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Lesson Plan

Title/Topic: Number Line Dancing/Estimation and Calculation

Grade level & Subject: 4th Grade & Math

Background of School & Students: My clinic placement is at Kennelly School in Hartford.

Kennelly is a large public school that provides educational services for students from pre-k to
eighth grade. My fourth grade classroom consists of sixteen students, one paraprofessional, and
one teacher. These fourth graders include typical students, gifted students, students in special
education, and English Language Learners. The desks are arranged in groups of four with four
students in each group. The students are used to having math centers and know how to
appropriately transition. After the completion of the lesson, I will display the last slide,
Transitions to Centers, of the Number Line Dancing PowerPoint Presentation so each group will
know what center to go to. Math is normally a one hour block, but, due to a change in schedule, I
will have one hour and forty five minutes to teach my lesson.

Curricular Context: The students have been learning about place values since the beginning of
the school year. This lesson will serve as a review for students.

Standard:
Generalize place value understanding for multi-digit whole numbers.
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.4.NBT.A.3
Use place value understanding to round multi-digit whole numbers to any place.
CCSS Mathematical Practices:
1. Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.
If a student feels stuck on a problem, then they will make a plan to try and solve for the
answer. If necessary, they will ask another student for help.
2. Reason abstractly and quantitatively.
Students will use numbers and words in order to make sense of estimation.
3. Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others.
Students will explain how they were able to estimate.
5. Use appropriate tools strategically.
Students will be able to use a number line when estimating.

Content Objective(s):
1. Students will be able to identify the placement of whole numbers on a number line.
2. Students will be able to exactly solve addition problems, involving two-digit and three-
digit whole numbers, using mental math.
3. Students will be able to estimate the sum of two-digit and three-digit whole numbers on a
number line.

Language Objective(s):
1. Students will be able to clearly explain their reasoning for placing numbers on the
number line.
2. Students will be able to use math vocabulary to explain their thinking process. Example
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vocabulary could include: number line, calculate, estimate, and sum.

Key Vocabulary with Definition(s):

Number line- A line on which numbers are marked in their correct position
Calculate- The process in which you find the answer, usually by doing some arithmetic
operations- for example, adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing
Estimate- To make an educated guess
Sum- The answer when you add two numbers together

Materials:
SmartBoard, pencils, Number Line Dancing Exit Ticket (15 copies), Number Line Dancing
PowerPoint presentation, white boards (16), white board markers (16), computers (4), Line
Dancing Number Cards, music, timer (1), Math Letter worksheets (10 copies), writing journals
(8), Word Problems worksheets (12 copies), Spanish language worksheet (1 copy)

Please refer to the end of the lesson plan to find copies of the adapted worksheets and the
Number Line Dancing PowerPoint Presentation.

Learning Activities

Transition: If students are not already at their desks, the teacher will say, “I am going to count
to five, and when I get to five I expect everybody at their desks and ready to learn with pencils
out.”

Review Established Expectations: The teacher will state expected behaviors:

1. “We will listen respectfully when someone is talking.”
2. “We will raise our hand when we want to share something with the rest of the class.”
3. “We will persevere when facing a challenging problem.”
4. “We are not afraid to ask for help.”

Initiation (10 minutes): The teacher will facilitate a math discussion on the purpose of
estimation. The teacher will pose the following questions: When is it good to estimate? When
would you want an exact number? The teacher will explain that estimating can save time as well
as help students to double check whether or not an answer is reasonable. Afterwards, each
student will be given a white board and a white board marker. The assigned student distributors
for each group will distribute the necessary materials to their classmates The teacher will list the
following problems on the board: 42+27, 13+17, 38+68, and 70+82. Students will turn and talk
with a partner to practice estimating. The teacher will model how to appropriately turn and talk
with a partner by having a student pretend to be Partner 2. The teacher will be Partner 1 and
model how Partner 1 will ask Partner 2 to solve one of the addition problems on the board by
estimating the sum. Partner 2 will have to explain their thinking step by step as they solve the
problem. Partner 1 will share whether or not they think their partner’s estimate makes sense, and
why they think that. After modeling, the teacher will explain that partners should switch roles
after every problem. Before the students start the turn and talk, the teacher will ask if there are
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any questions.

Transition to Lesson Development (2 minutes): After 5 minutes of the students taking turns
estimating the sums of addition problems, the teacher will say, “One, two, three, eyes on me”
(typical classroom routine). The class will respond by saying, “One, two, eyes on you.” Once the
students are quiet and focused on the teacher, the teacher will redirect the students’ attention to
the objectives, “We are going to be reviewing the placement of numbers on a number line,
solving addition problems using mental math, and estimating the placement of numbers on a
number line.”

Lesson Development (30 minutes):

The teacher will introduce the class to Number Line Dancing with the Number Line Dancing
PowerPoint presentation. The teacher will explain that they will be playing a game to practice
estimation when adding. The teacher will begin the slideshow and ask two students to volunteer
for the practice problems. The teacher will ask the first student to mark on the number line the
sum of 4+6. While the student is marking the number line, the teacher will explain to the rest of
the class, “Although only one person is at the board, it is important that you watch to see if you
agree or disagree with the placement of the sum, and think about why.” After the student marks
the number line, they must explain their thinking. The class must give a thumbs up if they agree,
or a thumbs down if they disagree. The teacher will then call on a student to explain why he/she
agrees or disagrees. The teacher will ask the second student to mark on the number line the sum
of 15+23. Again, after the student marks the number line, they must explain their thinking. The
class must give a thumbs up if they agree, or a thumbs down if they disagree. The teacher will
then ask, “Which sum was easier to place and why?” (Answer: The number line is in intervals of
5, so 10 was marked, but 37 was not marked).
The teacher will then explain the rules of the Number Line Dancing game: “There will be two
teams (Team 1 and Team 2) standing in a line on either side of the SmartBoard competing for the
highest score. For the first round, the first person in line from Team 1 will dance to the
SmartBoard while I play music, and pick two cards (one circle card and one square card) from
the number piles. The student will use mental math to find the exact sum of the two numbers.
They will then mark their answer on the number line with a dot and their initials. Once all of the
students in Team 1 go, I will stop the music. Each student will have to show their cards and the
rest of the class will determine if their answers are in the correct spots on the number line. For
every right answer, the team will get one point. I will collect the cards, restart the music, and
Team 2 will have their turn. For the second round, the first person in line from Team 2 will
dance to the SmartBoard while I play music, and pick two cards (one triangle card and one star
card) from the number piles. The student will use estimation to find the sum of the two numbers
(rounding each of the two numbers). They will then mark their answer on the number line with a
dot and their initials. Once all of the students in Team 2 go, I will stop the music. Each student
will have to show their cards and the rest of the class will determine if their answers are in the
correct spots on the number line. Just like the last round, for every right answer, the team will get
one point. I will collect the cards, restart the music, and Team 2 will have their turn. Any
questions?” The teacher will address any questions, and then have the students get into their two
teams.

The teacher will direct Team 1 to stand on the right side of the board, and Team 2 to stand on the
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left side of the board.

Team 1: Ariana, Valeria, Jean Marcos, Lizbeth, Mariana, Raelani, Angelyna, Eric
Team 2: Nahjalese, Isaiah, Lenoyshka, Faith, Mundi, Janiya, Vannessa, David

Accommodation: If a student is struggling, they may call on one person from their team to help
them solve the problem.

During the game, the teacher will be tallying the points for both Team 1 and Team 2. If a student
is struggling, the teacher will ask that student to call on a teammate for help. Additionally, the
teacher will be monitoring classroom behavior. If the teacher notices that students are not being
respectful of their classmates (examples: having side conversations, shouting out answers, not
listening), then the teacher will take away points from that team.

Transition to Centers (5 minutes): After the completion of the Number Line Dancing game,
the teacher will ask the students to take a seat. Once everyone is situated, the teacher will display
the last slide (entitled, Transition to Centers) of the Number Line Dancing PowerPoint
presentation. The teacher will review all five of the centers and then say, “Please go to your first
center. In ten minutes, when the timer rings, you will then transition to your second center.”

Centers (30 minutes- groups will switch every 10 minutes when the timer goes off. Centers
are a typical classroom routine that will not be the focus of my lesson.):
The teacher will review each center
1. Computers: Students will go to www.abcya.com, select Grade 4, and then 123 Numbers.
Students will be able to play games about multiplication, division, base ten, fractions, number
values, and estimation. This is a fun way for students to review old material, as well as practice
new material!
2. Guided Group: Students will work with the teacher to continue practicing addition and
estimation skills. As a group, the students will complete the Estimating in Multiplication
worksheet. If there is time remaining, students can create a word problem that involves
estimating the product.
3. Math Writing Activity: Students will independently complete the Math Letter worksheet. For
this worksheet, students will round and add numbers in order to estimate the sum. Students will
then draw a number line for each problem to show where the sum would be placed. From there,
students will write a letter to a friend to explain how they solved one of the four problems.
4. White Boards: Students will work in pairs to practice addition, and estimation- this will be a
continuation of the Number Line Dancing game. Student 1 will pick two cards from the number
piles. Student 2 will have to round the two numbers in order to estimate the sum, and then they
will have to draw and place the answer on a number line. Student 1 and Student 2 will switch
roles.
5. Math Rap: This is an extension activity that is recommended from the Number Line Dancing
lesson. Students will collaborate to create a math rap to describe how to estimate products or
how to find a number on a number line (written in journal). Challenge: students must include
“number line,” “calculate,” “product,” and “estimate” in the rap.

Rotations:
Group 1: Center 4, Center 3, Center 2
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Group 2: Center 1, Center 4, Center 5

Group 3: Center 5, Center 1, Center 3
Group 4: Center 2, Center 5, Center 4
Group 5: Center 3, Center 2, Center 1

Closure (10 minutes): After centers, there will be a brief discussion to review estimation and
addition. The teacher will re-ask the questions from the initiation of the lesson: When is it good
to estimate? When would you want an exact number? For closure, students will complete the
Number Line Dancing Exit Ticket. This will serve as a way for the teacher to assess the students’
understanding of the lesson.

Opportunity to Engage in Higher-Order Thinking (H.O.T.):

1. Application: Center 3- students must apply what they learned during the lesson when
they write a letter to a friend about addition and estimation (ex. How would you explain
to your friend the steps for solving an addition problem that involves estimation?).
2. Analysis: Any questions about the purpose of estimating (ex. When is it good to
estimate?). Students must infer reasons why people might estimate.
3. Synthesis: Center 5- students must create a math rap to demonstrate their knowledge of
estimating sum (ex. Can you invent a rap that explains how to estimate sums?)
4. Evaluation: Thumbs up, thumbs down- during the initiation, students must either agree or
disagree with where a student places a sum on the number line. The teacher can take this
further by asking, “Why do you agree with the placement of the sum on the number
line?”

Differentiation: The teacher will provide the English Language Learner with a worksheet in
Spanish. The teacher will strategically create two groups of nine students, making sure that each
group includes students of different levels of readiness. For centers, the teacher will place the
students in five groups, and each group will consist of students at the same level of readiness.

Please refer to the end of the lesson plan to find a copy of the Spanish language worksheet.

Assessment:
a. During the initiation, the teacher will walk around the classroom while students are
working in partners to listen for math vocabulary. (LO2)
b. During the lesson development, the teacher will listen to students’ reasoning for the
placement of sums on the number line. (LO1)
c. During the lesson development, the teacher will observe if students correctly estimate the
sum of two numbers, as well as place the sum correctly on the number line. (CO1, CO2,
CO3)
d. The teacher will collect the math worksheets that some students completed during
centers. The teacher will use the information to determine students’ understanding of
number lines, addition, and estimation. The teacher will also use the information to see
whether or not students used math vocabulary correctly. (CO1, CO2, CO3, LO1, LO2)
e. The teacher will review all of the exit tickets to determine students’ understanding of
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number lines, addition, and estimation. (CO1, CO2, CO3)

Selected SIOP Features Checklist:

Preparation: Building Background:
x Content Objectives x Links to Background Experience
x Language Objectives x Links to Past Learning
x Key vocabulary
Comprehensible:
x Clear explanation of academic tasks Strategies:
x Variety of techniques x Questions and tasks to promote H.O.T:

References:
1. http://illuminations.nctm.org/Lesson.aspx?id=3311
2. http://www.corestandards.org/Math/Content/4/NBT/
3. Chelsea Leon- Classroom Teacher

Resources:
1. Number Line Dancing PowerPoint Presentation Slides (Please note that this was not the
original PowerPoint in my lesson plan, this PowerPoint was edited for the final copy of
my lesson plan):
http://illuminations.nctm.org/uploadedFiles/Content/Lessons/Resources/9-12/LineDance-
Slides.pdf
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2. Number Line Dance Cards:

http://illuminations.nctm.org/uploadedFiles/Content/Lessons/Resources/3-5/LineDance-
AS-Cards.pdf

3. Word Problems Worksheet

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/FreeDownload/Word-Problems-Rounding-to-the-
Nearest-Hundreds-Place
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4. Math Letter
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5. Spanish Language Worksheet (two-sided):

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6. Number Line Dancing Exit Ticket:

http://illuminations.nctm.org/uploadedFiles/Content/Lessons/Resources/3-5/LineDance-
AS.pdf
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