Essay Items

Use the following information for items 34-37.

Celena Ramos, a math teacher, prepares the following lesson plan and writes it in her plan book:

1.Multiplying fractions

2. Understand multiplication of fractions:

Multiply fractions accurately

Explain why multiplying two fractions results in a smaller fraction

3. Fold papers

4. Derive rule for multiplication

5. Have students solve problems on p. 115

“What is this?” Cal Wygart, one of Celena’s friends and colleagues asks, pointing to the note about folding papers in the book.

“Oh, I have them fold papers into thirds, we write the fraction on the board, and then I have them take a half of the third, write it again, and they see that one-half of one-third is one-sixth, and then I fold the papers into some other fractions. They see a pattern, and we derive the rule for multiplying fractions.  Then I have them practice, and on their tests they have to solve problems like those.”

“Why don’t you just show them on the board instead of messing with folding papers?” Cal asks.

“I’ve done that, and they just memorize the rule,” Celena responds. “They don’t really get it.”

34.Identify the objective in Celena’s lesson plan. Did she more nearly following Mager’s plan for writing objectives, or did she more nearly follow Gronlund’s plan for writing objectives? Explain.

35.Identify the part of Celena’s plan that most closely relates to preparing and organizing learning activities.

36.Identify the part of Celena’s plan that most closely relates to planning for assessment.

37.Classify Celena’s objective—understand why multiplication of two fractions results in a smaller fraction—into one of the cells of the cognitive taxonomy table, and explain your classification.

38.As he prepares lesson plans, Ben Davis always begins with a specific objective, such as, “Students will understand and be able to identify examples of ratios in their day-to-day experience.” He then writes, “Have students describe the ratio of girls to boys in the class. Have them describe the ratio of boys to girls. Have them identify some additional personalized examples.”

Ben then conducts his lesson, during which several examples of ratios are discussed and explained. On Friday he gives the students a quiz, and the following is one of the items on the

quiz.

You’re riding your bike along a bike path in your neighborhood, and you meet 6 people jogging, 8 people walking, and 5 people on bicycles. Counting yourself, what is the ratio of people on bikes to

people on foot? Explain your answer in one or two sentences.

Was Ben’s instruction aligned? Explain why it was or why it was not?

Items 39 and 40 are related.

39.You want students to be able to identify adjectives and adverbs in written products. Prepare a task analysis that will help you meet your objective.

40.Prepare an assessment that will appropriately measure the extent to which the students have met your objective.