3 Act Math Tast

Lesson Title: How Many Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups?

Prescribed Learning Outcome(s): Students will pose questions and find solutions to answer the question: How many Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups?

 

Instructional Objective(s): 3.1.2.3 Represent multiplication facts using a variety of approaches, such as repeated addition, equal-sized groups, arrays, area models, equal jumps on a number line and skip counting. Represent division facts by using a variety of approaches, such as repeated subtraction, equal sharing and forming equal groups. Recognize the relationship between multiplication and division.

Students will show multiplication facts in more than one way – including repeated addition, equal sized groups, arrays, area models, and equal jumps on a number line and skip counting.

Act 1:

Click this link to see the Act 1 Video:

Act 1 Video

Show the students a video of a opening a bag of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and placing one on a white card.

Ask the students- What do you notice? What do you wonder?

Students may respond with:

How many fit on the card?

What is the perimeter of the card?

How many rows and columns are there?

Act 2:

Ask the students: what information do you need to solve this question?

Give the students the information that they need:  7 rows and 5 columns.

Allow students to work in pairs to solve: How many dots are there altogether?

Closure: Show students the answer.

Ask students to share their answers. Facilitate a discussion on the different strategies to solve how many Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups fit? Did students draw a diagram? Use repeated addition? Make an array? Skip count? Allow students to model all of their strategies for students.

Teaching students to have a growth mindset

This week I learned a lot of things to help all students be successful in my classroom and in their future as mathematicians. A few topics that I would like to discuss are the knowledge that every student can be successful, and using growth mindset language in the classroom, and celebrating mistakes.

The research shared in Mathematical Mindsets by Jo Boaler changes the way we have been thinking. For years people have stated that our brains have a certain capacity, some students just have “math minds”, and that fast equals smart. It changes our thinking to understand that all students are capable of learning, succeeding, and growing with the correct materials and teaching.  It is our job as educators to help all students make deep meaningful connections through learning in a variety of situations and experiences to help all students grow their mathematical knowledge.

Through learning about growth mindset, I have discovered how important the feedback I give my students is. I plan to enter future school years ready to celebrate mistakes and teaching my students that mistakes are an opportunity to make our brains grow. It can be as simple as restating, “you’re so smart” into “I’m really glad your brain learned that”.

Finally, another eye opening topic Jo Boaler discusses is the fact that brains grow through mistakes. A students who gets all of the problems correct on a test did not have a chance for their brain to grow and create new connections. When we make a mistake there are two outcomes that can happen; our brain can increase electrical activity of conflict between error and a correct answer even if we are unaware there was an error made, or the brain signals us that an error has been made and we can pay attention to that error.  This was discovered in a study by psychologist Jason Moser (Moser et al., 2011).  From this we learn that mistakes create activity in our brain, causing our brain to grow. During times of struggle, of deep thinking is when the brain grows the most. From this we can learn to celebrate mistakes. This tells us that mistakes are an opportunity for learning and for brain growth.  I plan to take this into my teaching and celebrate the mistakes, and give all my students the opportunity to celebrate mistakes, and look at them as a time to discuss and learn from each other. Through mistakes and discussion we can grow together and learn from one another.

With my newfound understanding of growth mindset, I feel confident that I can help my students celebrate learning, mistakes and grow as students and people. I look forward to digging deeper into the growth mindset so I can aid all  students into deeply thinking about math, and feeling successful as mathematicians.