Missouri Pre-Service Teacher Assessment (MoPTA)
Library of Examples – Task 3
Example Task 3, Step 1, Textbox 3.1.1
Below are two examples of written responses to Textbox 3.1.1 as excerpted from the portfolios of two different
candidates. The candidate responses were not corrected or changed from what was submitted. One response was
scored at the Met/Exceeded Standards Level and the other response was scored at the Did Not Meet/Partially
Met Standards Level. This information is being provided for illustrative purposes only. These excerpts are not
templates for candidates to use to guarantee a successful score. Rather, they are examples that candidates can
use for comparison purposes to see the kinds of evidence that they may need to add to their own work.
The work you submit as part of your response to each task must be yours and yours alone. Your written
commentaries, the student work and other artifacts you submit, and your video recordings must all feature
teaching that you did and work that you supervised.
Step 1: Planning the Lesson
Textbox 3.1.1: Standards and Learning Goals and Student Background Information
Met/Exceeded Standards Level
a. To guide the planning process, I used the cooperative and collaborative learning theory. The cooperative
and collaborative learning approach allows for two or more students to work together when learning new
concepts or completing tasks. Cooperative and collaborative learning approaches applies Piaget’s and
Vygotsky’s theories by having students work together in groups so they may learn from one another as
well as support each other. To make use of cooperative and collaborative methods to learning, the
students will work in math groups that have been predetermined by their SMI results.
b. The content standards that were identified for the lesson are included in the domain of Operations and
Algebraic Thinking. Specifically, students will represent and solve problems concerning multiplication and
division (3.OA.A). During the lesson, the students will first need to identify what factor is missing, or does
not belong, to complete the related facts and number sentences (3.OA.A.4). With the three known
factors, students will interpret whole products and whole-number quotients of whole numbers by writing
number sentences in multiplication and division (3.OA.A.1 & 3.OA.A.2). Furthermore, students will write
word problems for the number sentences that they make from the given factors (3.OA.A.3). In addition to
representing and solving problems, the students will also demonstrate any understandings of properties
of multiplication and the relationships between multiplication and division (3.OA.B). When the students
are making number sentences with the given factors, they must display their understanding of the
relation between multiplication and division through inverted number sentences (3.OA.B.5 & 3.OA.B.6).
c. The lesson focuses on operations and algebraic thinking in multiplication and division. Previously, the
students had finished their unit on multiplication and how to identify and evaluate multiplicative number
sentences. The students have also begun the unit on division and have learned strategies to implement
when identifying and evaluating number sentences in division. During the units in multiplication and
division, the students have also reviewed properties of multiplication and division. These lessons and
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strategies that they have learned previously will support the learning in this lesson because it will provide
them with background knowledge during their review of previously introduced and learned material.
d. Part of the planned lesson is for students to be able to identify related factors and explain why those
factors are related. However, if students are not able to multiply and divide, they may encounter
difficulties with identifying which factors relate because they must first understand how the factors relate.
For example, the students will be given number strips that each have four numbers. The students must
identify which number does not belong, or relate, with the other three numbers. With the remaining
three numbers, which have now been identified as factors, the students must explain why and how the
factors are related. If students have a number strip with 3, 4, 12, and 18 and cannot multiply, then they
will not be able to identify the unrelated factor. Furthermore, the students will have difficulty explaining
how and why the remaining factors are related.
Refer to the Task 3 Rubric for Textbox 3.1.1 and ask yourself:


What evidence does the candidate provide to show how the lesson plan has been guided by
a learning theory/method
state/national standards and learning goals
content focus of the lesson
related content that students have previously encountered
ways to address the difficulties students may have with the learning
Why is the analysis of standards and learning goals logical?
Step 1: Planning the Lesson
Textbox 3.1.1: Standards and Learning Goals and Student Background Information
Did Not Meet/Partially Met Standards Level
a. The social learning theory will guide my planning. This theory states that effective learners connect new
skills to their lives and things they and others do. The students make learning meaningful by connecting it
to themselves. The students will first start by determining which tools they would use and explaining why.
Most of the students said they would use a yardstick to measure how tall they were. We took this
discussion further and talked about how at the doctor’s office you would be measured by a doctor’s
measuring tool that was like a yardstick. They were so excited to learn their heights!
b. CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.2.MD.A.1 Measure the length of an object by selecting and using appropriate tools
such as rulers, yardsticks, meter sticks, and measuring tapes. The students will learn how to determine
what tool would be most beneficial to use when measuring objects of various sizes. They will discuss with
the other students how they came to a decision and defend their choice.
c. The students have recently been taught how to measure lines and other objects in inches and how to
estimate lengths. The students need to be able to determine what tool is most appropriate to measure
objects of varying lengths. Since they have learned how to measure objects in inches and to estimate,
students can use these strategies to determine what tool will help them measure different objects in the
most efficient manner.
d. Students might want to continue to use the inch ruler because that is what they are most comfortable
with. They’ve been using a ruler to measure for the past two weeks and have just been introduced to the
yard stick and measuring tape. Children tend to stick with strategies that they are most comfortable with.
To avoid this issue, we will talk about the other tools and what types of objects you might measure with
each. We’ll also discuss how to use the tools and compare them.
Refer to the Task 3 Rubric for Textbox 3.1.1 and ask yourself:
 What evidence does the candidate provide to show how the lesson plan has been guided by
a learning theory/method
state/national standards and learning goals
content focus of the lesson
related content that students have previously encountered
ways to address the difficulties students may have with the learning
 Why is the analysis of standards and learning goals vague?
Suggestions for Use
After writing your own rough draft response to the guiding prompts, ask the question, “Which parts of these
examples are closest to what I have written?” Then read the 4 levels of the matching rubric (labeled with the
textbox number) and decide which best matches your response. Use this information as you revise your own
written commentary.
Lastly, using your work and/or these examples as reference, consider what you believe would be appropriate
artifacts for this textbox.