WERKLUND SCHOOL OF EDUCATION Undergraduate Programs in Education 2500 University Drive NW Calgary, AB, Canada T2N 1N4 ucalgary.ca

### FIELD EXPERIENCE INSTRUCTOR: C. OPPENHEIM, PhD
Dates Subject Grade Level
2025-12-03 Math (Spanish Bilingual) 4/5 blended
Length of Class Period Unit of Study Lesson #
60 minutes Multiplication / Measurement 7

| Name | Lucas Johnson | | :— | :— |

IDENTIFY DESIRED RESULTS

Learner Outcomes from the Program of Studies
What are the SPECIFIC outcomes to be addressed in this lesson?
- Measurement (Gr 4): Measure area with non-standard units by tiling.
- Measurement (Gr 4): Determine the area of a rectangle, using multiplication.
- Measurement (Gr 5): Solve problems involving area of rectangles.
- Number (Gr 4/5): Solve problems, using multiplication and division.
Health and Well-being Considerations
How will you attend to the health and wellbeing needs of yourself and your students?
- Social Checking: Math talks (“Estoy de acuerdo”) encourage respectful listening and validation of others’ strategies.
- Movement: Students move around the room to measure objects/furniture during the group activity.
Objective in student-friendly language Assessment Strategies
By the end of this lesson students will What will I accept as evidence of learning?
1. I can explain why measurement units must “tile” (no gaps) to measure area.
2. I can calculate the area of a rectangle by multiplying length times width (using non-standard units).		 Formative:
- Participation in Math Talk strategies.
- Whiteboard responses during the “Ventanas” and “Screen” discussion.
- Observation of group work during the “Find the Area” activity.
Resources Personalization/Differentiation
- Tech: Youtube Video (Link), Smartboard projector
- Materials: Whiteboards, pencils, various classroom objects (books, bottles) for measuring.
- Math Talk Prompt: “Estoy pensando…” / “Tengo una estrategia”
- Preparation: Review “Math talk example”, “Lego game”.		 Universal: Usage of visual arrays (windows) and physical manipulatives (pencils/books) to model abstract concepts.
Targeted: Grouping students for the activity to support peer learning; providing a multiplication table (up to 12) for students who need calculation support.
Visuals: Sketching the “pencil squares” on the board to reinforce the grid structure.

LESSON PLAN SEQUENCE

Introduction and Hook
How will you activate prior knowledge, and ENGAGE students in the lesson?
- Math Talks (10 min): Routine prompts (“Estoy pensando”, “Tengo una estrategia”, “Estoy de acuerdo”). Remind students I can call on anyone.
- Video (5 min): Introductory video. Students get whiteboards ready.
- The Window Problem (“Ventanas”): Observation of the classroom windows. “Do I need to count them all?”
- Compare strategies: 3+3+3+3+3+3 (Repeated Addition) vs 6x3 (Multiplication).
Learning/Activity Sequence
How will students EXPLORE, EXPLAIN, ELABORATE, and/or EVALUATE their understandings of the outcomes?
Teacher activities Learning activities and student engagement strategies Approx. time
Direct Instruction (Area): Define “Area” as the space inside a figure. Introduction of the “Screen Problem”.
- “To measure the screen, I need something to measure with.”
- Demo: Measure screen using pencils (5 wide, 7 long).
- Calculate: 5 x 7 = 35 “pencil-squares” (lapices cuadrados).		 Students participate in counting rows and columns. They visualize the grid over the screen/whiteboard. 10 min
Concept Discussion (Tiling): “Why do we say ‘squared’?” Draw the grid lines to form squares.
- Pose the question: “Can I use a ball to measure area?”
- Contrast: Shoe/Book vs. Ball.		 Students discuss and answer why balls don’t work (“No, porque deja un espacio”). They identify that units need to fit exactly without gaps (tiling). 10 min
Activity (Medición): Instructions to get into groups of 3. Find rectangular objects in the room to measure area.
- Model: Measuring a table with bottles (2 bottles x 3 bottles = 6).		 Students work in groups of 3. They find objects (tables, books, rugs) and use non-standard units (like books or pencil cases) to measure area using multiplication. 10 min
Lego Game (Construction): Distribute Lego bricks. Challenge students to build rectangles with specific areas.
- “Build a rectangle with an area of 24 studs.”
- Discuss: “Is a 4x6 the same area as a 3x8?”		 Students use Lego studs as non-standard units to build arrays. They experiment with different dimensions (length x width) that equal the same total area. 15 min

REFLECTION, PARTNER TEACHER FEEDBACK/ADVICE, AND NEXT STEPS

Considering the following questions may be helpful :

  1. What went well in your lesson? What were the strengths of the lesson?

The lesson effectively engaged students in understanding the concept of area through the scaffolded progression from visuals (Ventanas) to concrete manipulatives (Lego/Classroom objects). The “Math Talk” routine established a positive tone, and the use of the target language (Spanish) was consistent. The connection between repeated addition and multiplication helped bridge the gap for students transitioning from additives to multiplicative thinking.

  1. What are the areas that need to be refined? What might you do differently next time?

I need to manage the transition between the direct instruction and the group activity more smoothly, as there was some confusion about “tiling” with irregular objects. Next time, I would explicitly model what happens when an object leaves a gap (like the ball example) more thoroughly before releasing them. I also need to ensure I am checking in with all groups equally, rather than spending too much time with one group.

  1. How did you employ formative assessment for/of/as learning?

Formative assessment was conducted through whiteboard responses during the “Screen Problem,” allowing me to see who grasped the array concept immediately. I also observed the groups during the measurement activity to ensure they were not leaving gaps between units. The “thumbs up/down” check during the Lego game helped gauge confidence in calculating area.

  1. Were you successful in reaching all students? How do you know? How did you accommodate for diverse learners and those

requiring accommodations?

The use of physical manipulatives (books, Legos) made the abstract concept of “area” accessible for students working below

grade level. However, I could have provided a pre-drawn grid for students who struggled to visualize the rows and columns on the blank whiteboard. The multiplication tables helped support students who understood the concept but struggled with computation.

  1. Were there opportunities to address Indigenous, multicultural and interdisciplinary activities and knowledge?

While this lesson was math-focused, there is an opportunity to connect “Area” to Indigenous perspectives on land usage and shared space, rather than just “ownership” or boundaries. Interdisciplinarily, the tiling concept connects strongly to Art (mosaics) and Physical Education (court sizing), which could be explored in follow-up lessons.

  1. Which theoretical lens underpinned your lesson?

The lesson primarily used a distinct Constructivist lens, specifically proper scaffolding. Students built their own

understanding of “square units” by physically placing objects and realizing that gaps result in inaccurate measurements, rather than just memorizing the formula $A = L \times W$.

Field Instructor Observations (Observation 2):

  • Good relationship with students; students felt comfortable.
  • Welcomed students when they arrived late.
  • Good use of whiteboard visuals.
  • Maintained good eye contact.
  • Varied tone of voice used effectively.
  • Consistent use of target language (Spanish).
  • Strong classroom management and unobtrusive redirection of distracted students.
  • Used countdowns effectively.
  • Well-planned lesson with a clear objective.
  • Activity-based lesson approach.

Key reflections: Strengths: Scaffolded instruction from concrete to abstract, consistent Spanish usage, active student participation in Math Talks. Areas to deepen: Clearer modelling of non-examples (what not to do), time management during transitions. Instructional focus: Shift from teacher-led demonstration to student-led discovery earlier in the lesson. Assessment: Incorporate more individual check-ins during the group work to ensure every student is understanding the “no gaps” rule.