Lesson plan - Study Island



|Math Lesson: Prime and Composite Numbers |Grade Level: 4 |

|Lesson Summary: To pre-assess students’ knowledge, the teacher asks students to identify all of the factors of a given number. Students then work in groups to find|

|what three prime numbers have in common and then what three composite numbers have in common. After students discover the common thread, the teacher defines |

|“prime” and “composite” for students. For guided practice, students play a team game in which they identify either the prime or composite number in a pair of |

|numbers. Students then work independently to identify whether a number is prime or composite and then prove their answer. Advanced learners play a game in pairs in|

|which they identify prime and composite numbers on a hundreds chart. Struggling learners work in a small-group setting with the teacher to identify multiplication |

|problems that prove given numbers are prime or composite numbers. |

|Lesson Objectives: |

| |

|The students will know… |

|How to define and identify prime and composite numbers. |

| |

|The students will be able to… |

|Define and identify prime and composite numbers. |

|Learning Styles Targeted: |

| |

| |

|Visual |

| |

|Auditory |

| |

|Kinesthetic/Tactile |

| |

|Pre-Assessment: Give each student an individual whiteboard, a dry-erase marker, and a tissue. Tell students that you want to know what they know about factors. |

|Write the number 24 on the board. Ask students to write down all the factors of 24 on their whiteboards. When students have finished, have them hold up their |

|whiteboards. If you see that many students are struggling with finding the factors of 24, stop and reteach the concept. If most students are fairly successful, |

|stop and discuss what the factors of 24 are (1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12, and 24). You may want students to try a few more numbers before moving onto the lesson. Some |

|suggested numbers are 32, 15, and 19. |

|Whole-Class Instruction |

|Materials Needed: notebook paper, writing utensils, 2 pieces of chart paper, Example Chart Paper* for teacher reference, 1 set of pre-cut Number Slap Game* cards, |

|a document camera connected to a projector, 1 copy of the Independent Practice* per student |

|Procedure: |

| |

|Put students into groups of 3-4, and write the numbers 2, 17, and 23 on the board. Ask students what those three numbers have in common. Allow students to confer |

|within their groups and to use notebook paper if they choose to. After students have worked for a few minutes, elicit responses from groups. If students aren’t |

|answering along the lines of all three numbers having only 1 and themselves as factors, give students a hint that the common thread among the numbers has to do |

|with their factors. If necessary, allow students more time to discover what the numbers have in common. |

| |

|After students have discovered with 2, 17, and 23 have in common, write the numbers 14, 25, and 36 on the board. Again, ask students to work in groups of 3-4 to |

|find what those three numbers have in common. After students have worked for a few minutes, elicit responses from groups. If students need a hint, tell them again |

|the common thread has something to do with the numbers’ factors. Elicit responses until a group says that all three numbers have more factors than just 1 and |

|themselves. |

| |

|Tell students that the two types of numbers they identified with their groups are called prime and composite numbers. Post a piece of chart paper and title it |

|“Prime Numbers.” Define prime numbers for students, and list 2, 17, and 23 as examples. See the Example Chart Paper in supplemental resources, if necessary. Ask |

|students to generate additional examples of prime numbers to add to the chart paper. Repeat this process for composite numbers on a separate piece of chart paper. |

|Leave these posters displayed throughout the entire lesson. |

| |

|Put students into two teams and tell them that they will be playing a game called Number Slap to practice what they just learned about prime and composite numbers.|

|Explain the rules of Number Slap to students. One representative from each team will compete against each other. Project one pair of the Number Slap Game cards |

|under a document camera. The two representatives should stand on either side of the projected cards. You will call out either “prime number” or “composite number.”|

|The first student to correctly slap their hand on the correct number wins that round of Number Slap. That player gets to keep the pair of numbers for his/her team.|

|In the event that both players identify the wrong number, the pair of numbers goes out of play. Play continues with new representatives from each team until all |

|pairs of numbers have been claimed. The team that collects the most pairs wins the game. |

| |

|Have students return to their seats, and give each student a copy of the Independent Practice. Read aloud the directions to students, check for understanding, and |

|allow students to work independently. |

|Advanced Learner |

|Materials Needed: 2 Hundreds Charts* per pair of students, 2 different colored pencils per pair of students |

|Procedure: |

| |

|Put advanced learners into pairs, and give each pair one Hundreds Chart and two different colored pencils. Explain to students that they are going to play a prime |

|number game. Tell students that they need to decide which student will go first and designate one colored pencil for each player. The first player will locate any |

|prime number on the Hundreds Chart. When the player has located a prime number, s/he will shade in that number’s box with his/her colored pencil. Once player one |

|has shaded in a prime number, the second player takes a turn, shading in another prime number with his/her colored pencil. If at any time one player disagrees with|

|the other player’s choice in prime number, s/he may challenge it. If the chosen number is not a prime number, the player who made the incorrect choice will lose 3 |

|points at the end of the game. If the challenger is incorrect, s/he will lose 3 points at the end of the game. Play continues until both players agree that all of |

|the prime numbers have been shaded. Each player counts the number of squares shaded in his/her designated color and then subtracts any points lost for an incorrect|

|choice or an incorrect challenge. The player with the greater amount of points wins. |

| |

|When a pair has finished the prime number game, give them a second Hundreds Chart and let them play a similar game in which they shade in composite numbers instead|

|of prime numbers. You may want students to switch partners for the second game. |

|Struggling Learner |

|Materials Needed: 1 set of pre-cut Struggling Learner Activity Cards* per pair of students, writing utensils |

|Procedure: |

| |

|Put struggling learners into pairs, and give each pair one set of pre-cut Struggling Learner Activity Cards and a pencil. Ask pairs to place the cards titled |

|“Prime Numbers” and “Composite Numbers” in front of them on the floor or on the table. On each of the title cards, have students take notes about how a prime |

|number’s factors are only 1 and itself and how a composite number has additional factors besides 1 and itself. |

| |

|Have students look at the 16 card. Ask students to think about what multiplication sentences have a product of 16. Elicit responses, having students record each of|

|the given answers as a multiplication problem on the 16 card. Make sure students have given all possible answers. Tell students that each of those numbers in the |

|multiplication problems (1, 2, 4, 8, and 16) are factors. The definition of a prime number states that it only has factors of 1 and itself. Tell students that 16 |

|has other factors besides 1 and 16, so it has to be a composite number. Have students place the 16 card under the “Composite Numbers” title card. |

| |

|Ask students to look at the 11 card. Again, ask students to think about what multiplication sentences have a product of 11. Elicit responses, having students |

|record each of the given answers as a multiplication problem on the 11 card. Tell students that 11 only has 1 and 11 as factors and therefore is a prime number. |

|Have students place the 11 card under the “Prime Numbers” title card. |

| |

|You may want to lead students through the remaining number cards or choose to let them work with their partners using the same process. As students are working, |

|closely monitor that they are sorting the number cards correctly and providing adequate proof. |

*see supplemental resources

................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download