Difference 2: The Launch, Explore, Summarize activity allows students to freely apply different strategies, rather than only the strategy modeled by the teacher.

Which lesson format allowed you to explore the concept of comparing decimals more deeply, and why?

• When considering the "depth" and "richness" of a math task, we have to look for a real-world application. This is a major difference between the two tasks, because only the LES allows students to explore real-world applications (using the Olympics example), thus adding depth.

The Teacher's Role:

• In Gradual Release, the teaching strategy becomes more teacher-directed, where the teacher is the expeller of knowledge, providing students with tools to apply math concepts.

• In LES, the teaching strategy is more student-directed, providing exploration and encouraging students to bring new strategies to the math conversation.

In Launch-Explore-Summarize, the students can connect to a real-life situation throughout the lesson. Students are encouraged to have discussions, participate, and give reasoning for their answers.

Both formats encourage pair and group discussion.

I do, We do, You do is more tecaher-directed and it is focused on the traditional side of teaching. This lesson also includes more individual work. For launch, explore, and summarize it is more student-centered, more collaborative, provides a better real-world connection, and the focus is directed more on knowledge than accuracy.

We agreed that the launch, explore, summarize allows a deeper knowledge because the lesson is centered around things that occur in the real-world (the Olympics). Also, the lesson could connect better to student interest with sports and connect math with something that occurs in our lives.

-We thought the LES lesson plan allowed students to explore the concept more deeply because of the relevancy about the Olympics. We think due to this, it would grab the students ideas and attention. Also in the LES, students have more choice and freedom in how to solve the task.

-We thought the I Do, We Do, You Do was more balanced task just because it has certain parts where the teacher teaches, the teacher and student work together, and then the student does the task by themself. We thought the LES was more students guided because the teacher really didn't interfere or lead the task.

We agreed that the Launch- Explore- Summarize allowed for more exploration of the concept because there were opportunities for open ended responses. The I do- We- do You do was more teacher based while the Launch Explore Summarize gave the students opportunities to explore the topic of decimals not only as a concept but in real world scenarios.

2) The second lesson plan about the olympics created more oppurtunities for discussions and it is more open for the students to use different strategies. This lesson also allows the students to discuss their thinking with the group. All of this combined will create an evironment where all the students can understand decimals deeper.

3) The first teacher was guiding the students very directly. They were a direct model. The students would have a very clear method of how to solve these problems. The second teacher was guiding the lesson as well, but they were more guiding discussion between groups then coming together at the end. I think for the students, the second would allow them to have a clearer understanding of why they are doing it. They also would have other student's thoughts. This would allow their ideas to be more complete.

During explore, to support students, I will differentiate through Process by providing tiered activities, giving students different levels of complexity and support, such as additional time to complete a task. This helps support students with diverse learning needs.

During the summarize, to support students, I will differentiate through product by using a quiz to demonstrate students understaning of place value by asking questions similar to the one that we did in class.

During the summarize, students I would differentiate thought product by incorporating a choice board were students share their comparisons, discuss how they determined the winner and the impact of small decimal differences. This is good for class engagements, being able to read different thought process, and for the teacher to be able to informally assess students understanding.

-During the explore, to support all students, we will differentiate through process by asking students to record data in a organizer/journal for visuals. Students will provide a short written paragraph on what car did what and why that car went the distance it did.

1) During the LAUNCH, to support all learners, I will differentiate through PROCESS by having students engage in virtual or physical manipulatives such as base-ten blocks, decimal strips, and stop watches to compare seconds up to the thousandths place.

2) During the SUMMARIZE, to support all learners, I will differentiate through PRODUCT by having students choose their exit tickets. Examples would include drawing, writing, or using a graphic organizer to compare greater than/ less than/ or equal, allowing students to show their understanding in a variety of ways.

2. During summarize, to support students I will differentiate through product by having students create their own product assignment as long as it contains required elements such as comparing decimals in the thousandths place. This allows all students to use their own thinking and what best fits them while still requiring them to have some elements.

During the summarize and reflection, to support students, I will differentiate through PRODUCT by implementing an assignment. This will encourage students to create their own version of the same task to display their ability to accurately transfer the mathematics of the task to another real world example.

During the explore, to support the class, I will differentiate through process by getting the students to time each others race. By getting them to actually race, they can compare the distance and time so that they understand why a smaller decimal is less.