Observation #2 - The Lesson Plan

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: Joseph Bonaldi	Subject: English	Grade(s): 12th Grade
Name of Lesson:
Learning Objective(s), including Bloom's taxonomic level: (label A, B, C, *D) *optional Ss will investigate select text from Lord of the Flies in pairs of four, looking specifically for evidence which proves a particular thesis which is included in the same packet as their select LOTF text.
Student Standards (GSE or/GLE or Common Core-in draft for math/science- list which): Reading Standards for Literature 6-12 Key Ideas and Details Grades 11-12 Students 2. Determine two or more themes or central ideas of a text and analyze their development over the course of the text, including how they interact and build on one another to produce a complex account; provide an objective summary of the text.
Teacher Standards (professional society and/or NETS  and RIPTS-list which): Standard 5 Teachers create instructional opportunity to encourage all students’ development of critical thinking, problem solving, performance skills, and literacy across content areas.
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 is successful in that it approaches the students with their prior knowledge to the material. What the educator aims to do is to have them go back into the text and reclaim what they’ve already read in order to prove a set of information which reflects upon the text and material.
Materials/Resources needed, including technology: Thesis packet, Select reading packet, highlights, pens, pencils, allocated space to discuss with assigned groups
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.  Students are given extra sets of material upon require if the select reading is not sufficient to complete the lesson.  If students are unable to read the packets, master copies and the Lord of the Flies novel is readily available to also read.
What content resources support this knowledge base? (list at least 2) n/a
How confident are you in this topic as you start this lesson? Joseph Bonaldi researched and prepared numerous items in order to create this lesson.  When asked whether or not he was confident, he responded “I only worry that I will mumble my instructions, as I have a bad habit of speaking fast.”

(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) Joseph gave “Discussion Leaders” the packets, listed with who was in their group.  When he signaled, the leaders would seat themselves in difference sections of the room and call out the name of their group members.
Anticipatory Set: How will you introduce the material, interest the students, show relevance of topic? Joseph began the class by reviewing the material in LOTF and read an example of the type of thesis he would have created from the material he reviewed.
Phase (change as needed)/Time	Teacher action	Student action	Questions/Assessments
e.g. Intro/5 min.	Reviewed LOTF and read example of thesis	Followed along in book and took notes	“How do you believe this proves the thesis?”
Presentation or Open-ended/ 2 minutes	Passed out packets and exampled to class what was to be done with packets and groups	Students reviewed notes and got prepared to move
Guided Practice or Convergent/ 15 minutes	Recollect pre-organized list of terms and thesis questions and prepares to rebuttal student discussion	Students collected together and worked on the packets together
Closing/10 minutes (ran out of time)	Listened to each group and played devil’s advocate to further critical thinking	Students selected key speaker to present findings, and answered questions as the educator continued to listen to their weigh in
HW/Application/	Finish reading and reviewing the deeper concepts found in the end of LOTF
Review and Reflection: How will you review for students who are still having trouble? Have students continue reading LOTF and answer in their reading journals this question “How will information work to support that Piggy, Jack, or Ralph is fittest to the leader?”
Extension: What will you offer to students who have mastered this? Ask the question “How could they have been a better leader considering the events earlier in the book?” “What could they have done/not done?”
*Closing: How will you review the material, and draw conclusions? (may be listed above)

	Lesson Plan Template pt. 3 = reflection
WHAT?	What went well?   Students grasped and comprehended the material rather quickly.
	What area of weakness needs addressing? Instructions should have been louder and clearer.  Some students struggled only because they couldn’t hear the first set of instructions at the beginning of class.
	Which objectives were met? What is the evidence? The singular objective was met, as each student was able to pull rom their select text and support the thesis they were all given.  They were all able to also infer on the future of the novel from the thesis’ and close reading of the text.
	Which students did not meet objectives? n/a
	Was time managed appropriately? Discussion time could have skipped a few educator questions, as the class ran out of time before the final group could answer said question.
	Did any teacher mannerisms or actions detract from the lesson? n/a
	*What were the strengths and weaknesses of classroom management? The students were able to structure themselves in an efficient manner.  However, they weren’t able to manage themselves very well after lunch time.
SO WHAT?	Was the lesson engaging? Yes, the lesson involved the students heavily in their presentation to the class.  It also took a contribution from each student in order to effectively answer the thesis questions.
	*What did I learn from my peer observation (address at least one aspect)   The educator could have been more clear and concise about what he wanted from the student.  Had he spent more time on explaining, the students would have (in my opinion) been able to pull apart the articles more in depth.
NOW WHAT?	How will this experience influence your professional identity?  As a to-be student teacher, I am learning that students really depend on the educator to guide them through the lesson.  Simply throwing a set of instructions at students, even if they are well-versed in the subject material, does not guarantee a perfect, or give a satisfactory, outcome without a tad bit of guidance.
	How will it influence how you plan/teach/assess in the future? I will slow down my lessons and teach according to the way I perceive my students understand me.  When I ask “Any questions?” I will still repeat myself once more to make sure that the students comprehend and can process the information, and aren't simply too shy to ask.