Iesha Baldacchino

Maths Assignment 2

Unit Planner for Learning in Mathematics

Learner context
Topic Focus: Counting on

Level of schooling: Year 1/2

School and class context: This unit is designed for the year 1/2 class at Seaton Park Primary. In the class,
there are 22 students. 10 students are female and 12 students are male. There is an age range of 5-year-
old students to 8-year-old students together in the class. Most of the class is made up of year 1 students.
However, there are varying levels of abilities and skill among the class. There are five EAL students in the
classroom, two of them have exceptional written and verbal communication. The other two are at an average
level of written and verbal communication. There are Middle Eastern, African, Asian, Aboriginal Australian
and Australian cultures in the classroom.

My mentor teacher has mentioned that a lot of students in her class struggle during maths. She tries to make
maths interactive and fun to foster the students engagement during math learning time. This term we will be
focusing on the basic number operations (addition and subtraction). My mentor has asked we step back a
bit and rehash the basics learned during the end of term 1 to reinforce the concepts and skills that were
developed.

As my class is year 1/2 combined, I have planned with both year levels in mind. This unit is ready to modify
at any point. The unit contains several math activities that are hands-on and allow students to collaborate
and communicate with each other. It gives them opportunity to move around the space and experiment with
different strategies and ideas.

What is the learning focus?

Concept(s): Thinking and Working Mathematically:
Problem solving
Counting Strategies
Fluency
Number Representation
Understanding
Number operation (addition)

How will the students engage with this learning? (Provide here an outline of five sequential learning experience
using any of the given structures from the Maths/Science learning cycle or the 5Es model)

Prior Knowledge/Engagement Learning Experience (s):

Teacher Focus Activity Resources/organisation

Aim: Representing number: Organisation:

To harness students existing Begin this activity by gathering the Allow up to 25 minutes to introduce,
number knowledge prior to the class to the group meeting space. Get explain and answer any questions the
upcoming unit focusing on the ABC Splash page up on the board. students have before commencing the
number. Play the short clip: Cool ways to count activity.
6-10.
Learning Intentions: Allow 5 minutes for students to set up
Students demonstrate their When the clip is finished. Ask the their desk space and grab any materials
existing knowledge of number students to spend about 5 minutes they need to use during the activity.
thinking about the different ways
Recognise, model, read, write Doddly and Finn represented the Allow 20 minutes for the students to work
and order numbers to at least numbers. Once they students have through the activity.
100. Locate these numbers on a had time to think and discuss with a
number line (ACMNA013) partner, begin to brainstorm their ideas Allow 10 minutes for the students to come
as a class on the board. back as class and discuss how they
Represent and solve simple represented their number.
addition and subtraction problems
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Maths Assignment 2

using a range of strategies Once the students have brainstormed Approx. 60 minute duration
including counting on, partitioning their ideas, make sure you have
and rearranging parts covered all the aspects of Resources:
(ACMNA015) representation used in the clip. What http://splash.abc.net.au/home#!/
other ways can the students think of? media/29583/
Unifix cubes
These will be used as helpful hints Number charts (see appendix 1)
when the students go back to their Counters
desks and start their activity. Grid paper
After the students identify the
mathematics used to represent the
numbers in the clip, ask the students to
pick a number from 10-20. Using their
maths scrapbooks, ask the students to
demonstrate the various ways they can
represent the number they have
chosen.

Set out number charts, unifix cubes,

counters and any other helpful tools to
assist the students in their
investigation.

As the students work through this

activity, make yourself available to
them as you move around the
classroom. Observe the strategies the
students use to represent their
number, help students when its
needed and provide positive and
constructive feedback.

After 20 minutes, ask the students to

come back to the group space and
report back on what number they
chose and an example of a way they
represented the number.

Exploratory /Explore & Explain Learning Experiences:

Teacher Focus Activity Resources/Organisation

Aim: Investigating counting on: Organisation:

For students to explore and explain Lay out a large number line (1-20) Allow 15 minutes for the number line
counting on. in the middle of the group meeting activity
space. Gather the class into a
Learning Intentions: circle around the number line. Ask Allow 15 minutes for brainstorming
Students explain their understanding a student to stand on a number.
of counting on For example, the number 6. Then Allow 5 minutes to debrief the session
ask the student to count on 2 from
Students engage in whole group where they are standing. Where Approx. 35-minute duration
discussion will they be standing now?
Resources:
Students question ideas and After a few rounds of counting on Large number line (see appendix
challenge thinking the number line, ask the children 2)
to get back into the circle. Ask the Butchers paper
Students represent and solve simple students some questions to get Coloured textas
addition and subtraction problems them thinking about counting on:
using a range of strategies including When we are counting on,
counting on, partitioning and which way do we move
rearranging parts (ACMNA015) along the number line?

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Maths Assignment 2

Does this mean the

number is getting bigger
or smaller?
Is it more than the number
before or less?

As a group, brainstorm some

ideas about counting on. Create a
class concept map. Encourage
students to use technical
vocabulary and symbols.

Once the concept map has been

developed, have a 5 minute
debrief session with the class,
hashing over what has been
discussed during the lesson.

Display this concept map in the

classroom. Students can add to
the concept map as we progress
with the unit.

McAlpine, J 2015, Adding and

subtracting, 1st edn, Education
Services Australia, Canberra,
viewed 20 April 2017

Investigations /Problem solving/Elaboration Learning Experiences:

Teacher Focus Activity Resources/Organisation

Aim: Math Stations: Organisation:

For students to engage in a range of Set up 3 math stations in the Allow 10-15 minutes to explain each
hands-on activities that allow them to classroom. activity to the groups.
investigate and problem solve simple
addition problems. Ask the class to get into their Allow between 40-60 minutes for the
exploratory play groups (or 3 activities. This will depend on how the
Learning Intentions: groups). Each lesson, the groups class is coasting.
will be stationed at a different
Students will demonstrate a range of activity until each group has been Allow 5 minutes for debriefing.
problem solving strategies to every station.
Approx. 60-80-minute duration.
Students will work as part of group Explain the first activity to the first
and solitary group and send them to their Resources:
station. Unifix cubes
Students will represent and solve Small blocks
simple addition and subtraction Explain the second activity to the Pop sticks
problems using a range of strategies second group and send them to Counters
including counting on, partitioning and their station. Dry erase boards
rearranging parts (ACMNA015) Bingo cards (see appendix 3)
Explain the third activity to the third 6-sided dice
group and send them to their
12-sided dice
station. You may need to explain
the activity once more once the
groups are at their station.

Wander between each activity

observing the students as they
investigate and problem solve.
Take photographs of the students
engaged in the activities.

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Maths Assignment 2

At the end of the lesson, the class

will pack up the stations and meet
back at the meeting space. Briefly
discuss 1 thing the students liked
about the activity and 1 thing the
students were unsure of.

Station 1
Set up the table with a box of
counters, pop sticks and unifix
cubes. Students will grab a
handful of counters/pop
sticks/unifix cubes and drop some
on the table. How many did they
drop on the table? How many are
left in their hands? How many
altogether?

Students will record their findings

in their maths books. They can
represent these findings through
illustrations, written sums or
sentences.

Station 2
Set up 6-8 bingo cards with
numbers from 1-12 on the table.
Place 2 large dice in the middle of
the table. The students will take
turns rolling the dice, adding up
the two numbers using the
counting on method. Once they
have figured out the number, they
can cover it on their card with a
counter (if they have the number).

After each round, students can

swap cards. Keep a set of bingo
cards from 1-24 handy for
students who may need to
challenge themselves. They can
use a 12-sided dice rather than 6-
sided.

Station 3
Set up blocks or unifix cubes on
the group meeting space. This
group will use unifix cubes or
blocks to help them find the factors
of 10,15, 20 and 25. They will
record the factors in their maths
book. They will need to represent
these factors via written sums.
They may show methods of
working out in their scrapbooks or
on dry erase boards.

After views & reflection/ Evaluation Learning Experience:

Teacher Focus Activity Resources/Organisation

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Maths Assignment 2

Aim: Sum Swapping: Organisation:

For students to apply strategies they Gather the class on the group meeting Allow 10 minutes to open the activity.
have learned over the unit to their space. Have a quick discussion about
work and to demonstrate the skills what we have been working on in Allow 20 minutes for students to
they have practiced during the unit. maths the last two weeks. Does create their problems.
anyone have any ideas or thoughts to
Learning Intention: add to the concept map? If so, add Allow 30 minutes to complete the
Apply knowledge and skills used them to the map. After the discussion, problems.
previously to their work. partner the students up.
Allow 5 minutes to debrief.
Represent and solve simple addition Using the skills they have practiced
and subtraction problems using a and developed over the two weeks, Approx. 65-minute duration
range of strategies including counting ask the students to create their own
on, partitioning and rearranging parts problems on a blank work sheet. Each Resources:
(ACMNA015) student should come up with about 20 Blank work sheet (see
problems each. There should be no appendix 4)
numbers that exceed 50. Once they Unifix cubes
have completed their problems, the Counters
students will give these problems to Grid paper for working out
their partners to solve. Pop sticks
Number charts (see appendix
Set out a range of materials such as 1)
counters, number charts and unifix
cubes for the students to use if they
need.

Float around the classroom observing

students applying the skills and
strategies they have been practicing
over the last two weeks to their work.
Make notes of the strategies.

Once the students have finished

solving the problems, ask them to
hand you their sheet. When the
student hands you their sheet, ask
them if they used any methods to help
them work out the problems. If so what
where they? Did they use them for all
the problems? Make explicit note of
this.

As each student finishes, send them

back to their tables to work on quite
reading or drawing until the entire
class has finished.

When each student is finished, gather

back to the meeting space and
debrief. What was one thing you liked
about the activity, what was one thing
you found difficult? What could we
change next time?

How will you know what the students have learnt? (Assessment)
What will you How will you assess? When will you assess? & How will you What forms of
assess? Who leads the record your feedback will you
assessment? assessments? provide?

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Concept(s): Self-assessment/evaluation Self- All Written feedback

At the end of each lesson, students assessment/evaluation assessment Rubric
Counting have an opportunity to evaluate their This will be assessed at pieces will be Verbal feedback
strategies own learning and achievement. the end of every lesson. recorded as a
Number operation
Students will lead this hard copy.
(addition) assessment. Copies of the
work will be
Representation made to put
into their
Thinking and Formative assessment Formative assessment folios.
Working Throughout the unit, samples of This will be continually
Mathematically: students work will be collected and assessed throughout the
placed in their learning folios. These unit. The assessment will
Problem solving
samples will include the work be lead primarily by the
Fluency produced at the beginning of the unit educator. Students will
(representing the number of their have some
Understanding choice), the work produced during comments/input in their
the stations and the final piece of folio.
work produced in the last lesson. All
this work will be collated together
alongside educators observations
and annotations to create a
progressive assessment piece (see
appendix 5).

Summative assessment Summative

The summative assessment piece is assessment
made up of 2 parts: the folio as a This assessment will be
complete piece of assessment and conducted at the end of
a conference with the educator (see the unit as a summary of
appendix 6). During the conference, what has been learned
the educator will ask the student a throughout the last two
series of questions that will require weeks.
students to demonstrate their ability
to solve simple addition problems
using the mental strategies we have
been practicing over the course of
the unit. The educator ticks off each
question as it is answered correctly.
If it is not answered correctly it is left
blank. The educator comments on
the students progress over the
course of the unit.

Links with the ACARA Framework (Use this at least once, copy and paste more if required)
Strand: Number and Algebra Sub- Strand: Number and Place Value
Descriptor Achievement Standards Proficiencies (for General capability
Mathematics)

Recognise, model, read, By the end of year one, Understanding Numeracy

write and order numbers to students carry out simple Fluency Literacy
at least 100. Locate these additions and subtractions Problem-solving Critical and
numbers on a number line using counting strategies. creative thinking
(ACMNA013) They partition numbers
using place value.
Represent and solve
simple addition and By the end of year two,
subtraction problems students perform simple
using a range of strategies addition and subtraction
including counting on,
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Maths Assignment 2

partitioning and calculations using a range

rearranging parts of strategies
(ACMNA015)

Teacher Resources (What has informed your planning, background information, learning experiences, discussion of student
understanding?)

Numeracy in Early Childhood (Macmillan 2009) This resource was used to inform planning and
professional knowledge.

Mathematics Through Play in the Early Years (Tucker 2015) This resource provided a broad range of
activities that fostered number sense. This resource was used to inspire planning and professional
knowledge.

First Steps in Mathematics: Number (Department of Education 2013) This resource provided a range of
learning examples and ideas for planning in the classroom. This resource also contains extensive
background information and professional knowledge.

Adding and Subtracting (McAlpine 2014) Activities modified from this unit of work.

Student Resources (resources that engage students with the learning)

ABC Count us in: Cool ways to count 6-10 (Australian Broadcasting company 1999) Short video used to
unpack number representation and early number operations.

Bingo Card Pack 1-12 (Baldacchino 2017) see appendix 3

Bingo Card Pack 1-24 (Baldacchino 2017) see appendix 3

Blank work sheet (Baldacchino 2017) see appendix 4

Number line (Baldacchino 2017) see appendix 2

Number chart (Baldacchino 2017) See appendix 1

Teacher Evaluation (Reflection: How effective have you been? This can be left blank until after
implementation)

To consider:

What worked?

What didnt work?

Was it worth
learning? Why and
why not?
How were the skills
integrated into other
learning areas?
How was the learning
shared with others?

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Maths Assignment 2

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Maths Assignment 2

References

Australian Broadcasting Company 1999, ABC Count us in - cool ways to count 6 to 10, viewed 20 April
2017, <http://splash.abc.net.au/home#!/media/29583/>.

Department of Education Western Australia 2013, First steps in mathematics: number, Department of
Education, Western Australia.

Macmillan, A 2009, Numeracy in early childhood, 1st edn, Oxford University Press, Melbourne.

McAlpine, J 2015, Adding and subtracting, 1st edn, Education Services Australia, Canberra, viewed 20
April 2017,
<http://www.scootle.edu.au/ec/viewing/R11490/support_files/uw_003b_adding_and_subtracting.pdf>.

Tucker, K 2015, Mathematics Through Play in the Early Years, 3rd edn, Sage Publication, Los Angeles.

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Maths Assignment 2

Appendix 1

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40

41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50

51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60

61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70

71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80

81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90

91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100

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Maths Assignment 2

Appendix 2

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
19 20

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Maths Assignment 2

Appendix 3

5 12 3 11 2 9

4 10 7 8 5 6

9 12 3 10 6 9

2 5 7 3 4 11

8 12 3 12 7 2

4 10 9 6 11 4

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Maths Assignment 2

24 12 13 19 21 3

7 15 4 5 8 23

17 2 6 9 11 10

16 14 7 23 8 16
3 22 9 15 4 11
2 18 20 19 2 3

9 6 24 18 2 20

10 17 13 14 15 3

3 7 4 6 22 10

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Appendix 4

Name: Date:
Problem
Solvers

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Appendix 5

Student and teacher reflection on each formative piece of work. Each reflection is collated with the hard
copy activity and placed in the folio.

This activity was (you can choose more than one)

Easy Difficult Boring Fun Interesting

During this activity, I felt

Frustrated Okay
Confused Happy Sad
Student comments:

Teacher comments:

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Maths Assignment 2

Appendix 6

Part 1
I have 7 chickens on my farm, and joe has 10 on his. How many chickens do Joe and I have
altogether?

I have 12 apples and 4 bananas in my fruit bowl, how many pieces of fruit do I have altogether?

I used 14 blocks to build my tower and 8 to build the fence, how many blocks did I use
altogether?

*provide up to 30 counters for student to use if needed*

Part 2
Display 9 counters. How many more counter would I need to make 12?

Display 7 counters. How many more counters would I need to make 15?

Display 2 counters. How many more counter would I need to make 6?

Display 6 counters. How many more counters would I need to make 7?

*Provide up to 30 counters for students to use if needed*

Part 3
Can you tell me 2 numbers that make 15?

Can you tell me 2 numbers that make 6?

Can you tell me 2 numbers that make 20?

Can you tell me 2 numbers that make 13?

*provide up to 20 counters for students to use if needed?

Teachers comment:

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