Misty Vine

Kyle Razak

Math and Science Methods

Microteaching #1

I. Teacher Information

Title of Lesson: Jack-O-Liters

Topics: Math Process: communication, reasoning, connections, problem solving

Product: measurement

Science Process: constructing models, measuring, using numbers

Product: measuring

Student Level: 5th grade

Objectives: The students will demonstrate the ability to use a ruler for the purpose of measurement. They will measure different distances to make the different parts of a cube. They will then listen to instructions and create a cube that will become a jack-o-liter.

Materials: rulers (one for every student), orange, black and green construction paper, tape (one roll for each group of 3), scissors and pencils.

Prerequisite Skills: The students need to know what a cube is. They will need to know the formula for finding the volume of a cube (V= l x w x h). Finally the students will need to know how to measure centimeters using a ruler.

Time Required: 30-45 minutes

II. Teaching Procedures

Introduction: Explain to the students that a cube that is 10 cm on each side is a liter. The volume of a cube is V= l x w x h. If a cube is 10 cm on each side, the volume of the cube would be 10 cm x 10 cm x 10 cm. This would be 1000 cm cubed. One centimeter cubed is equal to one milliliter. Therefore, 1000 centimeters cubed is equal to one liter. A cube that is orange and 10 cm on each side with a jack-o-lantern face is a jack-o-liter.

Review: The teacher will ask the students what a cube is and how to find the volume of the cube. The students should know the answers to these questions because they are review questions.

Strategies:

1. Students will be placed in groups of 3. The students can pick their own groups.
2. Each group of students will receive 2 pieces of orange construction paper, one piece of black construction paper, a small piece of green paper, a roll of tape, a pair of scissors, and three rulers.
3. The students will first take the full sheets of orange paper and measure the midpoint of the long side of the paper, and then cut the paper in half. After cutting both the orange papers in half each member of the group gets one half piece of paper.
4. First, the students need to find the midpoint of the long side. After finding the midpoint, a line should be drawn down the middle. From the midpoint the students should mark ten centimeters to both sides. After finding and marking lines at ten centimeters on both sides of the midpoint, the remaining portion of the paper will be left as a tab.
5. Next the students will do the same with the small side. They will find the midpoint, measure 5 centimeters on both sides and draw a line. Again the remaining portion will be left as tabs.
6. The corners of each piece of paper need to be cut off.
7. The students need to label the parts of the cube as instructed. (Look at diagram on brown piece of paper).
8. They will then tape the cube together. (Read instructions on green paper).
9. The students can then cut out a face and stem using the black and green paper.
10. The face and stem can be glued to the cube.
11. The students now have a jack-o-liter.

    Conclusion: The students will have a summarizing class discussion about what they made and how they constructed them.

    Evaluation: The students' cubes will be compared with the model cube. Check the numbers on each side of the cube. The teacher will make sure that the student measured correctly and followed the instructions they were given.

    Extension: The students will find objects at home that are equal to one liter. The class will then compare the objects they brought to the liter cube that they made.

Resources: Tom Kuntzleman: http://www.lessonplanspage.com/ScienceMathVolume.htm