Assignment 2: Mathematics folio

Assignment overview

The purpose of this folio task is to enable you to demonstrate your ability to generate and analyse plans of mathematics lessons and units using the structure and content of the relevant National and/or State or Territory Curriculum. This task also enables you to further develop your skills in designing teaching strategies that take an inclusive and integrated approach to the teaching and learning of mathematics.

Assignment details

Folio outline

This task requires you to create a unit of work (over 5 lessons) for either a F–2 class, 3–4 class or a 5–6 class. Your unit of work should provide an opportunity for students to explore key concepts from each of the three content strands within the relevant National and/or State or Territory Curriculum (Number and Algebra, Measurement and Geometry, Statistics and Probability) across a series of related lessons.

As part of the folio task, you'll need to compare and evaluate strategies and resources designed for mathematics teaching, as well as generate evidence of your capacity to plan and assess units and lessons based on sound pedagogical principles that demonstrate your understanding of the relevant National and/or State or Territory Curriculum.

Folio topic/theme

In determining a focus for your unit, you should choose a topic, theme, or pretext which connects the three content strands. Your theme or topic will link the separate lessons into a cohesive unit. Each of your lesson plans should incorporate activities which are focused around this central theme. For example, a unit on “Planning an Excursion” might include creating a financial plan (Number and Algebra), describing the route to the destination using directional language (Measurement and Geometry) and constructing a graph comparing the cost of various forms of transport to get to the destination (Statistics and Probability). Your theme should be appropriate for the year level and offer opportunities to integrate real world, authentic teaching, learning and assessment opportunities into the lessons to optimise student interest and engagement. You should also look for ways to incorporate inclusive, integrated and/or holistic approaches into your teaching and assessment design.

Folio structure

There should be four different components to your folio. These four different components should be collated as one Word document and will include the following: 

1. Introduction

A detailed introduction contextualising and justifying the unit of work, and detailing what mathematical concept is being targeted. The background context—including year level and prior knowledge of students. The strands and elements from the relevant National and/or State or Territory Curriculum that you are addressing.

2. Unit plan

The unit plan should have clear learning objectives that have been drawn from the relevant National and/or State or Territory Curriculum. The unit plan should consist of five individual lessons. The unit should include an assessment plan that incorporates both formative and summative assessment. 

The unit plan should include the following:

The objectives and aims of the unit.

Pedagogical approaches (strategies, tools, grouping of children, etc).

A presentation of each sequential lesson.

An assessment plan for the unit. This should align with the unit objectives and consider how to cater for diversity or inclusive approaches.

To help you distinguish between a unit plan and a lesson plan, you may wish to watch Backward mapping for planning (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9Bjaun-W0Y) (dneal86, 2015).

3. Reflection

Provide a concise reflection on your development of the unit plan, including:

an examination and evaluation of the development of mathematical concepts explored through your unit of work

your rationale for the pedagogy, activities and other key choices you have made.

4. Resource list

Provide a specific list of resources (including stimuli, texts, tools, ICT).

Reference list

All references should be appropriately cited using APA style.

You can include this either as part of your lesson plans, your unit plan, or as a separate document, as long as this is captured and referenced correctly.

For example, you may refer to these in your lesson plans for context, but direct to a separate list that is more specific with references.