Unit Planning
According to 'A Guide to Effective Instruction in Mathematics, Vol. One', a unit plan is "a series of lessons that build towards a conceptual understanding of the big idea(s) and key concepts in a single strand or several strands of mathematics." (p. 48). When planning for such a unit of study, it's helpful to begin at the end. This may sound confusing, but it makes perfect sense when you think about it. Much like a journey, it's easier to get somewhere if you know where you want to go. The above-cited document calls this type of planning "backwards design" or "design down" planning. With the end in mind, teachers can better plan for the journey to support their students in gaining the desired knowledge and skills.
Students' prior knowledge should be activated before embarking on new material. In addition to speaking with the previous year's teacher, this knowledge can be accessed through discussions and activities guided by a teacher's open-ended questions.
The series of lessons within a unit should be planned with attention paid to a natural progression of skills and content. Opportunities for students to engage in "shared, guided and independent mathematics" should be presented (p. 50). As students progress through the course of the unit, the teacher should be mindful of their true understanding of the concepts being focused on. Flexibility within lessons and units is integral to students' success; rather than plowing through the curriculum, teachers should ensure that students are gaining deep comprehension of the content.
Resource
A Guide to Effective Instruction in Mathematics, Kindergarten to Grade 6, Volume One: Foundations in Mathematics Instruction. Ministry of Education.
Students' prior knowledge should be activated before embarking on new material. In addition to speaking with the previous year's teacher, this knowledge can be accessed through discussions and activities guided by a teacher's open-ended questions.
The series of lessons within a unit should be planned with attention paid to a natural progression of skills and content. Opportunities for students to engage in "shared, guided and independent mathematics" should be presented (p. 50). As students progress through the course of the unit, the teacher should be mindful of their true understanding of the concepts being focused on. Flexibility within lessons and units is integral to students' success; rather than plowing through the curriculum, teachers should ensure that students are gaining deep comprehension of the content.
Resource
A Guide to Effective Instruction in Mathematics, Kindergarten to Grade 6, Volume One: Foundations in Mathematics Instruction. Ministry of Education.
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