4 Shift Protocol Analysis
4 Shift Protocol Analysis
4 Shift Protocol Analysis
Introduction
This lesson is from the Grade 2 Unit 1 Bridges in Mathematics Curriculum. Bridges in
Mathematics is the chosen curriculum for math in grade two in Baltimore County public
Schools. This lesson is from Unit 1, Module 2, Session 1 and is titled “Getting to Know the
Number Rack”. The objective for this lesson is represent and create numbers in different ways
by examining and utilizing a number rack in order to use math tools strategically. In this lesson,
students build their own number racks. They will continue to use their number racks throughout
the remainder of Unit 1, or as needed. Each number rack has 10 red beads and 10 white beads
(see Appendix A for a visual). Students divide the beads into groups of 5 to be sure they have 5
white and 5 red on the top row and 5 white and 5 red on the bottom row. The process of building
their own number racks reinforces students’ number skills. These skills include one-to-one
correspondence, sorting, grouping, pattern recognition. This lesson allows the teacher to
informally assess the children individually on these early math skills that should be mastered in
first grade. After they assemble their number rack the teacher will pose thinking questions about
the students’ observations of the number rack. How many red beads do you see? How many
white? How many beads on the top and bottom row? How many in all? The children spend the
remainder of the lesson playing the game Show Me where they show a number on their number
rack. They are then challenged to show combinations of numbers 0 to 20 in multiple ways on
Higher order thinking allows for deeper learning to take place. Shifting to higher order
thinking means that students are more engaged in tasks of greater cognitive complexity. This
means they are being creative, critical thinking, problem-solving, collaborating, and
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communicating. This lesson is the building block that students need to continue to build their
number sense and begin problem solving on their own. By allowing students to make their own
number racks, it allows them to be creative. In building the number rack, they are able to explore
develop a deeper meaning of how to use the number rack. As they place their beads on the
number rack, they are counting and understanding that there are 10 beads on the top row, and 10
on the bottom, making 20 in all. These hands-on activities allow the students to build their
metacognition. Students show their unique ways to make combinations of various sums but
utilizing the top and bottom rows of the number rack. For example, one student may see 10 as 5
beads up top and 5 beads at the bottom, others may think that just pushing ten over on the top
row is the easiest way to make 10 (See Appendix B). Teachers can gather great informal data on
how quickly the students are able to show ten. Do they move beads over one by one? Are they
Students are given the opportunity to apply what they have learned about the number rack
to show combinations for a given sum. The children can use their number racks to write
combinations of 10 as an informal assessment at the end of the lesson. To guide the students in
their inquiry, the teacher can ask the students to slide over 9 beads on the top and then ask them
to slide beads over on the bottom to make 10. Students will see that 9+1=10 and record their first
combination of 10 on a piece of paper. While this part of the lesson is an extension, it is great
day to gather in order to proceed and allow the children to have meaningful learning.
Authentic Work
According to Deeper Learning Schools: 4 Big Shifts, authentic work means that students
are more engaged with and contribute to communities. Students begin fostering networks with
individuals and organizations. While my students on second grade level are not contributing to
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the community with this lesson, they are contributing to the classroom. They are sharing their
thoughts with each other allowing for peers to learn from each other. This lesson demonstrates
that student work is authentic and relates to others. In our adult minds, we naturally have
different ways at different paces. By fostering their learning using the number rack with colored
beads, we are allowing them to shift from counting one-by-one to automatically see numbers.
For example, if I say show me 7 on the number rack, they will soon begin to see 5+2=7. If they
know there are 5 red beads, they can shift over 5 automatically and then count on 2 more to make
7. Whereas some students may see 3+3+1=7. For the part of the lesson where we play Show Me,
students can share their thinking with a partner. This allows the children to learn from one
another, which takes an authentic role in learning. This lesson, as written, does not utilize any
technologies. However, the assessment for this specific unit does have both a written and a
digital assessment. The digital assessment reads the problems to the students and lets the children
Agency
that enable great student agency. I believe this lesson is highly student centered and allows the
students to take ownership and control of what, how, when, where, who with, and why they
learn. While the general lesson was teacher selected, curriculum based, the learning that takes
place comes from the students and their peers as they explore number relationships with their
number rack. This lesson allows a great amount of talk time. While the teacher guides the
students through the lesson by asking some prompting questions, the lesson moves to more
student centered where the students are talking to one another and answering inquiry-based
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questions. After they build their number rack independently, the teacher guides the students to
share what they notice. The teacher calls students up to demonstrate specifically how they
counted the beads. Students might share observations about the number of beads. For example,
“There are 5 red and 5 white which is ten, and if there is 10 on the top row and 10 on the bottom,
there are 20 in all.” Other students may still need to count he beads one-by-one. However, by
watching and hearing their peers count various numbers, learning is taking place. When you play
Show Me, have students share who the whole class their combinations. For example, if the
teacher says show me 8, some students may show 4 up top and 4 on the bottom. Others may
show 5 up top and 3 on the bottom. As they talk through these combinations, other students can
see their peers thinking process. This activity allows the students to take initiative and be self-
directed in their learning environment. Some students may be ready to share how many more. “If
I have 8 beads, how many more do I need to make 10?” The concept of how many more can be
very difficult for young children, but have a something physical in front of them to manipulate
and explore.
Technology
traditional learning that generally involves paper and pencil and instead incorporating a variety
of technology to help learning happen for students (2017). This lesson, as written done not
require technology. However, the Bridges curriculum does have many digital resources that are
very beneficial to learning. In the upcoming lessons after the number rack, students learn a new
workplace called “Make the Sum”. Students choose a sum and work with a partner to make that
sum. The first player draws 2 cards, if they can make the sum, they collect the two cards. Player
2 draws another card, they use the same pile to see if they can make the sum. The player with the
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most cards at the end wins. There is a digital optional available for this game that is highly
beneficial. Students can share a computer, pick a sum, and go to work (See Appendix C). This
lesson is a great extension to the initial “Getting to Know the Number Rack” lesson.
McLeod and Graber state, “we see many teachers using technology simply for
technology’s sake”. I believe that this lesson, as written, does not require technology. If I had the
students use the digital number rack as shown in Appendix A, I would be using technology for
technology’s sake. However, I do love to model using the digital number rack. It makes it easier
for the children to see as I model when it is presented on the large projector. While I have a large
number rack to model with, I do believe the digital one is easier for the children to see. I believe
that I could use the digital number rack in small group when I extend this lesson. The children
may be engaged with being able to use their computers and show me number combinations on
their digital number rack. This would also allow for me to have a better informal assessment as it
would be less likely that the children are looking at one another’s number rack. They would not
be able to see each other’s computer screens. I could also give the students choice in if they
would rather use the digital number rack or the physical one. This is creating even more student
choice.
Summary
In reviewing the 10 building blocks for schools of the future, I believe that this lesson, as
elements. Bridges is very project and inquiry based. Students participate in many workplaces,
which are similar to games, and work with each other to problem solve. When students are
working with each other they are sharing math strategies with each other. When they are
connecting to peers, learning is likely to take place. While there are many assessments that are
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given, students are also given a lot of time to explore on their own, allowing for learning
mastery. 1:1 computing initiatives is one of the building blocks. Students each have access to a
device. They are able to utilize the learning looks on their computers, as well as physical tools,
depending on what they need. There is an entire “Math Apps” page that the students and teachers
have access too. I will attach a few examples in Appendix D. This adaptive software facilitates
great individualization of learning content and pace. By utilizing these resources, the teacher can
Appendix A
Appendix B
Appendix C
If students want to make the sum of 10, they pick from the deck of 10 cards. This is an example of what it
would look like. As they draw cards they look for ways to make ten. On this screen, the students may see
that 4+3+3=10.
Appendix D
Running head: 4 Shift Protocol 10
References
AVID Center. (2020). AVID® / Closing the Opportunity Gap in Education.
McLeod & Shareski. (2017). Deeper learning schools: 4 big shifts. Dangerously
Irrelevant. http://dangerouslyirrelevant.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Scott-McLeod-
4-big-shifts.jpg
https://www.courant.com/opinion/op-ed/hc-op-barreca-no-sleep-with-all-this-worrying-0
217-20170216-column.html.