Practicum- Sharing a Lesson

I presented my first-ever lesson plan today, some fractions basics to a third-grade/fourth-grade combined class. My objective was to have students be able to define fraction and be able to accurately write a fraction. I started with a set asking them about pizza and thankgiving pie, which got their attention quickly. I drew a few common fraction pictures on the board, then asked if they knew that they personally also are fractions. I had them create their own index cards in which they are a fraction of their family (I limited it to who lived in the same house). We discussed vocabulary, and some drawing-and-answer on the white board, then I handed out a worksheet to write fractions and identify picture fractions.

I think the index card activity provided the students with a new way to consider fractions, and the white board segment went well. I spot-checked index cards at each step, then checked their index cards individually at the end for accuracy because the each were different, and reviewed worksheets at the end. Some students finished their worksheets quickly, and though somewhere in my head I knew I should have them doing a lesson extension, I was also working with the students who still were working, so that juggling was something I'll need to work on. I would do differently next time part of the whiteboard activity, because they way I was asking for information, at first students were using thumbs up/down in response but by the end they were blurting out answers. Again, classroom management on my part. I think next I will try the use of their individual white boards in similar activities as long as they aren't distracted drawing cutsie animals on them. The mini-whiteboards could be used as an additionsl formative assessment tool if I have them write answers on them. I also was surprised how long it took them to complete the index card activity, so there was a game I had to postpone until tomorrow.