4/13/17
a. Apply concepts of squares, primes, composites, factors, and multiples to solve problems
i. Find all factor pairs for a whole number in the range 1100. (CCSS: 4.OA.4)
ii. Recognize that a whole number is a multiple of each of its factors. (CCSS: 4.OA.4)
iii. Determine whether a given whole number in the range 1100 is a multiple of a given
iv. Determine whether a given whole number in the range 1100 is prime or composite.
(CCSS: 4.OA.4)
Objectives:
At the end of this lesson, students will be able to distinguish between prime and composite
numbers, and write all factors for any given number between 1-100.
Anticipatory Set:
I designed this lesson to help students understand the difference between prime and composite
numbers and to help them build fluency for finding factors of numbers between 1-100. I will
begin by doing a review of the definitions they have gone over earlier in the year. The students
will give me a thumbs up, sideways, or down about how comfortable they are feeling with the
Questions to Include:
How can you tell the difference between a prime and composite number?
What is a factor?
What is a multiple?
Modeling:
After going over the definitions of prime and composite numbers, I will go over
examples of both for students. I intend to use the examples of 7 and 25. We will also go over
strategies students can use to find the factors of a number. Ex: division, and using their number
line in the classroom. After going over the process for finding factors and determining if a
number is prime or composite, I will ask students if they have any questions. After addressing all
questions, I will play a Flocabulary video that addresses the standard and the topic of this lesson
very well.
https://www.flocabulary.com/unit/factors/
Guided Practice:
I will split the students up into three groups, as this lesson will consist of three, 7-minute
stations. The first station will be an engaging dice game. Students will roll two different colored
dice to get a number. (One die will be the 10s place and the other will be the ones) Once they
roll a number, they will find all of the factors for that number, and then determine if it is a prime
or composite number. The next station will be a worksheet that lists a variety of numbers. The
students will find all factors to each number and write if it is prime or composite. The last station
will be a variety of online games that cover factors/multiples, and prime/composite numbers.
Worksheet:
http://www.commoncoresheets.com/Math/Multiplication/Finding%20Prime%20Factors/English/
6.pdf
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1TNn1OvTPpmSZCfds6b6NamvJYTE8qva-
0dykAMS3n1o/edit?usp=sharing
During the stations, I will assist any student that has questions and circulate the room to ensure
Closure:
I will allow the students 30 seconds to clean up their stations and turn in their worksheets. After
they cleaned up, I will ask the students what they struggled with the most and answer any
remaining questions they may have. I will go over the learning target once more and allow
Reflection:
Teacher Perspective:
From aiding the students in their math practice throughout the semester, I have seen that
they still need a significant amount of practice with their multiplication and division facts. A
Colorado Standard for patterns, functions, and algebraic structures focuses on finding factors for
numbers between 1-100 and understanding prime and composite numbers. I thought this would
be a perfect opportunity to find a fun and engaging way to strengthen the students multiplication
I didnt want the students to spend the whole time listing factors on a worksheet, so I
technology into my lesson and to allow the students to choose which game they wanted to play. I
included a multiples game that is very similar to the popular game Fruit Ninja, a game that is set
up like a gameshow, a target shooting game, and a video that reviews how to find factors. In
addition to the online games, I created a dice game that allows students to practice finding
factors to a wide range of two digit numbers. Students are listing factors and determining if
numbers are prime or composite, all in the form of a simple game. I did include a worksheet at
my last station to reach students with a range of learning styles. I also used the worksheet as a
formative assessment so I could review their work after the lesson to see which students were
Student Perspective:
The students seemed energized when walking into the classroom and at the beginning of
the lesson. Since the fourth-grade class that I taught is overall higher academically than the other
fourth grade classes, most had a thumbs up or thumbs sideways when I originally asked how
While I was explaining the stations, students were excited and happy to have the
opportunity to have a lesson that involves games and gives them a break from their typical
traditional math lessons. All of the students listened well and seemed to understand the stations.
While I was circulating the room, I could see the range of where students were at. At the
beginning of the lesson, all of the students seemed confident with finding factors of a number,
but I saw that this was not the case as I looked at some of their work. Some students breezed
through the worksheet, while others clearly struggled with the understanding of what a factor is,
and some listed only a few factors for each of the given numbers.
I was worried that the students would resent the station with the worksheet, but to my
surprise, many loved it and made it a competition with one another to see who could complete it
the fastest. The computer games and dice games were a hit with the students, and seven minutes
seemed like a perfect amount of time for students to play around with a few computer games,
This is an example of student work from an advanced student who was able to complete the
worksheets in the given seven minutes for the stations.
This student accurately listed factors for all given numbers, and clearly knows the difference
between prime and composite.
From this students work, I would continue to help them with the process of listing all factors.
This student may have felt rushed or is possibly struggling with their multiplication facts.
This is an example of student work from the dice game. The numbers the student rolled is on the
left and the factors are on the right. From this student work, it is clear that the student understood
the game and followed directions.