Pre-Algebra Percentage UbD Unit

Here is my almost finished Pre-Algebra UbD unit plan. The overall goals are for students to be able to justify decisions and choices with reason and facts. This includes a range from choosing the best deals on a shopping spree to winning a debate/argument. My students will be active in both of these things. At the end of the unit, they will be writing an argument paper and presenting it to the class in an informal debate.

If you have any questions about Understanding by Design UbD, I would go to http://grantwiggins.wordpress.com/2013/08/24/some-resources-for-math-teachers-in-need-of-a-little-nudge-and-some-re-direction/.  Grant Wiggins is at the forefront of research about UbD. We use a lot of our PD days to continue on with developing and executing UbD units successfully in our school. It is all about execution. You really have to know the big concepts you want your students to walk away with and keep that in the CENTER of your and the student's path. That is what implementing UbD really allows- direction, even for more chaotic looking types of lessons.


Here is one of my plans I started in the last PD day we had... I am working on attaching the worksheets below.

Unit Plan: Ratios and Percents

Stage 1 –Desired Results
Established Goals (Standards) Ratios and Proportional Relationships 6.RP Understand ratio concepts and use ratio reasoning to solve problems. (6.RP.A) 1. Understand the concept of a ratio and use ratio language to describe a ratio relationship between two quantities. For example, "The ratio of wings to beaks in the bird house at the zoo was 2:1, because for every 2 wings there was 1 beak." "For every vote candidate A received, candidate C received nearly three votes." (6.RP.A.1) 2. Understand the concept of a unit rate a/b associated with a ratio a:b with b ≠ 0, and use rate language in the context of a ratio relationship. For example, "This recipe has a ratio of 3 cups of flour to 4 cups of sugar, so there is 3/4 cup of flour for each cup of sugar." "We paid $75 for 15 hamburgers, which is a rate of $5 per hamburger."1 (6.RP.A.2) 3. Use ratio and rate reasoning to solve real-world and mathematical problems, e.g., by reasoning about tables of equivalent ratios, tape diagrams, double number line diagrams, or equations. a. Make tables of equivalent ratios relating quantities with whole-number measurements, find missing values in the tables, and plot the pairs of values on the coordinate plane. Use tables to compare ratios. b. Solve unit rate problems including those involving unit pricing and constant speed. For example, if it took 7 hours to mow 4 lawns, then at that rate, how many lawns could be mowed in 35 hours? At what rate were lawns being mowed? c. Find a percent of a quantity as a rate per 100 (e.g., 30% of a quantity means 30/100 times the quantity); solve problems involving finding the whole, given a part and the percent. d. Use ratio reasoning to convert measurement units; manipulate and transform units appropriately when multiplying or dividing quantities. (6.RP.A.3)	Transfer Goals
	Students will be able to independently use their learning to… What kinds of long-term independent accomplishments are desired? 1.)  Form reasonable decisions (opinions, arguments) based off of factual information and evidence and then be able to justify their decisions 2.)  Analyze proportional relationships and statistics and use to solve real world and mathematical problems. 3.)  Set up proportions and decide from a variety of processes to solve for real world problems 4.)  Use 21st century skills concerning responsibly research to expand knowledge and understanding of points of interest
	Meaning-Making
	Understandings Students will understand that… Facts and evidence make an argument strong and trustworthy. Porportional relationships and statistics relate smaller groups to bigger groups and can make an argument or fact more personal and easier to visualize. Research expands knowledge and helps a person gather evidence and facts needed to form an opinion or take a stance.	Essential Questions (F=Factual; C=Conceptual; P= Provocative) Students will keep considering How can I support my argument to convince others? Do I have an argument worth fighting for that can be backed with fact and evidence? What am I trying to find, or solve in this situation? What do I need to know to find that out, and what do I know that will help me? Is this a fact or an opinion? Can you fight for your answer?
	Acquisition of Knowledge and Skill
	Students will know… What facts and basic concepts should students know and be able to recall? ·      Solving proportions ·      Ratios ·      Percentage conversions ·      “of” means multiply ·      Calculate percentage of amounts ·	Students will be skilled at… What discrete skills and processes should students be able to use? ·      Setting up proportions ·      Identifying relationships that are proportional ·      Take percentages of wholes or figure out percentages of parts of wholes ·      Create a problem solving strategy ·      Take surveys ·      Form hypothesis/ideas based on statistics ·

Stage 2-Evidence of Understanding

Students will show their understanding by…

Performance Task(s): How will students demonstrate their understanding (meaning-making and transfer) through complex performance?

Other Evidence: Students will show they have achieved Stage 1 goals by ... What other evidence will you collect to determine whether Stage 1 goals were achieved? Assessment Task #1- 1:1 Conference about argument analysis “Argument Analysis WS”  I will marking them as mastering the content so far based on 1.) Are they able to set up proportions given certain information, 2.) Are they able to solve proportions once set up, 3.) Do they know that percentages are just another ratio out of 100%, and 4.) Are they beginning to question information and statistics given to them. 5 will be mastery meaning I can say yes for all of these and there is little teacher prompting are guidance. Assessment Task #2- Ch 7 Percents Quiz 1: Students will be assessed on their ability to… 1.)    analyze situations where relations are proportional; 2.) set up proportions and recognize knowns and unknowns that will lead to the ability to solve; 3.) Analyze and draw meaning out of ratios/statistics Assessment Task #3- 1.1 Conference about Percent Change and “Making an Argument WS” I will be marking them as mastering the contest so fare based on 1.) Do they identify the knowns and unkowns of the situation successfully organize this information?  2.) Can the use the percent change formula successfully? 3.) Do they know order of operations and solving equations? Are they beginning to question information and statistics given to them. 5 will be mastery meaning I can say yes for all of these and there is little teacher prompting are guidance. Assessment Task #4- Argument Paper:  Students will be part of brainstorming some controversial topics that can be argued using data, reasoning, and research. Students will make a decision about where they stand (some may have to be on the other side, but still make the effort of walking on the other side of the line). Students will be writing an argument paper for their particular topic given the side that they chose/ended up with. Students will have prompts and requirements that make them critically think in making statistics more real to themselves and their audience of peers. They will read out their papers in a sort of “debate” and winners will be decided. Assessment Task #5: Formative Test: Chapter 7 test that should be easier compared to their argument paper. Tests on skills and ability to transfer those skills to various situations.

I

Stage 3- Learning Plan

Summary of Pre-Assessment, Progress Monitoring, and Key Learning Events

Pre-Assessment KWL Progress Monitoring • How will you monitor students’ progress toward acquisition, meaning, and transfer, during lesson events? I will be checking to make sure they are organizing their notes and their homework, so that they can use their own work as a resource in their learning- they should be able to look back and find organized set up examples of solving proportions or be able to look through their practice problems and see that they have practiced processes that they can transfer to various other problems in this unit. • What are potential rough spots and student misunderstandings? There are a lot of various set ups for solving and the students will have to choose which set up they want or which method they want to go with. Multiple ways of solving can occur, and we should all arrive at same answer. Students will just need to be able to JUSTIFY there process. This reasoning and justification, whether it is writing it out or talking it out to explain their process is the observed HARDEST thing for these students to do. • How will students get the feedback they need? We will have conference and quizzes along the way where we can both see, as a student and as a teacher, where there are misunderstanding and understanding. Students will be having 1:1 conferences with me. If they do not have the assignments done, they will need to schedule an appointment outside of school time… Hopefully this will push to get them to do their assignments on time, so they can conference with me during class. Learning Events Student success at transfer, meaning, and acquisition depends upon ... Day 1: Introduction to percents answering essential question “How are rates, ratios, and percentages being used?” Students will do a KWL on percentages and Health Care in America.  They will break into groups to read an article and have a discussion in groups about the strength of the arguments for and against. Fill out WS #1 “Ch 7 Intro KWL and Percents Discussion” Homework: Finish “KWL and Percents Discussion” Day 2: (Skip 7.1) Lesson over 7.2 “ Percents and Proportions” Homework: Chapter 7.2 pg. pg. 337: 1-8, 10-16 even, 24, 25 Day 2: ”Lesson over 7.3 “Percents and Decimals” Homework: Chapter 7.3 Pg. 342 #s 13-16; 21-24; 25-28; 33; 36 Day 3: Students will have a workday over reading an article and applying their skills of 7.2 and 7.3 to answering prompts about making statistics more real and personal in WS #2 “Argument Analysis”  I will be conferencing with them Day 4 as part of ASSESSMENT TASK #1 1:1 CONFERENCE Homework: FINISH “Argument Analysis WS” Day 4:While I am conferencing with students about their WS#2, students will be working on the practice quiz on Pg. 350 #2-16(ev); 17-22. Homework: Finish Practice quiz and look over Argument Analysis. If did not go because you were not done, finish and will conference Day 5. If did go, look over and make any necessary changes. ORGANIZE BINDERS. There will also be a binder check for a chapter 7 homework and note section. Day 5:  Finish conferencing and have Mrs. Lowe help in review activity “Silent Library Review” working through some of the practice quiz problems. Day 6: ASSESSMENT TASK #2: CH 7 QUIZ (Refer to WS #3 Ch 7 Percents Quiz) Day 7: Go over quizzes and Lesson over 7.4 Using Dan Meyer’s Three Act “Which Deal” at http://threeacts.mrmeyer.com/duelingdiscounts/  and WS #4 Deals WS (this ws will be done with computers) Homework: Finish Deals WS Day  8: Lesson over “7.5 Rates of Change” Homework: 7.5 Pg 354 #1-9; 14-16; 21-22 Day 9: Workday on WS #5 Percent Change Argument WS  Homework: Finish WS #5 Day 10: ASSESSMENT TASK #3: 1:1 CONFERENCE- RATES OF CHANGE ARGUMENT WS; other students will be working on brainstorming controversial/debatable topics with Mrs. Lowe. Day 11: 1:1 Conferencing while students begin WS#6 Phase 1 of "OutlineRubric of Argument Paper Day 12:  Finish Survey/Data Collection and start transitioning into Phase 2 of   Day 13- 14: Work on WS #6 Argument Paper Research/Outline Phase 2/3 (1:1 conferencing on outline must be completed in these two days) Day 15-17: Typing of Argument Paper WS #6 Argument Paper Outline Phase 4 Day 18: Peer Reviews Worksheets WS #1 Ch 7 Intro KWL and Percents Discussion: WS #2 Argument Analysis Practice: WS #3 Ch 7 Percents Quiz WS #4 Deals WS - This I have students do on the computers (we are going 1:1 next year) **Dan Meyer** WS #5 Percent Change Argument WS WS #6  OutlineRubric for Argument Paper I do have this template that you can print out at http://www.scribd.com/doc/217761861/Chapter-7-Ratios-and-Percents .

OutlineRubric for Argument Paper

Angry and Unproductive Blog

I wrote this last Saturday morning and was not sure if I wanted to post it since as I warn in the next paragraph, I was speaking out of a rush of anger that came up in me. As, I read over it, I decided I should share… So, here it is. I will post a more productive and useful blog this weekend. I already failed posting twice in February. I will make up for it. I have three days left, and I will add a couple more blogs in that time.

Warning: This blog is angry. I will also preempt this with saying I do not classify all parents like this, but I do feel a need to address the loud ones that ARE classifying all teachers and are willing to cruelly insult and  discredit an entire school family on the grounds of exceptions. We do get praise, but unfortunately it is not nearly as loud and as obnoxious as the insults and complaint. I address the parents and media that do not get addressed anymore because everyone knows they tend to not know how to listen or are just in it for big head liners. I do not know if this means anything to those parents and their consciences, but it makes teachers like me, new and close to burn out as it is , want to walk away.

As I was doing my laundry today (very excited I might add since I’ve got myself a PILE”, I had overwhelming sweeps of desire to finish my list of things to do between today and tomorrow:  finish laundry, organize my lesson plans ( 5 preps for dare I say it, only four days this week), finish creating my Pre-Algebra Understanding by Design (UbD) unit, complete my paperwork for finding my birth family, help my foreign exchange daughter dress up her prom dress, make bread, make a couple videos for my flipped classroom,  make my grandma’s birthday present (I am making a pop-up card stationary set for her that a colleague showed me how to do:) , sweep and clean the floors that are covered in spring dog prints, and complete the transfer of files and programs to my Mac that I will start to use this week.   I also will take some time to do my hobby of cooking and sitting down to a nice dinner with my family. On top of this list running through my mind as I was folding shirts, I also had waves of anger that started taking hold. I did not attend, but I heard that a small crowd of parents who came to the most recent school board meeting began using insults and criticism towards the teachers at our school in order to make arguments against a 4-day week that was not even the topic of the agenda.  I realize this may be a small group, but I am tired of the ignorant voices being the ones that are the loudest. I wanted to respond to a couple of comments that just drove me nuts.

A comment that all we do at school is watch movies and a four-day week of longer days would just be more time for children to watch movies. I will not even respond to this because that is just a really stupid comment. Don’t even waste my time with gross untruths, but if you are saying we provide a study hall…

For those of you that dare to criticize a teacher having a day where the students are given a study hall because the teacher felt he/she could afford to give that to the students. Heaven knows the students get behind, and heaven knows we, teachers, also could use the period to catch up on grading and planning. I tell you it may happen once in a while that life beyond school does happen once a teacher goes home. Do parents forget that? Do they think it is okay for a teacher to go home and do things for his or her family? For me, EVERY DAY there is a list of things that need to get done for school. Some days, that list does get put aside because I have promised my family I will do something fun with them, rather than hole myself up in my room and work on school for the night like I do pretty much every night. Some days at school will be catch up days.

A comment that anyone can teach. Also not true.

For those of you that dare say “anyone can teach”, I will only quote my friend’s response that “anyone can become a parent.” All children are brought before us. We also become parents, and I will tell you, we do a better job than some of you. Yet, you do not see us walking into your domain pointing out your weaknesses in an I-know-all, arrogant manner. There are a lot of home issues these students are bringing into the school, and there are a lot of changes the school is attempting to do to try to reform education so we are creating innovative, critical thinking, competitive students, so please!!! stop acting like there is a quick fix for all of this.

I would love to have discussion with parents who are willing to talk about ideas for lessons and integrating real world experiences into my math classes. Please, come collaborate with me in building lessons, rather than building extravagant headliners that do nothing productive in your “quest for better education” if that is indeed your quest. Please do not fool yourself in thinking anyone can teach.

I know I am a good teacher. I work hard for it. That does not mean I deliver perfect lessons, am always on top of it, or know exactly how to fix the things that are going wrong in my classroom. In fact, I end up questioning every lesson I give because there are always these contradicting desires:

I want to create more structure and scaffolding to bring all students into the same playing/learning field, but I want students to have the ability to be creative and innovative.  I want them to face challenges where they go beyond the structure and expectations I hold.

 I want students to have the math skills concretely down and I want them to adopt my algorithms and my logic, but I also want them to be creative and form methods that work for them.

 I want to teach them perfectly, but I would rather they are able to teach me.

I want my students to THINK , not about a grade, but about expansion of knowledge and creation and productivity that follows from knowledge.

I want them to dive deep into exploring the patterns, processes, connections, and possibilities of my subject, but I have 45 minutes in a day, and students have sports, activities, and jobs that they are too tired for homework.

I am always trying to find the perfect lessons that will meet these things and it haunts my mind constantly when I wish it would not- not to mention I also have some very low motivated students that always haunt me.  I go to bed late, and I wake up early to do my work. My husband actually expects not seeing me very much during the school year. We try to establish a date night weekly so that at least one night a week we can spend time with each other, no distractions and no work. This does not always happen, and you can bet as I sit at a movie, I am dreading the fact that I could have corrected so many papers or created this/that activity in that amount of time.

As you read this, you may think this teacher is crazy. I am. I am crazy about trying to be the best teacher I can be.  I am a bit more crazy in the amount of time I section off for dedicating myself to this goal. I am well aware that I pay and my family pays dearly for this, but I am not alone. I work with another family, of teachers, who most I admire and I am so glad to teach among. Sometimes we will just stare at each other and ask why are we doing this. For those of you that dare say we are not trying at our school, I dare you to find someone to replace us since anyone can teach. I dare you to instead of complain about us not helping to grow and better your children, to be PRODUCTIVE and contribute ideas of lessons that will be helpful. I dare you to try to step down from the high podium you hold yourself on in knowing what it is like to teach. I dare you to contribute and be productive in helping to build up a school that teaches worthy knowledge and truth.

It has been 45 minutes of typing this venting letter.  I will spend no more time on it because I need to go be productive….

mumble… was it worth trying to address those that do not listen?