GEMS project

AUTHOR'S NAME: Jennifer Bryant

TITLE OF THE LESSON: Sorting Treasures

TECHNOLOGY LESSON: No

DATE OF LESSON: 9/26/07

LENGTH OF LESSON: 30-45 minutes

NAME OF COURSE: 2^nd grade science/math

SOURCE OF THE LESSON: GEMS Guide-Treasure Boxes

TEKS ADDRESSED: 2.5 (A) Classify and sequence organisms, objects, and events based on properties and patterns

CONCEPT STATEMENT: This activity promotes students’ use of sorting, classification, and estimation skills as they select attributes within a group of objects from “treasure boxes.”

PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES: Students will be able to

use attributes of objects to sort and classify from 1 group into smaller groups (as a class and in partners)
use estimation to guess fewest, largest, and actual number in each group after sorting (class & partner discussion)
write and/or draw way(s) they sorted the objects (journals)

Resources:

16 filled treasure boxes

1 sheet 12” x 18” construction paper

Several sheets of chart paper for recording attributes

1 marker

32 student journals or sheets of paper

32 pencils

(optional) trays, small containers, cups or egg cartons for sorting treasures that may roll

SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS: Some of the objects used from the “treasure boxes” are small, creating a choking hazard, so make sure to remind students that objects stay out of the mouth. To prevent conflict, remind students that all of the objects belong to the class, not to individual students.

SUPLEMENTARY MATERIALS, HANDOUTS: none

Engagement		Time:5-10 minutes
What the Teacher Will Do	Probing Questions	Student Responses Potential Misconceptions
1. Gather students in a group area & read a book to set the stage for sorting & classifying (On My Beach there are Many Pebbles by Leo Lionni)	Discuss the book & how it involved sorting & classifying
2. While still in the group area, get a treasure box & pour contents onto a 12" x 18" sheet of construction paper so that it is visible to all students	Can everyone see the treasures? We are going to sort the treasures by attributes. What is an attribute? -It is something that describes things such as color, shape, texture, & shape.	If not, have them move to where they can see. I don't know.

Exploration		Time: 10 minutes
What the Teacher Will Do	Probing Questions	Student Responses Potential Misconceptions
1. Ask class for some attributes of the treasure & choose an attribute (such as color) to demonstrate 2. Have students describe different aspects of that attribute that they see within the treasure items (such as different colors) 3. Select 1 item of the treasure for each aspect of the attribute (such as 1 red, 1 green, 1 yellow,…) to be a 'label' & place away from rest of treasure 4. Sort the rest of the treasure into the groups of the attribute 'labeled'	What are some attributes of the treasure you see? Let's use color as the attribute to sort these treasures. -It is when you put things into groups they match with, such as putting a yellow rock in the same group as a yellow clip if you are sorting by colors.	Some are round & some are square. They are different colors. What is sorting?
5. Ask questions about the sorted treasures	Which group looks like it has the largest/fewest number of items? Estimate how many you think are in each group. (then actually count them) -An estimate is when you guess about how many or how much of something you think there is. We will look at the different groups and guess about how many we think are in each group based on how large/small the group looks.	What does estimate mean?

Explanation		Time: 5 minutes
What the Teacher Will Do	Probing Questions	Student Responses Potential Misconceptions
1. Have students review how the treasure was sorted.
2. Put all the treasure back together into 1 group, & ask students how the treasure could be sorted in a different way than before. 3. On chart paper, record the list of attributes they suggest	That was 1 way to sort the treasure. What are some other ways?	shapes, rough & smooth, big & small,…

Elaboration		Time: 10 minutes
What the Teacher Will Do	Probing Questions	Student Responses Potential Misconceptions
1.Tell students that now they are going get into partners to sort treasures & that they need to raise their hands when they have finished sorting their treasure 2. Give each partner group a treasure box 3. Circulate room to observe & ask questions to partners	Let's go over our class list. You can always come up with different/new attributes to sort the treasures by. How did you sort your treasure? -Did any other groups sort their treasures in a similar way?	We did! No, we did it by size.
4. On the class list, record any new ways partners come up with to sort 5. Have students continue sorting in a new way from their previous sort

Evaluation		Time:5-10 minutes
What the Teacher Will Do	Probing Questions	Student Responses Potential Misconceptions
1. Have students write down &/or illustrate 1 way they sorted their treasures in a journal or on a piece of paper
2. Give students time to walk around & look at their classmates’ sorts. 3. Have students put treasures back in the boxes 4. Refer back to class list of attributes that they used to sort	Can you guess how they sorted their treasure? Are there any other attributes you used to sort that aren’t on the list?	They did rough and smooth like the group over there. Yes, we did rocks and shells.

GEMS Treasure Boxes