102098 CONTEMPORARY

TEACHER LEADERSHIP
REPORT
Student Name: Samuel Chappuis

Student Number: 18331631

Date Submitted: 29/8/19

Contemporary Teacher
Campus: Kingswood Leadership Report

Abstract:
The following report focuses on the improvement of a Stage 4, Year 7 Mathematics Unit:
‘Algebraic Techniques 1’. This unit was originally designed for use in mixed-ability classes
at Nepean Creative and Performing Arts High School. Recommendations will be proposed
by this report in order to improve the overall unit in regards to students of diverse
learning needs. The Understanding by Design (UbD) framework has been utilised to
reconstruct the unit in order to effectively achieve the reports goals. The development of
Literacy and Numeracy as well as the development of ethical, critical and creative
thinking are targeted areas for this report.
Table of Contents

Executive Summary.........................................................................................2
Objective and Context................................................................................2
Goals of the Report....................................................................................3
List of Recommendations...........................................................................3
Background Information on Unit................................................................4
Comparative Table..........................................................................................5
Recommendations..........................................................................................7
Reconstructed Unit.........................................................................................9
Scope and Sequence...................................................................................9
Concept Map............................................................................................10
Assessment Task and Marking Criteria.....................................................11
Redesigned Unit Outline..........................................................................16
References....................................................................................................39
Appendix.......................................................................................................40

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Executive Summary
Objecti ve and Context
This report has been designed for the Mathematics Faculty at Nepean Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA) High School. The school is located in the
suburb of Emu Plains in Western Sydney. Nepean CAPA High School is a government funded co-educational selective and specialist secondary school with
specialty in performing arts. The school comprises up of 1083 students, consisting of 63% female students and 37% male students. Nepean CAPA has 7% of
students identifying as Indigenous or Torres Strait Islander and 15% of students being from a language background other than English (LBOTE). Additionally,
the school has an Index of Community Socio- Educational Advantage (ICSEA) of 996, 4 points below the average. Overall, emphasized by the school are
academic achievement and a discipline learning environment which is complemented by a vast range of creative and vocational courses.

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 Reference: Statistics and table above are
retrieved from the MySchool Website.
Retrieved from:
[Link]

Goals of the Report

 Improve the overall sequence of learning across the unit, ensuring there are meaningful connections to other content and daily life.

 Address literacy and numeracy throughout the unit and focus on strategies that look to improve upon the literacy and numeracy abilities for all
students.

 Incorporate strategies within the unit to facilitate and encourage critical and creative thinking in the classroom.

 Challenge students to build a strong ethical understanding that allows them to understand the context of their learning.

 Provide learning experiences that focus on solving problems, collaboration and effective differentiation to cater for the diversity in the classroom.

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List of Recommendati ons
 Enhance the overall sequence of learning by linking together concepts between and within units.

 Revise the differentiated activities provided in the unit to better ensure all students in the classroom have the opportunity to succeed.

 Improve literacy and numeracy skills by explicitly addressing them in regards to unit content.

 Include student-centric learning experiences that allow students to solve problems, collaborate and build their critical and creative thinking.

 Include learning experiences that allow students to consider the ethical considerations behind their learning.

 Change the structure and nature of the formal assessment task to better assess the outcomes of the unit.

Background Informati on on Unit

In Nepean CAPA High School, Mathematics classes are mixed ability in Year 7 and are streamed from Year 8-10. The original unit outline used in this
report was designed for mixed ability students in Year 7. The unit was taught to a high-achieving Year 7 class with the majority of students having an English
language background. The unit was designed to coincide with topics from the Year 7 Cambridge Textbook. The unit ‘Algebraic Techniques 1’ was designed to
go for 3 weeks and it succeeded the unit ‘Time’. It should be noted, that this unit outline included an assessment task that assessed the whole ‘Time’ unit

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and parts of the ‘Algebraic Techniques 1’ unit. The unit was taught later than expected in the original Scope and Sequence and ended up being started in
Week 10 - Term 3 and finishing up at the end of Week 2 - Term 4.

Comparative Table

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 Area of Strengths of the area of Concerns of the area of Suggested Changes to Research support for the changes
consideration consideration consideration counteract concerns suggested.

Students are able to No real break down of Creation of a vocabulary list of Mathematical concepts and worded
practice creating worded key algebraic terms. algebraic terms used for the problems can only be understood if students
Literacy algebraic problems. Students could get unit and a discussion of the are able to read and comprehend them
confused with definition when that word is (Swan, 2018).
mathematical jargon. introduced.
Students are encouraged There are not enough More opportunities for Allowing students to present, explain and
to convert worded learning experiences for students to present their justify their solutions builds their literacy
information into an students to express their solutions to the class to skills (Anthony & Walshaw, 2009).
algebraic structure with thinking behind practice their literacy skills.
the McDonald’s activity. mathematical concepts
and questions.
Students are able to use There is a heavy reliance A use of more open-ended “Successful learning of mathematical ideas
what they’ve learnt in a on the use of the and problem-solving takes place when students are engaged in
Numeracy more practical sense with textbook. questions. open-ended, investigative and problem-
the shopping receipt solving questions” (Attard, Holmes & Ley,
activity. 2018, p. 1)
The research project allows The activities are more A use of more real-life “Successful learning of mathematical ideas
students to use their maths reliant on mathematics investigation style questions. takes place when students are engaged in
skills in a real-world that is not very applicable open-ended, investigative and problem-
situation. to the real world. solving questions” (Attard, Holmes & Ley,
2018, p. 1)

Students are encouraged There isn’t enough focus Create more learning activities When students are engaged in critical,
Critical and to be creative with the on critical and creative which lend themselves well to creative and collaborative thinking they are
Creative worded algebraic problems thinking due to a heavy critical and creative thinking. generally more successful and better
Thinking they create. use of the textbook. understand their learning (Cunningham,
2018).

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 Students are encouraged There aren’t many Allow for more collaborative When students are engaged in critical,
to be critical of the collaborative learning learning experiences. creative and collaborative thinking they are
algebraic expressions they experiences that cater to generally more successful and better
write when making a critical and creative understand their learning (Cunningham,
noughts and crosses game. thinking. 2018).
Ethics are able to be There is only one activity Create more activities which “Effective teachers understand that the tasks
Ethical considered in the research that lends itself to allow students to build ethical and examples they select influence how
Understanding project. building students ethical understanding whilst still students come to view, develop, use, and
understanding. being relevant to the topic. make sense of mathematics” (Anthony &
Walshaw, 2009, p. 13).
Students are able to form The unit doesn’t explain Add an activity or video which “Effective teachers support students in
opinions on the topic they why letters have been allows students to think about creating connections between different ways
are learning when utilised to represent the reasons why letters are of solving problems, between mathematical
discussing key ideas. numbers. used. representations and topics, and between
mathematics and everyday experience”
(Anthony & Walshaw, 2009, p. 15).
The unit covers all the The formal and informal Design a different formal “Effective teachers use a range of
concepts needed to assessments in this unit assessment and have more assessment practices to make students’
Understanding achieve the outcomes. don’t effectively achieve effective informal assessments thinking visible and to support students’
by Design the outcomes of the unit. throughout the unit. learning” (Anthony & Walshaw, 2009, p. 17).
Students are able to The unit doesn’t focus on Create learning experiences “The UbD framework helps focus curriculum
transfer mathematical the development of deep which focus on deepening and teaching on the development and
knowledge to solve a real- understanding. students understanding and deepening of student understanding and
life problem in the transfer of learning. transfer of learning” (McTighe & Wiggins,
research project. 2012, p. 1).

Recommendations
The outcome of teaching and learning mathematics, and in fact all subjects, should be the development of understanding (Juakwon & Katwibun,
2017). The Understanding by Design (UbD) framework “offers a planning process and structure to guide curriculum, assessment, and instruction” and hence

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aids in this development and deepening of student understanding (McTighe & Wiggins, 2012, p. 1). The initial unit outline, the focus of this report,
showcased a common problem in teaching and learning, especially in the area of mathematics (Attard, Holmes & Ley, 2018). The common problem,
highlighted by McTighe & Wiggins (2012), is that the unit outline heavily relies on the textbook, basically treating the textbook as the curriculum rather than
a resource. The recommendations endorsed by this report utilise the UbD framework in order to improve the overall quality of unit and develop, deepen
student understanding and enable them to effectively transfer their learning to real-life situations (McTighe & Wiggins, 2012). This report has focussed on
the following areas of consideration when redesigning the unit: Literacy, Numeracy, Creative and Critical Thinking, Ethical Understanding and Understanding
by Design.

Firstly, contrary to perhaps the belief of the general population, mathematics requires students to have good literacy skills. Swan (2018, p. 1)
highlights that in order to understand mathematical concepts, mathematical terminology and solve word problems “students need to be able not just to
read the words but comprehend what they mean”. Additionally, Anthony & Walshaw (2009) illustrate that allowing students to present, explain and justify
solutions not only builds their mathematical reasoning but also builds their literacy skills such as communication. Therefore, in order to address these
considerations, the redesigned unit outline has made changes to enable students to have more opportunities to present solutions. Also, whenever new
words are addressed in the unit, the teacher is to analyse its definition and the students are encouraged to include it in their vocabulary list. It is believed
these changes will aid in development of student literacy skills.

Furthermore, numeracy skills are heavily embedded within mathematics. However, as mentioned, the original unit outline relies heavily on the
textbook and hence doesn’t focus on the mathematics of real-world situations. Attard, Holmes & Ley (2018, p. 1) illustrate in their paper that “successful
learning of mathematical ideas takes place when students are engaged in open-ended, investigative and problem-solving questions”. Therefore, the
redesigned unit has included an array of teaching and learning experiences which focus on open-ended questions, investigations and problem-solving
questions and linking these to real world situations. For example, the Harry Potter investigation activities links a real-world situation with a topic a majority
of students would be interested in and builds their numerical understanding throughout.

8
 Similarly, these open-end, investigative and problem-solving questions lend themselves well to building students critical and creative thinking.
Cunningham (2018) explains that when students are engaged in critical, creative and collaborative thinking they are generally more successful and better
understand their learning. Hence, the redesigned unit involves various activities which allow students to be creative, to think critically and to collaborate
with others. For example, students need to be able to think critically within the Logic and Scale problems, and creatively and collaboratively when working
on creating their own worded algebraic problems. Also considered in the redesigned unit is ethical understanding. The redesigned unit involves teaching
and learning experiences which talk about the ethical context of the topic (e.g. ‘why algebra is so hard’ video) and explore ethics using real-life mathematics
problems (e.g. ‘fast food’ video). Effectives teachers understand, as pointed out by Anthony & Walshaw (2009, p. 13), that the learning activities they select
influence how students come to “view, develop, use, and make sense of mathematics”.

All of these recommendations, as mentioned, are underpinned by the UbD framework. The sequencing of lessons and activities have been
backward-mapped from the assessment task. By designing the unit in this way, it allows the teaching and learning to be highly relevant in achieving the
required outcomes (McTighe & Wiggins, 2012). McTighe & Wiggins (2012, p. 2) illustrate that “understanding is revealed when students autonomously
make sense of and transfer their learning through authentic performance”. The assessment task that is included in the redesigned unit allows for this as
students are working and commenting on their understanding as they go throughout the unit. Additionally, as Anthony & Walshaw (2009, p. 17) point out,
“effective teachers use a range of assessment practices to make students’ thinking visible and to support students’ learning”. Therefore, not only has the
assessment task been redesigned but informal assessment activities have been added throughout the unit in order to support students’ learning. Ultimately,
each teaching and learning experience in the redesigned unit is aimed at developing and deepening students understanding: the desired outcome of
teaching mathematics and any subject.

Reconstructed Unit
Scope and Sequence

9
Concept Map

10
Assessment Task and Marking Criteria

11
12
13
Marking Rubric

14
15
Marking Rubric

16
Redesigned Unit Outline

Legend

Literacy recommendations

Numeracy recommendations

Critical and Creative Thinking recommendations

Ethical Understanding recommendations

Understanding by Design recommendations

If multiple colours in a sentence, it means it combines those areas

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 UNIT OUTLINE
Subject: Mathematics Stage: 4 – Year 7 Number of Weeks: 3
Unit title: Algebraic
Techniques 1
Key Concepts/ Big Ideas The importance of this learning
 Use letters to represent numbers To some extent, Algebra is used throughout our daily lives. For example, when people are
 Recognise and use simple equivalent algebraic working out the right quantity to purchase or the right amount of an ingredient in a recipe, they
expressions are solving an equation. By introducing algebraic techniques, students will be able to learn how to
 Simplify algebraic expressions involving the four apply problem-solving skills and logical reasoning to their daily lives. Algebra is extensively used
operations more in other areas of mathematics, sciences, business, accounting, etc. Students will be able to
 Substitute into algebraic expressions see the widespread use and application of algebra, especially within the writing of formulas in
 Expand simple algebraic expressions spreadsheets.

Unit context within Scope and Sequence Targeted Syllabus Outcomes (including life skills outcomes)
Scope and Sequence: MA4-1WM communicates and connects mathematical ideas using appropriate terminology,
Term 3 Week 10 – Term 4 Week 2 diagrams and symbols
3 lessons per week. MA4-3WM recognises and explains mathematical relationships using reasoning
Strand: Number and Algebra. MA4-8NA generalises number properties to operate with algebraic expressions
Sub-strands: Algebraic Techniques I.

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 Literacy Targets Numeracy Targets ICT Targets CCP/ GC Assessment
 Explanation of algebraic  Within this unit,  Use of OneNote to Personal and Social  Students complete a
terms. numeracy is spread present lessons and Capability: portfolio and video
 Give reasons for throughout. information.  Encouragement of assessment task over 2
solutions to algebraic  Special focus is on the  Videos presented to students to answer weeks.
problems. application of enhance learning. questions and come up  Teacher informally
 Comprehend worded mathematical skills in  Opportunities given for to the front and present assesses students’
information into real world contexts. students to research answers and ideas knowledge and
algebraic form. using their own devices. Critical and Creative understanding through
 Work collaboratively  Use of interactive Thinking: a selection of activities,
and cooperatively with resources for students  Encouragement of questions asked and
other students in a to use. students to be creative students work.
kindly manner. with their work and be
critical of the things
they learn.
 Work catered to
enhance students
critical and creative
thinking.
Ethical Understanding:
 Understanding the
ethics behind different
contexts.
No Cross-Curriculum
Priorities Addressed

Week 1 Period 1 Period 2 Period 3

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 Key MA4-1WM MA4-1WM MA4-1WM
Outcome(s MA4-3WM MA4-3WM MA4-3WM
) MA4-8NA MA4-8NA MA4-8NA
 Use pronumerals (letters) to represent numerical  Use algebraic symbols to represent  Substituting into algebraic expressions and
Key values mathematical operations in words and vice evaluate the result
Concept(s)  Recognise and use equivalent algebraic expressions versa  Verify whether a simplified algebraic
 Use algebraic symbols to represent simple expression is correct by substituting for
situations in words pronumerals
 Introduce students to the topic of Algebra through a  Students complete McDonald’s activity.  Students take part in a research project to
problem-solving puzzle. Ask students to create their  Teacher discusses results of the McDonald’s determine medicinal dosages for children.
own puzzle. activity with students presenting solutions.  Teacher discusses results of the research
 Teacher discusses results of introductory activity  Teacher plays a video on representing project with students presenting solutions.
Learning with students presenting solutions. simple situations with algebra  Teacher plays a video on algebraic
Experience  Introduce students to the terminology of algebra.  Students complete Harry Potter Activity 1. substitution.
s Ask students to create a vocabulary list for the unit.  Students complete Harry Potter Activity 2.
 Teacher plays video to reinforce pronumerals and
algebraic expressions.
 Students work on scale and logic puzzles and are
asked to recognise them as equivalent algebraic
expressions.
 Presentation of work from introductory activity.  Presentation of work from McDonald’s  Presentation of work from research
Evidence of  Questions asked and answered during discussion activity project
Learning  Work on scale and logic puzzles.  Questions asked and answered during  Questions asked and answered during
discussion discussion
 Harry Potter Activity 1 work.  Harry Potter Activity 2 work.
 Introductory activity  Harry Potter Activity 1  Harry Potter Activity 2
 Scale and Logic puzzles  McDonald’s Activity  Research Project
Resources  Math Antics Video  Math Antics Video  Math Antics Video
[Link] [Link] [Link]
v=NybHckSEQBI& v=NybHckSEQBI&

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Week 2 Period 1 Period 2 Period 3
Key MA4-1WM MA4-1WM MA4-1WM
Outcome(s) MA4-3WM MA4-3WM MA4-3WM
MA4-8NA MA4-8NA MA4-8NA
Key  Recognise like terms and add and subtract them to  Simplify algebraic expressions that  Simplify algebraic expressions that
Concept(s) simplify algebraic expressions involve multiplication and division involve mixed operations

Learning  Teacher plays fast food ordering video to introduce  Students complete Shopping Receipt  Teacher reviews content with
Experiences lesson. Teacher then engages in discussion with the activity to refresh their knowledge on students and engages in discussion
students about the video and introduces students like terms while also introducing them to with them about any problems they
to combining like terms while using the vocabulary. multiplying/dividing algebraic have found so far.
 Teacher plays a video introducing like terms and expressions.  Teacher explains key ideas behind
adding/subtracting them.  Teacher discusses answers to the simplifying algebra expressions with
 Students, in pairs, play a Noughts and Crosses Like Shopping Receipt Activity. mixed operations using the key
Terms game.  Teacher introduces the key concepts vocabulary.
using the key vocabulary.  Students complete questions from
 Students work together to play a card the textbook.
game where they match up question  Teacher plays a video to end the
cards with answer cards. lesson on “Why algebra is so hard”

Evidence of  Questions asked and answered during discussion.  Presentation of work in Shopping  Questions asked and answered during
Learning  Results of the game of Noughts and Crosses Receipt activity discussion.
 Questions asked and answered during  Textbook work
discussion.
 Working conversations during card
game.
Resources  Fast food video  Shopping Receipt Activity  Textbook
[Link]  Card game  Video
 Like Terms Video [Link] [Link]
v=CLWpkv6ccpA v=FbqnaoU-3VI&
 Noughts and Crosses Game

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Week 3 Period 1 Period 2 Period 3
MA4-1WM MA4-1WM MA4-1WM
Key MA4-3WM MA4-3WM MA4-3WM
Outcomes MA4-8NA MA4-8NA MA4-8NA

 Recognise the role of grouping symbols and  Solve worded algebraic problems  All concepts from the unit.
Key the different meanings of expressions
Concepts  Expand algebraic expressions by removing
grouping symbols
 Students take part in group activity to  Teacher conducts maths magic trick on students.  Portfolio and Video assessment due.
understand how grouping works.  Teacher discusses the trick with students and asks Students are given the assessment Task
Learning  Teacher discusses the group activity with if they can understand why it works. at the end of Week 1 and given 2 weeks
Experiences students.  Teacher plays video introducing students to write to complete. They are also given this
 Teacher plays video introducing the idea of algebraic expressions from word problems. additional lesson to complete the
grouping symbols with algebraic expressions  Students work in pairs to create their own assessment task.
 Students complete open-ended questions on worded problem for their partners to convert to
algebraic expressions involving grouping algebraic expressions.
symbols.
 Results of group activity  Understanding of magic trick.  Results of the assessment task.
Evidence of  Questions asked and answered during  Questions asked and answered during discussion.
Learning discussion  Worded problems created and written
 Open-ended questions algebraically.
 Group activity  Magic trick.  Portfolio and Video Assessment Task.
Resources  Video [Link]  Video [Link]
6MShC82ow& v=C_KffdI34ZU

22
Lesson 1: Starter Puzzle

23
Lesson 1: Scale and Logic Puzzles

24
25
26
Lesson 2: McDonald’s Activity

27
Lesson 2: Harry Potter Activity 1

28
29
30
31
32
Lesson 3: Research Project

Lesson 3: Harry Potter Activity 2

33
34
35
Lesson 4: Example Noughts and Crosses Game

36
Lesson 5: Shopping Receipt Activity

37
Lesson 5: Example Cards in Card Game
Question Card Answer Card

2 2
8 x ×7 m 56 x m

Lesson 6: Grouping Symbols Group Task

 Teacher takes students through a series of questions in this group exercise.
 Students will start in small groups (e.g. 2) and the teacher will ask simple multiplication of groups (e.g. 4 groups of 2)
 The teacher should slowly advance the problems and eventually use boys and girls as different variables (e.g. start with
a group of 2 boys and a girl then multiply that group by 4)
 Students have to work out how many people or boys/girls must be in their group.

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Lesson 6: Example Grouping Symbols Open Ended Questions
What numbers could go in place of the square and the triangle in each problem?
∆ ( ∎+3 ) =7 x+21

∆ ∎ ( 4−m )=16−4 m
8 ( ∆−3 ∎ )=8 h−48

Lesson 7: Maths Magic Trick

 Student volunteers to come to the board.
 Teacher turns back
 Student writes down two numbers, one under the other.
 Student adds these two numbers and puts the sum underneath
 Students adds last two numbers and writes the sum underneath
 Continue doing this until there is 10 numbers on the board.
 Students race teacher to get the sum of all 10 numbers.
 The trick is to multiply the 7th term by the 11

39
References
Anthony, G., & Walshaw, M. (2009). Effective Pedagogy in mathematics (Vol. 19): International Academy of Education.

Attard, C., Holmes, K., & Ley, J. (2018). In Hunter, J., Perger, P., & Darragh, L. (Eds.). Making waves, opening spaces
(Proceedings of the 41st annual conference of the Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia) pp. 479-486.
Auckland: MERGA.

Cunningham, R. (2018). Creative, collaborative, critical and caring thinking. Mathematics Teaching, (263), 21-25. Retrieved
from [Link] au/[Link]?direct=true&db=ehh&AN=131993010&site=ehost-
live&scope=site

Juakwon, P., & Katwibun, D. (2017). In Downton, A., Livy, S., & Hall, J. (Eds.). 40 years on: We are still learning! Proceedings of
the 40th Annual Conference of the Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia) (pp. 349-356). Melbourne:
MERGA.

Swan, P. (2018). The impact of vocabulary on numeracy. Austraian Primary Mathematics Classroom, 23(4), 33-39. Retrieved
from [Link]
live&scope=site

Wiggins, G., McTighe, J. (2012). Understanding by Design Framework. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision &
Curriculum Development (ASCD).

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Appendix
Original Unit Outline (including resources)

41
42
43
44
45
46
Lesson 1: Starter Activity

Do now:
How many ways can you write a question where the answer is equal to 10? Try to come up with at least 10.

Lesson 2: McDonald’s Activity

47
Lesson 3: Research Project

Lesson 5: Noughts and Crosses Game

48
Lesson 6: Shopping Receipt Activity

Lesson 9: Starter Problem

49
Original Assessment Task and Marking Criteria

50
51
52
Please Note: There was no marking criteria provided.

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