Standard 8- Foundations, reflection, and professional development

Foundations, Reflection, and Professional Development

The practitioner continually evaluates the effects of the practitioner’s choices and actions on students, parents, and otherprofessionals in the learning community, and actively seeks out opportunities to grow professionally. Part of being an effective educator is being able to reflection on the happenings in your classroom and approach lessons differently based on those reflections. Taking more classes, attending seminars, or workshops are also ways to continue to grow and evolve as an effective educator.

During my student teaching experience I kept a blog as well as a journal that I used to reflect on experiences and relate them to previously learned material or books that I have read about effective teaching. Keeping both allowed me to reflect as opportunity arose during the school day, but also at the end of the day or week. They also helped me to look back and see what worked, what didn’t, and where I could make changes. This kind of reflection kept me in the present and allowed me to see right then the effects that my choices were having in the classroom. My experience and the environment in the classrooms would have been very different if I didn’t think daily about the choices that were made and what happened after those choices were made. Since I was able to see the effects in my reflection I was able to approach lessons and activities differently when I saw that what I planned wasn’t going to work. It also allowed me to think after about ways I would change activities for the better and then test that new way of thinking about activities. One particular example that sticks out is the Jeopardy game. When I planned it I had the details all worked out, but when I used it with my students it didn’t work as well. Writing about it gave me the opportunity to think about what would be a better way to use the game. I was able to use the game again after reflecting and using my reflective thinking in the approach to the game allowed for a much smoother game and helped the students practice the skills they needed on an individual and group basis more effectively.    Reflective Entry

I also attended a workshop for teachers in my district that gave helpful information about building literacy workstations and how to incorporate them into your classroom. As an educator finding new ways to teach and reach students is a key part of creating a classroom approach that reaches all students. All professional development opportunities create this opportunity for further learning and skill building for educators. In the workshop ideas were presented and then practiced. This format was helpful in sparking more ideas on how to use the initial format and tailor it to each classrooms specific needs. Being a part of the workshop also gave me an opportunity to network with other teachers in the district and discuss the way I was using centers to teach math too.Workshop Certificate

Reflecting on choices made in the classroom aide educators in making decisions for future lesson planning and activities. These decisions can create a classroom environment that is responsive to all students’ needs. It is also important to remember that reflecting helps educators in seeing clearly the effects of a lesson. Growing as an educator doesn’t stop at reflecting about choices made in the classroom, but should continue outside the classroom in workshops provided by the district, community, or local colleges. Continued learning as an educator creates opportunities to use new strategies, network with other educators, and share experiences that can impact other educators. 

Standard 7- Assessment

Assessment

The practitioner understands and uses formal and informal assessment strategies to evaluate the continuous intellectual, social, and physical development of the learner. Assessment is a critical part of teaching and learning. It comes in many forms; formal or informal, short or long, but they are always used to determine student achievement, ability level, and can be used to gage students’ emotional and social wellbeing.  Assessments are also used to aid a teacher in decision making when planning for small and whole group instruction.

In my Kindergarten placement I used informal assessments during Reading Mastery. I would listen as students responded to the prompting as a group and identify the students that were doing well or were struggling. When I identified a student or students that were not saying the word or sound correctly I would respond to the whole group with the correct pronunciation. I would then prompt again listening for the student(s) that struggled the first time. If they responded correctly then I would move on, but circle back to the sound or word later to check again. In cases where the student(s) continued to struggle each student would have a chance to repeat after me and then have a chance to say the word or sound independently. Another way I assessed understanding and ability to form sounds was to test students individually by pointing to a sound for them to say. I used this to check if students were able to correctly pronounce sounds from the beginning of the year and new sounds we were learning. It allowed me to go back in lessons if I felt students did not have a good grasp of the new sounds or if they needed a review on sounds learned earlier.

In my fourth grade placement I used rubrics to assess assignments in the Ecosystem unit I designed. The rubrics identified the key points that were included in the assigning of the work and helped me to see easily which students needed reinforcement on the topic. Each time on of the three assignments was graded I stapled a rubric to the completed work so I could show the student the work and we could discuss where disconnect occurred. The rubrics showed them a clear picture of their performance and gave them a basis to continue to grow and build based on the information. Students that received a grade lower than a 70 percent were allowed to redo the assignment, as part of district policy, for a better grade.  Because of this policy I discussed the grades and rubrics with each student that asked and those students were also allowed to redo the assignment after talking if the student felt compelled to do so. The conversations also gave me an opportunity to take anecdotal notes about how the students responded to the grading system and how they conversed with me. I listened to see if they used school language to speak about the assignment, if they made specific points, if they talked in circles, if they were defensive, or if they were questioning to gain further understanding. Making note of this allowed me to see how well the students could speak about the assignments and also if they had the skills to speak with teachers in formal setting. These two things also told me how well each student was progressing intellectually and socially.

Population and Community Illustration Grading Rubric

Teacher will use the following checklist to make sure that students’ illustrations of population and community include the following points. (12 Points Possible)

____ 1. A picture of a group of the SAME organisms is drawn.

____ 2. The picture of the group of the same organisms is labeled as a POPULATION.

____ 3. The picture of the population contains a correct explanation of why it is a population.

____ 4.  A picture of a collection of MULTIPLE populations is drawn.

____ 5. The picture of multiple populations is labeled as a COMMUNITY.

____ 6. The picture of the community contains a correct explanation of why it is a community.

Sciencesaurus T-Chart Rubric

Teacher will use this chart in conjunction with the student self-assessment. A completed self-assessment will be worth 4 points. The teacher evaluation will be worth 6 points.

____ 1. All nine main ideas are identified and in the right column.

____ 2. Each main idea is supported with at least 2 details.

____ 3. Student followed the directions and did not write on the back of the paper, but instead used a       separate sheet of paper, if needed.

Food Web Rubric

The following checklist will be used to ensure that all students’ illustrations of food webs include the following points.   A total of 18 points are possible.

____ 1. Energy Source identified (2 pts)

____ 2. Producers identified (2 pts)

____ 3. Consumers identified (2 pts)

____ 4. Decomposers identified (2 pts)

____ 5. Includes multiple producers and consumers (2 pts)

____ 6. Shows the connections between the different producers and consumers (2 pts)

____ 7. Shows the energy flow correctly between the organisms in the food web (2 pts)

____ 8. Explains the flow and transfer of energy in the food web (4 pts)

Assessing students in multiple ways gives the teacher a snapshot of how students are growing and progressing intellectually, socially, and physically. Assessments can be used exclusively by the teacher or they can be given to students to help them assess their own performance. Each assessment serves as a gauge for the teacher in determining when to go back and review, when to move forward, or when to supplement material. 

Standard 5- Learning Environment/Classroom Management

Learning Environment/Classroom Management

In order to have an effective classroom where students feel safe to express themselves and learn it is important to build an environment where certain expectations are always the same. Having clear expectations allow students to feel comfortable with what is expected. It also creates a classroom environment where the day passes smoothly with little interruptions to the content learning. Having this type of environment will allow students to be engaged in what they are learning and be motivated to learn more.

To help keep my Kindergarten classroom running smoothly and to convey consistent expectations from the students I used a behavior chart that used green, yellow, and red cards. The students were given warnings each time they acted out in class and were made aware of the number of warnings they had received. When they reached their third warning their card was changed from green to yellow explaining that they had not followed their warnings and better behavior was expected. As a follow-up at the end of the day each student came-up to get their folder and together teacher and student would look at their card and talk about what letter that meant they got for conduct in the day. If students had a bad day that was discussed and the promise of a better day and a hug was given. Making sure that the day wrapped up in this way ensured that the students understood what happened that day in regards to their behavior, but they also knew that tomorrow 

was a new day, that I believed in them, and they controlled how things went in class.

Behavior Chart Process

·         Each student has a pocket on the behavior chart with three colored cards in it. The cards are a visual representation for the Kindergarten students to see how they are behaving during the school day. The green card means the student has 0-3 warnings. The yellow card means the student has 3-5 warnings. The red card means the student has 6 or more warnings.

·         When warnings are given a number of the warning is given to the student along with a brief explanation that they are been warned not to exhibit that behavior again. When a student reaches three warnings the card gets changed and the student witnesses the change. The same process occurs when a student reaches the sixth warning.  Occasionally if it was evident a certain student was having a bad day these were more lenient or the card was changed, but the student had the opportunity to work back up to a green card. 

·         Warnings are given when a student displays “undesirable” behavior. Examples include; refusal to stay seated during work time, not completing work, not following directions, talking/distracting others during quiet work, shouting out without being called on, etc. 

 Certain behaviors move a student’s card straight to red. Examples include; biting, hitting, yelling at the teacher or a peer, running, and throwing food in the cafeteria.  Other behaviors are at the teacher’s discretion. These behaviors are rare, but on occasion did occur. 

As students progress through grade levels and get older involving them in the grading process gives them a sense of responsibility and ownership of the work they are completing. In my 4^th grade placement I wanted to start fostering that responsibility and ownership. I wanted to get them thinking about what it means to evaluate their performance and reflect on what they did and what they could change. At the beginning of the ecosystem reading I explained that after they finished the t-chart each of them would fill out a paper about how they felt about the assignment and how well they felt they completed it. After they completed the reading activity I explained to them, in depth, how they would fill out the rubric and what I expected to see from each of them. I also explained that this would factor into their grade on the t-chart and they should be honest about their accomplishment. This would have been a better assessment and would have been better reflected on by the students had the day not been cut short by an unscheduled assembly. Because of this they rushed and spent little time actually reflecting, but it did get an initial reflection process introduced to them and I think that is what really was most important because they have never been exposed to this before. It also kept them motivated for future assignments and activities because they took greater ownership in their work.

Name:_________________________

Sciencesaurus Assessment

Self-Assessment of T-Chart:

Use this chart to reflect on how you understood the reading in your Sciencesaurus and how you completed your T-Chart. Use the “And I want to tell you” column to explain your answer to each.

	Not at all	Somewhat	Almost Always	And I want to tell you…
I understood the reading assignment.
I identified all 9 main ideas.
I identified the supporting details for each main idea.
I asked questions when I was confused.

Name:_________________________

Sciencesaurus Assessment

Self-Assessment of T-Chart:

Use this chart to reflect on how you understood the reading in your Sciencesaurus and how you completed your T-Chart. Use the “And I want to tell you” column to explain your answer to each.

	Not at all	Somewhat	Almost Always	And I want to tell you…
I understood the reading assignment.
I identified all 9 main ideas.
I identified the supporting details for each main idea.
I asked questions when I was confused.

One main component to a successful classroom is having a class is vested in their own success. Students also work harder and behavior better if they have responsibility and ownership of their own things. Whether this is their books, pencils, class work, or leading the line gives students a personal investment in the daily workings of the classroom. I accomplished this by having students grade their own work using the response rubric. Another main component to a successful classroom is having clear behavior expectations. The best way to establish this is by posting rules and talking about them early and often. When students know what behavior is expected in the class they are more likely to follow them. It is necessary to follow up on the rules and stop a student when they have not followed one so that student can correct his/herself and eventually self correct before the behavior occurs. I used a warning chart to establish this routine of expected behavior, but I also followed up with quick chats at the end of the day and expressed my belief that they could do better and we would do better together the next day. 

Standard 4- Instructional Strategies

Instructional Strategies

As an educator it is important to understand how to get students to a place where they are able to use learned and new skills. It is also important that educators challenge students by building off of prior knowledge and expanding the material into multiple disciplines and medias. Having students solely work out of a workbook or on worksheets does very little to foster critical thinking and problem solving skills that are necessary in further education and in life.

During my student teaching I created a page that would give me little reminders about the levels in Bloom’s Taxonomy and the different ways that I could use that to form my lessons and activities for my students. It is a very simple chart, but I would reference it when creating lesson plans, especially for my 4^th grade class because I really wanted them to be able to work in the higher levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy as it is a necessary skill for taking the TAKS test. It is important when thinking of strategies to incorporate into daily lessons that a variety is present and that was part of my reasoning for using the Taxonomy, so I could incorporate a variety of strategies.

I also created a review of all the Math TEKS that would be covered on the TAKS test.  After observations I noticed that the students were bored and tired of doing worksheets from the TEXAS COACH, so I decided to create a jeopardy game with different math problems and use the game to build their stamina and speed in problem solving. During the game the students worked to solve the problems together and then individually because I have found that the best learning takes place when the student becomes the teacher and helps a fellow student or is working cooperatively to solve a difficult problem. The students really responded well to this and because of the volume of problems and time constraints we didn’t finish playing, but every day I was asked when we would play again and if we would be able to finish the packet. I did end up playing the game again with the students on my last day and I changed the format of play. Instead of working together they were all to work on the problem at the same time and raise their hand when finished. I chose who would give the answer, explain it, and show the work to the rest of the class. Both ways worked well and I would use them again in the future. Math Jeopardy Power Point


Jeopardy Review

Objective: TEKS 4.1-4.16 The learner will review concepts in TEKS 4.1-4.16 by reasoning and solving multiple problems in a game of Jeopardy.

Materials: Jeopardy PowerPoint, Question Packet, Pencils, Timer

Vocabulary: Estimate, Equivalent, Polygon, Vertices, Trapezoid, Parallelogram, Quadrilateral, Hexagon, Reflection, Acute, Obtuse, Right, Perpendicular, Mass, Capacity, Volume

Warm-up: Students will be grouped heterogeneously by ability into groups of 4-5 students. Ask students if they have ever watched Jeopardy or played a version of it at school? Let a few students share, as they are sharing pass out the Question Packet. Instruct students to leave the packets face down and then go into the explanation of what we are going to do today.

Instructional Plan: Establish the rules of play: Packets will remain face down until a question is being posed to a group then the students may look in the packet and reason through the question. Quiet voices are expected when discussing problems. The team that has chosen the question will have the first chance at answering and explaining how they came to the answer. In the event that they are incorrect the other teams will have 30 seconds to decide on an answer, write it on a white board, and raise it in the air. The first team with the correct answer will be awarded the points and will get to choose the next question. All individuals are expected to show work for all problems. Teams will only be able get points from two correct answers in a row; after that the next team in numerical order will be given the opportunity to pick a question and answer. Students will be respectful to everyone and no arguments will be allowed.

Play will start by rolling a die to see which group will start. The game will be played until all questions are solved or time has expired.

Closure: “After reviewing all of the objectives that you will see on the TAKS do you feel confident about taking the test?” “What are some areas where you would like more practice?”

Assessment: Informal assessment will be made from student discussion and answers to the questions reviewed.  Formal assessment will be made using the packets and the work students did during the game.them both at different times in my future class. 

Standard 3- Instructional Planning

Instructional Planning

All effective lesson plans should be rooted in knowledge of content being learned, objectives, and the standards that each state, district, and school have for students. Creating a themed unit in Social Studies Methods taught me to always keep in mind the students and the objectives during planning so lessons are cohesive and students will gain what you intend. 

As a result when I planned my symmetry lesson I used the Texas standards as the base of my lesson and built the activity on and around the expectations. The warm-up portion of the lesson was used to get students thinking and discovering the topic of the day. They really responded well to this because it was an unusual warm-up and it challenged them. The true content of the lesson was to identify lines of symmetry in various polygons, but it was done in a way that the students could manipulate the polygons if the line of symmetry wasn’t immediately evident to them. The manipulation of the polygons addressed the main point in the TEKS objective. When students found the lines of symmetry in their names they were allowed to use foam letters to make the reflections and determine if the letter had any lines of symmetry. All of the activities tied back into the TEKS; which made the lesson cohesive and allowed all the goals to be met.

The hands on aspect of the lesson engaged students and allowed for greater learning and understanding. The learning was evident in the discussions the students were having amongst each other about whether or not a polygon or letter had symmetry. I began encouraging the conversations even though it wasn’t planned because it showed the students’ learning and understanding and allowed for greater connections to be made with the material. The understanding was demonstrated in the finished products of their polygons and names. The one thing I didn’t account for when planning the lesson was how long it would truly take the students to finish the lines of symmetry with the polygons. Because of this I would split the day in two and add a warm-up for the second day to reinforce the learning. Timing is a critical component to planning and I need to continue to think critically about the amount of time to spend on each part of a lesson so students have the opportunity to achieve the goals set in the plan.

Symmetry Lesson

Objective: TEKS 4.9.C- The student is expected to use reflections to verify that a shape has symmetry.

The learner will identify and demonstrate the lines of symmetry in 11 polygons by folding the polygon and tracing the lines of symmetry. The learner will label the number of lines of symmetry for each polygon. The learner will construct lines of symmetry in the letters of his/her name.

Materials: Warm-up sheet, Polygon sheet, Manila paper, Sentence strips, Polygon examples, Scissors, Glue, Pencils, Pens, Crayons, Markers, Foam Letters

Vocabulary: Symmetry, Polygon, Horizontal, Vertical

Warm-up: Students will be given “The Most Expensive Name” handout and instructed to create a four letter word with the highest value (OHIO). Students that finish quickly with this task will find the values of their first and last names.

Transition: What do the values of the letters represent? SR- Symmetry

Instructional Plan: Define symmetry- a figure has symmetry if it can be folded in half and the two halves match exactly.  Example of a polygon with symmetry (trapezoid) will be shown to the students. Then an example of a polygon without symmetry (scalene triangle) will be shown. Review the definitions of horizontal and vertical lines. Ask which type of line shows the line of symmetry on the trapezoid (vertical). Then fold along the horizontal line, show the students, and ask them if it creates a line of symmetry. Fold the triangle again horizontally to show that it has zero lines of symmetry.

            Students will have a sheet with the polygons they have already learned about. They will be instructed to cut out each shape and fold them to find the lines of symmetry. When they have found the lines of symmetry they will trace the lines, glue the polygon onto a manila paper, and write the number of lines of symmetry beneath each polygon.

            Students will be instructed on the extension activity before they start the polygon activity.

Extension: Students will be writing their names on a sentence strip and finding the lines of symmetry in the letters of their names. They may use their warm-up to see how many lines of symmetry the letters have if they are struggling to find them since they will not be able to fold the sentence strip. Students may also use foam letters to fold and find the lines of symmetry in the letters. If the students finish early they will be instructed to trace the lines of symmetry in black (marker, crayon, or pen) and the letters of their name in any other colors they choose.

Closing: Review vocabulary from the lesson and ask students to think of objects in our lives that have symmetry.

Assessment: Students’ polygon papers will be collected and checked to see if they have identified all the lines of symmetry and labeled the number for each polygon. The sentence strips will also be collected and checked for completeness. 

For my Kindergarten students I planned a Social Studies lesson using the rigor and relevance model that the district was trying to incorporate into the schools. This was a plan to take place over five days covering six different TEKS related to the passing of time. All of the days addressed a different component of the application model for rigor and relevance that was defined by the district. Each day was unique and planned based on the TEKS and the knowledge I had of my students’ likes and dislikes; which is an important component of the planning process.

TPRI testing was taking place the week this unit was to be taught and as a result time was very limited and I was forced to combine days to accommodate testing time. Even with this adjustment, which is something that will occasionally happen in planning, the students were engaged in the learning that happened on those days. It was also an engaging lesson to them because it allowed them a space to say this is who I am and this is what I have done. This would be an even more powerful lesson, after modifications, in the higher grades because students have more life events that they could share and get more in depth with their future dreams.

In both of the lessons explained above the plans were based in curriculum and standards, but were also designed with the knowledge of the students. These are all key pieces of the planning standard.

 Social Studies Plan

Using Rigor and Relevance

Application Model

Objective: K.3A&B, K.15A&C, K.16B, K.17B

The learner will be able to organize events by past, present, and future by creating a timeline of their lives. The learner will identify beginning, middle, and end of a story through illustrations.

Vocabulary: Past, Present, Future, Beginning, Middle, End, Predict

Application Model Lessons

1) Knowledge in one Discipline- Day 1

Read “When I was a Little: A 4 Year Olds Memoir of her Youth”. Role play events from the story. Students will then depict the beginning, middle, and end of the story in the correct order through drawings.

2) Apply Knowledge in Discipline- Day 2

Students will create their own timeline of their lives starting with them as a baby, using either a picture or drawing of themselves.

3) Apply Knowledge across Disciplines- Day 3

Apply to Science by making a timeline of the daily weather; first as a class, then individually.

4) Apply Knowledge to Real-World Predictable Situations- Day 4

            Use their weather timelines to predict the future outcomes in weather.

5) Apply Knowledge to Real-World Unpredictable Situations- Day 5

Students will extend their personal timelines to the future. “What will your future look like?”

Assessments:

Day 1: Drawings of beginning, middle, end

Day 2: Individual timelines

Day 3: Informal assessment of input while doing weather timeline. Formal assessments of individual weather timeline.

Day 4: Informal assessment of weather predictions.

Day 5: Future from their individual timelines

Standard 2- Diverse Learners

Diverse Learners

All students are unique and each of their learning styles differs. As a teacher it is important to create lessons that address the many different ways that your students learn. Lessons should be created to “catch” every student and not just a certain group. Lessons that are adaptable to each student’s unique learning style are the most effective in classrooms because they will be meaningful and allow learning to take place for all students.

During my student teaching I created Math centers that addressed the different learning styles of my students. The students worked independently or in pairs at each center after the centers were introduced. Each student found stations that they enjoyed more than another, but they all worked at each one with few problems. While students were at the centers a small group, between 5 and 7, of students worked with me on a mini lesson. At each center students were able to work independently (and occasionally in pairs or threes) using different skills and a variety of manipulatives. In the small groups students worked cooperatively to discuss and identify the defining features of calendars and its purpose. With the small group formations I was able to work with the group, but also have one or two students that needed more individual attention sitting next to me so I could get to their level and assist them while the rest of the group worked. Occasionally they would also sit next to one of the more knowledge students and I would have that student help the other student. This was extremely empowering for both students and is something I encouraged to occur in the pairs at the different centers. Having flexibility in groups and in the centers allowed the students to practice skills in ways that they connected with most and allowed me as the teacher to observe their differences. This opportunity was helpful in planning for other lessons and adjusting mid-lesson to accommodate their differences. I will continue using this formatting for centers because of the ease of adjustments that can be made and because it allows for a greater amount of learning in multiple ways that can create meaningful learning for all students.

Math Centers

Measurement: Using Lakeshore Kits students will work independently and in pairs to review measurement by measuring with connecting inch blocks.

Area: Students will practice finding area of shapes using laminated cards with outlines introduced previously in small group instruction. Students will find the area of one or more shapes and compare their own with a partner.

Computers: Students have free choice of the math programs installed on the computers. The programs review all TEKS covered in Kindergarten.

Marker Boards: Students will practice writing their numbers through 20 using the marker boards.

Social Studies: Just Like Abe Students will create themselves in the likeness of Abraham Lincoln using a paper plate and black construction paper. On the back of their likeness the students will write how they can be like Abraham Lincoln. (Book read and mini lesson completed previously in the week.)  

Small Group:

Day 1: Identify all parts and functions of the calendar. Students will find and label the month “February” and then label the days of the week in the correct order using preprinted days of the week.

Day 2: Review the parts and functions of the calendar. “What’s Missing?” Number calendar from 1-28

Day 3: “Who would like to tell us about the different parts of the calendar?” “What does the calendar tell us?” Identify specific dates by listening to Month, Day, and Date then the students will draw a symbol to represent that day. Color the days of the week in different colors.

            *Watch for B, K, J, and KT

The lesson I taught my 4^th grade students addressed their final Math TEKS of the year before they started review for the TAKS. In order to address their different styles of learning without a firm knowledge of them I chose to do a demonstration using NLVM, give definitions and illustrations for their math notebooks, play transformation memory, and then create their own transformation using geo tiles. Incorporating all of these learning activities allowed me to note students’ reactions and at what point they grasped the concept of transformation. A couple students asked to do the demonstration because they knew what transformations were, but they were the only ones that grasped the concept from the demonstration. The demonstration would have been more powerful if all of the students had a computer to use the NLVM while I was, unfortunately, there was not a computer lab for classrooms to use for instruction and there were only four computers in the classroom. Writing the definition and illustrating the transformation made the concept concrete for more students, but it wasn’t until they got to play memory and then make their own transformations that all of the students were able to explain through actions and illustrations of each of the transformations.

It would have been helpful going into a lesson of this magnitude to know the students different approaches to learning. Since it was only my second day with the class this was not possible and that is what influenced my decision to use multiple approaches to teach and to assess the different styles in the class. It is better to know this before hand and build in flexibility in lessons for all of the different learners represented in the class. All students learn and process differently and it is important to know this when planning all activities.

                                               Transformations

Objective: TEKS 4.9 A & B- The student is expected to demonstrate translations, reflections, and rotations using concrete models and use translations, reflections, and rotations to verify that two shapes are congruent.

The learner will identify and describe the 3 different transformations while matching them to the congruent transformation. The learner will create the 3 different transformations using pattern blocks and block letters.

Materials: Transformation Memory cards, Projector, NLVM, Math Journal, Pattern Blocks, Block Letters, Manila Paper, Pencils

Vocabulary: Slide (Translation), Flip (Reflection), Turn (Rotations), Transformation, Congruent, Symmetry

Introduction: Show students a flip (reflection) in NLVM. “What do you think is shown in the picture?”  SR: Symmetry/Reflection. The image shows a reflection/flip which does create symmetry. Flip/Reflection- The change in the position of a figure that gives the mirror image of a figure. A flip is a type of transformation. Based on what you already know what can we say about transformations? Transformation- a move that does not change the size or shape of a figure.

Transition: What other ways can a figure be transformed? (Brainstorming)

Body: There are two other ways to make a transformation; Translation and Rotation. Slide/Translation- the change in the position of a figure that moves it up, down, or sideways. Turn/Rotation- the change in position of a figure that moves it around a point. Draw examples of each to illustrate the definition. The transformations do not change the shape just the position of the shape they are still congruent figures. Review the definitions of congruent and symmetry. Introduce the Memory Game- just like regular memory only you are matching the transformations and in order to get the matching pair you must explain why it is the specific transformation. If you are incorrect your opponent can give the right explanation and then the pair goes to him/her. (15 minutes to play)

Closing Activity: Students will be given a manila paper to fold in 4^th. In each of the first 3 squares they will create one of the 3 different transformations learned using pattern blocks. Each must be labeled and have the definition of the transformation illustrated. The fourth square is to be a combination of two of the different transformations. It must be labeled with both transformations used and how they were used i.e. first the figure was flipped then it was slid.

Assessment: Manila papers will be collected and checked for:

                        *illustration of each individual transformation

                        *labels and definitions of each transformation with the correct illustration

                        *fourth square containing 2 transformations illustrated and the explanation

Standard 1 - Student Learning

Student Learning

As educators it is important to know how students learn and develop. This knowledge comes from Education Psychology and many methods courses. Having that knowledge allows educators to make conscious decisions about lessons that will give students opportunities to learn and develop personally, socially, and intellectually.

During my student teaching experience I designed a lesson using the book Armadilly Chili. It allowed students to reflect individually about events in the book as it was being read and to discuss their reflections in a whole group environment while incorporating the feelings exhibited in the story to illustrate good personal and social behavior. My students were instructed to ask questions, silently to themselves, (at certain pauses in the reading) about the way Miss Billie was feeling and why she was feeling that way.  I used this lesson to introduce proper group discussion and assess their ability to reflect discuss cooperatively as a group; so that I could gauge their skill level and incorporate more small and large group discussions to grow their skills. These goals fall in line with the first standard of student learning and the subset of skills that fall underneath the standard.

As an introduction to the lesson I completed a book walk with the students and we had a mini discussion based on what we observed during the book walk. I explained that we would talk again as a group after the book was read, but that we would be pausing at points to stop and think about the events in the beginning, middle, and end of the book. The students seemed to understand that we would be pausing and thinking, but because I knew their experience with reflecting was very limited I decided it would be best if I modeled the thinking I was aiming for within the first few pages. After I modeled the thinking based on Tex’s reaction to Miss Billie asking for help I could see that the expectation became clear to them and some students even raised their hands to provide input to my modeling. At beginning pause I just prompted them by asking; “What is Miss Billie feeling? Why does she feel that way? How would you feel if you were Miss Billie?” I had to remind a few students that we were thinking in our heads and not sharing until the end of the story. It was very difficult to assess what level the students were thinking at during the reading, as the students were instructed to think and not say what they were thinking, but it became evident in the discussion that occurred at the end. The students led the discussion which centered on the feelings that were presented in the stories and their personal connections to the feelings and how they would feel.  A few times I had to remind the students to listen to the person talking and then when that person was done they could express their thoughts. The students responded well to the formatting of the lesson and they were able to talk about their thoughts and feelings in a way that not only made them feel comfortable because there was only one person speaking at a time, but they also practiced their interpersonal skills by listening while others were speaking. After adequate discussion of their thoughts on the story and observing productive group discussion I asked the students to think about how the story could help us when we work in groups at school. Responses included: “We should help each other.” “Sharing our crayons and markers.” “We can be friends even if we get angry.” “Talk about how we feel.” I believe the responses given were so varied because the students were still very much wrapped up in the student centered discussion that they completed. It would have been beneficial to wait a few minute, allow students to reflect, and have them write and illustrate how the story could help when we are in groups. After going through the lesson with the class I would change a few things for future use if I were to use this in the same introductory format. I would start by having students voice some of their thoughts with elbow buddies during the set pauses. I think this would help to create a better transition to the group discussion at the end. I would also, as stated above, have students reflect at the end individually by writing and illustrating. Overall, the lesson did help students to develop better social and personal awareness and gave them the opportunity to grow intellectually because they participated in self and group reflection. These are all criteria in the student learning standard

For my fourth grade students I designed a lesson as a closing to the ecosystem unit that I taught. The lesson addresses the student learning standard because it was designed to allow students to develop intellectually, personally, and socially by responding in three different ways to statements and questions that were pulled from previous lessons, the current reading, and current events. Unfortunately, with TAKS testing the lesson never took place. If the lesson had taken place I believe students would have benefitted greatly from writing first about their thoughts and then seeing how the rest of the class responded. I used this technique because I wanted the students to reflect on the information covered in the preceding days and connect that material with ideas presented in the lesson before making their decision and responding. Having the students respond in writing first allowed each to reflect, connect, and respond at their own pace. Sharing of their responses was incorporated to facilitate thoughtful discussion about their unique responses and give students the opportunity to explain their responses in a non-judgmental environment.

 Day 5

Objective: The learner will identify producers and consumers from “The Lorax”. The learner will reflect on questions about ways the ecosystem in “The Lorax”. The learner will explain their viewpoint on opinion statements.

Materials: “The Lorax” by Dr. Seuss, Science Journals, Pencils

Vocabulary: Truffula Tree, Thneed, Lorax, Once-ler

Warm-up: Review food webs again and discuss the questions that were posed to them at the end of the lesson yesterday.

Instructional Plan: Explain to the students that they need to create their own T-Chart in their Science Journal with one side labeled producers and one side labeled consumers. Then explain that they will need to identify the producers and consumers in the story and that they need to be paying close attention to the events in the story.

Read “The Lorax”

Draw students’ attention to the board and the questions that have been written up on the board. Tell them they will have 10 minutes to answer the questions on a loose leaf piece of paper using details. When the 10 minutes have passed the teacher will pose opinion statements and students will write whether they agree or disagree and why or why not. Then as a class we will stand up and the statements will be read again students will be instructed to go to opposite sides of the classroom and then we will discuss our opinions and how this book can be related into our own world.

Closing: Discuss the BP oil spill and how it might be affecting our coastal ecosystem here in Texas.

Assessment: Informal assessment checking completeness of answers while students are answering the questions. Formal assessment will be done on the self-created T-Charts. These will be checked to see whether they have correctly created a T-Chart and that they have correctly identified the producers and consumers from “The Lorax”. (Rubric Attached)