SED 406:  Observation Assignment #2

Diane Morel's 11th Grade Level 2 US History

St. Mary's Academy Bay View

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: Diane Morel	Subject: US History, Level 2	Grade(s): 11th
Name of Lesson: The Election of Abraham Lincoln
Learning Objective(s), including Bloom's taxonomic level: (label A, B, C, *D) *optional Students will be able to explain the events and political strategies that led to the election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860.
Student Standards (GSE or/GLE or Common Core-in draft for math/science- list which): CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.9 Integrate information from diverse sources, both primary and secondary, into a coherent understanding of an idea or event, noting discrepancies among sources.
Teacher Standards (professional society and/or NETS  and RIPTS-list which): Standard 2: Teachers have a deep content knowledge base sufficient to create learning experiences that reflect an understanding of central concepts, vocabulary, structures, and tools of inquiry of the disciplines/content areas they teach.
Rationale: Why this lesson? How does it fit into the curriculum and context? This lesson brings together the events of the 1840s and 1850s that led to the Civil War. It fits into the context of American history as a pivotal event that was essentially the “last straw” before the succession crisis. Is this the introduction, conclusion, or somewhere in the middle of the unit of instruction? This lesson is at the end of the unit, as it is the last major blow to the Union. Next unit will be about the Civil War.
Materials/Resources needed, including technology: Powerpoint, SMARTBoard, computer, pull-down maps, laser pointer, whiteboard/markers
Accommodations and Modifications (special needs and learning styles) As this is a Level 2 class, the pace of instruction must be slowed down to assure understanding. This requires pausing frequently to assess comprehension.
What content resources support this knowledge base? (list at least 2)
How confident are you in this topic as you start this lesson? Very confident.

(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) Assume position at the podium and wait for eyes on me. Students already have a routine to come into class, get their books out of the drawer, and assumer their seats.
Anticipatory Set: How will you introduce the material, interest the students, show relevance of topic? Explain the importance of the Election of 1860 as a turning point to the Civil War
Phase (change as needed)/Time	Teacher action	Student action	Questions/Assessments
e.g. Intro/5 min.	Housekeeping (check on another class with a substitute, set up PowerPoint)	Housekeeping (get books, start up iPads and become ready to listen/take notes)
	Explain today’s plan to students, talk about plan for Friday (will not be there because of NCSS Conference, but a test will be administered)	Ask questions about the day’s plan, the plan for tomorrow.	Tell students that if, while they are studying for their test, they have problems, to email me.
Step 1	Review/set the context and stage for the election of 1860	Listen, take notes, respond to /ask questions	Assess their knowledge of concepts like popular sovereignty and how they paint the scene for the 1860 election
Step 2	Give blended lecture/discussion about the election of 1860	Listen, take notes, respond to /ask questions	What’s the takeaway from Lincoln’s election? (That he only got elected because the Democratic party split their votes)
Step 3	Review for test: explain format, go over identifications	Discuss identifications	What was the Compromise of 1850? What are our other identifications? Tell me about them.
HW/Application/		Study for test on Friday
Review and Reflection: How will you review for students who are still having trouble? Have students see me during my free period/encourage students to email me their questions
Extension: What will you offer to students who have mastered this? Praise! They will do well on the test Friday.
*Closing: How will you review the material, and draw conclusions? (may be listed above)

	Lesson Plan Template pt. 3 = reflection
WHAT?	What went well?   The review/new content/review flow of the class was smooth and gave students multiple opportunities to sort out any confusion.
	What area of weakness needs addressing? The powerpoint use was for an AP class. It had too much information that the Level 2 students were rushing to try to copy down, perhaps losing some learning moments.
	Which objectives were met? What is the evidence? The objective for students to be able to explain the election of 1860 was met. As we repeated/went over this material multiple times, I was able to hear from almost all of the students to assess their understanding.
	Which students did not meet objectives? None, but we shall see on the test.
	Was time managed appropriately? Yes- ample time for both review and new material
	Did any teacher mannerisms or actions detract from the lesson? No, teacher mannerisms provided light humor to make the lessons more memorable.
	*What were the strengths and weaknesses of classroom management? I was able to secure participation from almost everyone, but, then again, sometimes this got confusing as some students were calling out answers over other students’ raised hands.
SO WHAT?	Was the lesson engaging? Yes, judging by the level of participation.
	*What did I learn from my peer observation (address at least one aspect)  Great teachers know what they want to get through, how to get there, and how to time it. It’s all about appearing super smooth and knowing which student questions to give more lengthy answers to over others.
NOW WHAT?	How will this experience influence your professional identity?  How will it influence how you plan/teach/assess in the future? Especially for teaching lower level classes, I really like the review/new material/review format. I also can see myself using humor and drama in the same way that Diane did- I hope my students will be as engaged and interested as hers were.