would I change this lesson for future use?
Did the lesson cater for all students?
Where do I take the students now?
Wooden Coloured Blocks
MATHEMATICS LESSON PLAN #3
Early Stage 1, Kindergarten
Lesson Evaluation:
Did the lesson go as planned?
Were the instructions clear?
Did the students understand the task?
Did the students work well while doing their activities online?
Did the students enjoy drawing on the computer? Did the students enjoy singing? Were there any unexpected outcomes?
How would I change this lesson for future use?
Did the lesson cater for all students?
Where do I take the students now?
Image “Counting Fish” Game
Image “Concentration” Game
“One, Two, Buckle My Shoe”
One, two, buckle my shoe
Three, four, close the door
Five, six, pick up sticks
Seven, eight, lay them straight.
Nine, ten, a big fat hen
Justification
A palpable feature or characteristic of the lesson plans is that they all focus on an aspect of Mathematics for early childhood – counting whole numbers. The three lesson plans focus on one outcome but the activities are differentiated to create variety and maintain the student interest. The lesson plans were designed to focus on one outcome – counting whole numbers albeit the learning outcomes are differentiated (e.g. whole numbers and their ordinal number counterparts) – because when teaching Mathematics to kindergarten and primary students, mastery should be developed as a basic skill. According to Crockett (2008), part of learning Mathematics is mastery – mastery of number sense, number recognition, etc. Therefore, the lesson plans were structured to develop mastery of counting whole numbers because mastery could only be achieved through the student’s constant exposure to the learning content or material (Clements & Sarama, 2009). In the three lesson plans, the students are expected to constantly practice or apply their skills in counting whole numbers, combined with their ability to recognize, match, communicate, and reason out. These outcomes are all linked to the syllabus. According to the Australian Association of Mathematics Teachers (2006), teachers should link lessons to the curriculum and the syllabus. In the lessons plans, the learning outcomes from the NSW K-10 syllabus were used to guide the planning process.
Another feature of the lesson plans is that they not only nurture numeracy but also literacy. For instance, in the first and second lesson plan, the students learn about vocabulary (ex. the meaning of berserk, the proper use of “first”, “second”, and “third” when referring to order and “one”, “two”, and “three” when counting). A literacy-based approach characterizes enhanced and comprehensive learning. According to Brown (1998), classroom that adopt literacy-based approaches are more likely to develop higher quality of learning environment. By allowing students to read and interpret, they can develop their literacy in learning situations focused on numeracy. Moreover, these learning experiences help them to learn critically because they not only focus on numbers or mathematical concepts, but also on words that help them make interpretations (Brown, 1998). Therefore, existing literature encourage literacy-based approaches because of the integrated nature of learning. Existing literature also prove that integrating literacy with numeracy makes lessons more engaging with the students because they are exposed to different learning opportunities, and thus, are challenged in the learning environment (Bottle, 2005). For this reason, the lesson plans incorporated reading in the mathematics course, with the inclusion of the story Hippos Go Berserk. In addition, the lesson plan includes different instructional materials that target literacy and numeracy and help the students apply their varying knowledge and skills.
The NSW Quality Teaching Framework imposes the importance of creating a quality environment for learning. One of the elements of a quality learning environment includes a classroom that nurtures a collaborative learning environment between the teacher and the students. The NSW Quality Teaching Framework values quality teacher to student and student-to-student interaction because these interactions cultivate shared commitment to learning (NSW Department of Education and Training, 2006). Based on this aspect of the teaching framework, the lesson plan was structured to develop the relationship between the teacher and the student through constant communication. Apart from the reading activities where the teachers and the students communicate, the teacher is expected to be present in the learning environment. The integration of language and interaction in learning experiences fosters collaborative learning through interaction, while nurturing skill development in mathematics among the learners through the functional use of language during communication (Thompson, 2010). While the students are doing their individual and group activities, the teacher is expected to roam around and supervise the students. However, doing so also allows the teacher to show presence in the learning environment, displaying availability when the students need help (e.g. they can ask questions or for assistance from the teacher if they experienced any difficulty). Furthermore, the group activities in the lesson plan also nurture a quality learning environment because through the activities, the students learn to collaborate with one another.
References
Australian Association of Mathematics Teachers. (2006). Standards for excellence in teaching mathematics in Australian Schools. Adelaide, Australia: Author.
Bottle, G. (2005). Teaching mathematics in the primary school. Westport, CT: Continuum International Publishing Group.
Boynton, S. (2000).Hippos go berserk. New York: Simon & Schuster.
Brown, T. (1998). Coordinating mathematics across the primary school.
Clements, D. H. & Sarama, J. A. (2009). Learning and teaching early Math: The learning trajectories approach. New York, NY: Routledge.
Crockett, M. D. (2008). Mathematics and teaching. New York, NY: Routledge.
NSW Department of Education and Training. (2006). About quality teaching. Retrieved 18 Apr 2013, from: https://www.det.nsw.edu.au/proflearn/areas/qt/qt.htm
Thompson, I. (2010). Issues in teaching numeracy in primary schools. McGraw-Hill International.
