Helping the Shoemaker: ESL Math Lesson Plan

TESOL Lesson Plan: Standard 3: 4/5 Grade Cluster
“Helping the Shoemaker”
by Elizabeth Dowling

Proficiency level
_____ Beginning ___√__ Intermediate _____ Advanced

Grade level
Grades 4/5 Multiage ESL Math Class

Skills

Please check all that apply and mention related sub skills

__√___Listening: Following directions, listening to classmates.
__√___Speaking: Use sequential language to outline steps to solve everyday problems, and share with a partner. Discuss procedures, share findings using new content vocabulary.
__√___Reading: Read results, Information sheets (reading to learn).
__√___Writing: Organize, display, and describe information in graphs, tables, or charts. Related sub skills: Write measurement results, fill-in graph, mean median, mode, and range calculations. Write definitions.
__√___Content Vocabulary: Fill-in or paste content vocabulary words in math journals. Draw a picture cue and definition for each word.

Subject area
Mathematics; Sheltered Content English

Objectives (Attachment A)
TESOL Standard 3: English language learners communicate information, ideas, and concepts necessary for academic success in the area of mathematics.

Virginia Grades 4/5 Mathematics Standards of Learning: Measurement 4.11/5.11; Number and Number Sense 5.1; Probability and Statistics 4.19, 4.20, 5.18, 5.19

Duration:
One 1.5 hour Math Academy Class or Two 50 Minute Classes

Materials and Technology
Whiteboard or Chalkboard for demonstration, Clip Boards, Paper, pencils, colored pencils (optional), ruler, yardsticks, measuring tape, measuring cup, graduated cylinder, scale, (any materials for measurement), graph paper for each student, and calculators. Math Journals, scissors, glue stick.

New Content Vocabulary (Attachment B)
Yardstick, ruler, measuring tape, scale, graduated cylinder, measuring cup, inch, inches, 1/2 (one half inch), horizontal, vertical, mean, median, mode, and range

Procedure
• Anticipatory Set: Read the Shoemaker and the Elves fairytale. Any version will suffice provided there are illustrations.

Introduction:
Tell the students we are pretending a new shoe store will be opening in town and the owner is a shoemaker who creates custom shoes. He only needs the measurement of a current shoe to the nearest 1/2-inch to prepare his special type of shoes.
The shoemaker has asked the class to create a chart so he can answer the following questions:
How many shoes of each size should he make?
What is the average size shoe? (So he can plan for future orders)
What is the exact middle size? (He wants to make a sample for display).
Which size is most common?

Problem Solving:
• Show the students various measurement tools. Display the tools (yardstick, ruler, measuring tape, scale, graduated cylinder, measuring cup) and label the tools with vocabulary. Ask the students which types of measurement tools will be helpful in measuring the length of student’s shoes in inches?
• Students will share ideas and answers.
• The class will decide, with the teacher’s assistance, the ruler, yardstick, or measuring tape will work.

Procedure:
• Give students clipboards with paper and pencil.
• Students use selected tools to measure the bottom of each other’s feet from heel to toe (longest point in center of shoe).
• Students discuss and decide how they will measure each other’s feet (with shoes on). Will they step on a ruler? Will they hold a ruler up to a foot?
• Instruct students to note measurements to the nearest 1/2-inch on their papers.
• Allow students to move about the room completing measurements.
• The teacher will also measure to create an accurate list.
• When students have finished ask them to return to their desks.
• The teacher notes correct measurements on the board.  (Review vocabulary: inch, 1/2 inch)
• Re-measure any discrepancies- encourage discussion of differences.

Instruction I:
• Teacher distributes Frequency Charts (sample Attachment C)
• Teacher will demonstrate the creation of a frequency graph noting the measurements are on the horizontal/x axis and the frequency is shown in blocks going up the vertical/y axis. Teacher will show one or two blocks for students who need additional clarification. (Review vocabulary: vertical, horizontal)

Production:
• The students will create a frequency (tally) chart by filling in a block for each student’s shoe measurement (to the 1/2 inch).
• Students may use colored pencils.

Instruction II:
• Teacher will explain the concepts of Mean, Median, and Mode. (Distribute mean, median, and mode, range vocabulary sheet Attachment D).

Sample method of teaching Mean/Median/Mode/Range:
Mean/Average: Have students list each number. Remind them to list each measurement even if it occurs more than once. Then instruct students to divide the total inches by the amount of shoes measured. This will give the shoe storeowner the “average” size shoe.

Median: The shoe storeowner wants to display a shoe that is not too big, and not too small. List the sizes measured and find out which one is exactly in the middle. (Mark off method works best. May have to divide to “middle numbers” for true median).

Mode: Which size shoe will the storeowner need the most of? We can look at our frequency chart and determine what the mode, or most frequent size shoe will be.

Range: How many different sizes will the storeowner need overall? What is the range of the shoe sizes for our class? We will subtract the lowest size from the largest size to find the range.

Mean, Median, Mode, and Range Calculation Activity
• Teacher will demonstrate how the charts will help determine the mean, median, and mode, and range.
• Teacher will demonstrate calculator use as needed.
• Teacher will monitor student comprehension and progress.
• Students will work in pairs to determine mean, median, and mode of data collected.
• Students will write final mean, median, mode, and range findings on the chart.

Math Journal Activity
• Students will write or paste new vocabulary words into math journals. Picture clues will be drawn as well as brief definitions. (e.g. Mean=average add up all numbers and divide /).

Assessment  (Attachment E)
• Teacher will monitor speaking for use of content vocabulary in conversations.
• Teacher will use completed frequency charts for student grading.
• Math Journals will be collected for review/grading on a weekly basis.

Extension or Follow up
• In pairs, students may write a letter to the “shoemaker” explaining the results.
• Students may survey favorite color choices and repeat process.
• Students may create a similar chart based upon hand measurements for new mittens repeating above steps and measuring from base of palm to tip of middle fingers.
• Change to “soup” or “hot chocolate” for liquid units of measure.

References
Pre-K-12 English language proficiency standards.  (2006). Alexandria, Virginia: Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages Inc.

Useful links
Virginia Standards of Learning: http://www.pen.k12.va.us/VDOE/Superintendent/Sols/home.shtml
TESOL Lesson Plan Template:
http://www.tesol.org/s_tesol/trc_genform.asp?CID=1253&DID=7561
Shoemaker and the Elves Resources
http://www.shoemakerandtheelves.com/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/stories/colour/elvesshoemaker.shtml