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Blended Learning Lesson Plan

Lesson Title:
Permutations and Combinations

Objectives:
Students will be able to evaluate permutations and combinations.
Students will be able to apply using permutations and combinations to solve real world
problems.
Students will be able to practice determining probabilities of compound events.

State Standards:
PS.SPCR.8 Use permutations and combinations to solve mathematical and real-world problems,
including determining probabilities of compound events. Justify the results.

Context:
Before the standard of using permutations and combinations, the students study the addition and
multiplication rule. Students have background on the rules of probability and conditional
probability. They also have worked with describing events as subsets of a sample space, and
interpretating probability in real-world scenarios. My chosen standard is the end of the unit. The
students will move into the unit of making inferences and justifying conclusions. I am teaching
this unit to help the students understand how to use permutations and combinations and apply the
content to their own life. They will practice finding probabilities of compound events, which
will help them in the next unit for interpretating results for experimental and theoretical
probabilities.
Data:
Students will be grouped into three groups based on the previous class’s exit slip. The groups
will be divided into a low, middle, and higher understanding group. The exit slip will have
contained questions about their previous knowledge on permutations and combinations, and an
example involving compound events to see how they attempt the problem. I will be collected
data in this lesson for future teaching by an exit slip. I will ask comprehensive related questions
and have them rate on a scale 1-5 how comfortable they feel with the material, with one being
the lowest. I will have a spot for them to ask any questions they may still have, that I can then
cover in the next class period.
Materials:
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Part of Lesson Materials Used Link

Introduction Smart Board, math https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgnjfEb88s4
notebook, and a
pencil
Small Group iPad (Kahn https://youtu.be/6zWPgvEMVlE
Instruction Academy),
(Teacher- personal
directed) whiteboard, and a
marker
Collaboration iPad app, written https://apps.apple.com/us/app/adobe-illustrator-graphic-
instructions on a art/id1018784575
sheet of paper
Independent iPad, paper, and a https://courses.lumenlearning.com/finitemath1/chapter/probability-
Digital pencil using-permutations-and-combinations/
Closure iPad (Kahoot), https://kahoot.it/
Smart Board, and
exit slip with
independent “try it
now” work
attached
Procedures:
Introduction (20 minutes):
I will start the lesson by asking the students if they have ever participated in an event that
awarded a first, second, and third place, or if they have had to decide what two toppings
they wanted on their pizza. We will discover as a class the difference between when
order matters versus when it does not. Then I will play the introduction to permutations
and combinations video, linked in the materials, to the whole class so we can be
introduced to the definitions and formulas for permutations and combinations. The
students will take notes in their math notebook, as they watch the introduction video.
After the video, I will explain about the three rotations the students will be engaging in,
and how to use the resources they will be using. I will review the learning objectives and
standard for this section. The students will know the expectations of what they should be
learning and turning in at the end of class. I will have their names assigned to groups
displayed on the Smartboard, so they know what group and rotation they start at.
Teacher Directed (15 minutes):
At the teacher directed station, my goal is to introduce and practice finding probabilities
from compound sample spaces. I will begin the lesson by asking if the students have any
questions from the introduction video, to clear up any misunderstandings or weak spots.
Then, the students will watch the probability from compound sample spaces video on
their iPad, linked in the materials. This video focuses on compound events and helps the
students start to think how they can use permutations and combinations to find
probability. Once they have finished the video, I will show them a step-by-step example.
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The students will complete the next few examples on their whiteboard, so I can walk
around and see their work and thinking process. We will end with any questions about
the examples and solving process.
Collaborative (15 minutes):
In this collaborative section, the students will work in pairs within their small group.
They will be able to choose their own partner; if there is an odd number there can be a
group of three. The students will be using an app on their iPad, called Adobe Illustrator:
Graphic Art app, and work with their partner following the instructions on the handout
placed at the station. The handout informs them what they will be doing during the next
15 minutes. One student will pull up a blank sheet on Illustrator; then, together they will
list as many three-letter words they can think of for 30 seconds. Next, the students will
discuss how they can rearrange the words to make a list that makes more sense. Then,
the students will write four letters on the iPad and work together to create words from
rearranging just three of the letters to spell as many words as they can. These activities
help them understand permutations, where order matters. The next activity will involve
combinations. They will draw 3 flavors of ice cream, 2 toppings, and 2 spoons. Then,
the partners will create as many different possible combinations of ice cream and
compare their results with the combination formula.
Independent Digital (15 minutes):
During the independent digital portion of the lesson students will be analyzing examples
and practicing on their own paper. Students will use their iPad to go to the link that is
mentioned in materials. This website contains worked out examples for using
permutations and combinations for complex probability questions and compound events.
There are three “Try It Now” problems where the student will work out the problem on
their own paper to turn in at the end of class. The answers to the try it now problems are
located at the bottom of the website; however, the students will have to turn in their
complete worked out solution for full credit. This allows the students to self-check if
they made a mistake and go back to review an example.
Closure (20 minutes):
At the end of the lesson rotations all the students will participate in playing a Kahoot
game that will reflect their understanding for the day. They will use their individual
iPads to play. The Kahoot will be centered around reviewing probability rules,
definitions of a permutation, and combination, and a few practice problems where they
will be able to work through an example within the time limit. The top three on the
leaderboard will receive five extra credit points on a classwork assignment of their
choice. We will end the class by connecting permutations to the Kahoot leaderboard and
answering any last-minute questions. The students will turn in their independent digital
work, and then exit for their next class.
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Rationale: You must have at least two paragraphs (one for each mandatory piece of
multimedia)
Adobe Illustrator: Graphic Art app:
The Illustrator app is useful to students because they can express their thoughts down on
a blank sheet of virtual paper where they can collaborate with their classmates, and easily
make changes to their work. This app allows the students to draw with different colors,
fonts, and shapes to be creative with their work. They also have the option to draw
stickers and graphics they can use for the future, which works perfectly with the assigned
activity. This app can be used for multiple lessons that align with the standard and
learning objectives; and is free for Apple products. The students will be using the app to
create words and reorganize the letters to illustrate permutations, and complete drawings
of ice cream related visuals to practice combinations. This app is high quality and comes
out with updates regularly for improvements and enhancements. It is very student
friendly and easy to use. This app can hold high content quality because it can be used as
a notebook to keep notes or perform required actions for the activity that is aligned with
the standard and learning objectives. The app does not directly give feedback, but I could
go look at their workspace and make comments or highlight using the app. This app is
particularly useful for motivation because the students have control of how they create
their graphics and annotations to pique their interest. This app has high quality aesthetic,
presentation, and easy usability. This multimedia choice differentiates instruction by
being useful for hands on learners who get to write and draw themselves. This is also
good for students who do not write well with a pencil because they could use a stylus or
their finger. If a student is visually impaired, this app will allow them to zoom or write
with a bigger font size.
“Introduction to permutations and combinations” video:
Using this YouTube video is a piece of multimedia because it displays graphics and
animations, while hearing narration play alongside the video. The speaker sounds
energetic and passionate about the content. The video supports student learning by
working through a real-world example and gives a solid definition for a permutation and
combination, aligning perfectly with our standard and learning objectives. The video has
high quality and can be adjusted with the YouTube quality settings. The multimedia
displays content quality and is very instructional. The video is learning goal aligned
because it explicitly states the definitions and using permutations and combinations to
find probability is within the standard. The video does not provide constructive feedback
unless the student was to leave a comment and be replied to. The video uses a fun color
system and example to help motivate the students to learn and be engaged in what is
occurring in the video. The video is clear and concise and is not too long of a video,
where the student will be distracted or bored. This multimedia differentiates instruction
for all learners because the closed captions on the video can be used for students with
hearing difficulties. Students who are visual learners can watch the video’s illustrations,
and students who are auditory learners can hear the audio.