Lesson Reflection
Over the entire lesson ran smoothly. I feel that the reason for this was that the student interest was higher than normal, which made me feel good about the lesson that I chose to present. The lesson (titled: Intro to Natural Selection) was designed as an Engage and Explore lesson working with the 5 E Model. The teddy bear lab was adapted from an activity found online by Lynn Marie Wartski. The link to her activity is here: http://www.accessexcellence.org/AE/AEC/AEF/1995/wartski_natural.php
The idea of the lab is that Teddy Grahams (a cookie) are slightly different. Some bears have their paws up, and some have their paws down. The idea is that the paws up cookies are easier to catch and taste better than the paws down cookies. So the students start with X amount of cookies and then each generation is attacked by paws up eating monsters. The students track the changes in populations over time. They also have to create a graph based on the information and then there is a small reflection as the end.
The lesson was conducted with my 12th grade class. We have entered into the Conservation of Biodiversity Unit and have reached the section on Natural Selection and speciation. The lab had to be adapted because Teddy Grahams are not available in Ecuador. So paper supplements were used.
The lesson started with an opening thought. The students are offered a scenario about sunflowers and daisies. Ants are destroying both of the populations. But the sunflowers after a few generations develop a poison that kills the ants if it is touched, the daisies do nothing. The students are asked to predict what will happen over the next few generations to both the daisies and the sunflowers. The also have to suggest other adaptations that may occur to help the daisies or the sunflowers to better resist the ants. Then finally, the idea question draws out the term that we plan on speaking about during the lesson.
After the opening thought, we quickly touched on the day’s lesson objectives. This is so the students will have an idea of what they should focus on during the day’s activities.
I did my best to make sure that the instructions were as clear as possible. Something that I am working on with my CT is my instructions. Where, I think they are clear, I forget that I am dealing with foreign language learners who are not native speakers in English. I like many new teachers to the school fell victim to the assumption that after being in an English immersion program for 15 years, they would understand everything perfectly. I have to chose my words wisely and make sure my teacher language is to the point.
The instructions were given orally, as well as projected on the board for them to follow along. There were no questions, and it seemed like the students were clear on what to do, so I gave them the scenario to work with, the worksheet to work on (which included the scenario, the tables to fill in, a section for them to graph the results and the reflection questions). The students worked in small groups of three, so there were six groups of three working together on the lab.
Due to a school wide assembly, the class schedule changed. This meant that the class had less time to actually complete the lab. So, most of the groups were about three quarters of the way through the lab before the bell rang. They were instructed to hold onto their work because the following day we would be starting back up where we left off.
So because of the schedule change and the students not finishing, we were unable to discuss the reflection questions. But we will be able to come Monday, (the lesson was given Thursday, but due to the block schedule, I did not see the group on Friday).
Overall Performance reflection for Domain 3
When approaching this lesson, I was nervous about how it would be received. I only had a small amount of fear because the class had just finished a research lab, and I thought by using the word, “lab” again, I would have a riot on my hands. The seniors at this school are notoriously lazy (this is the Mo explained to me by veteran teachers who have grown with these students). But all said and done, the activity was welcomes with excitement.
After reflecting on the lesson and then comparing it to domain 3 of the Danielson framework, I was happy to see that I was about to touch on, (even if it’s a stretch) each of the aspects of the domain. I have been working with my vice principle about the questions that I ask my students. The school runs on the IB curriculum and the administration goes to great lengths to pander to the IB students who are pushing for their certificates. So it is stressed that teachers use the command terms in their questions for two reasons. First, to prepare students to see command terms on the IB exams, and then next, because it pushes students to higher levels of thinking.
So instead of indirect questions or the who what where (recall questions) the students have to do more analysis, application, and synthesis when it comes to the course content. The questions fall in line with section 3b: Questioning and Discussion Techniques. When students discuss, I have them call on each other to move the conversation around the room.
I felt that the activity was engaging (3c.). It makes the students work with manipulatives, tables and also graphs. So they have to interpret and analyze the information. I feel that the activity served its purpose, so be an engaging activity that made the students want to learn about it.
It was frustrating to have a assembly change the schedule, but teachers need to be flexible (3e.) when it comes to lessons. My teacher friends warn me about planning to far ahead because the admin like to throw out assemblies and student activities during class time all the time. But for me, rolling information over to the next lesson is not a problem because I try to make my lessons based on a week, so there is as much continuity and connections as possible.
I am happy with this lesson. I think after reflecting on it, and then comparing it to the Charlotte Danielson framework, I feel that I have a good grasp of this section. Lesson planning is becoming more natural to me, and now that I am focusing on the command terms for my questions, moving students higher up blooms is becoming easier as well.
Over the entire lesson ran smoothly. I feel that the reason for this was that the student interest was higher than normal, which made me feel good about the lesson that I chose to present. The lesson (titled: Intro to Natural Selection) was designed as an Engage and Explore lesson working with the 5 E Model. The teddy bear lab was adapted from an activity found online by Lynn Marie Wartski. The link to her activity is here: http://www.accessexcellence.org/AE/AEC/AEF/1995/wartski_natural.php
The idea of the lab is that Teddy Grahams (a cookie) are slightly different. Some bears have their paws up, and some have their paws down. The idea is that the paws up cookies are easier to catch and taste better than the paws down cookies. So the students start with X amount of cookies and then each generation is attacked by paws up eating monsters. The students track the changes in populations over time. They also have to create a graph based on the information and then there is a small reflection as the end.
The lesson was conducted with my 12th grade class. We have entered into the Conservation of Biodiversity Unit and have reached the section on Natural Selection and speciation. The lab had to be adapted because Teddy Grahams are not available in Ecuador. So paper supplements were used.
The lesson started with an opening thought. The students are offered a scenario about sunflowers and daisies. Ants are destroying both of the populations. But the sunflowers after a few generations develop a poison that kills the ants if it is touched, the daisies do nothing. The students are asked to predict what will happen over the next few generations to both the daisies and the sunflowers. The also have to suggest other adaptations that may occur to help the daisies or the sunflowers to better resist the ants. Then finally, the idea question draws out the term that we plan on speaking about during the lesson.
After the opening thought, we quickly touched on the day’s lesson objectives. This is so the students will have an idea of what they should focus on during the day’s activities.
I did my best to make sure that the instructions were as clear as possible. Something that I am working on with my CT is my instructions. Where, I think they are clear, I forget that I am dealing with foreign language learners who are not native speakers in English. I like many new teachers to the school fell victim to the assumption that after being in an English immersion program for 15 years, they would understand everything perfectly. I have to chose my words wisely and make sure my teacher language is to the point.
The instructions were given orally, as well as projected on the board for them to follow along. There were no questions, and it seemed like the students were clear on what to do, so I gave them the scenario to work with, the worksheet to work on (which included the scenario, the tables to fill in, a section for them to graph the results and the reflection questions). The students worked in small groups of three, so there were six groups of three working together on the lab.
Due to a school wide assembly, the class schedule changed. This meant that the class had less time to actually complete the lab. So, most of the groups were about three quarters of the way through the lab before the bell rang. They were instructed to hold onto their work because the following day we would be starting back up where we left off.
So because of the schedule change and the students not finishing, we were unable to discuss the reflection questions. But we will be able to come Monday, (the lesson was given Thursday, but due to the block schedule, I did not see the group on Friday).
Overall Performance reflection for Domain 3
When approaching this lesson, I was nervous about how it would be received. I only had a small amount of fear because the class had just finished a research lab, and I thought by using the word, “lab” again, I would have a riot on my hands. The seniors at this school are notoriously lazy (this is the Mo explained to me by veteran teachers who have grown with these students). But all said and done, the activity was welcomes with excitement.
After reflecting on the lesson and then comparing it to domain 3 of the Danielson framework, I was happy to see that I was about to touch on, (even if it’s a stretch) each of the aspects of the domain. I have been working with my vice principle about the questions that I ask my students. The school runs on the IB curriculum and the administration goes to great lengths to pander to the IB students who are pushing for their certificates. So it is stressed that teachers use the command terms in their questions for two reasons. First, to prepare students to see command terms on the IB exams, and then next, because it pushes students to higher levels of thinking.
So instead of indirect questions or the who what where (recall questions) the students have to do more analysis, application, and synthesis when it comes to the course content. The questions fall in line with section 3b: Questioning and Discussion Techniques. When students discuss, I have them call on each other to move the conversation around the room.
I felt that the activity was engaging (3c.). It makes the students work with manipulatives, tables and also graphs. So they have to interpret and analyze the information. I feel that the activity served its purpose, so be an engaging activity that made the students want to learn about it.
It was frustrating to have a assembly change the schedule, but teachers need to be flexible (3e.) when it comes to lessons. My teacher friends warn me about planning to far ahead because the admin like to throw out assemblies and student activities during class time all the time. But for me, rolling information over to the next lesson is not a problem because I try to make my lessons based on a week, so there is as much continuity and connections as possible.
I am happy with this lesson. I think after reflecting on it, and then comparing it to the Charlotte Danielson framework, I feel that I have a good grasp of this section. Lesson planning is becoming more natural to me, and now that I am focusing on the command terms for my questions, moving students higher up blooms is becoming easier as well.
educ_540_domain_3_lesson_plan.doc |
teddy_bear_lab_activity.doc |