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UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA SOUTHEAST
TEACHER WORK SAMPLE
SUBMITTED TO DR. KATY SPANGLER
IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR
STUDENT TEACHING: MAT ELEMENTARY
ED 688
SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
BY
RUSSELL BAKER
APRIL 29, 2019
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Contextual Factors at Aquarian Charter School
Community District and School Factors : Aquarian is a K-6 charter school within Anchorage School
District (ASD), serving a community of almost 300,000 residents. It is located at 1705 W. 32nd Ave Anchorage,
99517. The surrounding neighborhood is largely comprised of modest homes and apartments. Aquarian is close
to a major commercial part of the city.
The physical structure of the school is unique. It is about 21 years old and comprised of unified modular
structures. Because of this, everything is small, from the principal’s office to the library. Despite the small
footprint of classrooms, the school has adapted. Classrooms are generally less than 25 students. There is no
cafeteria. Students either bring their own lunch or participate in a program that delivers lunches.
Families apply to the school through a lottery process. There is an expectation of extensive parental
involvement and support to ensure student success. There is no ASD bus service to the school. Nearly all
students are dropped off and picked up by parents/guardians or carpool.
ASD is considered the most diverse school district in the United States but that is not reflected in the
approximately 350 students of Aquarian. The students are predominately white/Caucasian. They are the progeny
of parents who have the means and desire to transport their children to and from the school, support their children
with assignments, and also volunteer their time within the school. The parents are generally professionals in the
higher economic percentiles of Anchorage. Although the lottery process allows all families to have equal
opportunity to opt into the school, there is an unintentional bias in regard to who actually gets to enroll.
Parents have a significant voice in a curriculum that does not necessarily conform to the ASD curriculum
set for traditional neighborhood schools yet it meets common core and other standards. Aquarian has a faculty
“Climate Committee” that meets regularly to address a wide variety of issues affecting the learning environment. .
Currently, an issue of concern is the ASD calendar which was disrupted by days off from the November 30th
earthquake.
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Classroom Factors: I’m student teaching in one of two 6th grade classrooms. The physical classroom
has a teacher area and many well-organized shelves containing books and activities. It is neat and uncluttered.
There is a sink and water fountain in the classroom. The seating arrangement in the classroom is varied upon
activity. There are 6 rectangular tables of 4 students in assigned seats, with an optional higher round table in the
back of the class that can accommodate up to 6 students. The 6 rectangular tables are oriented so all students have
a side view of the front whiteboard and projection system. Nobody has to turn around. Sometimes the students
are given optional seating, to either freely associate with their peers or to collaboratively work on projects with
assigned groups. Students are often allowed to work in the hall. There are benches and even a café table to
facilitate that option. The default however is maintaining assigned seats until otherwise directed. Regular class
meetings are held in a carpeted area in the front of the room. Overall, the physical structure and arrangement of
the classroom allows many options despite the relatively small size. There are Chromebook computers assigned
to every student in the class. They are kept in a charging cart at the rear of the classroom and are required for
many assignments. Parental involvement is extensive. Parents volunteer to grade assignments and support the
class in a myriad of ways. Although parents are frequently around, they generally keep a low profile during
instruction and help from the nearby bookroom, which is set up with tables. There is a vibrant Parent Teacher
Organization (PTO) which fundraises and supports the school in general. Every class has teacher assistant (TA).
In my class the TA is in the front office in the morning and directly supports the class in the afternoons during the
literacy block, science, and social studies.
Although the school has high expectations, there are fewer rules than at other schools. It is a
permissive environment designed to foster individual responsibility. For example, hats and hoods are allowed. So
are earbuds or headphones when working independently. “Growth mindset” is actively promoted, as are certain
key themes such as integrity, responsibility, respect, and compassion.
Pullouts include Spanish, Music, Library, and PE. They are normally in the morning. On Fridays there
are no pullouts for my class. Health is taught within the main classroom. Band and orchestra are after hours.
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There is also an enrichment program for qualified students. Eleven of my students are in that program.
Student Characteristics: There are 24 students in my class., 14 of which are boys. Two of the boys are
on Individual Education Plans (IEPs). One experiences autism. The other boy has some challenges which
require accommodations such as language pull-outs. Math instruction is highly differentiated according to
assessed performance. At 8:30 every morning students go to math instruction at their assessed level for 1 hour, 15
minutes. That leaves only 10 students in my math group. Some of my classroom students remain and others join
us, even some from the 5th grade. All my math students are among a lower group of grade 6 students so they are
only doing 7th grade math as opposed to pre-algebra. Differentiation in other subject areas is more subtle. All of
this happens within the core classroom. Some are given different work within a unit, for example doing only parts
of an assignment.
The students are very social. Many have common outside interests (especially hockey). All the students
are part of a close community. The students in my class are very familiar with their peers in the companion 6th
grade class. There is a seamless aspect to the various classrooms in the school. In fact, there is a coordinated
“buddy” program that regularly brings 6th graders together with kindergartners in the school. Many of the
students have siblings at the school. Some of the teachers have their own children there. That seems to build a
deeper sense of community within the school.
I have yet to meet an English Language Learner (ELL) at this school. There are none in my 6th grade
class. Most of the students have English fluency at or above their grade level.
My students are varied in their physical, intellectual, and emotional development. Their interests are
varied. Some are avid readers. Some favor STEM. Some are preoccupied with things like Star Wars fantasy,
video games, or sports. Student learning modalities are varied as are their personalities. One boy is particularly
introverted and avoids interaction with adults. I’m learning how to approach him in a way that makes him feel
safe. By gaining a better understanding of all students and knowing what motivates and excites them I’ll be better
able to tailor my instruction to their individual needs. I already see that some are very kinetic.
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The students have many rich prior learning experiences not typically found in traditional schools. For
example, as we were discussing Kilauea Volcano, I asked how many students had been to Hawaii. It was a forest
of raised hands. On any given day one or more of my students may be excused from class for an enriching outing
by parents. Of course missed work is made up.
Instructional Implications: This unique school has many advantages for most students. By the 6th
grade, Aquarian students have assumed far greater responsibility for their own education than a typical
neighborhood ASD school. There is a lot of homework. Sometimes there are so-called “helicopter” parents who
are prone to offer their ideas on what should be done in the classroom. I will need to communicate effectively
with them. For my instruction I’ll need to make assignments clear, and keep up with assessments which
document student performance and progress. I will also need to document conduct issues. For the more kinetic
students 15 minute outdoor “brain breaks” will be scheduled in the morning and afternoon. Instructional periods
will be kept at 45 minutes maximum to accommodate varied attention spans. All instruction will allow for
individual work as well as collaboration and group activities. If I follow my host teacher’s system and example
I’m confident of having a wonderful and productive semester with the children.
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Learning Goals for a Social Studies UnitI will be teaching a 6th grade social studies unit from the approved school curriculum My curriculum is
prescribed by a process involving a parent committee and the administration. As a charter school, Aquarian has
some expanded curriculum choices other Anchorage School District (ASD) schools do not have. For social
studies we are using a McGraw Hill product called “Discovering our Past, A History of the United States, Modern
Times. It is a curriculum that conforms to NCSS standards. My goals are guided by this well-considered
curriculum. The curriculum involves student textbooks, a teacher guide, and a myriad of online resources.
The unit I will be teaching on my own is Chapter 6, “The Progressive Era.” It roughly covers the period of
1880-1920 in American history, focusing on civil rights, political changes, legal changes, and social reforms. As
a precursor to this unit we have studied such things as the postbellum westward migration of American
colonialists/immigrants, technology & inventions, industrial development, and social changes such as
urbanization. The unit is a natural progression of these things in a critical analysis of American history. It
approaches this dynamic period of American history from many angles.
My overarching goal of this lesson, not necessarily set by the curriculum, is for students to connect their
present lives to the past. I want them to know their place in time. I want them to know how the past impacts the
present and the future. I want to give them a sense for how things change (or stay the same). I want to facilitate
personal historical connections. The unit I will be teaching is based on NCSS standards (1. 7/8, 2.3/4, 4.6, and
5.3/4/5/6/9). Based on those standards, students will know:
What reforms and reforms emerged during the progressive era
The impact that U.S. Presidents had on reforms during the progressive era
The ways society in the U.S. changed during the progressive era
The causes and consequences of prejudice and injustice in American society
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My goal is to impart such knowledge to my students. To assess their learning students will be able to:
Identify and evaluate reforms and reforms that emerged during the progressive era.
Analyze the impact that U.S. Presidents had on reforms during the progressive era.
Identify and analyze the ways society in the U.S. changed during the progressive era.
Identify and evaluate the causes and consequences of prejudice and injustice in American society.
The construction of the unit employs visual skills, reading skills, writing skills and critical thinking skills.
It involves videos, maps, timelines, text, and photographs. Lessons involve discussion and verbal/linguistic
intelligence. The curriculum accommodates “beyond level” (BL) students and English language learners
(ELL). Within this social studies curriculum, I will try to develop the students’ literacy skill of finding
information within the text. Assessments are open-book. There will be collaboration in finding this
information but the overall thrust will be to wean them off “just tell me the answer” mindset. They will be
taught how to find the answers themselves within the text as well as external resources. The following chart
summarizes my goal as it relates to the standards, Bloom’s taxonomy, how various learner levels might be
accommodated, and how the lessons will presented to promote scaffolding.
Learning goal for students
Standards Bloom’s Taxonomy Level
Various learner levels Development and scaffolding
Goal: Students will connect their present lives to the past. They will know their place in time. They will understand how the past impacts the present and the future.
NCSS Standards: Culture Time, Continuity
and Change Individual
Development and Identity
Individuals Groups and Institutions
Standards:1.7/8, 2.3/4, 4.6, and
5.3/4/5/6/9
Bloom’s levels: 1 - recall 2 - explain 3 – identify 4—analyze 5- create 6-evaluate
Beyond Level learners will be afforded the opportunity to submit extra credit written assignments.
There are no English language learners in the class.
The students will view videos relevant to the various lessons, read as a class the textbook, and discuss the text.
Using the text as an “open book” students will answer questions that draw from the text. They may work collaboratively on this.Kinetic activities involving role-playing will augment the curriculum.
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Looking at the process closer through Bloom’s taxonomy, students will have to remember some essential
“who, what, why, where, when, how” questions involving rote memory. Moving from there, students will
show understanding by interpreting and explaining some of the historical events covered. They will be asked
to apply their understanding by relating the changes of over a century ago to current events. The Venn
diagrams they construct in this unit will lead to the next level of analyzing history. They will compare and
contrast the present and the future. They will connect to history through their own experiences. To reach past
Bloom’s level IV and delve into synthesis and evaluation (levels V/VI) I will likely have to augment the
curriculum somehow, creating learning experiences that involve the highest levels of critical thinking.
Nonetheless my broad learning goal, as well as the specific knowledge I aim to impart to the students through
the curriculum, are developmentally appropriate and build upon the knowledge and skills the students have
learned from previous units, cross-curricular learning, and even their nascent life experience. They are ready.
It is a good curriculum.
However, several students in the class have shown distain for social studies. Precocious 6th graders can be
a tough group. That is why I’m comfortable with improvising and departing from the prescribed curriculum.
While studying unions, and deciding how much work to give the students in class, I had them unionize. We
then had collective bargaining. That was nowhere in the prescribed curriculum. I see the same thing
happening in this unit. For example, I can teach them about activism by having them draw political cartoons.
I can challenge them with questions about injustice. What if the boys and girls in the class did not have equal
rights? I’m intent on bringing history alive and making it relevant to as many students as I can. Perhaps that
is the best expression of my goal for this unit and the rest of my social studies instruction. I intend to guide
my students in the art of critical thinking, inside out.
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Assessment for a Social Studies UnitAs described in my goals I will be teaching a 6th grade social studies unit from the approved school
curriculum. I will be teaching Chapter 6, The Progressive Era. It is broken into four lessons; The Movement
Begins, Women and Progressives, Presidents of the Progressive Era, and Excluded From Reform. It will span 4-5
45 minute periods of instruction, including assessment time. My goal for this unit is for students to connect their
present lives to the past. A significant part of the unit deals with civil rights so I want the students to relate the
historical content to contemporary issues in the United States.
The curriculum has an agree/disagree pretest with 10 questions given before the students have had
instruction or have done the reading. After completing unit readings and lessons the students get an opportunity to
answer the same questions again.
The formative assessments on this unit come after each lesson in the form of an open-book quiz. For
example, in the Lesson 1 formative assessment, students will list corruptions in government and abuses of
business. They will assess the change in relationship between government and business after the passing of the
Sherman Antitrust Act and the Interstate Commerce Act. They will describe reformers and reforms. The
formative assessments will inform me on the students’ historical understandings as drawn from the text, and also
their ability to effectively use a textbook to answer questions. In our class we are striving to connect social studies
with literacy. By the end of the unit it is expected and important that all students will show progress towards the
learning goal.
Finally, there is a traditional post-assessment that consists of true/false, matching, multiple choice, short
answer, and essay questions covering the entire four lesson unit. This test is also open book. In conjunction with
the post-test (which was part of the pre-test), it will indicate how much historical information the students have
learned.
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Adaptations for diverse learners in the assessment of this lesson will be collaboration for the formative
assessments, open book tests for the post-assessment (in fact students can use any classroom resource available,
including Chromebooks – excluding collaboration), adequate time to complete the assessments, and credit for
corrected work. I will test to proficiency.
The various assessments described are attached as separate files. The rubric for the post-assessment is a
simple percentage scoring of correct/acceptable answers per the textbook.
Assessment Plan Table: Sixth Grade Social Studies (The Progressive Era) Learning Goal Assessments Format of Assessment Adaptations
Students will connect their present lives to the past. They will know their place in time. They will understand how the past impacts the present and the future.
Pre-Assessment
Formative Assessments
Summative Assessments and Post Assessment
Students will take a 10 question, true/false closed-book pre-assessment test that covers the 4 chapters of the unit.
Formative assessments will include asking students questions during the lesson, assessing their level of engagement during each lesson, and monitoring their work on the 4 “guided reading” open-book quizzes. The teacher will assess their written responses to the quizzes carefully to determine what, if any, misconceptions they might have.
Students will take a closed-book posttest which has the exact same questions as the pre-assessment test. An open-book graded chapter test will be given on material that covers the entire chapter/unit.
Assure students that they are not necessarily expected to know the historical information within the questions.
Students will be allowed and encouraged to use the textbook and any other reference material during the quizzes. They will be allowed to work individually or in small groups. The teacher will help students find information from the textbook when requested.
Students will work individually on the chapter test but may request help from the teacher to clarify questions.
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UbD Unit Design for a Social Studies Unit
Student Name: Russ Baker Intended Grade Level of Unit: Grade 6
Theme of Unit : The Progressive Era Content Area: Social Studies
Classroom Demographics: 24 students, 14 identified as male and 10 identified as female. The majority are white.
There is one Asian and some students with mixed race/ethnicity. Most have professional parents and are middle class
to upper middle class. Two students are on individual education plans. There are no English language learners. All
students are on grade level.
Alaska Content Standards: History - A: “A student should understand that history is a record of human experiences that links the past to the present and the future.”
Literacy Content Standard 1b: “Write arguments focused on discipline specific‐content. Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant, accurate data and evidence that demonstrate an understanding of the topic or text, using credible sources.”
Transfer Goal(s) - Unpacked Standards
Students will understand how changes during the progressive era of the United States affect their lives today.
BIG IDEA of the Unit:
Culture and laws may change in response to changing needs, concerns, social, political and geographic conditions.
STAGE 1 – Essential Questions and Enduring Understandings (Bank of EUs and EQs for Unit)Enduring Understanding(s)Students will understand that….Individuals, groups, and societies have the opportunity to bring about significant change.
Essential Questions to be Considered:
Why do societies change?
What are the causes and consequences of prejudice and injustice?
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STAGE ONE: (Bank of Objectives for Unit) STAGE TWO: (Bank of Assessments for Unit)Objectives/Learning Targets:Knowledge and Skills: K & S
___________________________Students will be able to:
Identify and evaluate reforms and reforms that emerged during the progressive era.
Analyze the impact that U.S. Presidents had on reforms during the progressive era.
Identify and analyze the ways society in the U.S. changed during the progressive era.
Identify and evaluate the causes and consequences of prejudice and injustice in American society.
Assessments Sources of Evidence of Learning____________________________
Preassessment: An agree/disagree test administered before the unit is taught. The same test will be administered following the unit instruction.
Formative/Summative: Open-book “Guided Reading” quizzes on the subject matter covered in each lesson.
Summative: An open-book chapter/unit traditional test on the content.
STAGE TWO: Culminating Performance Task
Culminating Performance Task – Students will complete an open-book test on the unit.
STAGE THREE: Learning for Understanding/ Instructional Activities Pre-Requisites for the entire unit: What are the prior knowledge and skills students have to have in place before starting this Unit of Study? Students will have demonstrated content knowledge in previous chapter units. They will need to be fluent readers, have adequate visual skills to interpret charts and other graphic material, and be capable of critical thinking skills sufficient to respond to” why” questions with a coherent “because” response.
Unit Overview/Introduction/Main Hook: Give the students 15 minutes to draw a political cartoon with a caption about an issue that concerns them (suggestions – It can be about a public political figure they like or dislike, an issue such as corruption or civil rights, or a governmental policy such as the Alaska State budget.)
Action/Lesson
Mini-hook for each lesson:connection to prior learning/knowledge
Process:Teacher does/ Student Does
Specific strategiesto accommodate
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Product:Assessment/ Evidence of LearningLesson closure
specific student variability/ accommodate all learners
Materials for lesson #1: Whiteboard with projector, teacher computer, textbooks, Guided Reading quizzes.Objectives and Essential Questions for lesson #1: Students will know the reasons that societies change over time. EQ1: Why do societies change? EQ2: What are the causes and consequences of prejudice and injustice?Standards/Content areas covered in lesson #1: 1b: Write arguments focused on discipline specific‐content. Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant, accurate data and evidence that demonstrate an understanding of the topic or text, using credible sources.
Lesson 1 Title: The Movement Begins
Review previous lessons by asking the students how the game Monopoly relates to accumulating power
Teacher shows “Ida Tarbell and Oil Reforms” video/Students watch. (provided by online access to https://connected.mcgraw-hill.com).
Teacher leads guided reading through the textbook/Students take turns reading aloud (provided by teacher textbook).
Teacher gives students independent time to complete open-book quiz on the lesson/Students complete the quiz (see attached files)
Teacher circulates the classroom, modeling reading and ensuring students are following along.
Teacher pauses reading to have mini discussions on the various points.
Materials for lesson #2: Whiteboard with projector, teacher computer, textbooks, Guided Reading quizzes.Objectives and Essential Questions for lesson #2: Students will know the reasons that societies change over time. EQ1: Why do societies change? EQ2: What are the causes and consequences of prejudice and injustice? Lesson Specific EQ: How did women’s suffrage change our country?Content areas covered in lesson (from standards): Writing Standards for Literacy (Social Studies) 1b: Write arguments focused on discipline specific content. Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant, accurate data and evidence ‐that demonstrate an understanding of the topic or text, using credible sources.
Lesson 2 Title: Women and Progressives
Show women’s suffrage video.(provided by online access to https://connected.mcgraw-hill.com).
Discuss Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) initiative during the 1970’s. (See https://www.britannica.com/topic/Equal-Rights-Amendment)
Teacher leads guided reading through the textbook/ Students take turns reading aloud (provided by teacher textbook).
Teacher gives students independent time to complete open-book quiz on the lesson/Students complete the quiz (see attached files)
Teacher circulates the classroom, modeling reading and ensuring students are following along.
Teacher pauses reading to have mini discussions on the various points.
Materials for lesson #3: Whiteboard with projector, teacher computer, textbooks, Guided Reading quizzes.Objectives and Essential Questions for lesson #3: : Students will know the reasons that societies change over time. EQ1: Why do societies change? EQ2: What are the causes and consequences of prejudice and injustice?
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Content areas covered in lesson (from standards) #3: Writing Standards for Literacy (Social Studies) 1b: Write arguments focused on discipline specific content. Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant, accurate data and evidence ‐that demonstrate an understanding of the topic or text, using credible sources.
Lesson 3 TitlePresidents of the Progressive Era
Show class the teacher’s “Teddy Bear.” Ask if they know the origin of the teddy bear. Tell story of Theodore Roosevelt refusing to shoot an injured bear that was tied up to facilitate the hunt. (see www.theodoreroosevelt.org)
Teacher shows Theodore Roosevelt Biography video/ Students watch. (provided by online access to https://connected.mcgraw-hill.com).
Teacher leads guided reading through the textbook/ Students take turns reading aloud. (provided by teacher textbook).
Teacher gives students independent time to complete open-book quiz on the lesson/Students complete the quiz (See attached files).
Teacher circulates the classroom, modeling reading and ensuring students are following along.
Teacher pauses reading to have mini discussions on the various points.
Materials for lesson #4: Whiteboard with projector, teacher computer, textbooks, Guided Reading quizzes.Objectives and Essential Questions for lesson #4: : Students will know the reasons that societies change over time. EQ1: Why do societies change? EQ2: What are the causes and consequences of prejudice and injustice?Content areas covered in lesson (from standards) #4): Writing Standards for Literacy (Social Studies) 1b: Write arguments focused on discipline specific content. Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant, accurate data and ‐evidence that demonstrate an understanding of the topic or text, using credible sources.
Lesson 4 Title:Excluded from Reform
Show “Separate but Equal” Video (provided by online access to https://connected.mcgraw-hill.com).
Discuss prior reading from “Storyworks: on “Amaya the Brave” (a story of how children made a difference on discrimination). (See https: //storyworks.scholastic.com)
Teacher leads guided reading through the textbook/ Students take turns reading aloud (provided by teacher textbook).
Teacher gives students independent time to complete open-book quiz on the lesson/Students complete the quiz. (See attached files).
Teacher circulates the classroom, modeling reading and ensuring students are following along.
Teacher pauses reading to have mini discussions on the various points.
Unit Closure:
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Table groups will brainstorm and decide on an injustice that affects us today. Each table group will offer a solution to the problem.
Students will individually complete the open-book test on the unit.
UNIT REFLECTION Cultural Capital: This unit is designed to increase each student’s understanding on how the history of the progressive era affects their lives today. Their “cultural capital” will be increased by understanding that culture and laws may change in response to changing needs, concerns, social, political and geographic conditions – and that each student has the potential to make change for the better occur.
Assessments: Pretest Analysis
Here is the pretest form students took on March 7, 2019
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An analysis of their responses shows that they haven’t had any instruction in this content area. Overall, of the
10 questions presented, the average score was 5.3 correct responses, close to a random guessing response. Here is
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the breakdown:
1) 2 correct responses2) 11 correct responses3) 8 correct responses 4) 6 correct responses5) 4 correct responses6) 10 correct responses7) 7 correct responses8) 7 correct responses9) 6 correct responses10) 8 correct responses
Some of the questions may have given clues, but the test indicates a broad lack of prior knowledge. That
being said, some questions had significantly fewer correct responses than others. Questions 1 and 5 stand out as
having very few correct responses. Questions 4 and 9 had less than 50% correct response rate.
As I begin teaching this unit I will focus on ensuring students know relevant vocabulary, particularly what the
spoils system was and was not (The Interstate Commerce Act actually related to the railroads). They will also
become familiar with the term “temperance.”
The most problematic pretest question was number 3. I can see that this is an inference question that even
after reading the text, the students might still need to rely on additional resources. We will have fun exploring this
in class. I might address this question as a group research project, utilizing Chromebook computers as well as
other resources. It will be illustrative of how history isn’t necessarily a black and white matter. There is room for
interpretation.
The pretest informs me of the importance of letting students use their books, their notes, other books, and
online resources as part of the overall instruction. It tells me to allow adequate time for them to do research
before the test and it affirms my plan to make the summative assessment an open-book test.
Formative Assessments: Quizzes
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Summative Assessment: Unit Test
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Decision Making in the Classroom
There is a concept called “OODA.” It means “observe, orient, decide, and act.” It was conceived by
Colonel John Boyd, USAF, and has been widely adopted in air-to-air combat, military decision-making, and
business. I employ the concept in the classroom. I believe a teacher needs to constantly exist in a decision-
making loop. It is the “OODA loop.” This concept requires constant formative assessment, both by informally
reading the class in real time, and also analyzing formal assessments. I will present examples of how I’ve
employed both the formal and informal processes.
My Teacher Work Sample (TWS) unit for lesson 1 of The Progressive Era (“The Movement Begins”)
involved a planned dialogue about the game Monopoly and a video introduction. That plan was changed because
of competing school priorities (Science Fair). Instead of having a 45 minute block for this lesson, I had only 20
minutes. I already knew my students would not respond to a rushed introductory lesson. I saw in all their faces
they wanted to get on with things - present their Science Fair projects, and then go to recess. The class was almost
checked–out. My lesson plan required adjustment.
Observing the climate of the classroom; the students’ faces, body language and verbal behavior, and
considering the time constraints for the planned lesson, I re-oriented. A table of boys which included Beck,
Reece, and Paul was my bellwether. They were individually and collectively ready to be off-task. I decided to
change the plan, and acted accordingly. I told the students that we would simply read through the material from
the textbook, but they would still be responsible for completing the “guided reading” homework. We would circle
back to the content of the lesson later. I promised them a game of “Stump the Teacher” as we revisited the lesson
next week. Essentially, I decided on the fly, to defer much of the instruction.
“Stump the Teacher” is one of my favorite tools. It is a re-teaching method and it also models how to
glean information from a text. As I applied it in this situation, it involved table-groups of students competing with
me and the other table-groups by drawing questions from the text. Each group would have three chances to stump
the teacher, me. The teacher has a good chance of answering the questions posed if he or she actually knows the
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content. It gets the students to look for information in their own textbooks. A prepared teacher will then take the
opportunity to expound upon the students’ questions. All that is required of the teacher is a close reading of the
same material the students are expected to know. In real-time I adapted to the situation, the time constraints, and
the overall mood of the class. The next week we finished the recap of the lesson with the game. It worked. It
also was a good segue into the next lesson of the unit.
Lesson 2 of the unit was centered on suffrage and the progress of women’s rights in the late 19th and early
20th centuries. There was a ripple-effect from taking time to play the “Stump the Teacher” game. I could not
show a “hook” video as I had planned. But apart from that, the lesson went on as planned. There were still lots of
OODA decisions to make as the instruction proceeded.
Much of the instruction came from “popcorn” reading, with students taking turns reading the text. The
idea is that they will stay engaged if they know they might be called on next. That doesn’t always happen.
Students occasionally drift off-task. As I circulated through the room, I found myself in the dynamic of tactical
decision-making. I would have to follow along the text, sometimes modeling the reading, but also remaining
aware of those students that needed help staying engaged. Sometimes the answer was to depart from the text
momentarily with an anecdote or observation. I did that a couple of times, and for the most part it worked. The
most problematic student was “H.” He experiences autism and finds it challenging to remain in group activities. I
opted to give him a break, directing him to pay a visit to his office friends. The remaining class managed to finish
the reading in good order and move on to students working collaboratively on the guided reading quiz. Early
results from that assessment informed me that several students had problems finding all the relevant information
from the text. Some of the questions required inferences that students did not make. That told me that during the
next lesson it would be useful to review the quiz as a class to give students a deeper understanding of the content.
In the future, I will also ask students to note the page numbers from which they based their responses. Although
this wouldn’t be a major lesson plan change, it would be an adjustment that is mindful of differentiated learning.
Both of these decision-making anecdotes reaffirm my belief that the OODA model has efficacy in the
classroom, just as it is a useful tool in the military and business. Teaching should be always be mindful and
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intentional. Using a system or structure that promotes this makes sense.
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Analysis of Student Learning and Learning Gain Score
Graphs: Analysis of Student Learning of Whole Class
Student 1
Student 2
Student 3
Student 4
Student 5
Student 6
Student 7
Student 8
Student 9
Student 10
Student 11
All0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
50%
70%
50%
40%
60% 60%
40%
60%
50%
30% 30% 33% 33%
90%
40%
80%
70% 70%
100% 100%
70% 70%
100%
80%89% 86%
Whole ClassPretest Post Test
Data Analysis:
The above graph shows that learning occurred. The students knew very little of the subject matter, the
progressive era of American history, having never studied it previously. That is reflected in the pretest scores.
This test data shows only a portion of the overall class of 24 students because several students were absent during
the pretest, and some of the students that took the pretest were absent during the post test. Both tests consisted of
true/false (agree/disagree) statements about certain historical facts. The test was administered using the same
paper as the pretest, thus students were aware of their previous responses, although their pretest submissions were
not graded.
The most interesting result was that of student #2. This individual was the only student that had a lower
score on the posttest than on the pretest. Several students showed significant learning gain scores. I’ll take a look
at both ends of the spectrum.
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I looked at subgroups based on gender because it is a racially and socioeconomically homogeneous school.
The only obvious divide within the student population is gender.
Graphs: Analysis of Student Learning of Boys:
Student 2 Student 4 Student 5 Student 7 Student 100%
10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%
100%
Pretest
Boys Pretest and Post Test Scores
Pretest Post Test
Data Analysis:
Although there are 14 boys in this class of 24 students, I was only able to get good data from 5 boys.
Apart from student #2, all the boys showed significant positive learning gain scores. The 4 other boys showed
learning gain scores similar to the girls, averaging 68.75%. Among all boys the mean learning gain score was
only 35%, but median learning gain score was 50% and the mode was 100%.
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Graphs: Analysis of Student Learning of Girls:
Student 1
Student 3
Student 6
Student 8
Student 9
Student 11
Student all
0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%
100%
PretestPost Test
Series3
Girls Pretest and Post Test Scores
Pretest Post Test Series3
Data Analysis:
The 6 girls in this sample set showed relatively consistent scores in comparison to the boys. The girls’
mean pretest score was 50% and the mean posttest score was 81.6%. The boys did 48% on the pretest and 76%
on the posttest. The range of the girls’ pretest scores was 30% while the boys’ range was 40%. The range of the
girls’ posttest scores was also 30%, but the boys’ posttest range was 60%. That is why the girls can be
characterized as being somewhat more consistent as a group.
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Graphs: Analysis of Student Learning Gain Scores:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
-1-0.8-0.6-0.4-0.2
00.20.40.60.8
1
Chart Title
Boy Learning Gain ScoresGirl Learning Gain Scores Series4
Data Analysis:
With one exception my whole class achieved the objective of advancing their factual knowledge of the
progressive era in American history. The Excel spread sheet below shows each individual’s scores. I will take a
closer look at two individuals within the sample set.
Two Individuals:
The two students that I will compare are student #2 and student #10, both boys. Student #2 is the
statistical outlier in this sample. He is a reserved boy that struggles across many curricular areas, yet has been
known to provide very insightful ideas from time to time. His aunt happens to be my aide in the classroom. She
has told me about this boy’s difficult home life and other factors that might contribute to his academic
performance. Still the boy soldiers on. I was surprised he got 70% of the answers correct on the pretest, and even
optimistic he might improve upon that score after instruction. In the course of the instruction it was apparent he
did not have any special grasp of the subject matter, due partly to his attention to the instruction and also the
ongoing formative assessments. He often has what I describe as a flat affect, He is hard to read, and his level of
engagement is uncertain. His posttest score of 40% surprised me as much as his pretest score. Both his pretest
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and posttest scores might have been due to chance. He might have been guessing on both tests. On the other
hand, he may have been influenced to some extent by second-guessing his pretest answers that were on the same
paper as the posttest responses. I believe that is a variable that needs to be eliminated. I will give future posttests
on a separate paper. I also think more questions on the assessments might be helpful in accurately discerning
what learning occurred. In this content area I would go to 20 questions instead of 10. Another possibility is that
this one student just had a bad day, but I think there is something else going on.
In contrast to Student #2, Student #10 is a recognized achiever. Given the lack of prior connection to the
material, I was not surprised by this student only getting 30% correct responses. Likewise, given his
conscientious nature, his score of 100% on the posttest was predictable. Student #10 is easy to read. Although he
is a person of few words, he asks very good questions and takes notes. He is very good with eye contact and
communication skills.
Teaching kids like Student #10 is easy. The challenge is in teaching kids like Student #2. I’m convinced
my instruction failed him. Clearly, Student #2 deserves additional attention. That could be as simple as trying to
solicit more audible reading from him when we’re covering the material as a group. It might also involve more
differentiated instruction – anything from more video presentations to hands-on/minds-on activities which elicit
deeper involvement. I will try to give individualized help and attention to this boy. In summary, this data informs
me about both my instruction and also my assessment methodology.
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Learning Gain Score Calculation Excel Spread Sheet:
Students, N=
Pre-Assessment Raw Score, Top Possible =
Post-Assessment Raw Score, Top Possible =
Pre-Assessment Percentage
Post-Assessment Percentage
Actual Gain Score
Potential Gain Score, Top Possible =
Learning Gain Score
11 10 10 100%1 5 9 50% 90% 40% 50% 80%2 7 4 70% 40% -30% 30% -100%3 5 8 50% 80% 30% 50% 60%4 4 7 40% 70% 30% 60% 50%5 6 7 60% 70% 10% 40% 25%6 6 10 60% 100% 40% 40% 100%7 4 10 40% 100% 60% 60% 100%8 6 7 60% 70% 10% 40% 25%9 5 7 50% 70% 20% 50% 40%
10 3 10 30% 100% 70% 70% 100%11 3 8 30% 80% 50% 70% 71%
50%Overall Learnging Gain Score
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Reflection
My performance as a teacher in this unit leaves room for growth. The posttest (a reiteration of the pretest),
and the summative chapter test both indicate the students gained a general understanding of the Progressive Era in
American history. My overarching goal was for students to connect their present lives to the past, to know their
place in time. I wanted them to know how the past impacts the present and the future. In fact, that was my only
explicitly stated learning goal. Within that however, were some implicit goals. I wanted the students to gain
some factual historical knowledge from the unit. I wanted the students to be able to closely read the text and
make inferences from it, where there were not necessarily any clear answers. I also wanted the students to
summarize the content in their own words.
The analysis of Learning Gain Scores (LGS) indicated students did gain some content knowledge. For all
students, including one statistical outlier, the sample group averaged 50% LGS. That is also reflected in the
summative assessment. Of the 22 students graded (two were absent), they averaged over 78% on the final unit
test. Significantly this average includes students that were absent for some of the instruction and also a student
experiencing autism. In terms of gaining some factual historical knowledge this unit was a success.
I attribute this success to two factors. First, the text was well written in terms of factual information.
Second, I “circled back” in my instruction to emphasize several things including the significance of the 17th
Amendment (election of U.S. Senators), temperance (I told the class the story of how my maternal grandmother
was a member of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union), and the racism of the Ku-Klux-Klan (I also told the
students how my paternal grandfather was ashamed by his brief involvement in that group, before he realized
what they were really about). The second factor is what I can be proudest of as a teacher. Whenever I can make a
personal connection to the content, it is a catalyst for student reflection and deeper thought. They also made
connections to the content beyond the textbook facts. On the posttest, 10 of 11 students correctly answered
questions relating to each of these content areas.
My students were least successful in making inferences from the text. As good as the textbook was in
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laying out certain facts, the text questions that required students to draw information from multiple portions of the
text, or to otherwise make inferences, tended to stump the students. Even during the summative assessment there
were calls for help. That is not to say the textbook was inherently flawed, but that the test questions required
deeper thinking than some students were able to demonstrate. The difficult text questions were about women’s
clubs of the late 1800s, the tariff positions of T. Roosevelt and Taft, and which groups fought back against
discrimination. Reviewing the text, it was not clear on those points. I did not initially see the ambiguity of the
text, so failed to compensate for it, or alternatively give the students a better idea of how to find information from
the text, or use alternative sources. Those two factors culminated in a less than desired outcome for the students.
I also note that I did not make any personal connection to these content areas in the same way I did in other parts
of the content. These things have great potential to relate to present events. In the future, that is how I will
approach this part of history. That was the goal of this unit, for students to know how the past relates to the
present and the future.
Since I have a passion for Social Studies I’ve selected decided to do some more independent reading for
my professional development. I have two goals. I want to develop my own historical sense to better plan and
execute social studies lessons, and I want to find a way of making my lessons more engaging to my students.
First of all, I’m going to read the latest edition of a book I read long ago, An Incomplete Education by
Judy Jones and William Wilson. The key thing I remember about the original edition was how the authors did a
good job of presenting historical (or other curricular) information to the reader. My goal is to hone my ability to
make historical information relevant to students so they may be intrinsically motivated to learn certain content. I
have other re-reads to reinforce this concept of making history interesting, such as Jared Diamond’s Guns, Germs,
and Steel. Secondly, but far more important is moving on to new material. The book that jumped out at me was
James Loewen’s . Teaching What Really Happened: How to Avoid the Tyranny of Textbooks and Get Students
Excited About Doing History. I was apprised of this book by my practicum social studies professor and also my
host teacher. Also on the short list of professional development books is another Loewen book, Lies My Teacher
Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong. The theme in my professional development
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in this curricular area is learning how to make social studies more interesting and engaging to kids.
