Observation Assignment #2

SED 406:  Observation Assignment #2

In this observation assignment, your goal is to reverse-engineer a lesson plan. Watch the class, and write the lesson plan that teacher is using.

Do this by OBSERVATION, even if the teacher is willing to share their lesson plan with you. This is about improving your observation skills, not getting ‘the answer’.

Lesson Plan Template for SED 406 and 407 part 1 = planning
Teacher Candidate: Mr. Morra	Subject: Chemistry	Grade(s): 11-12
Name of Lesson: Balancing Chemical Equations
Learning Objective(s), including Bloom's taxonomic level: (label A, B, C, *D) *optional Students will gain an understanding of how a chemical equation relates to the law of conservation of matter? (Objective was written on board) Comprehension, Application, Analysis, Evaluation
Student Standards (GSE or/GLE or Common Core-in draft for math/science- list which): HS-PS1-4 & HS-PS1-5 Chemical processes, their rates, and whether or not energy is stored or released can be understood in terms of the collisions of molecules and the arrangements of atoms into new molecules, with consequent changes in the sum of all bond energies in the set of molecules that are matched by changes in kinetic energy.
Teacher Standards (professional society and/or NETS  and RIPTS-list which): RIPTS 3- Teachers create instructional opportunities that reflect an understanding of how children learn and develop RIPTS 4- Teachers create instructional opportunities that reflect a respect for the diversity of learners and an understanding of how students differ in their approaches to learning.
Rationale: Why this lesson? How does it fit into the curriculum and context? Is this the introduction, conclusion, or somewhere in the middle of the unit of instruction? This lesson fits in the middle of a unit on chemical equations. Before was working with equations and after will be word problems with chemical equations.
Materials/Resources needed, including technology: Handouts, computer, Smartboard, power point
Accommodations and Modifications (special needs and learning styles) For example:  Dr. Kraus has poor vision and needs written material to be at least 12 pt. font.  He also reads two grade levels higher and needs appropriate reading material.
What content resources support this knowledge base? (list at least 2) Chemistry book in classroom, site where powerpoint came from
How confident are you in this topic as you start this lesson? Confident, he definitely taught this lesson for years.

(Boxes expand as you type)   Lesson Plan Template part 2 = action
Bell-ringer: How will you get students seated, and ready for academic work? (without your voice) Voice is necessary as students will not just sit down, take out pencils, and get ready for class.
Anticipatory Set: How will you introduce the material, interest the students, show relevance of topic? Explain that you can associate a word with something else and review of old vocabulary words such as atom, element, equation, balance.
Phase (change as needed)/Time	Teacher action	Student action	Questions/Assessments
e.g. Intro/5 min.	Lead discussion	Participate	What is an atom? Do atoms make up elements? Do elements make up the world around us? What do electrons do? What does it mean to balance something? What is conservation?
Presentation or Open-ended/	Go through a couple slides on power point	Listen/Participate	What is a chemical equation? Is this equation balanced? How would you balance this if there are 2 oxygens on this side of the equation and four on this side?
	Breifly go over what the students will be doing Monday-Wednesday when teacher is at conference	Listen
Guided Practice or Convergent/	Walk around and observe students	Complete worksheet in two groups of three	How would you balance this equation? Is it balanced if there are 6 on this side and 2 on this side? Then what do you do?  What is a common denominator and how can it help?
Closing/	Explain (again) what is expected from them to do Monday-Wednesday because teacher will be absent	Listen	Does anybody have questions on what they will be doing during these classes?
HW/Application/	N/A	N/A	N/A
Review and Reflection: How will you review for students who are still having trouble? Go through examples with students
Extension: What will you offer to students who have mastered this? Worksheet is extremely long and will be worked on next class
*Closing: How will you review the material, and draw conclusions? (may be listed above) Closing will be done next week as teacher will be absent and work was not completed

	Lesson Plan Template pt. 3 = reflection
WHAT?	What went well?   Students did participate and work on few problems
	What area of weakness needs addressing? Students talking and not listening to instruction and commands from teacher
	Which objectives were met? What is the evidence? Students did work on balancing equations but there was not related to law of conservation
	Which students did not meet objectives? All
	Was time managed appropriately? Yes, however the students talking did take away from their handouts.
	Did any teacher mannerisms or actions detract from the lesson? Some stories that did not relate to the subject were told but teacher did not go off on tangents.
	*What were the strengths and weaknesses of classroom management? Teacher could not discipline students. They sat in the back of the room and refused to move up. They spoke without raising hand and interrupted other students who were called on.
SO WHAT?	Was the lesson engaging? Yes, power point was interesting and teacher is enthusiastic about subject
	*What did I learn from my peer observation (address at least one aspect)   Presenting power points are an effective teaching method. The Smartboard also allowed students to participate and allowed the teacher to write right on the equations. Classroom management in extremely important and can change the classroom experience completely. The students know they can get away with not listening and talking with friends so they do. Nobody was in trouble for talking and not listening to directions so this is something that will keep happening. Not much of the handout was completed and this was definitely due to poor classroom management.
NOW WHAT?	How will this experience influence your professional identity?  I know I will have to go into the classroom disciplining the students from day one. It may be difficult because this is probably the setting they are used to but consequences have to given to such behaviors.
	How will it influence how you plan/teach/assess in the future? The power point is definitely a tool I will use to teach. I hope I have technology like a Smartboard but if not I will improvise with a board. I will give handouts with the power point for students to take notes on. Group work is a good idea if students are completing group work and not talking to peers. I will assess my students as they complete group work while observing how they are doing on the material on a day-to-day basis. Questions about the class before at the beginning of the class time also seems effective because it will refresh the students on the subject and where they are at in the class.