SLO 4: Communication, Problem Solving, Reasoning, And Visualization

C. The 4 mathematical process identified for the SLO 4.SP.2 are communication (C), problem solving (PS), reasoning (R), and visualization (V). Communication is defined as students needing the opportunity to read about, represent, view, write about, listen to, and discuss mathematical ideas (Government of Manitoba, 2013). ‘Students must be able to communicate mathematical ideas in a variety of ways and contexts’ (Government of Manitoba, 2012). While making the pictograph, we had each student make their own pictograph based on their chosen rule, and then had each group explain the rule they chose. The students were able to represent and view the rule chosen with the fruits and vegetables placed on the pictograph. The students were able to discuss
The worksheet allowed the child to actively think about the bar graph, and make sense of the mathematic behind it. Questions such as ‘what are your values on the Y axis and why did you choose that interval?’ allow the child to think about what the interval is on the Y axis, and why they chose that interval to represent the data. The last mathematical process identified is visualization. Visualization is defined as ‘thinking in pictures and images and the ability to perceive, transform and recreate different aspects of the visual-spatial world’ (Government of Manitoba, 2013). Visualization was achieved by the students using the unifix cubes to build a tower, and then using that information to build the bar graph. The students were able to create the bar graph in their hands with the unifix cubes, allowing the students to actively be able to visualize the information before drawing it on the bar graph. The students were able to perceive and recreate the bar graph the unifix cubes represented, which allowed for the students to be able to achieve visual spatial
I would revise our pictograph, and bar graph activity several ways. This activity allowed me to have the chance to get up in front of the class, and try to teach my own lesson. With that, I made several errors, which I would consider valuable experiences for the future. The first error that I would revise is making sure that I had enough worksheet copies for each student. Unfortunately I was 1 worksheet short, which would have been quite problematic if that had happened in an actual grade 4 classroom. Running to the photocopy room would have wasted valuable class time, and so it was a valuable lesson to double check that I have enough work sheets for each student. A similar mistake made was miscounting the students in the room. We had split the class up into too many groups, which was an easy fix by dividing the students from one group into the other groups. This was a valuable lesson as well, always making sure to count and plan the groups of students accordingly. I would revise the activity by making sure that I have counted the groups to coordinate with the supplies I have available. From the feedback I was given, it was suggested that the slides from the PowerPoint match the activity we had planned. We included pumpkins in our pictograph slide, and it was suggested to use the fruits and vegetables we gave each child when they were to make their own pictograph. I think this is an excellent suggestion, as it would allow the child to visualize the PowerPoint pictograph