The Math Mission - Using probability language at Warren Park P.S.

The Math Mission in-class sessions continued at Warren Park Public School. Jeremy Nason hosted the second in-class session in his junior special education classroom. The Math Mission pilot is investigating how to use assistive technology to support students to clearly communicate their thinking in Mathematics learning. 

One of Mr. Nason`s goals for the morning`s probability lesson is to provide some differentiated learning opportunities using a variety of technology tools: Interactive whiteboard, tablet device, paper and pencil, during different parts of the three-part math lesson. Throughout the lesson, students were provided scaffolds to support student math talk using probability vocabulary such as likely, unlikely etc.

This Job-Embedded Professional Learning session began the morning with a pre-briefing (with discussion and sharing). Next the observer teachers watch the teacher and students work through the lesson. Finally, there is a debrief, with more sharing and discussion about how assistive technology helped to support student communication.

(left) Prebriefing the group puts the lesson into context, sharing past experiences. (right) In-class host Jeremy Nason shares how to set up the self-paced learner response system flipchart prior to the observation lesson.

For this lesson`s Minds On, students used the Learner Response Systems - ActivExpression to go through an anticipation guide through a self-paced set of questions. Students anxiety and engagement can be supported since they are able to complete the questions at their own pace.

A student uses the Activ Expression for a self-paced assessment. Questions appear on the ActivExpression device and can be printed out for student access.

The Action portion of the lesson, student were given an open question to create their own spinner or set of spinners. Students were able to solve the problem using a tablet device and paper and pencil.

(left) A student creates an ``impossible`` spinner (impossible to get blue) and records his thinking as a sound file using the ShowMe app. (right) Students create an equally probable spinner. One category is WBT (white bengal tiger). They show a teacher what the animal looks like using a tablet device. 

To support peer feedback and math talk, Mr. Nason provided the students with sticky notes `feedback starters`eg. Please explain why this works... I am not sure if this is correct because...``

Feedback starters for the Gallery walk can be provided both digitally and with paper and pencil.

Mira Campbell, Math Mission teacher from F.H. Miller, used her iPad to document the morning's in-class session. Take a look at this detailed look done in Evernote. 

Thanks to our Math Mission teachers for taking part in this exciting morning. The Math Mission`s final in-class session takes place later on this week. Stay tuned and check in with our blog to hear about that lesson!

Math Mission teacher group: Jeremy Nason, Warren Park PS, Alia Erlich, White Haven PS, Mira Campbell, FH.Miller P.S. and Nick Hanning, Nelson Mandela P.S..