EL 424 Math Journal

Name: Courtney Cooper

CRN: (10330)
Date: 8/29/2022

Directions: This assignment consists of 10 prompts. This assignment is worth 100 points.

*Use the Prompt Language in each response.

*Provide very Detailed responses with several paragraphs to defend your reasoning.
* Please do not request to be an “editor” of this Google doc. Simply download and type your answers.
Upload to Bb.

1. There are 44 wheels total among a group of wagons and bicycles. How many bicycles are there? How
many wagons?
a. List 3 possible solutions.
i. Three possible solutions to this problem are 10 bikes and 6 wagons, 2 bikes and 10 wagons, and
14 bikes and 4 wagons.
b. How did you determine your solutions?
i. When I first tried to solve this problem, I wrote a formula. My formula that I wrote down was 2b
(bikes) + 4w (wagons) = 44. I sat for a minute to look at the problem and was not able to solve the
problem using this formula without a number for “b” or “w”. While I typically do not feel like plugging
in random numbers is the fastest way to solve a problem, I decided to try to plug in 10 for b. My
new problem that I was solving for was 2(10)+4w=44.
20+4w=44
4w=44-20
4w=24
 W=24/4
W=6
I was able to use this same method to solve for the other 2 possible solutions.

2. Mystery Number. The number is a two-digit number. The sum of the two digits is 10. The tens digit is 4
more than the ones digit.
a. What is the number?
i. The solution that I got was the number 73.
b. How did you solve it?
ii. First, I wrote down tens place and then under it I wrote x+4, then I wrote ones place and under
where I put x. I did this formula because I needed to solve for x, the missing number, and I knew
the tens place was 4 more than the missing number. Then, I started working through my list of
possible numbers. I started listing two numbers that equal 10. I wrote:
1,9
2,8
3,7
4,6
After doing this, I quickly noticed that there was only two numbers that have a difference of 4,
which was 3 and 7.

3. Jessica has twice as much money as Matthew. Jessica has four times as much money as Sam. Sam has
$7 more than Andrew. Matthew has $28.
a. How much money do Matthew, Andrew, Sam, and Jessica have all together?
i. Matthew, Andrew, Sam, and Jessica have $105 altogether.
b. What strategy did you use to solve this problem?
i. The way that I solved this problem was again, starting with a formula. As the problem gave me
clues to the solution, I wrote them down. My paper looked like this:
 Jessica= ($a)2
Matthew= $a
Jessica= ($b)4
Sam= $b
Sam= c+7
Andrew= c
Matthew= $28

Once I read that Matthew had $28, I started back at the top and plugged in to solve the problem.
Matthew= a=$28
Jessica= (28)2 = $56

Jessica= ($b)4 = $56

Sam= b = 56/4 = $14

Sam= $14, 14-7=$7

Andrew= c= $7

Jessica has $56

Matthew has $28
Sam has $14
Andrew has $7

4. See the OGAP Framework OGAP Multiplicative Frameworks

for examples of the Open-Area and Partial Products Methods. Show your work.

Solve 29 x 75 using:
a. Open-Area Model

i.

b. Partial Products Method

i.

c. Another Method (Distributive)

 i.

5. Review the materials in the tab in the EL 424 Blackboard labeled, “edTPA Manual and Info.” In your
own words, what is required for each of the edTPA Tasks for your major? You may also want to search the
internet for this information. Please be specific (about 3 or so paragraphs). This resource may also be helpful:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1kAziTMYrUziIhoSuja1I91mqtbrOb5eQUGAsxIzGS5A/edit?usp=sharing

An elementary education major is required to complete four detailed tasks when completing the edTPA
portfolio. The four tasks are broken into literacy planning, literacy instruction, literacy assessment, and
mathematics assessment. Literacy planning is when the teacher candidate is planning for her literacy
instruction and assessment. The teacher candidate should take different things into consideration when
planning her instruction and assessment. Things to consider would be how will students build on each other to
develop their understanding, how will the teaching candidate use the student’s knowledge to support their
learning, and how does the teacher candidate use this knowledge to support her instructional decisions? The
teaching candidate must also consider how she will support language demands associated with the learning
tasks and informal and formal assessments that will be used to monitor the students progress or working
during the learning objectives.
 During the second task, the teaching candidate will focus on instructing and engaging the students in
literacy learning. She will consider how she can provide the students with a safe space for learning
engagement. Students will need to be actively engaged in learning. How will the teaching candidate promote
student’s thinking and understanding? Students should be applying essential literacy strategies, like
comprehension, so the teacher candidate should consider how she will help students practice and apply this.
And importantly, decide how she will use evidence to change her instruction based on students varying needs.
The third task is on assessing students during literacy learning. It is not only important to determine how
students will be assessed, but how will the teaching candidate analyze the findings from the assessment. The
teaching candidate should consider what type of feedback to provide to the students and then provide
opportunities for the students to use this feedback to further their learning. Something to consider during this
task is how will the feedback effect future instruction.
Lastly, during task 4, the teaching candidate will be looking at elementary mathematics assessment.
First, she should examine patterns of the students learning in mathematics. The teaching candidate should be
able to analyze the students’ errors and confusion. Something she should consider is how she will use these
findings to further promote student learning in mathematics.

6.For this item, you will evaluate a sample edTPA Mathematics Assessment Commentary. You will use
the Rubrics 16, 17, and 18 found in the edTPA Manual to evaluate this sample. These are the same rubrics
and evaluator will use to evaluate your Task 4 during your internship (student teaching). You can view the
manual in our Blackboard container within the tab labeled edTPA Manual. The information can be accessed:

-Click on the Blackboard button in EL 424 labeled, "edTPA Manual."

-Click on the edTPA Manual.
-Clicking on pages 48-50 of the edTPA Manual to view the Math Task 4 Rubrics.

Click on the following link to evaluate this sample submission:

https://www.mtsu.edu/education/ncate/standard1/1.4.f.1_Example_Assessment_of_Student_Learning_edTPA
_Elem_Math.pdf
Part I: If you were evaluating this submission using Rubric 16…
a. What score would you assign?
i. I would score this submission at Level 4.
b. Defend your reasoning in detail.
i. I was able to score this candidate’s submission at level 4 because she did a great job
of showing the whole class understanding. While she did not go into as much detail of
the whole class as she did the three sample students, she still provided data in the use
of her chart and further explanations throughout the submission. Later in the
submission, she discussed how her data from the whole group understandings will
impact her further lessons. She broke down the whole class into three groups based on
their conceptual and procedural understandings and is planning to adapt her future
lessons according to this.
Part II: If you were evaluating this submission using Rubric 17…
c. What score would you assign?
i. I would score this submission at Level 5.
d. Defend your reasoning in detail.
i. I was able to score this candidate’s submission at level 5 because she was able to find
patterns and misconceptions on her sample students’ assessments. She not only was
able to determine patterns in errors, but she also backed her reasoning for these
errors. She followed up with her students on issues with incorrect answers to
determine if the student was having procedural or conceptual understanding problems.
She was able to determine that some students only got questions incorrect because
they miscounted, therefore, making the answer choices skewed. If a student answered
the question correctly, marking the correct greater or less than number, even if the
numbers were incorrect, she counted that answer as correct. I thought that was a great
idea because that shows understandings on the students’ behalf.
Part III: If you were evaluating this submission using Rubric 18…
e. What score would you assign?
i. I would score this submission at Level 5.
 f. Defend your reasoning in detail.
i. I was able to score this candidate’s submission at level 5 because this candidate took
all of her students’ assessments into account when planning future lessons. She used
the data taken from this lesson and was able to make a plan for future lessons. From
the assessment results, this candidate has decided to break the students up into three
groups. The three groups will be the students who got 8/8 questions correct, the
students who got 7/8 questions correct, and the students who got 4/8-6/8 questions
correct. The 8/8 group will be able to move on to the next skill. The teaching candidate
does not feel that these students need continued review in this area, based on
observations and this assessment. The 7/8 group will receive an additional day or so
on this topic. The candidate does not feel as though this assessment results warrants a
reteaching. The 4/6-6/8 group will receive additional support receiving more guided
practice and use of manipulatives.

7. An error analysis is a diagnostic assessment. Think of it as a situation where you are diagnosing or
determining what the problem is, much like a physician would do in a health situation. As a teacher, you will
need to “diagnose” what errors students are making and why they are making these errors. After that,
you need to determine a course of action. In this example below, notice that a student completes a test with
the following math problems done incorrectly: 1/4 + 2/4 = 3/8; ½ + ½ = 2/4; 3/6 + 2/6 =5/12

a. What does the error “tell” you about the student's understanding?
I. The error tells me that the student has an understanding of addition but does not have full
understanding of adding fractions with different denominators. This is shown by the
student adding 1+2= 3 and 4+4=8 for the incorrect solution of 3/8. The correct solution
would be ¾. The student made the same error in the other 2 problems.
c. Choose an objective from the Alabama Course of Study: Mathematics based on this student's struggle.
I. M.AAS.3.15c Use models of fourths and halves to make a whole.
c. Describe how you will intervene and re-engage the student in a lesson to understand the concept. Use
references to specific manipulatives.
II. The way I would intervene is by having this student come to my small group table. I
happen to know that this student is a kinesthetic learner and will use this to my advantage
during this intervention. I have a container of play-doh and a play-doh pizza cutter. We will
look at the problem together. “1/4+2/4.. What would be your first step in solving this?” I will
listen to the student’s reasoning on their solution. The student would explain her
reasoning. I would ask the student to get the container of the play out and form it into a
ball. I would then ask her to smoosh the ball down, forming a flat circle. I want to make
sure that I am using academic language, but I am also going to be guiding the student. I
will ask, “Do you know which number is the denominator?” She replies no. I will explain to
the student the difference between the numerator and the denominator. “The numerator is
the number on top. It tells us the number of parts in a fraction. The denominator is the
bottom number and it tells us the number of parts in the whole thing!” I turn our attention
to the play-doh smooshed circle. “We need to figure out how many pieces we need to cut
this into. Remember, we are looking at the whole thing right now. Did we say the
numerator or the denominator tells us the number in the whole thing?” She answers
denominator. “Oh yeah! Great job! What is the number of the denominator?” She answers
4. “Okay, awesome. Let’s cut this circle into 4 equal pieces the best that we can. The
student then cuts the play-doh, forming 4 equal pieces to the circle. I ask her to separate
the pieces so they all look like individual pieces. “Lets add our numerators and as we are
adding them, lets put the pieces back together.” The student adds 1+2 and pushes
together 3 of the pieces. It is obvious now that there is only 1 piece that is missing. This
has helped this student to visualize why we do not add the denominator in our fractions.
We continue doing this guided review for multiple problems. She corrects her problems
she got wrong as we work through them.
III. Source: 15 Ways To Learn Fractions, Decimals and Percentages - Creating A Learning Environment

For questions 8, 9, and 10:

Open up the pdf titled “Mathematics: Identifying and Addressing Student Errors” by clicking here:
https://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/wp-content/uploads/pdf_case_studies/ics_matherr.pdf

8. Review the case study of “Dalton Age 12, 7th Grade” on pages 18 and 19.
a. Identify the student’s error.
i. By reviewing Dalton’s work, I was able to determine that Dalton is consistently putting the decimal
in the wrong spot. His answers were right as far as the process of multiplication is concerned,
however it appears that Dalton is “pulling” the decimal straight down, as would be done in addition
or subtraction. Dalton is not adding the numbers after the decimal to determine where the decimal
should be. For instance, on number 1, .78x9.6, Dalton should have counted 3 numbers that were
after the decimal in both numbers (7, 8, and 6) and then when he finished multiplying, he should
count 3 numbers over, starting from the right side, and then his answer would have been correct
as 7.488 instead of what he put which was 74.88.

b. Explain how you could re-engage and intervene to help the student using manipulatives.
i. To help Dalton get a better conceptual understanding of multiplying decimals, I have decided to
use a manipulative to give him a visual understanding of how multiplying decimals works. I have
reviewed his assignment with him, and we have discussed his errors. In a sheet protector, I have a
“Multiplying Decimals” worksheet. Dalton will have two different color expo markers. I will ask him
to write down the first problem. I will instruct him to use a different markers for each factor. The
problem is 0.6x0.9. Dalton writes 0.6 using the red expo marker and writes 0.9 using the blue expo
marker. I instruct him to start from the left side of the box and count 6 boxes over and draw a line.
After he draws a line, I instruct him to fill in the area where he started counting from to the line he
just drew. Then, we will do the same with the other factor, except instead of counting from left to
right, we will count from top to bottom. The boxes where the two colors combine, is a
representation of the answer. He counted the boxes and is able to determine that it is 6x9 which
equals 54. I remind him that multiplying decimals is different from adding and subtracting decimals.
To determine where the decimal should be in our solution, we must count how many numbers are
behind the decimal in both factors. He points to 6 and says “one” and points to 9 and says “two”. I
 ask him how many numbers will be behind the decimal, and he responds “2”. He writes at the
bottom “0.54”. We continue this method working through other examples. This is why the sheet
protector is so important, that way, he can just erase it and we can work on a new problem. I feel
like by doing this, this will help Dalton to visually see why the answer is 0.54 versus 5.4 which is
what he would have originally said the answer to this problem was.
ii. Example (Worksheets made by myself):

iii. Source: Where Ms. Green's Math Grows!: Multiplying Decimals with Models....Oh How I Love Sheet Protectors!
(wheremsgreensmathgrows.blogspot.com)

c. Choose an objective from https://www.alabamaachieves.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/2019-

Alabama-Mathematics-COS-Rev.-6-2021.pdf based on this student's struggle.
i. While I know this student is in the 7th grade, the objective I chose was from the 5th grade content
standards because of his struggles.
ii. [MA2019] (5) 8. Add, subtract, multiply, and divide decimals to hundredths using strategies based
on place value, properties of operations, and/or the relationships between addition/subtraction and
multiplication/division; relate the strategy to a written method, and explain the reasoning used.
9. Review the case study of “Shayla Age 10, 5th Grade” on pages 22 and 23 .
a. Identify the student’s error.
I. After reviewing Shayla’s assignment, I was able to determine that Shayla got 10 out of 13
questions correct. The 3 questions that she got wrong was the word problems, and each of the
word problems required subtraction. While reviewing the upper part of the assignment, I can
determine that Shayla does have understanding of how to add and subtract fractions with unlike
denominators. She does know how to convert fractions correctly. However, when doing the word
problems, she is missing key words that would help clue her in that the problem would actually be
a subtraction problem, not addition. Had those problems been addition problems, she would have
got the problems correct because her mathematical understandings of these problems are correct.

b. Explain how you could re-engage and intervene to help the student using manipulatives.
(see pages 14-17 for intervention ideas).
I. Since Shayla understands how to convert fractions and add and subtract fractions, I will not review
this area with her. Instead, I will draw her attention to the 3 problems that she got wrong. For this
intervention, we will be using math blocks. Our conversation would look something like this:
Me: Let’s take a look at the first problem you got incorrect, Shayla.
**We look at the problem and I ask her to read the problem aloud.
Shayla: Liam’s mother had 2 pies. One was chocolate and one was lemon. She gave Liam ½ of
the lemon pie and she gave his brother ¼ of the chocolate pie. How much more pie did she give
Liam?
Me: Okay, so what exactly is this question asking us?
Shayla: The question is asking how much more pie did she give Liam?
Me: Okay, so let’s make our pies with these math blocks. Let’s make our lemon pie and our
chocolate pie. How many blocks should we have to make each pie?
**Because Shayla has understanding of converting fractions, she knows that each pie should have
4 pieces, or blocks. She understands that even though the lemon was referenced as ½ in the
problem, that can be converted to 2/4. Shayla counts out 4 yellow (lemon) blocks and 4 brown
(chocolate) blocks. We take an expo marker and write ¼ on each of the 8 blocks.
Me: Okay Shayla, so we have 4 blocks that represent ¼ piece of lemon pie and 4 blocks that
represent ¼ piece of chocolate pie. Now, let’s look at the problem again. The mom gave Liam ½ of
the lemon pie. Let’s give Liam ½ of the lemon pie.
**Shayla takes 2 yellow blocks and brings the towards her paper. The paper has 2 circles drew on
it. One circle is labeled Liam and the other circle is labeled Brother.
Me: The brother has ¼ of the chocolate pie. Let’s give the brother ¼ of the chocolate pie.
**Shayla takes 1 brown block at puts it in the Brother circle. Now we have the Liam circle with 2
yellow blocks and the Brother circle with 1 brown block.
Me: So, can you read to me again what the root of this word problem is?
Shayla: How much more pie did she give Liam?
Me: I want you to take a took at the answer you wrote here and tell me if you can see what you did
wrong.
**Shayla looks at her paper and reads ¾ as her answer.
Shayla: I guess I added the fractions
Me: Yes, you did! And you did add them correctly which is great. However, it just was not what the
problem was asking. Now, by looking at these blocks in their circles, can you tell me how much
more pie Liam had than his brother?
Shayla: ¼

I would continue to work through the other two problems with Shayla. I will discuss with her the
importance of really paying attention to what the root of a word problem is asking. By using this
manipulative, it will better demonstrate to Shayla the importance of strategies and procedures
when solving problems.
c. Choose an objective from https://www.alabamaachieves.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/2019-Alabama-
Mathematics-COS-Rev.-6-2021.pdf
based on this student's struggle (indicate the objective number i.e. M. 1.3.5).
I. [MA2019] (5) 10 : Add and subtract fractions and mixed numbers with unlike denominators,
using fraction equivalence to calculate a sum or difference of fractions or mixed numbers
with like denominators.

10. Review the case study of “Wyatt Age 12, 6th Grade” on pages 26 and 27.
a. Identify the student’s error.
I. After reviewing Wyatt’s assignment, I am able to determine that Wyatt is not consistently
multiplying fractions correctly. He is doing it correctly more than half of the time; however, we need
to have him doing it correct majority of the time. It seems as though that on the questions he got
wrong, he is making the same error. For instance, on problem number 2, the questions is 1/3 x 2/3.
Instead of Wyatt multiplying 1x2=2 and 3x3=9, he did not multiply the denominators. He kept the
same denominator, 3. He was consistently making that error.

b. Explain how you could re-engage and intervene to help the student using manipulatives.
(see pages 14-17 for intervention ideas).
I. Because Wyatt is sometimes solving the answer correctly, it is apparent that he has
procedural understanding, but he is not performing consistently on his problems. To provide
intervention for Wyatt, I want to provide guided practice to him. This guided practice will be
him working on some similar problems and defending his reasoning to me. When Wyatt
makes an error like he did on the assignment, I will have him explain his answer to me. I will
have Wyatt do this in hopes that during his explanation, he will recognize his mistakes. I feel
like providing repeated practice in this area, will help Wyatt to perform consistently and solve
the problems correctly majority of the time. I will emphasize the importance of going back
and checking your work. On the next several future assignments, I want Wyatt to explain his
 reasoning in his head when he is double checking his work, as if he was explaining the work
to me.

c. Choose an objective from https://www.alabamaachieves.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/2019-Alabama-

Mathematics-COS-Rev.-6-2021.pdf
based on this student's struggle
(indicate the objective number i.e. M. 1.3.5).
II. [MA2019] (5) 10 : Add and subtract fractions and mixed numbers with unlike denominators,
using fraction equivalence to calculate a sum or difference of fractions or mixed numbers
with like denominators.