Decisions, Decisions!

Lesson Content

• Lesson Plan Template:

  Model Eliciting Activity (MEA)

• Formative Assessment

  
  

  Readiness Questions (see the Readiness questions section) can be used as formative assessment. Readiness questions will indicate whether the students understand the problem and the problem context. The readiness questions are asked of students after they read the client letters (see Reading Passage 1 & 2). The teacher can ask the class to respond to these questions and ensure understanding before students begin working with the data.

  Guiding/Reflective Questions (See Guiding/Reflective questions section) can be asked during the lesson to ensure students are working in the correct direction and allow the teacher explain or make any changes necessary as the lesson progresses.

• Feedback to Students

  
  

  Students will receive continuous feedback. Teachers will ask Readiness Questions to ensure students are prepared to begin the problem. Students will receive feedback, before beginning the problem, in the form of a teacher led discussion. Teacher will discuss correct answers and field any questions which may arise. Teachers will circulate during the problem to answer questions and give feedback. Feedback will be given after completing the problem in the form of a final grade.

• Summative Assessment

  
  

  Upon completion of the MEA teachers will assess the degree to which students fulfilled requirements and satisfied aligned standards using the Rubric provided.

  MEA Rubric

• Learning Objectives

  
  

  Students will:

  • use tables, graphs and models to represent, analyze and solve real word problems.
  • summarize numerical data sets.
  • write clearly and logically to support claims.
  • demonstrate command of the English language.

• Prior Knowledge

  
  

  Students will need to know:

  • how to read a line graph.
  • the concept of negative and positive numbers.
  • basic mathematical calculations (multiplication, division, addition, and subtraction).

• Instructional Suggestions

  
  

  Day 1

  1. Teachers will divide the classroom into groups of four and encourage students to name their teams.
  2. Next, teachers should hand out Reading Passage 1 and give students time to read it. (This passage could also be read to the students if deemed necessary, 900L) Upon completing the supplemental and first passages, teachers will lead a question and answer session. Teachers will ask the Readiness questions to assess student understanding of the problem.
  3. Next students will be provided with Data Set 1. Teachers will give students time to review the data and then ask the Comprehension/Readiness questions to ensure they are prepared to begin constructing their model.
  4. Students will work together to design a method for determining optimal stocks. Students will construct a letter detailing their rankings and method of determining their optimal stocks to the client. (Every detail of the method developed should be included in the response letter. For example, how students determined the importance of each category.) Teachers should circulate through the classroom and ask Guiding/Reflective questions to ensure students are working efficiently and effectively. (A sample letter has been included in the Accommodations sections for students with special needs. The sample letter should only be provided if needed and after students have attempted to write the letter on their own.)
  5. (Optional) Upon the class's completion of the letter, one member of each group will read their letter aloud. The teacher will lead a talk discussing the positives and negatives of each solution.
  6. Each group should turn in response letter 1.

  Day 2

  1. Teachers will re-divided students into their groups (These should be the same groups as were previously used).
  2. The students will then receive Reading Passage 2 (850L). After sufficient time has passed teachers will ask Readiness Questions, answering any questions that arise.
  3. Next students will be provided Data Set 2. Teachers will give students time to review the data and then ask the Comprehension/Readiness questions to ensure students are prepared to begin reconstructing their model. Students should test their method to see if it holds with the new data.
  4. Teachers should circulate through the classroom and ask Guiding/Reflective 2 questions to ensure students are working efficiently and effectively with the 'twist'.
  5. Students should complete their second response letter detailing their method for determining the optimal stocks and a ranking of top stocks. Students should include information on how and why their method changed. If the method did not change, students should explain why no change was needed.
  6. Students should turn in response letter 2.
  7. (Optional) After the groups have completed their ranking and a pizza has been selected, a classroom discussions should follow. Teachers should discuss how models changed, as well as, the strengths and weaknesses of each model.

• Guiding/reflective Questions

  
  
  1. Why do you think that?
  2. How do you know if you have an answer to the problem?
  3. Would your solution work in a different situation?
  4. What are the most important things to consider in your procedure?
  5. What are the strengths and weaknesses of each?
  6. Do you agree or disagree with your classmates' ideas? Why or why not?

• Reading Passage 1

  
  

  Reading Passage One

• Readiness Questions

  
  
  1. What is the problem? (Miguel needs help choosing which stocks to invest in.)
  2. Who is the client? (Evon Monroe, CEO Poor Man, Rich Man)
  3. What is the client asking your team to do? (Choose three 'best' stocks for Miguel to purchase.)
  4. What things do you need to include in your solution? (Selection and ranking of top three stocks, number of shares purchased per stock, and method/explanation of selection.)
  5. Do you think there is more than one correct answer to what the client is asking? Why or why not? (Yes)

• Data Set 1

  
  

  Data Set 1

• Letter Template 1

  
  

  (See Accommodations)

• Comprehension/readiness questions

  
  
  1. Are all stock options equally valued? (Likely no. Value will be dependent upon student interpretation.)
  2. If no, which category is most important? (This, again, is dependent upon student interpretation.)
  3. How will stock purchases be divided? (This is up to the student. Three separate stocks must be purchased, but no requirement was made as to stock volume.)

• Reading Passage 2

  
  

  Reading Passage Two

• Data Set 2

  
  

  Data Set 2

• Letter Template 2

  
  

  (See Accommodations)

• Reflection question 2

  
  
  1. Does the new method of expressing stock value change your choices? (Likely yes.)
  2. Does the requirement to purchase at least 125 shares of each stock change which stocks are available? (Yes, this limits/removes certain combinations of stocks.)