Tiered Lesson: Classifying Triangles

While researching ideas to help me differentiate instruction, I came across a fabulous article by Rebecca Pierce and Cheryll Adams which gives step by step instructions on creating a tiered lesson. As a teaching candidate and a substitute teacher, I have some experience in differentiating my lessons. However, that experience is limited. I am still not quite sure I am doing it correctly, and it does take me a bit of time to create these lessons. I decided to try out the step by step plan. Will it make differentiated lesson planning easier for me? We will see.

Step 1: Identify the grade level and subject:

4^th grade math

Step 2: Identify standard:

California Common Core State Standards Mathematics

4.G.2: Classify two-dimensional figures based on the presence or absence of parallel or perpendicular lines, or the presence or absence of angles of a specified size. Recognize right triangles as a category, and identify right triangles. (Two-dimensional shapes should include special triangles, e.g., equilateral, isosceles, scalene, and special quadrilaterals, e.g., rhombus, square, rectangle, parallelogram, trapezoid.) CA

Step 3: Identify the key concept and generalization:

Students will be able to identify special types of triangles: right, equilateral, isosceles, and scalene. Students will explain the differences between the types of triangles.

Step 4: Do the students have the necessary background?

The students have been working on 4^th grade geometry. The class has learned lines, line segments, and rays, parallel and perpendicular lines, and right, acute, and scalene angles. Most of the class has mastered all the subjects. However, six students have not demonstrated mastery on the subject of angles. This group will need some reteaching before they will be able to master triangles.

Step 5: Which part of the lesson will be tiered? Content, Process, or Product?

Pierce and Adams state that a teacher can tier all parts of the lesson. But, they recommend that, as a teacher is learning to tier, he or she should take it one step at a time. I will tier the content portion of the lesson.

Step 6: What type of tiers? Readiness, interest, or learning profile?

           I will be tiering based on readiness.

Step 7: How many tiers do you need? Develop the lesson.

           I will create three tiers:

Green group: This is the group that will need a little more attention from the teacher. There are six students who did not quite master the types of angles. They need some reteaching. In addition, there are two EL students who do very well in math but, because there is more writing in English in Geometry, they are having more difficulty than usual, and two students who usually need a little more guidance in math than other students.

                     

                      Blue group: This group of twelve students are on track for 4^th grade.

Yellow group: This set of ten students began our geometry unit understanding many of the concepts. This is the advanced group and will need some enrichment. This group includes one boy with mild autism. He has no learning issues but does have social challenges.  

           

           Materials:

Teacher: Triangle poster, triangle handout, task cards, a lot of triangles cut out in various colors.

Students: Math notebook, pencil, glue stick, colored pens, mini whiteboards

           Warm up:

Teacher: “In our last lessons, we have been learning about lines, rays, and angles. Talk to your elbow partner about what you remember about lines, rays, and angles.” Give students two minutes to talk with their partner.

Teacher: “Time’s up. Let’s come back together and talk what we know or in this case I think we may want to draw it on the board.” Call up volunteers to draw a line, line segment, ray, parallel lines, perpendicular lines, right angle, acute angle, and obtuse angle.

By reviewing the previous lesson, the students get their minds ready for the next step in learning. Activate that prior knowledge.

           Introduce triangles:

Teacher: “Take a look at that right angle. It’s a nice looking right angle. What would happen if I put a line segment here from one ray to another (on the board, teacher closes up the angle with a line segment to create a right triangle)? What do you see?” Most of the class will recognize a triangle. “Yes, a triangle has 3 sides and 3 angles. You have learned that before. But, this is a special triangle. Because it has that right angle, it is a right triangle. Do you see it? There are several other special triangles: equilateral, isosceles, and scalene. You are going to learn about each type in your groups today. 

"In a minute, but not yet, you will get into your groups. Blue will be over there, yellow- there, and green over here. You will need your math notebooks, pencil, and a glue stick. Each group box has your task cards, a few handouts to explain the triangles, and a lot of colored triangles for you to use on your activity. Go to your groups and get started.”

           Activity:

Task cards:

           Green:

1.     Take a handout and look at the types of triangles

2.     Find a colored triangle to match each type of triangle

3.     Glue the colored triangles into your notebook, noting the type of triangle and its characteristics based on the handout

4.     Create a picture using 4 right triangles, 4 equilateral triangles, 4 isosceles triangles, and 4 scalene triangles.

5.     Mark each triangle with the type of triangle it is.

Blue:

1.     Work together to identify the types of triangles.

2.     Find a colored triangle for each type of triangle

3.     Glue the colored triangles into your notebook, noting the type of triangle and its characteristics based on the handout

4.     Create a picture using the different types of triangles.

5.     Note how many of each type of triangle was used.

Yellow:

1.     Work together to identify the types of triangles.

2.     Find a colored triangle for each type of triangle

3.     Glue the colored triangles into your notebook, noting the type of triangle and its characteristics based on the handout

4.     Create a picture using the different types of triangles.

5.     Identify other shapes created with the triangles.

Handout:

The green group has 1 handout per person. The other groups have 3 handouts to share. The green group has an additional handout which shows the names of the triangles written in the first language of the EL students.

                     Poster:

Group work:

Once the students break into groups, the teacher begins with the green group and gives a mini lesson on angles and triangles. By reviewing the angles using the cut-out triangles, the teacher can help the students in making the connections. The teacher can ask each student to find a triangle with a right angle. Students in the group can help each other find one. They might want to make a box on the right angle to visualize the right angle. The teacher can then ask them to find a triangle with an acute angle. “The angle is small and cute, so it is an acute angle.” Next, have them find a triangle with an obtuse angle. Use the hang loose symbol on your hands to remind them to hang loose with obtuse angles.

After a review of the angles, the teacher can introduce an equilateral triangle. All sides and angles are equal. Have the students each find an equilateral triangle and glue it into their notebook. Next, introduce an isosceles triangle with 2 equal sides and 2 equal angles. The students should find an isosceles triangle a glue it into their notebook. Finally, introduce a scalene triangle with no equal sides or angles. Have the students find a scalene triangle to glue into their notebooks. When they each have their triangles glued in, ask them to mark which triangle is which and note use the handout or the poster to note characteristics of each type of triangle. Use colored pens to help identify the characteristics if necessary. Have them complete their task card with their group, each working in his or her own notebook. Be sure to check in with the EL students to make sure they understood the definitions. Ask if they need a translation. The visuals should help the EL students understand the characteristics of each triangle, but the teacher should check in to be sure.  

The teacher should them go to the other groups and answer questions and make clarifications. Check to see if each student understands the difference in the types of triangles. Check on notes in their notebook. How are they doing on the pictures? Are they able to identify the triangles? Are students in the yellow group identifying other shapes?

Step 8: Assessment:

Have the students return to their seats and take out their white boards. Ask everyone to draw a right triangle. They show their boards. The teacher can go through the other 3 triangles and throw in a few other things learned during the unit such as parallel lines. The teacher can mark down who did not draw the right item for reteaching the next day.

Using this Pierce and Adams plan, I was able to tier the lesson’s content for the different levels in the classroom. It did help me to clarify my thoughts as I was creating the plan. I think I will use this again in the future.

For more information on this article, check out “Tiered Lessons: One Way to Differentiate Mathematics Instruction” by Rebecca Pierce and Cheryll Adams. Published in Gifted Child Today (vol 27, Issue 2, pp 50-65).