Sahira Wadley

Client Description
Dante Hall is a fourth-grade math teacher at Jeffersonville Elementary
School in Jeffersonville, Georgia. Even though he has been teaching for
t h i r t e e n ye a r s , t h i s w a s h i s f i r s t - ye a r t e a c h i n g a t J e f f e r s o n v i l l e E l e m e n t a r y
School. Dante’s email address is dhall@twiggs.k12.ga.us

Instructional Problem
D a n t e t e a c h e s f o u r t h gr a d e m a t h . H i s c l a s s c o n s i s t s o f l o w e r l e v e l
s t u d e n t s w h o c o n t i n u e t o s t r u g gl e w i t h a d d i n g a n d s u b t r a c t i n g m u l t i - d i gi t
n u m b e r s a f t e r t h e l e s s o n o b j e c t i v e w a s t a u gh t a n d a s s e s s e d . D a n t e a n d I
a gr e e d i n c o r p o r a t i n g t h e u s e o f s o m e v i s u a l a r t i f a c t s w o u l d s p a r k s t u d e n t s ’
interest and help them to better understand how to add and subtract multi -
d i gi t n u m b e r s .

Instructional Design Model

T h e A D D IE m o d e l w a s u s e d t o r e - d e s i g n t h e l e s s o n o n t e a c h i n g s t u d e n t s
how to add and subtract multi -digit numbers. I began this process by
a n a l yz i n g t h e i n s t r u c t i o n a l p r o b l e m , w h i c h i s h e l p i n g l o w e r l e v e l s t u d e n t s
in the fourth-grade math class to master the standard, MGSE4.NBT.4
F l u e n t l y a d d a n d s u b t r a c t m u l t i - d i gi t w h o l e n u m b e r s u s i n g t h e s t a n d a r d
a l go r i t h m . T h i s s t a n d a r d i s a f o u n d a t i o n a l s t a n d a r d b e c a u s e i t i s t a u gh t i n
unit one. Therefore, it is imperative for the fourth-grade students in
Dante’s class to comprehend it. Next, after meeting with Dante, a plan was
devised to assist his lower level students with mastering the standard. This
p l a n c o n s i s t e d o f s t u d e n t s b e i n g s h o w n a P o w T o o n p r e s e n t a t i o n , gi v e n
additional practice, and finally creating their own comic. Next, is the
developmental phase where I created the PowToon presentation to reiterate
t h e s t e p s o f h o w t o a d d o r s u b t r a c t m u l t i - d i gi t n u m b e r s . A l s o , I c r e a t e d a n
example of a comic word problem to provide students with a guide for the
project they will be responsible for completing. After developing the
a r t i f a c t s , t h e i m p l e m e n t a t i o n p r o c e s s b e g a n . In t h i s s t e p o f A D D IE m o d e l ,
the newly created artifacts, the PowToon presentation and word problem
comic, will be implemented in the lesson to re-teach students how to add
a n d s u b t r a c t m u l t i - d i gi t n u m b e r s . La s t l y, i s t h e e v a l u a t i o n p r o c e s s . T h i s
process will consist of students being formally evaluated through the use of
practice problems, in addition to, a summative assessment o f the accuracy
of their individually created comic word problems.

Re-designed Lesson
T h e r e - d e s i gn e d l e s s o n c o n s i s t s o f s t u d e n t s f i r s t b e i n g s h o w n a r t i f a c t
one, a PowToon presentation, to reiterate the steps of how to add or
s u b t r a c t m u l t i - d i gi t n u m b e r s . T h e p r e s e n t a t i o n w i l l b e s h o w n a s m a n y t i m e s
as needed. Next, students will work with a partner on a mixture of four
addition and subtraction practice problems. After ten or fifteen minutes
have passed, four students will be randomly chosen to work o ut the
p r o b l e m s o n t h e b o a r d , w h i l e o t h e r s c h e c k t h e i r p r o b l e m s f o r a c c u r a c y. A
 Sahira Wadley

class discussion will take place. Once the problems have been reviewed,
students will be provided with an example of a comic word problem and
gi v e n t h e o p p o r t u n i t y t o a s k q u e s t i o n s . S t u d e n t s w i l l t h e n h a v e t o c r e a t e
and solve their own word problem using an online comic creation tool of
their choice, or they may hand draw it. Students will be provided with a list
of free online comic tools. They will have the choice to either cr eate an
a d d i n g o r s u b t r a c t i n g m u l t i - d i gi t w o r d p r o b l e m . A t a m i n i m u m , s t u d e n t s
must have four frames. Students’ comics will be evaluated on the accuracy
of their word problem answer.

Assessment/Evaluation of Lesson
The mixture of addition and subt raction problems students complete will
be formally graded. Mr. Hall will walk around and observe the students as
t h e y w o r k t o ge t h e r o n t h e p r o b l e m s . A c l a s s d i s c u s s i o n w i l l t a k e p l a c e
w h e n t h e p r o b l e m s a r e w o r k e d o u t o n t h e b o a r d . F i n a l l y, s t u d e n t s ’
individual completion of the word problem comic will be summatively
a s s e s s e d f o r a c c u r a c y.

Explanation of Artifacts
I choose to create a PowToon presentation and comic because Dante did
n o t u s e a n y o f t h e s e t yp e s o f v i s u a l s w h e n o r i gi n a l l y t e a c h i n g t h e l e s s o n o n
how to add and subtract multi -digit numbers. Therefore, I felt the
incorporation of these two artifacts would not only catch students’
attention, but also, provide them with a different format for viewing the
information. After learning “humans pr ocess visuals 60,000 times faster
than text” this semester, I felt students would better comprehend this
standard with the use of visuals (Frey and Fisher, 2008, p. 7). Also,
requiring students to create their own comic will prompt them to better
understand the lesson objective because instead of just watching Mr. Hall
w o r k t h e p r o b l e m s , t h e y a r e h a v i n g t o c r e a t e t h e i r o w n m u l t i - d i gi t w o r d
problem, as well as, find the solution to it. The PowToon presentation,
which is short but informative, will serve as a lesson opener which will get
students’ attention, as well as, review the steps. Also, the presentation can
be shown as many times as needed, which will allow students unlimited
opportunities to comprehend the information.

Artifacts
#1 (PowToon
Presentation) h t t p s : / / w w w . yo u t u b e . c o m / w a t c h ? v = 2 e U V x P e M go M & r e l = 0

#2 Addition/Subtraction Practice Problems (See below)

#3 (Comic) https://Pixton.com/ic:b9cbcemk (See embedded code below)

# 4 C o m i c T o o l s R e f e r e n c e Li s t ( S e e b e l o w )
 Sahira Wadley

ACRL Visual and Literacy Standards

Standard five (The visually literate student uses images and visual
m e d i a e f f e c t i v e l y) a n d s i x ( T h e v i s u a l l y l i t e r a t e s t u d e n t d e s i g n s a n d c r e a t e s
m e a n i n g f u l i m a g e s a n d v i s u a l m e d i a ) o f t h e A C R L V i s u a l a n d Li t e r a c y
standards will be assessed. Standard six will be addressed because as their
summative assessment, students will be required to create a word problem
c o m i c , a t yp e o f v i s u a l m e d i a , t o h e l p t h e m b e t t e r u n d e r s t a n d t h e s t a n d a r d .
Students will have to carefully select or draw images that will illustrate
t h e i r w o r d p r o b l e m s a c c u r a t e l y, w h i c h i s a r e q u i r e m e n t o f s t a n d a r d f i v e .
Also, students who are digitally creating their comic will have the option to
experiment and choose which comic creation tool they like best for creating
their comic, as a part of standard six.

Reflection of Assignment
T h i s f i n a l a s s i g n m e n t w a s i n t e r e s t i n g, ye t c h a l l e n gi n g t o c o m p l e t e . It
required a great deal of thinking to ensure the most beneficial artifacts
were being created to assist students with learning how to add and subtract
m u l t i - d i g i t n u m b e r s . H o w e v e r , I e n j o ye d t h e c h a l l e n g e . I w a s a b i t s k e p t i c a l
about whether or not the students would be able to operate the online comic
c r e a t o r s , b u t M r . H a l l e n s u r e d m e h i s f o u r t h gr a d e r s w e r e t e c h s a v v y a n d
could handle the task with ease. Another concern I had was if whether or
not students would have access to computers to complete the assignment,
because I know every school is not blessed to have a 1:1 computer ratio.
However, Mr. Hall informed me each of his students have a chrome -book to
use. The knowledge I gained about visual literacy in t his course prepared
me to create appropriate visual artifacts to assist the fourth -grade students
with learning how to add and subtract multi -digit numbers.

M u l t i - D i g i t A d d i t i o n / S u b t r a c t i o n P r o b l e ms

Show your work.

1. 687
- 15

2. 240,453 + 30, 288=

3. 792 - 142=

4 . S a r a h r e a d 4 5 5 p a g e s o f h e r n o v e l . T h e r e a r e 7 1 p a g e s r e m a i n i n g. W h a t
are the total number of pages in the book?
 Sahira Wadley

Free Online Comic Creation Websites

h t t p s : / / w w w . p i xt o n . c o m

h t t p s : / / w w w . s t o r yb o a r d t h a t . c o m / s t o r yb o a r d - c r e a t o r

h t t p : / / w w w . m a k e b e l i e f s c o m i x. c o m / C o m i x/

h t t p s : / / w w w . c a n va . c o m / c r e a t e / c o m i c - s t r i p s /

http://www.toondoo.com/

References

A m e r i c a n Li b r a r y A s s o c i a t i o n . ( 2 0 1 1 , O c t o b e r ) . A C R L v i s u a l l i t e r a c y

competency standards for higher education. Retrieved

f r o m h t t p : / / w w w . a l a . o r g/ a c r l / s t a n d a r d s / v i s u a l l i t e r a c y

Canva. Retrieved from https://www.canva.com/create/comic -strips/

Culatta, R. (2013). ADDIE model. Retrieved from

h t t p : / / w w w . i n s t r u c t i o n a l d e s i g n . o r g / mo d e l s / a d d i e . h t m l

F r e y, N . , & F i s h e r , D . ( 2 0 0 8 ) . T e a c h i n g v i s u a l l i t e r a c y: U s i n g c o m i c b o o k s ,

graphic novels, anime, cartoons, and more to develop comprehension

and thinking skills. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

G e o r gi a D e p a r t m e n t o f E d u c a t i o n . ( 2 0 1 7 , J u l y) . G e o r g i a s t a n d a r d s o f

e x c e l l e n c e gr a d e l e v e l c u r r i c u l u m o v e r v i e w . R e t r i e v e d

f r o m h t t p s : / / w w w . g e o r g i a s t a n d a r d s . o r g / G e o r gi a -

S t a n d a r d s / F r a m e w o r k s / 4 t h - M a t h - G r a d e - Le v e l - O v e r v i e w . p d f

MakeBeliefsComix. Retrieved

from http://www.makebeliefscomix.com/Comix/

Pixton. Retrieved from https://www.pixton.com/

 Sahira Wadley

S t o r yb o a r d T h a t . R e t r i e v e d f r o m h t t p s : / / w w w . s t o r yb o a r d t h a t . c o m /

Toondoo. Retrieved from http://www.toondoo.com/