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Jennifer Orlando

EDU-522-Methods

Unit Plan

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Lesson Plan #1 Introduction to Ecology NYS Science Teaching Standards Standard 4: Students will understand and apply scientific concepts, principles, and theories pertaining to the physical setting and living environment and recognize the historical development of ideas in science. Key Idea 6: Performance Indicatory 6.1 a, 6.3a.

Plants and animals depend on each other and their physical environment. Objectives

● Students will apply what they know about ecosystems to create finished products such as pictures, poems, songs, and study tools.

● Students will compare and contrast important vocabulary terms about organisms within an ecosystem.

● Students will investigate a reading and derive important information from the text. Materials Class Readings Post It Notes Anticipatory Set https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khaYeIpmePo This video is meant as an introduction to the lesson that can be used to grab the students attention and pull their interest into the lesson for today. it gives a quick explanation about ecosystems and the connections between different organisms.

Procedures

1. Do Now 2. Discussion about abiotic and biotic factors 3. Reading & Note-taking Exercise 4. Class Discussion & Notes 5. Group Work- TicTacToe Worksheet 6. Exit Slip 7. Explain Homework & Readings

Closure Students will end this class by completing an exit slip that gives them the opportunity to voice any concerns they may have and also checks their understanding for that day. Assessments

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There are many formative assessments used in this lesson. Students will complete the tic-tac-toe worksheet which will not only be great practice using vocabulary terms but also allow me to gauge their understanding of the concepts. I will use observation while students complete their worksheets to determine the students who may be struggling and clear up any misconceptions. I will also observe how students work together with their peers and provide aid whenever necessary. The tic-tac-toe worksheet will be an assessment in itself. It gives students the opportunity to express what they have learned in multiple ways. Students will also complete a do-now that assesses their understanding and provides me with important information about their learning. Differentiation This lesson is appropriate for many different learners because it give students choice and the opportunity to express themselves in multiple ways. The tic-tac-toe worksheet gives a range of different activities that different types of learners will appreciate. While completing these assignments students will be working in pairs to allow for peer support and collaboration. For homework the students will complete a worksheet that will review what they have learned in class that day and also provide them with some background knowledge for the next lesson on food chains and food webs. Resources https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khaYeIpmePo http://www.pnwboces.org/science21/pdf/Differentiation_Guide.pdf http://www.slideshare.net/williamskristi/differentiation-in-the-science-classroom https://daretodifferentiate.wikispaces.com/file/view/8th%20Grade%20-%20Tic-Tac-Toe%20Ecology.pdf/83768869/8th%20Grade%20-%20Tic-Tac-Toe%20Ecology.pdf

Do Now Question

What is an ecosystem. Name as many of the different components as you can.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Name_______________________________________________

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Lesson 1: Introduction to Ecology Class Worksheet

Directions: Complete the following tic tac toe board using the vocabulary words listed below. You can choose any three activities as long as they are three in a row. You should complete two activities during class time and the last one for homework tonight. Vocabulary: consumer, producer, decomposer, herbivores, carnivores, omnivores, and scavengers.

Draw a picture of an ecosystem. Try to include as many organisms as you can think of. Label all of

the vocabulary terms within your drawing.

Compare and contrast the similarities and

differences between producers and consumers

using a venn diagram.

Create a rap, rhyme, or jingle that would help someone remember at

least three of our vocabulary words.

Write a poem using at least three of the vocabulary words.

Your Choice Think of your own way to

demonstrate your understanding of the

vocabulary words.

Create a set of flashcards for the vocabulary words.

Write a short paragraph or story using the

vocabulary words and their definitions. Be as creative as you can and

include illustrations if you have time.

Develop a “find and circle” word search using

food chain/food web vocabulary words..

Provide an answer key. Create a chart explaining each of the vocabulary

words used in your search.

Imagine you are preparing for an interview with a

ecologist. Prepare a questionnaire of at least five questions you would

ask in order to learn more about the flow of energy in ecosystems. Be sure to

include at least one of the vocabulary words in

each question.

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Lesson 1: Class Readings & Vocabulary Worksheet

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Vocabulary Worksheet Answer Key after Class Discussion

Vocabulary Term

Definition Example

Consumer An organism that gets energy by eating other organisms.

Animals

Producer An organism that makes its own food or energy.

Plants Algae Bacteria

Decomposer An organism that gets its energy by breaking down the remains of dead organisms.

Fungi Bacteria

Herbivores Consumer that eats mostly producers or plants.

Rabbits

Carnivores Consumer that eats other consumers or animals.

Birds Salamander Lions

Omnivores Consumer that eats both plants and animals.

Squirrels Black bears

Scavengers Consumers that feed on organisms that are already dead.

Turkey vulture

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Lesson #1 Homework Reading

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Lesson Plan #2 Ecology: Relationships Within an Ecosystem NYS Science Teaching Standards Standard 4: Students will understand and apply scientific concepts, principles, and theories pertaining to the physical setting and living environment and recognize the historical development of ideas in science. Key Idea 1: Performance Indicator 1.1a, 1.1b,

Living things are both similar to and different from each other and from nonliving things. Standard 4: Students will understand and apply scientific concepts, principles, and theories pertaining to the physical setting and living environment and recognize the historical development of ideas in science. Key Idea 6: Performance Indicatory 6.1 a, 6.3a.

Plants and animals depend on each other and their physical environment.

Objectives 1. Students will evaluate and identify the different relationships that exist between two

organisms. 2. Students will discover how relationships between organisms can have both negative

and positive effects on the individuals involved. 3.Students will justify answers that they find through examination of short descriptions.

Materials Class notes worksheet Notecards with relationship information Anticipatory Set https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GdC0Akpa2ts This video is a great introduction to the topic to be learned today because it demonstrates a symbiotic relationship to students that they may have never heard of or they mind find very interesting. It is short and used to grasp the students’ attention to begin work that day. Procedures

1. Do Now 2. Video 3. Introduction of different relationships

Find relationships that exist between two organisms based on the provided facts. 4. Students play matching game 5. Discussion 6. Introduce Homework

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Closure When students complete their in class assignment they will have time to begin their homework which consists of a short reading to introduce the topic for the next lesson and then a cutting and pasting assignment in which they will categorize organisms and evaluate their relationships. Assessments This lesson makes great use of formative assessments. The first formative assessment will be used as a pre-assessment and also to activate students’ prior knowledge. They will complete a graphic organizer that breaks down concepts such as the difference between living and nonliving things, producers and consumers, predators and prey. This will be a great introduction to the lesson. Questioning will also be used during this lesson in order to grasp how students understand the new concepts and what clarifications may need to be made. Another assessment that is incorporated is the matching game. This allows them to practice what they have learned while giving me the chance to evaluate how the students are grasping what they have learned. This assignment also asks students to justify their answer proving that they understand the content. Differentiation This lesson allows access to many different types of learners. Class notes worksheets will help students stay on task and gain understanding for the content presented. They will not have to be quick note-takers in order to stay on tasks. This worksheet also comes in handy because it can be used as a resource when completing the matching game. The matching game is a fun way for students to apply what they have learned to come to solutions. By creating groups of four for students to work in, they will have the opportunity to use their peers as resources and also to promote learning. When students help their classmates it allows them to practice their knowledge as well. Resources http://fillpot.pbworks.com/w/file/37585877/ecologycards+symbiosis+dating.doc http://gk12.asu.edu/Lessons/Life_Science/Bio-relation/2nd_coral_lesson___relationships.pdf http://fillpot.pbworks.com/w/page/37601264/Lesson%20plans%20for%20March%2021%20-%20March%2025 http://dnet01.ode.state.oh.us/IMS.ItemDetails/LessonDetail.aspx?id=0907f84c80532540 https://www.google.com/#q=examples+of+formative+assessment+template+8th+grade+science

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Do  Now

Key Words

❏ Consumer ❏ Producer ❏ Decomposer ❏ Herbivore ❏ Omnivore ❏ Carnivore ❏ Scavengers

❏ *Predator/Prey

Draw  a  picture  or  write  symbols  in  the  box   to   summarize   the   key   words  listed  above.

Summarize   what   you   know   by   using  these  key  terms  in  a  short  paragraph.  Check  off   the   terms   as   you  use   them  and   then   circle   them   within   the  paragraph.

 

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 Lesson  2  Class  Notes   Symbiosis – a very close relationship between 2 organisms where at least one organism benefits. Symbiosis comes from the words "sym" which means together and "biosis" which means life. Symbiosis occurs when two organisms create a union in which at least one benefits.

A common relationship in nature is the Predator/Prey relationship.

Predator – an organism that preys (hunts and consumes) on another organism. Prey – the organism being hunted and eaten.

Example: A lion hunts and eats a gazelle.

Examples of Symbiotic Relationships - Parasitism- one organism benefits while the other is harmed or negatively affected. - Commensalism- one organism benefits and the other is neither benefited nor harmed. - Mutualism- benefits all organisms involved.

Use  positive  and  negative  signs  to  summarize  each  symbiotic  relationship.  A  Plus  sign  (+)  represents  a  member  of  the  relationship  that  benefits.  A  Negative  sign  (-­‐)  represents  an  

organism  that  is  harmed  by  the  relationship.  Use  a  star  (*)  to  represent  an  organism  that  is  unaffected  by  the  relationship  that  it  is  apart  of.  

Parasitism Commensalism Mutualism

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Class  Activity  (cut  into  separate  cards) Directions: Put symbiotic pairs together based on clues in organism description. Hi. I am a very tired fungus. I am looking for someone energetic that can take advantage of the protected space I provide. Hello. I am an Acacia tree from Central America. I have wonderful thorns that are perfect shelter for small organisms and the tips of my leaves have a great food source. I hope to hear from you! What’s up? I am a moth looking for places to lay my moth eggs. There needs to be shelter and some seeds for the babies to eat when they hatch. Yo. I am a messy shark looking for someone that isn’t scared of me and doesn’t mind helping me clean up. Talk to you soon. Hi. I am mountain ash and I need someone to get my seeds out there. I have really pretty red berries, if you promise not to hurt the seed inside. Woohoo! I am an algae that loves to photosynthesize to supply energy for myself and someone else. I need someone that can help me find someplace protected to live. Hi, there. I am an ant without a home. My buddies and I are looking for a plant to live in. We promise to keep other animals from eating you by stinging if they try to. I am a Yucca plant that needs help with pollination. I can provide great shelter in my newly opened flowers, and I have some delicious seeds. Call me.

Hey. I am a remora fish. I can be a bit of a neat freak, but it is how I get my food. I hope we can swim into the sunset together. Howdy. I am a hungry waxwing bird looking for something to eat. I fly all over the place, so don’t try to hold me down. Hi! I am a clown fish in need of a home. I am pretty small and have resistance to certain poisons. Let me hear from you. Hello. I am a beautiful orchid looking for a place to grow. I like that tall, silent strong type. I get what moisture and nutrients I need from the air. Hi. I am an epiphyte, or a plant that grows on another plant. I am looking for a nice home in the water. Bon voyage! I am a tick looking for some blood. I like animals with long legs and lots of blood. I am an Ascaris worm and I am starving! I love to swim in place in the intestines of others. I was recently dumped when a lot of friends and I got tangled up and fell out the end of an intestine. I am a sea anemone who keeps busy grabbing food with my stinging tentacles. My poison isn’t that strong, but it keeps me fed. I am a big tree. I like to stand still and be in the open air. I can’t wait to meet you.

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Hey! I am sea grass. I live under water and love to talk with the hermit crabs and shrimp that are always swimming by. I can’t wait to meet you! I am a deer. I prance around the woods looking graceful, but I hate to be bitten. Hi. I am a pig. People like me because I am nice and I have a really nice digestive tract. I hope I get a date. I am a cowbird and I need to lay my egg. I want someone to raise my baby cowbird even if one of your own baby birds gets overlooked. Hurry! I am a roundworm that loves to lay my eggs in the anus of mammals. I make them itch, but then they re-infect themselves with my eggs. I am a oak tree with great roots that drink in water and nutrients. I am a really nice bird with a nest full of eggs ready to hatch. My friends say I am a great mom. I am a young animal who still likes to get milk from my mom. My name is squawroot. I don’t have any chlorophyll, so I am looking for someone with big roots to get me water, nutrients, and carbon.

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In Class Worksheet: Matching organisms in a relationship.

Directions: Used the descriptive cards to make matches between organisms that could function together in a symbiotic relationship. Identify each organism on the table below. State the type of relationship that you believe exists and then justify your answer with evidence from the descriptive cards.

Organism 1

Organism 2 Type of Relationship

Why did you come to this conclusion?

1.

2.

3.

4.

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Lesson #2 Homework Readings

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Name:_____________________________________________ Lesson 2 Homework Worksheet: Symbiotic Relationships Directions for completing the assessment: Read the relationships on each card. Paste it on the sheet under one of the symbiotic relationships: Predator-Prey, Parasitism, Mutualism or Commensalism. On each card put a plus sign next to the name of the species if it is positively affected by the relationship, put a negative sign if the species is negatively affected by the relationship. If the species is neither harmed nor benefited by the relationship, put a 0 next to the name.

Bacteria

Human Intestines

Spanish Moss

Trees

Dogs

Fleas

Squirrels

Trees

Whales

Barnacles

Butterfly

Flower

Figs

Fig Wasps

Remora

Sharks

Tawny Owl

Mice

Field Digger Wasp

Fly

Clown Fish

Sea anemone

Venus flytrap

Insects

Rafflesia plant

Vine

Ants

Acacia Trees

Tapeworm

Mammal

Trees

Orchids

Human head

Lice

Trees

Mistletoe

Yucca moth

Yucca plant

Eagle

Rabbit

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Answer Key for Homework

Attachment D Post-Assessment Answers

Commensalism Spanish Moss +; Trees 0 Squirrels +; Trees 0 Whales 0; Barnacles + Sharksuckers (remora) +; Sharks 0 Trees 0; Orchids + Mutualism Bacteria +; Human intestines + Butterfly +; Flower + Ants +; Acacia Tree + Yucca plant+; Yucca moth + Figs+; Fig Wasps+ Clown Fish +; Sea Anemone + Parasitism Fleas +; Dogs- Trees-; Mistletoe + Human -; Lice + Field Digger Wasp+; Fly – Tapeworm+; mammal – Rafflesia plant+; Vine – Predator/Prey Tawny Owl +; Mouse – Venus Fly Trap +; Insect – Eagle +; Rabbit –

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Lesson Plan #3: Food Chains and Food Webs Topic Ecology: Food Webs and Food Chains NYS Science Teaching Standards Standard 4: Students will understand and apply scientific concepts, principles, and theories pertaining to the physical setting and living environment and recognize the historical development of ideas in science. Key Idea 1: Performance Indicator 1.1 a

Living things are both similar to and different from each other and from nonliving things.

Standard 4: Students will understand and apply scientific concepts, principles, and theories pertaining to the physical setting and living environment and recognize the historical development of ideas in science. Key Idea 6: Performance Indicator- 6.1 a, 6.3a.

Plants and animals depend on each other and their physical environment. Objectives

● Students will create a food web based on their knowledge of producers, consumers, and decomposers.

● Students will discover the impact of environmental changes on a food web and its occupants.

● Students will create food chains based off of a food web for a particular environment. Materials Index Cards Chalk Worksheet Video Anticipatory Set

I will show students a video that reviews what an ecosystem is, to activate their prior knowledge. Then I will give them a minute to explain in their own words what Mufasa is explaining to Simba in the video. I will give them this quote as a reference. ”Everything you see exists together in a delicate balance as king you need to understand that balance and respect all creatures. From the crawling ant to the leaping antelope.”

Procedures 1. Review Ecosystem

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2. Define Food Chain 3. Show clip of video for review. 4. Create Food Chain in groups 5. Share with class 6. Define Food Web 7. Create Food Web as class on front board 8. Finish Video 9. Exit Slip 10. Hand out homework Closure Students will watch the end of the video to wrap up and review the concepts for today and then complete an exit slip before leaving class. Assessment For Pre-Assessment, students will complete a Do-Now to activate their prior knowledge about ecosystems and the relationships within them. Throughout the lesson the teacher will use formative assessments such as observation and questioning. Students will also complete an exit slip to examine if they are making connections between the concepts learned today in class. Students will also complete a homework worksheet the will evaluate their knowledge after the lesson. Accommodations/Differentiation The video used throughout this lesson provides extra emphasis on each concept presented in class giving students the opportunity to hear the information for a second time. Student will also be given worksheets that will guide them through the lesson and provide them with important information regarding the concepts. Resources http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWh-XKhh8xo https://www.google.com/search?q=examples+of+producers+and+consumer&source http://sciencespot.net/Media/pondfoodwebinfo.pdf http://fillpot.pbworks.com/w/page/37601264/Lesson%20plans%20for%20March%2021%20-%20March%2025

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Food Chains & Food Webs Do Now

From what you know about ecosystems and the relationships within them, explain in your own words what Mufasa is trying to help Simba understand.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Food Webs Class Handout Organisms can have multiple arrows pointing to or away from them. They are connected to ALL the things they eat or are eaten by. The arrow always points in the direction energy is flowing (toward what is eating.) The base of a food web is always made of producers.

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Name__________________________________________

Food Chains & Food Webs Homework Worksheet

Think of the ecosystem that you are living in. 1) Create a food chain using 3 organisms in this ecosystem.

2) Label the producers, consumers, and decomposers within this food chain. 3) Explain an environmental factor that could disrupt the energy flow of the food chain you have constructed. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Lesson Plan #4 Ecology & Food Webs Lab NYS Science Teaching Standards Standard 4: Students will understand and apply scientific concepts, principles, and theories pertaining to the physical setting and living environment and recognize the historical development of ideas in science. Key Idea 6: Performance Indicatory 6.1 a, 6.3a.

Plants and animals depend on each other and their physical environment. Objectives

● Students will conduct observations to pose questions and seek answers about ecosystems. ● Students will examine internet resources to inquire about concepts. ● Student will compare data they collect to content they have learned.

Materials Lab Notes Packet Ecosystem to observe Anticipatory Set Students will observe a picture (Thanksgiving dinner table or whatever pertains to the time at which this lesson is done) and be asked to record everything they see and then make inferences based on those observations. This is the technique they will use during the lab exercise. Procedures 1. Do Now 2. Short Discussion 3. Lab Exercise 4. Introduce Homework 5. Exit Slip Closure Students will end this class by completing an exit slip that requires them to reflect on their work for this class. This will be good for self-regulation to help students recognize their strengths, weaknesses, and goals. Assessments Quick formative assessments such as a do now and an exit slip are used at the beginning and end of this lesson. The do now will require students to recall background information about ecosystems before we begin the exercise. This acts as a pre-assessment and a way activate prior knowledge. Throughout the lesson I will conduct questioning and observations to evaluate

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student progress and understanding. Students will also have a homework assignment at the end of this activity that requires them to conduct research and provide writing about their findings. Differentiation This lesson guides students through an observation exercise to evaluate an ecosystem. They have resources such as their small lab group and the lab worksheet which uses graphic organizers to help them organize their work appropriately. Resources http://kentonlibrary.wordpress.com/2013/11/06/thanksgiving-preparation/

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Ecosystems & Food Webs Lab Exercise

Directions: Conduct an observation of the ecosystem assigned. Evaluate the different organisms and the abiotic and biotic factors that you see. Be thorough and detailed in order to obtain the best results. Neatly record your findings in the provided tables.

Question

What do you want to find out?

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Materials

What objects and resources did you use during this investigation? Record any references here. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Procedure

Write the steps of your procedure clearly so that if need be a stranger could recreate your experiment.

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________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Observational Data

Organize your observations and data about the feeding habits of the organisms in your ecosystem.

Organism What it Eats

Biotic Factors Abiotic Factors

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Feeding Level Organism

Producer

Consumer

Herbivore

Omnivore

Carnivore

Decomposer

Scavengers

Based on the data you have collected create a food web connecting the different organisms in this ecosystem.

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Conclusions

What did you find out about organisms in this ecosystem? Were you able to classify them according to their food sources? How did you use what you found to make a food web? How did the data you collected from your observations help you. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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A step further…

At home conduct Internet or library research on a possible natural disaster that could affect this ecosystem. Using two different resources explain what would happen to this ecosystem and your food web if this disaster did occur. Use the space provided to brainstorm your ideas and take notes. Then create a short presentation of your information to show to the class. You can use a visual such as a PowerPoint or poster. Be creative! _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Lesson Plan #5 Effects of Environmental Changes on an Ecosystem NYS Science Teaching Standards Standard 4: Students will understand and apply scientific concepts, principles, and theories pertaining to the physical setting and living environment and recognize the historical development of ideas in science. Key Idea 1: Performance Indicator 1.1 a

Living things are both similar to and different from each other and from nonliving things.

Standard 4: Students will understand and apply scientific concepts, principles, and theories pertaining to the physical setting and living environment and recognize the historical development of ideas in science. Key Idea 6: Performance Indicator- 6.1 a, 6.3a.

Plants and animals depend on each other and their physical environment. Objectives

● Students will demonstrate their learning through presentations in front of a small audience.

● Students will justify their work using resources found on the internet. Materials Class Readings Post It Notes Anticipatory Set We will have a short discussion using a ball in class. The ball will be tossed around and whoever receives the toss must state a fact that he or she learned in this unit. Each student will get at least one turn to speak. This is a way to get students involved in the class while reviewing what we have learned thus far.

Procedures 1. Ball Toss 2. Student Presentations 3. Exit Slip Closure Students will end this class by completing an exit slip that gives them the opportunity to evaluate themselves and their learning students will be asked to grade themselves on their presentation.

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They will also be asked to state how the excelled and what they could have done better. They will also set goals for the next class presentation. Assessments The ball toss conducted in the beginning of class helps activate student prior knowledge and also acts as an assessment for the teacher to see what students know and what may need to be clarified. The presentations will also assess how students grasped the content for the unit and used it to discuss a world issue. Differentiation The activity that begins this class gives students the chance to get a quick review of the content covered in this unit. They will hear what other students learned and also voice something they have learned as well. This will serve as an introduction that will help students get excited and on track with the content. The evaluation at the end of the lesson is also great for all learners because they can become more aware of their strengths and weaknesses and what they may want to do to become better on the next assignment.

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Unit Plan Reflection

The process of creating this unit plan has provided me with insight into what it takes to

create effective learning experiences for all students. Using what I have learned about learning

standards and objectives, teaching methods, and classroom procedures I think I was able to

create a science unit that would promote learning and positive classroom experiences. After

selecting the topic for this unit I reviewed the New York State and Common Core Standards in

order to create learning objectives for this unit.

It is important to create student learning objectives for each lesson plan within a unit to

use as goals for teaching and learning. I used different levels of thinking of Blooms Taxonomy

when creating these student learning outcomes. During some lessons lower level thinking is

involved. For example, when students compare and contrast information they are thinking at a

higher level than when they are asked to identify vocabulary. I have learned the importance of

creating learning outcomes that are challenging but achievable for all students. By creating the

learning outcomes based on state standards and Blooms Taxonomy I can be sure to give students

effective learning opportunities.

Many different teaching methods and resources are used throughout this lesson in order

to differentiate learning for all students. Though each lesson is different they all follow the same

basic format. I think it is important to have some sort of routine within the class to help with

classroom management. As students learn and practice the class routines it is likely the

disruptions can be avoided. Students will begin each class with a do now that they begin when

they enter the classroom. The do nows for each of the lessons I created are used as a pre

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assessment and also help to activate students’ prior and background knowledge. These are just

one example of the many assessments used throughout this unit.

Two examples of assessments used in this unit that give students the opportunity to

demonstrate what they have learned are the tic-tac-toe worksheet and the laboratory report. The

worksheet is differentiated and gives students a choice in their learning. They get to chose three

different activities that ask them to practice using vocabulary terms. This will allow me to assess

their learning and see what they have or have not grasped. The lab report asks students to

conduct observations and then explain what they have learned through writing. This will be

another opportunity for student to display their knowledge.

Multiple formative assessments are used during each lesson. Students often complete

worksheets during class. In some cases these worksheets act as helpful note-taking activities or

are used during group work. I also used observation and questioning during lessons as constant

assessments of student understanding. After practicing these lessons I have learned the

importance of observation and how much useful information can be gained by using it. For

example, when students completed group work I would scan the different groups to see how they

were working together and if I could be of any help. I could evaluate student engagement and

take the appropriate steps to improve it when necessary. This also showed me a positive use of

group work.

The importance of group work being incorporated into lessons cannot be emphasized

enough. Not only does it allow the teacher to evaluate students as they learn but it also provides

students with peer supports. I tried to take advantage of student grouping in each lesson in order

to give students the chance to collaborate and work cooperatively with their classmates. I think

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this is a very effective method to use in the classroom and plan to implement this often in my

future classroom.

Creating and practicing teaching these lessons has shown me some of my strengths and

weaknesses and obstacles I may face in the future. I think that I am creative when making

lessons and try my best to find activities that the students will not only learn from but also enjoy.

It is one thing to create a lesson on paper and another to deliver it. I am glad I got to practice

teaching some of these lessons so that I will be more prepared in the future. Practicing showed

me that you can never be too prepared for the situations that can occur in the classroom. Being

prepared is one of the best ways to ensure student engagement.

Though I do believe it will take time to become comfortable and confident in the

classroom I plan to continue to learn from my experiences like I have thus far. I have learned that

when conducting questioning it is important to give students enough time to evaluate their

thoughts before just giving them the answers. I also learned that sometimes handling

misbehaviors can lead to the disruption of other students learning and it is important to evaluate

each situation before taking action. I am thankful for this assignment because it was great

practice for the future.