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Fall 2015

Jillian Sommerville

Unit Reflection
Summary
Title: Unit 2: Addition Within 200
Theme: Adding Numbers Within the Range of 1-200
Grade Level: 2
Content Area: Math
Curriculum: Math Expressions (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
Big Ideas:
1. Using place value (Lessons 1-5)
2. Adding 2-digit numbers (Lessons 6-10)
3. Using money and gaining fluency for addition within 100 (Lessons 11-15)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Common Core State Standards:
1. Operations & Algebraic Thinking
-Represent and solve problems involving addition and subtraction.
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
-Add and subtract within 20.
CCSS.Math.Content.2.OA.B.2
Fluently add and subtract within 20 using mental strategies.2 By end of Grade 2, know
from memory all sums of two one-digit numbers.
2. Number & Operations in Base Ten
-Understand place value.
CCSS.Math.Content.2.NBT.A.1
Understand that the three digits of a three-digit number represent amounts of
hundreds, tens, and ones; e.g., 706 equals 7 hundreds, 0 tens, and 6 ones. Understand
the following as special cases:
CCSS.Math.Content.2.NBT.A.1.a
100 can be thought of as a bundle of ten tens called a "hundred."
CCSS.Math.Content.2.NBT.A.2
Count within 1000; skip-count by 5s, 10s, and 100s.
CCSS.Math.Content.2.NBT.A.3
Read and write numbers to 1000 using base-ten numerals, number names, and
expanded form.
CCSS.Math.Content.2.NBT.A.4
Compare two three-digit numbers based on meanings of the hundreds, tens, and ones
digits, using >, =, and < symbols to record the results of comparisons.
-Use place value understanding and properties of operations to add and subtract.

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Jillian Sommerville

CCSS.Math.Content.2.NBT.B.5
Fluently add and subtract within 100 using strategies based on place value, properties of
operations, and/or the relationship between addition and subtraction.
CCSS.Math.Content.2.NBT.B.6
Add up to four two-digit numbers using strategies based on place value and properties
of operations.
CCSS.Math.Content.2.NBT.B.7
Add and subtract within 1000, using concrete models or drawings and strategies based
on place value, properties of operations, and/or the relationship between addition and
subtraction; relate the strategy to a written method. Understand that in adding or
subtracting three-digit numbers, one adds or subtracts hundreds and hundreds, tens
and tens, ones and ones; and sometimes it is necessary to compose or decompose tens
or hundreds.
CCSS.Math.Content.2.NBT.B.8
Mentally add 10 or 100 to a given number 100-900, and mentally subtract 10 or 100
from a given number 100-900.
CCSS.Math.Content.2.NBT.B.9
Explain why addition and subtraction strategies work, using place value and the
properties of operations.1
3. Measurement & Data
-Work with time and money.
CCSS.Math.Content.2.MD.C.8
Solve word problems involving dollar bills, quarters, dimes, nickels, and pennies, using $
and symbols appropriately. Example: If you have 2 dimes and 3 pennies, how many
cents do you have?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Lesson Progression & Objectives
1. Ones, Tens, and Hundreds
Objective: I can represent numbers to 200. I can identify patterns involving place value.
2. Draw Quick Tens and Quick Hundreds
Objective: I can represent numbers to 200 in different ways.
3. Represent Numbers in Different Ways
Objective: I can represent numbers using base-ten numerals, expanded form, and number
names.
4. Combine Ones, Tens, and Hundreds
Objective: I can solve ten-based word problems. I can add 10 or 100 to a given number.
5. Compare Numbers Within 200
Objective: I can compare two numbers using >, <, or = symbols.
6. Explore 2-Digit Addition
Objective: I can explore methods of 2-digit addition that involve making a new ten or hundred.
7. Addition Show All Totals Method
Objective: I can apply addition concepts and strategies to real world situations. I can solve 2digit addition problems.
8. Addition New Groups Below Method

Fall 2015

Jillian Sommerville

Objective: I can solve 2-digit addition exercises using the new groups below method.
9. Practice Addition with Sums over 100
Objective: I can choose a method to solve 2-digit addition exercises.
10. Choose an Addition Method
Objective: I can compare various solution methods for 2-digit addition.
11. Buy with Pennies and Dimes
Objective: I can solve word problems involving dollar bills, dimes, and pennies, using cent and
dollar symbols.
12. Pennies, Nickels, and Dimes
Objective: I can skip count by 5s. I can find the values of collections of dimes, nickels, and
pennies.
13. Fluency: Addition Within 100
Objective: I can build fluency for addition within 100.
14. Add Three or Four 2-Digit Addends
Objective: I can add three or four 2-digit addends.
15. Focus on Mathematical Practices
Objective: I can practice a variety of problem solving strategies when solving real world
situations.

Data Analysis
1. Pre-Assessment: On the first day of the unit, I gave each student a pre-test. I used a variety
of questions from the Math Expressions curriculum pre-test but re-worded some of the
problems and phrasing of directions in addition to shortening it. Through looking these pretests over, I was able to gauge what previous knowledge my students were bringing into this
unit. After looking over the pre-tests, I saw that about 50% of my students did not even put a
mark down on the back side of the test. The back side of the test was all word problems. I know
I gave my students ample time to complete them and walked them through the directions in
addition to reading all the story problems aloud. My students did experience some
overwhelming feelings however when I handed out the pre-test. Joel predicted this would
happen, as he said he had never given this group a pre-test. It took a lot of encouragement and
re-reading of test questions to get the students to put effort in writing guesses down. They
were very thrown off by the fact that they did not know how to do most of the questions. These
panicked emotions immediately told me that I would probably be teaching the entire unit in
depth. Both the sections for story problems and translating numbers into different forms were
the areas that I interpreted the most confusion and lack of previous knowledge across the
board in this class. This were two target areas that I knew heading into the unit that I would
spend extra time modeling and provide additional practice opportunities to help students build
confidence and attain growth. Additionally, my observations of the pre-test results led me to
prep the differentiated binder for specific students to use when they had completed the
practice problems for each days lesson. I have a group of about three students that are fast

Fall 2015

Jillian Sommerville

learners and complete their work quickly. By having this binder in the back of the classroom for
their access, I was not just giving them more work to do because the activities and challenge
problems just took the material from that days lesson and applied it to different concepts or
added the critical thinking piece into the puzzle. I knew these students would love the
opportunities this binder (from the curriculum) offered.
2. Lightbulb Questions: One lightbulb question is on the board each morning. When the
students come in and get settled, they have a routine worksheet that needs to be completed
before they can head to silent reading time. The lightbulb question is completed on the
worksheet, and it is a question that reviews a key concept taught in the previous days math
lesson. The morning routine worksheets are collected, which then allows me to monitor the
learning perceived and obtained from the past teaching. This would additionally aid in my
decisions to review and re-teach specific concepts. Some of the lightbulb questions from this
unit include:
- Draw the number 150 using quick tens and quick hundreds.
- Compare. 15___7
-12+11
-23+15
-56+65
- Mr. Meyer has 83 lemons, Ms. Sommerville has47 lemons. How many do they have
altogether?
- A penny=, A dime=
- What would you use to pay for an apple that costs 32 cents?
- I bought a banana for 39 cents and a box of strawberries for 95 cents. How much
money did I spend?
- I have 4 dimes, 3 nickels, and 2 pennies. How much money do I have?
- Mr. Meyer has 36 zebras and 24 chimpanzees living in his backyard. How many animals
live in his yard?
3. Small Group Work: Through having small group rotations at least 3 times a week, I was able
to meet with a small group of five to seven students and zero in on their rates of understanding
the material. During this time, I could check that my higher kids were using the correct strategy
and walk through the strategy step by step with my lower kids. This time period also allowed
for me to make decisions with reviewing and re-teaching material. When I was leading this
small group, I would use the curriculum coordinated student math journal to specifically be
tuning into what the standards-based curriculum wanted me to teach students. There were
times that I observed my students achieving success on given problems but not processing the
task in the way that the curriculum was asking them to do so. This small group time allowed me
to discuss and review the strategies that the curriculum insisted the students use.

Fall 2015

Jillian Sommerville

4. Rotation Activities: My goal was to have a rotation where students completed an


independent activity a few times a week. I would have students turn in worksheets that were
completed at the independent rotation, and reviewing the completed work allowed for me to
get a great picture of the students processing and learning of the concepts. Some samples of
these independent work activities are included in the assessment portion of my unit binder.
The work I saw them completing at my small group station was very controlled and heavily
monitored, but having this independent rotation was key for me to see if the students were
actually understanding the material without me holding their hands through it. This rotation
also allowed students to work together and help gain a better understanding of the material
through their peers eyes.
5. Post -Assessment: After a few review days and a variety of review activities, my students
took the test provided from the Math Expressions curriculum. Unlike the pre-test that I
adapted, I used the test straight from the curriculum. It offered form A and form B test options,
but I decided to use form A for all of my students, as I felt form B was too easy because all the
questions were multiple choice. Before letting students get busy with completing the test, I
walked through each section and had them highlight the directions while I read them aloud and
clarified what was specifically being asked. Student progress was achieved across the board
when the pre-tests were compared to the post-tests. Zeeland Christian does not give letter or
percentage grades for report cards but instead rates students on a scale of 0-3 in regards to
mastery level of general standards (0 representing not mastered and 3 representing mastered).
The three general standards covered for this unit were: using place value (Lessons 1-5), adding
2-digit numbers (Lessons 6-10), and using money and gaining fluency for addition within 100
(Lessons 11-15). All of the pre-tests resulted in standard ratings of 0s and 1s for level of
understanding of concepts, but the post-tests revealed the standard ratings had grown to reach
the range of 1-3. Three of my students had two ratings of 1 and only one rating of 2 , and these
are my students that are currently flagged and under the watch of several professionals for
learning disabilities. The remainder of my students achieved standard ratings of 2-3 for the Unit
2 content. I was unfortunately not able to include my students post-tests in my unit binder
because my mentor teacher accidentally sent home the tests with parents at conferences
before I was able to make copies.

Reflection
This unit was an absolute blast to teach. It definitely pushed me past my limits and
comfort zone in more ways than one. There were a few exploratory lessons that focused on
student-led learning which made my planning a little nerve-wrecking, but the more lessons I
taught like this, I learned to love how it forced me to truly listen to my students thoughts and
think through how their brains were processing the material.
I discovered something new about a successful teaching style that I had never
experimented with before and randomly thought of a few minutes before a lesson began one

Fall 2015

Jillian Sommerville

day. I acted out that we drove a bus to a market and visited with some special guests that gave
us tasks to add at their grocery store. The students loved playing along with me and imagining
that Mr. and Mrs. Green were standing in the corner of the room and interacting with us by
giving me tasks to write on the board to complete. I even used Mrs. Greens old lady personality
to assist in behavior management, which the students were surprisingly receptive to. I told
them that I received a complaint about the previous days noise levels from Mrs. Green and
that she would not invite us back to help her if we were that loud again. My students took this
statement so seriously that all of their responses for the remainder of that class were
whispered and they were even telling me that I needed to start whispering as I was teaching
just to make sure Mrs. Green would invite us back. Another time, I acted like I went out into the
hall and escorted Mrs. Green into the room. I had a conversation with her right by the
doorway. My mentor teacher was out of the room when this happened and when he opened
the door and walked in while I was teaching this lesson, the class together freaked out at him
for trampling Mrs. Green. This was such a fun and easy way to get the class engaged and on
their toes, not knowing what would happen next.
I additionally was able to incorporate movement into the beginning of each lesson to
lace in key terms for the day, pair up movements with key terms to keep students involved in
the rest of the lesson, and get the blood flowing to all parts of the body for maximum
engagement. Movement is one of my biggest passions, and it was such a joy to see how my
students reacted and lit up to the fact that we got to dance in every math lesson. Having
students run into the room first thing in the morning and begging me to teach math right away
because they wanted to dance just set my heart on fire. I loved how well the entire class ate up
the dancing. I must say that it was really cool to observe how their memory was impacted by
the key moves of the day. When I was teaching lessons days after a certain dance and said a
term, I would have students showing me the correct movement without me even asking for it.
On review days, I would repeat a song and when I would announce a song title they would
immediately recall the key terms and moves. There were even times that I had to think about it
and my students were making fun of me because they knew the moves right away. Observing
firsthand the connections of how music and body movement can tremendously stick with and
impact the brain and its processing was simply magnificent.
Through teaching this unit, I have found a passion for teaching the subject of math. I
love the challenge the subject of math constantly provides to model it using so many
manipulatives, activities, and practice opportunities. I love how creative my brain is forced to
be with teaching the math concepts to make abstract material come to life and real for
students.

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