MODULE 7 INTEGRATED LEARNING-2

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Bureau of Elementary Education Department of Education INTEGRATED LEARNING MODULE 7

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Bureau of Elementary Education Department of Education SESSION #1 INTEGRATING THE CURRICULUM OBJECTIVE: Develop integrated competencies from the BEC for 2 grades in one subject area.

OVERVIEW : 

OVERVIEW The process of learning is like traveling on a journey. The plans that teachers make are like the maps that help to guide the students in their lifelong journey. Throughout these maps, teachers plan pathways and destinations guided by the bigger map—the Basic Elementary Curriculum.

OVERVIEW : 

OVERVIEW In this session, you will learn one way of mapping the competencies for two Grade levels and integrate them for planning one whole class unit of work. In session 2 you will learn how to develop these competencies into a unit of work related to a theme. In session 3, the theme of work will be organized into an integrated Learning Plan to show how an integrated day can be planned for the students.

Session proper : 

Session proper In our everyday life we are constantly applying our knowledge and skills in an integrated way. In this activity, you can create a MIND MAP to illustrate the variety of integrated tasks, knowledge, and skills that teachers use in their daily work.

What is a mind map? : 

What is a mind map? A Mind Map is an organized thinking tool. It is an easy way to put information into your brain and take information out of your brain. It could be a creative way of mapping out your thoughts. All mind maps start in the center from the topic or important idea. It looks like a road map with main roads coming out from the center.

What is a mind map? : 

What is a mind map? A Mind Map can give an overview of a large subject area and gather together a large amount of information in one small place. It also encourages problem solving with possible different creative pathways. This is an open-ended activity suitable for use in any classroom.

When mind maps are used? : 

When mind maps are used? Mind Maps can be used: At the beginning of a unit of work to show what the students already know (activating learning); During a unit/theme of work to help students show what they are thinking and help them to think through a topic more clearly (activity) At the end of a unit of work to show what they have learned (assessment)

sample mind map : 

sample mind map

Creating a mind map about teacher’s work: : 

Creating a mind map about teacher’s work: Write/Draw the topic (Teachers) in the center of a blank piece of paper. Draw main ‘roads’ from the center and label them with the important knowledge and skills (examples: Mathematics, Communication, Science) teachers use in their daily work. Using different colors help to sort your thoughts and aids easy recall.

Creating a mind map about teacher’s work: : 

Creating a mind map about teacher’s work: Draw small pathways connected to the main roads and write the different tasks teachers perform related to the main road label also in different colors. For example, ask the question: What tasks do teachers’ perform using knowledge and skills labeled on the main road? Write one key word on a small pathway related to the key word on the main road.

Example: : 

Example:

Analysis: : 

Analysis: What knowledge and skills do teachers use in their daily work? What are the implications for preparing students for their future working life? Whatever they will be doing in their future occupation or in their daily life, they will need to apply their knowledge and skills in an integrated way. Integrating their learning program will prepare the students for real life situations

abstraction: : 

abstraction: Thinking about the principles of learning Considering the individual learning needs of the students in the class Identify groups of competencies from the BEC for a grading period Considering appropriate learning strategies to meet individual learning styles Curriculum planning requires teachers to consider many different things such as:

abstraction: : 

abstraction: Including relevant assessment and evaluation strategies Making connections across subject areas Linking the community and cultural context in which the students live with the learning program Considering students’ interests and valuing these within the plans Planning for grouping and other class management strategies

abstraction: : 

abstraction: In multigrade class, curriculum planning and lesson planning can become very complex and time consuming if alternative and creative strategies are not done. The total number of competencies for two or more grades in the class will not fit into the number of minutes per week if totaled separately.

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It is important to integrate and blend the competencies in a multigrade class. Integrate means to make into a whole.

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The competencies from different grade levels can be integrated and blended into one learning plan for a day. This can become an ‘integrated day’ when subject areas are also linked together into a class theme which will follow in Session 2.

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When multigrade teachers are planning the bigger ‘map’ of integrated competencies, they will need to consider the following issues:

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The BEC competencies which could be integrated with similar competencies in other grade levels to create one lesson with different levels of activities and applications (this is linking competencies from two Grade levels in the same subject area) The learning experiences of students in one subject area that could be linked with the learning experiences of students in another subject area (this is linking competencies across different subject area)

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The learning experiences that could be created where several competencies can be achieved at the same time (this is integrating competencies across different subject/topic areas) Planning learning experiences to suit the needs of the different levels of students in the class

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Integrating Competencies Across Grade Levels

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Integrating and linking competencies from two different Grade levels in the same subject area; and Integrating and linking competencies across two or more different subject areas and Grade levels There are two types of integration which can be considered when planning a learning program for a multigrade class:

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Why integrate the competencies to cut across grade levels in a Multigrade class?

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Benefits for the teacher and the students:

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When similar competencies are integrated across different grade levels in a multigrade class, the teacher can plan one set of learning plans for the whole class together. Within this whole class plan there can be different activities and expectations for the different levels of abilities/grade levels. This type of learning plan will save the teacher time in writing multiple lesson plans each night.

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The time that is saved in writing one plan could now be used to develop learning activities, games, teaching devices, learning centers, help charts, and the like. This will enable the students to be more active and continue their learning when the teacher is busy with other groups.

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How do you integrate learning outcomes to cut across grade levels ?

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Read across the grade levels in the BEC relevant to your class Study and analyze the differences between similar competencies in the two grades Ask the question: “What extra learning will the higher grade students need to do compared with the lower grade students?” When you are planning the competencies for a multigrade class, it is important to:

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A whole class topic can be done together with the higher grade students taking more responsibility and doing some more challenging learning activities.

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Example: Read and analyze the following English competencies for Grades II and III. What are the differences in the competencies between the two grades? How could the whole class enjoy the same story together but each group learn the skills required in their own grade level?

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This is another way to illustrate the whole class integration of competencies from different Grade levels.

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Ask: What are the advantages of blending and integrating the competencies across two grade levels? What are the advantages for the teacher? (This will save the teacher time when writing one ‘Integrated Learning Plan’ for the day for both Grade levels.) Are the advantages for the students? (The students will all be working on the same topic but at different levels. The more advanced students will be good role models for the less advanced students. There will be opportunities for peer tutoring to happen naturally.)

Application: : 

Application: We have heard and seen how to integrate English competencies from two different grade levels in one multigrade class. We are now ready to try integrating competencies from two grade levels for Science or Mathematics or another English, for example:

Application: : 

Application: Group the participants into groups of four and ask them to choose (1) a leader, (2) a demonstrator, (3) a recorder, and (4) a timekeeper. Ask each group to choose two grade levels to plan integrating two or more competencies from two subject areas Two group members can integrate two competencies from one subject area and Two group members can choose another subject area (these may be linked later so think about a common theme also)

Application: : 

Application: Use the blank templates and the BEC to write: Two or more related competencies for each grade level The similarities between the competencies The differences between the competencies The extra learning that the higher grade level will need to do Read the DepEd Order 96 s, 1997, Enclosure 3, in the Reading of Module 1, Session 1—SUGGESTED PROGRAM OPTIONS FOR MULTIGRADE CLASSES

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DepEd Order 96 s, 1997, SUGGESTED PROGRAM OPTIONS FOR MULTIGRADE CLASSES Multigrade teaching forces teachers to rely the least on rote methods of teaching and use varied delivery methods. However, choice of method will depend on the nature of the subject being taught, and the teacher and the class personality. While flexibility in class programs is encouraged, the number of contact time per week or per month must be maintained. Some program options are presented below.

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Subject Staggering Subjects requiring more teacher-pupil interaction are grouped with those requiring less, e.g in a 3-grades class, one or two grades work independently on Arts while the teacher works intensively with another group in English or Math. The two grades maybe assigned different activities with pupil leaders monitoring the activity.

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Subject Integration Subjects which easily lend themselves to integration are presented by the teacher to all grades at the same time. This may be done in Filipino and Sibika at Kultura or Good manners and Right Conduct, or in English and Science and Health.

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Common Timetable A subject is presented to all grades by the teachers in a given schedule with each grade having prescribed work program planned by the teacher. Age, grade level, and/or ability of pupils should be considered by the teacher in designing the work program. For example, in a class of 3-grades Grades 1,2, & 3 may be undertaking Science and Health from 9:00 to 9:40 A.M. the Mathematics for 60 minutes after recess. All the other subjects follow the same pattern.

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Integrated Day There is no fixed timetable in this option. Pupils as independent learners are free to choose what subjects to study and when. This approach is usually difficult to use in large classes because it demands lots of pupil-pupil interaction and close monitoring on the part of the teacher.

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Subject Grouping Subjects using Filipino as medium of instruction such as CE; GMRC; SK/Heograpiya, Kasaysayan at Sibika; Edukasyong Pantahanan at Pangkabuhayan; Music, Art, Physical Education; and Filipino as subjects are taught on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays while those in English like Mathematics, Science and Health, and English as subjects are taught on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

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Bureau of Elementary Education Department of Education SESSION 2 DEVELOPING A CLASS THEME

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Bureau of Elementary Education Department of Education SESSION #2 Developing a class theme OBJECTIVE: Plan activities for an integrated theme of work collaboratively with a small group.

OVERVIEW : 

OVERVIEW This session explains how to link the integrated graded competencies together across different subject areas to create a theme of work for a period of a week or more.

What is a theme? : 

What is a theme? A theme is a broad topic or group of topics. These may be related to a Science topic or a local event or festival or a particular time of the year, or an interest of the students. A theme could be divided into many related competencies and lessons from across two or more subject areas.

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Examples of themes include: Celebrations, Food, Water, Animals, Gardening, Plants, Fishing, People’s work, Transport, Changes. A theme helps guide teachers with their planning. When teachers use themes, it enables them to join together competencies and activities from different subject areas. This supports the children’s learning and helps them to apply their knowledge and skills in different situations.

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When teachers plan an integrated theme, the content knowledge, for example a theme about animals can flow into the whole school day or week and become integrated into almost everything the children do. They can learn skills as well as facts when they are reading, writing, measuring, singing, dancing, creating art works, or presenting information related to the theme animals. This becomes integrated learning for students for a day or a week or more.

Session proper : 

Session proper Group the participants in the same groups of four, as in the last session. Ask the participants to brainstorm on a list of possible themes that would capture the interest of students in Grade I and II, Grade III and IV, or Grade V and VI related to Science topics, the students’ interests, or special events or weeks throughout the year etc. The themes need to be broad and relevant to the students in their communities. Activity:

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Ask: Have you seen any of the themes your group suggested already implemented in a classroom successfully? What worked well and why? Share some suggestions from different groups for each multigrade group with all the participants Analysis:

abstraction: : 

abstraction: The benefits of integrating competencies across subject areas in a thematic way creates connections for the students’ learning which will increase their understanding of new concepts to a greater depth. They will be able to make links between what they are learning in different subject areas and build or ‘construct’ their knowledge in different situations. Thematic approach:

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A thematic approach can guide the Teacher in planning a learning program. Some themes may only need two subjects to be integrated. Some competencies may not integrate naturally with others and these can be included separately in the Learning Plans.

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When two or more subjects are integrated or linked in a thematic approach, the issue of time also becomes blended with the subjects. The weekly learning plan can flow in larger blocks of time when two or more subjects are integrated. There is less stopping and starting between different lessons. Flexible Time Management:

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In multigrade classroom, time is an important issue because more time is needed for doing group work together, managing different materials and then for groups to demonstrate or share their learning to the rest of the class.

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How do you integrate learning across the subject areas in a thematic approach ?

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Listen and observe the students’ interests and ask them what topic they would like to learn more about (for example, sports, marine life, insects, celebrations) Look at which competencies and topics in the BEC can naturally relate together to support the students’ learning to a greater depth Design a theme to link together or create a bridge for the topics and competencies to be learned together. When you are planning the subjects, the macro skills and the competencies:

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The theme may relate to the students’ current interests or a topical event that is happening in the barangay, for example the Barangay Fiesta or a National Event such as Independence Day.

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Planning for different grade levels and integrating different subject areas takes time. Collaborative planning, in teaching teams of two or more teachers, could be the key to successfully planning, implementing and assessing a student-centered curriculum. Plan Collaboratively

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When teachers plan together in teams, in school-based learning groups or cluster school groups, they can learn from each other and the workload can be shared. The School-based Training Program (SBTP) on Fridays, once a month, are ideal opportunities for multigrade teachers to get together in their cluster groups to share their planning and their ideas. Plan Collaboratively

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Planning an integrated theme of work ( or curriculum web ) for a week

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The students’ interests, Any local or seasonal events that are happening Look for the related competencies that need to be considered when mapping out the learning plans, Find competencies which could be integrated to support each other in a class theme. When you are planning an integrated theme of work, consider:

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“ Which competencies from different subjects can be related or integrated together to support the students’ learning outcomes to a greater depth of understanding?” When planning an integrated theme of work (or curriculum web ) ask the question—

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Choose a theme that can bring these competencies together because of animal ideas or suggested actions. The following pages are examples of an Integrated curriculum overview plan for three subject areas for theme of Gardening.

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Read the competencies for each grade and think about how the activities will be integrated into one theme of work for the whole class together. Read the competencies across the subject areas to see some possible links for activities to be integrated into the theme to assist the students’ learning. Read the example of a Gardening theme web of activities which follows after the overviews of the integrated competencies for Grade II & III. Discuss these overviews and theme web example with your group. How would you present these ideas to the multigrade teachers?

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An example of an integrated overview of competencies for Grade II and Grade III Theme: …Gardening…

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ENGLISH Theme Gardening Reading Writing Read big book/story related to theme e.g. ‘The Enormous Turnip’ Act out the story Sequence events with pictures (Gr. II) with sentence (Grill) Read key words, key sentences, Change/innovate story to ‘The Enormous Peanut’ Make own class big book with new story Whole class create own story e.g. ‘The Enormous Peanut’ based on model read Write telling, asking, requesting sentences (together and in groups) Draw characters and write dictated phrases from story (Gr. II) Solve one-step word problems using real seeds, leaves, petals, sticks—e.g. “we had 100 seeds and we planted 20, how many seeds are left?” (different size numbers for different groups) Box of plant parts for counters per table Word problems related to class garden e.g. ‘we planted 50 corn (Grill)/150 carrots (Grill) in June and picked 20 corn/100 carrots in Sept. How many left? Cost plants, vegetables in the market—”How much change from P100 to buy……? Find missing addend when solving money problems e.g. “I had P20 and bought some plants and now I have P15, how much did the plants cost?” (different size amounts for different groups) Whole class science walk to collect and observe a variety of different plants for Science learning centre Identify different plant parts and make labels Games with plant labels e.g. listening games for initial and final sounds, matching games Collect garden/plant pictures for Science area—labels on cards to match Sort and classify leaves, seed pods, flowers, seeds Plant vegetables, herbs in own class garden area or pots (with parent helpers) Local uses of plants—for food, building, medicine etc. Visit a building site/market to find uses of plants Make group posters (or big book) showing different uses of plants Mathematics Science Retell the story Talk about pictures in book, real or pictures of plants Ask/answer questions related to story and class garden. Speaking Get main idea of class story and garden plane Ask/answer ‘wh’ questions with intonations Listening

Application: : 

Application: Continue working with your original group of four. Discuss and decide on a class theme for the week related to your integrated competencies. Try to make it real and relevant to the students in your school community. As a group, discuss and decide what activities the class can do related to the theme.

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Plan a variety of Open-ended tasks for the whole class to work together at their own level (one input, many activities, shared outputs) Two or Three levels of activities for the different grade levels or ability levels in the class (‘peel off’ groups) Design a Theme Web with your group. Use the blank template on the next page or design your own.

reading: : 

reading: Integrated themes of work can be developed with a group of competencies from different subject areas. This method of planning can support the students’ learning to a greater depth across a topic or theme. The theme may continue for 1, 2, or 3 weeks depending on the activities planned and the students’ interest level. Some competencies may not integrate naturally with others and will need to be included in the learning plans separately.

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In a multigrade class, the teacher is always making links between different levels of learning within a class topic. Making links between different subject areas is another link of bridge that helps the students to relate their learning into a whole and meaningful experience. It is important for a multigrade teacher to read and understand the learning outcomes from the BEC, for each of the different grade levels in the class.

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Bureau of Elementary Education Department of Education SESSION # 3 AN INTEGRATED LEARNING PLAN WITH FLEXIBLE TIME

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Bureau of Elementary Education Department of Education SESSION 3 INTEGRATING THE CURRICULUM OBJECTIVE: Develop integrated learning plans with flexible time allocation using a Theme web showing a variety of learning activities for different learning groups..

OVERVIEW : 

OVERVIEW An integrated learning plan for a multigrade class shows the teacher the details of the students’ activities and applications for each day. It shows which lessons are happening and how they can connect to each other. It can also show the details of the different group work activities and which group the teacher is working with directly (‘Teacher time’) while other groups are doing more self-directed work.

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An Integrated Learning Plan is a blended flow of lesson plans together. There is no need to do separate lesson plans for each Grade level. Think about the whole day as one big integrated lesson for the whole class linked to the class theme. The Filipino and Makabayan subjects can also be linked to the class theme if possible. This will enable learning flow through the whole day for all of the students to make connections with their learning and help each other.

Session proper : 

Session proper Think about the following open-ended question by yourself first and write a few answers that you think about for one minute. Pair up with another participant and share your answers to the question for another minute. Write some more answers together. Activity 1: ‘Think, Pair, Share’ strategy for an open-ended task

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Share your answers with another pair and create more answers. Share some different answers from different groups (of 4) with the whole group of participants Activity 1:

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The open-ended task: Think of as many different ways that you could possibly travel to Manila from Davao. Write down your ideas and number them.

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Ask: How many different ways of traveling to Manila did you think of at first on your own? How many more different ways of travel did you think of when you combined two pairs and became a group of 4? Which groups thought of 4 to 10 different ways? Analysis:

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Ask: Which groups thought of between 10 to 15 different ways? Who thought of more than 15 different ways of traveling to Manila? Analysis:

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You are working in mixed ability groups today with people of different ages and with different experiences.

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What are the advantages of working together with people of different experiences? People could be encouraged to learn from each other’s experiences, knowledge, and skills

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You were given an open-ended task to do. Why was it open-ended? ( because there is more than one correct answer and people can respond in many different ways to an open-ended question)

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What are the advantages of using open-ended tasks and questions in a multigrade class? (One task can be given to the whole class and the students will respond in different ways depending on their knowledge, skills and general maturity levels.)

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If the question in this task was open-ended what would be the same task be with a closed question? (For example: Write five different ways of traveling to Manila from Davao.)

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Working in mixed ability groups and responding to open-ended tasks are two valuable teaching and learning strategies to include when developing integrated Learning Plans for a multigrade class.

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Activity 2: Read the example of part of an integrated Learning Plan on the following pages. It shows some of the integrated competencies and activities (from the examples in Sessions 1 and 2). You can see the flow of the learning plan including the opportunities for activities for different teaching and learning strategies with:

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The whole class receiving direct instruction from the teacher or Similar ability groups working on tasks to match their ability levels or Mixed ability groups for students to help each other with a cooperative learning task Peer tutors assisting some students.

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Read the example of an integrated English, Science, and Mathematics Learning Plan on the following pages. Discuss in a plenary the different parts, including the different features or learning processes for each subject area. Group the participants into small discussion groups. Ask the participants to:

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Ask each group to discuss the integrated Learning Plan focusing on the: Objectives for the day Subject Content Different grouping strategies (e.g. whole class time, mixed ability groups, similar ability groups, peer tutors…) Movement of the teacher (e.g. Teacher time or direct instruction with a group or whole class; supervising or facilitating different groups)

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Each group can report on a different subject area of the Learning Plans and publish their data grouping the reports according to: Objectives Subject Content Different grouping strategies Movement of the teacher

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How did you find the plans? What findings are common to the three subject plans? What are the added features of the plans? Why do you think these features are needed? What did you find out about the movement of the teacher? What do you think about it? Analysis 2: Ask the participants the following questions:

abstraction: : 

abstraction: What do teachers need to consider when designing an integrated learning plan? Teachers need to plan relevant learning experiences to engage all of the students. Some planning suggestions include: Provide a range of activities to match the ages, interests, and learning styles of all the students. Plan times for students to work together as a class group, individually and in small groups. Plan time for the teacher to observe and assess the students’ work

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Provide enough time for the students to practice new skills in their activities. Plan times for students to present (or demonstrate and explain) their learning task to their group or to the whole class. Make connections or links between what the students are learning across different subject areas.

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In a multigrade class, students can progress at their own pace in similar ability groups which do not need to be Grade groups.

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Flexible Time Allocation Time allocation in a multigrade class needs to be flexible to allow for all of these six Planning suggestions to be included. When learning takes place in an integrated way across different subjects, timetables are not fixed but need to be flexible.

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The time allotment for each subject area becomes a guide for the teacher over the period of a whole week. When integrating learning in a thematic approach, the students may be doing two or more subject areas together at the same time. The Class program of time allocation daily per subject will become flexible. However over the period of a week, the time allocation for each subject will be included in the integrated Learning Plans.

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Students’ active engagement in their learning is more important than separate subject times.

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Objectives for the Integrated Learning Plan Gardening Theme

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At the end of the day, the students will: Listen and say the main idea of the class story titled ‘The Enormous Turnip’; Answer questions beginning with ‘who, what, when and where..’ related to the story; Talk about the characters and the events in the pictures, using singular and plural forms of regular nouns; Read their story map of events and give the appropriate heading for each picture (Grade II);

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Read the key sentences, unjumble the sentences and build them in a pocket chart (Grade III); Write a sentence about the first picture and last picture in their story map (Grade II); Copy the unjumbled key sentences and write their own sentence to finish the story (Grade III); Sort and classify different parts of plants; Name and label different parts of plants; Subtract two digit numbers (Gr. II) and three digit numbers (Gr. III) in one-step word problems.

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EXAMPLE: Integrated Learning Plan Theme : GardeningDate: ____________

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seeds leaves sticks seedpods

Application: : 

Application: Form your team of four again with your Theme Web that was planned during the last session. Plan an Integrated Learning Plan as a group, using your integrated theme web of activities (and any single competencies if they don’t fit into the theme) In your Integrated Learning Plan, show the group work that the students will be doing.

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You can draw up your own Learning Plan or use the blank template on the next page. Remember to— Blend the competencies across the Grade levels into one class learning plan; Integrate or link the activities across the subjects if possible;

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Plan the whole flow of the day with flexible integrated times rather than separate time slots; and Focus on what the students will be doing, with the teacher facilitating the process and the group work. Plan how your by group would demonstrate this session to the multigrade teachers.

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EXAMPLE TEMPLATE: Integrated Learning Plan

reading: : 

reading: Engaging individual learners Students who are ‘engaged’ in their learning are actively participating and involved in what they are doing. They are ‘on task’. They are motivated by— A meaningful and relevant purpose and by Making some choices about what they are learning and how they are doing it.

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To actively engage students in their learning, teachers need a wide variety of teaching and learning strategies to cater for students’ different learning style preferences. A learning style is the way or approach that different students learn best.

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Student Learning Styles All students have their own preferred learning style or ways that they learn best. For example, some students are ‘tactile learners’ who like to touch things and move around when they are learning and dislike sitting still for long periods. Individual differences are important and need to be considered when planning learning programs.

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Some students prefer working on their own and not in cooperative small groups. By giving these students 10 minutes ‘thinking and planning’ time before group activities start will help to cater for everyone’s different learning style.

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As teachers we cannot force our students to learn, but we can establish a cooperative classroom environment with conditions that encourage our students to become emotionally involved or ‘engaged’ and responsible for their own learning:

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How do multigrade teachers engage a wide range of different learners ?

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Find out and build on what each student already knows Involve the students with decision making (e.g. class rules, organization of classroom, open-ended problem solving tasks, ….) Provide different choices for the different groups of students Encourage individual strengths and preferences When planning learning experiences to engage a range of different learners, teachers need to:

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Create challenges, and purpose in the learning program Provide opportunities for participation in performances, debates and role plays Allow time for the students to evaluate and talk about their learning choices Include the interests and strengths of students, parents and others in the community

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Choose activities that involve a variety of senses, particularly touch for the large number of kinaesthetic learners (kinaesthetic means— to feel movement of the limbs or body) Provide a physical environment that encourages students’ interest and interaction (as discussed in Module 2, Session 1) All of these issues need to be considered when planning integrated learning plans.

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Open-ended tasks for a multigrade class Open-ended tasks give students choices because one open-ended task or question allows different students to respond in a wide range of answers or outputs. This is a good strategy for students with different levels of thinking and maturity in a multigrade class.

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Open-ended tasks are another way to provide learning experiences for different levels related to the same topic (this was discussed in Module 3, Session 3, Group Management). In a multigrade classroom every student does not need to do the same activity, in the same way. Students of different ages and abilities will respond to their experiences in different ways. Open-ended tasks encourage the students to work at their own level.

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For example, in Mathematics when a Grade II and III class are learning about subtraction at different levels, an open-ended task could be— “If the answer is 50, how many different subtraction sentences can you make to get the answer 50?”

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The students’ responses will be different even though they are working on the same task. The Grade II students can work with two or three digit numbers depending on their ability. The Grade III students can be encouraged to ‘use 3 or 4 digits or minuends up to 100,000’. Many counters and various self-help number charts would need to be available for the students to choose to use if needed.

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Examples of open-ended questions to ask during a student-teacher conference, when they are doing the open-ended Mathematics tasks include the following: What can you find out about…? Show me what you did..? What would you say about this…? What happened when…?

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What do you think is going to happen…? How did you work that out…? What can you do next…? What were the most important parts…? What did you discover in Math today? If you share this information with the class, what would you say…?

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Thank you! And Have a good day!