Kalene Bailey

14 December 2015
Prof. Romano
Student Impact Project
During my time in 1st grade, I observed a student named Jane, and specifically
looked at her skills of subtracting. Jane is a student who does receive Basic Skills help for
math daily. Jane is a bright girl, who behaves majority of the time. She follows directions
and focuses on her schoolwork. Some of the time Jane will get out of her seat instead of
sitting and raising her hand, and will occasionally talk to her neighbors. Though she is
able to focus on her work most of the time, seems to rush through it other times.
However, when she takes her time she is able to accomplish her tasks.
On October 1, we gave a Benchmark test that is part of the PARCC testing series.
This kind of test is timed for 3 minutes and consisted of 36 subtraction equations. Jane
got 5 out of 36 correct. This was the first timed test and we had not yet started learning
subtraction. Prior to this test, we would complete worksheets that had a few subtraction
equations. For example, these equations started simply with subtracting zero, and
subtracting numbers by themselves. Jane was able to subtract zero from a number, but
was not able to subtract a number by itself. The equations in which she had to subtract a
number from itself, she instead added them together. This can be shown on activity 1-4.
When thinking more about how she was able to subtract zero and was not able to subtract
a number by itself, I believe it is a lot easier for children to tell themselves take away
none equals the same number, than it is to say 9 take away 9. There could also be a
possibility that if children like Jane do not understand how or even why, to take a number

2
away from itself, that it might be easier for them to add, and automatically assume it is
supposed to be addition.
A few days after we completed the 1-4 worksheet, the students were working on a
class sheet for lesson 1-7. These consisted of subtracting one less from a number, and
subtracting just by 1. Not only did she find answers that were concerning to me (such as 7
- 6 = 3 and 8 -7 = 4), but a lot of her numbers were even reversed. This is when I asked to
speak with her. I talked to her about 9-1 and how she got 4 as her answer. I wanted to
watch as she solved it in front of me. Jane had almost a blank expression and had seemed
confused or perhaps nervous by simply being a little bit quieter than she usually is. This
is the first time that I had spoken with her, one on one.
I asked Jane how she got the answer, if she drew circles, or counted on her
fingers. Jane told me that she used her fingers to count and subtract. I pointed out that she
also got 9-8 wrong, and put 2. I watched as she held up her fingers. She seemed unsure of
what number to even hold up in the first place. Jane held up 9 fingers, and then proceeded
to put fingers down in order to subtract. However, she continued to seem unsure of every
move and also seemed to be putting down more fingers than she was counting. At this
point, I believed that she did not understand 1 to 1 correspondence. This could play a role
in how she was getting the wrong answers. When I had discussed this with Professor
Romano, I agreed that using fingers to count is a tricky concept for some students. We
only have so many fingers and if they need more to successfully count, their problem
solving will end right there. Not only will the child not have enough fingers but they may
also be unsure of how many to put up to begin with, and how many to put down, just like

3
Jane did. Furthermore, if children have trouble understanding 1 to 1 correspondence,
using their fingers will be even trickier to learn and use.
Jane continued to attend Basic Skills and we continued to move on with our Unit
and new lessons. The 2-1 worksheet shows our first lesson in our new Unit. Unit 2 was
all about addition and subtraction. We began with addition and how we can represent it
with pictures and later, with circle drawings. Jane did well with this concept, however
was still writing her numbers in reverse. Once we began working with lesson 10, there
was more practice with subtraction. Just as we did with addition, we learned how to
represent subtraction with pictures, and circle drawings. Although these were the same
tasks that we had previously done with addition, subtracting using pictures/drawings, also
means that we have to learn to cross out. Each problem consisted of two quick sentences
(that would later become longer story problems,) and pictures that correspond. Next to
this, was an equation that needed to be solved. Jane did well with this. She crossed out
the appropriate number of images, and found the answer; and she did not have to use her
fingers.
Throughout Unit 2, Janes handwriting improved. She wrote less numbers
backwards, but seemed to be inconsistent. Currently, she writes most numbers the correct
way, however every now and then might need a gentle reminder. Since I have gotten to
see her writing from the very start of September, to now, I believe it was something that
simply needed practice over time. As for her subtracting skills, Jane continued to do well
but at the same time was inconsistent, just like her handwriting. Some equations she was
able to draw the appropriate number of circles or dots, and some, she did not. I asked her
often how she felt about subtraction, what strategies she was using (circle drawings) and

4
if she liked using that strategy. Jane explained that she liked using pictures/drawings
more than using her fingers, and that it was easy. I was confident that once we began
really learning more about subtraction and how to successfully solve our equations with a
more visual/hands on approach, Jane would succeed more so than with the tricky finger
counting. I also made sure to observe when the Basic Skills teacher would stay in the
classroom for our lesson. I wanted to see what kind of strategies she would learn with her
teacher. One tip was that Jane should draw the circles bigger as full circles, so that she
could clearly see what she was counting.
At the end of one of our lessons, I gave out an index card to each student. I wrote
two equations that needed to be solved on the board (7 3 = _ and 5 2 = _). To the
students, I explained that they were able to choose solving one of them, both of them, and
creating their own equation. Jane successfully solved one of them. She attempted to solve
the second equation and did write the correct answer, however, she wrote the equation
wrong (3 = 2 = 5); another inconsistent flag in my eyes. By looking at her index card, you
can also clearly see how small her circles are. They are miniscule dots that would be
tougher to count, than actual circles. This told me to send gentle reminders during any
lesson, to draw circles, not dots. I knew that she was able to solve these equations but I
realized that with learning subtraction there also clearly needed to be mini-lessons of
where to place our new sign (minus) in an equation and where to appropriately place
numbers. I also questioned if she might have gotten so confident that she rushed through
it, thinking the placement and signs were right.
After the index card discovery, one of my next lessons included not only an
example of vertical form, but a step back to focus on what goes where in a normal

5
horizontal equation. I wrote numbers on the board with circles in between and using
thumbs up, thumbs down, we came up with what kind of signs should go where in our
equation. I also made sure to ask Jane to provide some of her thoughts, especially behind
why she chose to put a sign where it belonged. From then on, we continued to practice
solving subtraction equations, but also how to appropriately write an equation. As we dug
deeper into Unit 2, the subtract pictures turned into plain circles (2-11), and Jane
continued to not only be able to solve them, but understand that the cross out/take away
skill, applies to pictures of apples, plain circles, and actual students when we would act
out taking away (there are 6 students swimming, 4 of them got out of the pool and went
back to their seats.) She also continuously wrote her numbers the correct way.
One of the last lessons in Unit 2 consisted of solving subtraction equations just
like we have done. The class was both solving and creating equations for their peers to
solve independently on their own whiteboard. Not only was Jane able to create her own
equation, but also was able to solve subtraction equations using circles, that her peers or I
gave out. I walked around with my clipboard during this point and conferenced with the
students. I made sure to make my way to Jane and put a star next to her name. I like to
use little notations like this for myself, that can tell me that the students are able to apply
the skill that they learned, and furthermore I make notes for myself if they are successful
or might need some help. I put that she mentioned it was easy, and she seemed very
comfortable.
One of the last assignments for Unit 2, was taking our final quiz. The quiz
consisted of five questions that all consisted of subtraction and using pictures/circles.
Jane not only crossed out the correct number of pictures and found the answer, but was

6
also able to using the circles and subtract 6 to write the equation herself and find the
answer. To do this, the students needed to count the correct number of circles in all, and
then subtract the number that the quiz prompted. I am not sure that if Jane had to do this
on her fingers, that she would have been as successful, because I believe that her being
able to visually see or create, all of the accurate amounts of pictures/circles, really
benefited her and aided in how she counted. Likewise, she was able to see when I
prompted the students to act out an equation and could then understand that each student
stands for one number; whereas when she was counting on her fingers she would at times
put down more fingers than she was counting and did not seem to grasp the concept that
one finger stood for one number, two fingers were for two numbers.
Jane currently is doing well with subtraction and can now listen/read longer story
problems, and find unknown partners within the story and even in Math Mountains. Jane
improving on these mathematical skills and she also got a 12 out of 36 on her recent
Benchmark test, given on Tuesday December 8. Not only is she solving subtraction
equations, but is solving some of them without the need for circles or fingers. This tells
me that Jane is on her way to productively doing mental math, and even remembering
what it means and sounds like to subtract and take away.

7
Lesson Plans Used
Unit 2 Lesson 10, Represent Subtraction
Unit 2 Lesson 11, Subtraction with Drawings and Equations
Unit 2 Lesson 12, Practice with Subtraction
Unit 2 Lesson 13, Generate Subtraction Equations

Formative Assessments

Summative Assessments

1-4 Class Activity

(PARCC) Benchmark Test 1

1-7 Class Activity

Benchmark Test 2

2-1 Class Activity

Unit 2 Quick Quiz 3

2-10 Class Activity

2-11 Class Activity
Index exit card