Model Unit - Grade 3 - Animals

Introduction

Using the theme Animals, this model unit demonstrates how mathematics can be integrated with other Required Areas of Study and shows methods of integrating within the five strands of the Mathematics Curriculum. The intent is to incorporate a variety of instructional methods and corresponding assessment techniques in order to accommodate varying student learning styles. It is appropriate to teach this unit at any time during the school year.

This unit is not meant to be prescriptive. You should adapt it to meet the needs of your students and yourself.

The unit consists of four parts:

a) Integrated Unit Web: This is intended to be used for assisting you in brainstorming activities, ideas, and materials which can be integrated with the Mathematics strands and other Required Areas of Study. This is an overview and is also meant for assisting you in developing the Planning Instrument. Only some of the Mathematics ideas in the Web are developed in the unit. The Common Essential Learning checklist indicates the number of activities which support each C.E.L.

b) Planning Instrument: This is intended as an organizer to assist you in planning for all integral aspects of a unit. It consists of:

Activities/Mini-Units - Selected from the Web and consisting of two or more lessons, i.e. Classifying and Estimating, Estimation Walk, Animal Geometry, and Family Pets; and,

Suggested Instructional Strategies/Methods, Classroom Organization Ideas, Resources, Evaluation Techniques and Adaptations.

c) Integrated Lesson Plans: This is a detailed plan to communicate each lesson. Some lessons may be extended over two or more days. Each lesson is designed for easy reference. Many objectives are listed in some lessons. This indicates that a variety of objectives from various strands can be met in one lesson. Some objectives are repeated in several lessons, demonstrating a number of ways to accomplish the same objective. The lessons are organized into engaging, exploring, and reflecting activities. Space is reserved for adaptation and additional teacher notes.

Note: Some lessons are structured so that short amounts of time can be used to develop separately a mathematics concept or skill that may or may not be directly related to the theme. Examples of these are problem solving, mental calculations, counting, adding, and subtracting. These are noted with an asterisk (*).

Continue to use the Web, Planning Instrument, and Lesson Plans in further development of this unit.
Activity Centre Ideas, Activity Cards

d) Appendix: Includes data sheets, recording sheets and templates.
Note: This Appendix requires Adobe Acrobat Reader for viewing and printing.