Theme Statement
My unit plan will be based on math, as I am in Ms. Z’s classroom for the entire portion of
math class every morning. She would like me to focus on sections 3.2,3.3, and 3.4 in the students
Go Math books as part of their Chapter 3 unit on adding and subtracting decimals. In chapter 3.2,
I will teach the students how to understand the place value of decimals (tenths, hundredths,
thousandths). Students will learn how to write the standard form, word form, and expanded form
of each value. I will demonstrate how to use place value patterns to “rename” a decimal. Chapter
3.3 teaches students how to compare and order decimals. Students will have to analyze decimals
points and line them up in order of their value. In addition, they will learn how to use specific
math symbols (e.g. <,>, =) within their comparisons and identify the values of the underlined
digit. In chapter 3.4, students will use their previous skills to round decimals to the nearest place
value (such as the tenths or hundredths).
This unit plan can be taught in the length of a week, as it takes about 2 days per each
chapter. I would like to try and connect my unit plan to the students lives by allowing them to
complete the equations, but also by asking them, where do these numbers apply in their real
lives? For example, if they are going to the store and they want to purchase a new toy, will they
have enough money to buy their toy? The students will have to utilize their rounding decimal
skills in order to find out the answer, and compare decimals to decide if the amount of money
they have is greater or less than the cost of their desired item. It’s difficult to apply math concepts
to real world situations, especially because when the majority of people think about math, they
believe it’s not applicable in the real world. They don’t see the cross connection, and I think this
occurs because they were not given relevant world examples when they were learning math in
schools as children, so they believe it’s obsolete. I hope to change this viewpoint and create
relevance in curriculum.
This curriculum is linked to the broader curriculum scope inside the classroom, because it
will introduce students to decimals and place value so they may build upon their knowledge in
the future, and will be prepared for more difficult mathematical problems in 6th grade. My unit is
also applicable to the broader spectrum outside of the classroom, because students see decimals
in their everyday lives. They will understand where decimals are used, but they will also apply
the use of rounding decimals into real world situations. For example, my students will learn to
identify where they see decimals being rounded, such as with weight, distance, time, and speed.
They will visually see the importance behind rounding when they are placed in situations where
they can’t simply use whole numbers to describe objects. The common core is seen as the most
important component within the educational setting, and a lot of teachers are pressured to hurry
though the content as a result without applying meaning. However, it’s easily forgotten that in
order for students to truly take away knowledge from a learning event, they must be able to apply
it to their lives and understand how it relates to the real-world (Woolfolk, 2017). They need to be
engaged in activities where they realize what they are learning is valuable, instead of
questioning, “Why are we doing this when we’re never going to use it in real life?”.
Age wise, I think this is an acceptable unit for students, but I am nervous about their
ability level. For 5th grade, their math skills are very low, as I believe they have simply been
passed on from grade to grade without developing the necessary math abilities required to
advance to the next grade. This may cause setbacks when I teach, because we only have a limited
amount of time, but I’m not sure if the students will have a concrete understanding of the
material. On an interest level, only about 20% of the students enjoy math, and 15% comprehend
concepts in the brief amount of time after they have been taught. It’s important not to
underestimate students’ abilities in the classroom, but at the same time, teachers must recognize
when they are trying to achieve a goal that is too advanced when not given sufficient time to
teach difficult content (Oakes, et al., 2012). Instead of focusing all my energy on the content and
nailing it into my students brains in the sixty minutes we do have, I think making the lesson
something they want to participate in and apply to themselves is worth much more. Hopefully,
with engaging activities, the correct introduction, and applicable situations, they will take interest
and master their skills as a result.
Resources
Go Math!: Florida. (2011). Orlando, Fla: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishers.
Oakes, J., Lipton, M., Anderson, A. & Stillman, J. (2012). Teaching to change the world (4th
ed.). Boulder, CO: Paradigm.
Woolfolk, A. (2017). Educational Psychology (13th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.