Note: The following observations were made of teachers in Virginia by Jeanette Gordon. The teachers were given a pre-observation form to complete if they chose to. If they did not answer some of the questions, those were deleted. They also had the option of using a different format of their choice to communicate prior to the lesson.
PRE-OBSERVATION FORM
Teacher: Jennifer Larsen (Mainstream 1st grade teacher with ELLs)
Observation Date/Time: March 4, 12:00-1:30 No. of students: 22
Grade and ELP level/s: First Grade Subject: Math
Jeanette- A few things you need to know about my math time. My math is set up in several sections. Although transitions are one of the toughest for my kids, they need to move, so I do them often.
We begin our math lesson with a math journal problem. This is when the students solve a math question using pictures/drawings. After students complete the problem, they write about the steps they followed. When then timer goes off, the students share their strategies with their table.
Next, we do a slate board activity. This is when we practice and/or review a skill. For example, Count by 2s to 20. Write the numbers you count or Draw a growing pattern using 2 different shapes. The important thing here is all students are writing at the same time. This is one of my assessment times to see kids using skills learned.
Then we get into the lesson. (see below.) We end math by playing math games in 6 different math centers. I move things around based on time.
1. What “big idea” do you want students to understand in this lesson?
SWBAT learn that there are many ways to show a number.
2. What critical content do you want students to know?
SWBAT see that the pan must balance. Ex. 7 cubes will always equal 7 cubes, regardless of how you combine them.
3. What is the content objective? (How will they demonstrate what they know and understand?)
SWBAT use a specified amount of unifix cubes to show equivalent facts. They will
record their findings.
4. What is the language objective?
SWBAT talk to each other about what they discover.
5. What modifications will you use for the ELLs?
Hands-on materials, Buddy support
6. What strategies will you use to accomplish your objectives?
Teacher demonstration. Small group exploration and recording.
7. What are the roles and responsibilities of the collaborating teachers?
The LD teacher will support her students as they work in a small group.
8. What led up to this lesson and what will follow the lesson?
Before:
Students have been introduced to Name Collections (finding equivalent names for a
given number). This is the beginning of a new unit.
After:
Students will roll dice to complete an addition facts table.
ELL learners will sort dominoes in a similar chart.
Extension: Use polyhedron dice to investigate larger numbers
9. Do you have any concerns?
Students remaining on task while using the pan balance. Remembering to take
turns and not have one student monopolize control.
RUNNING RECORD OF THE CLASS OBSERVED
Observations / CommentsStudents were asked to take their seats and get out their math computers.
She had the students greet me and explained why I was here. / The students were orderly and well-mannered.
Our star for today is E. She reaches into her pocket. She pulls out a dime a nickel and a penny. How much money does she have?
The challenge is how much more money does she need to buy an eraser for 25 cents.
Remember this is a no talk task.
T went to an ELL student.
Did you draw your nickel?
Did you draw your dime?
Did you draw a penny?
T asked for the value of each.
T said what can you do to show 5?
How do you count on?
Start with the 10. Then add on. How would you add a nickel?
S added dots to the 5 to show how many the number represented.
One student asked if she could add dots to her drawing.
T asked the first student if she would like to go get a number line to help her.
She said yes.
When she came back T had her show on the line what was represented by the coin.
She asked her to start at 10 and then to count on the number line to decide how much money Emily had.
Another girl decided that she was going to get her number line to help her.
The student being assisted could answer the question and write the answer. The teacher asked her how she would record cents.
T Do you want to do the challenge?
How much more money would she need to buy the eraser?
T circulated to another table as that student began working on the challenge. Another teacher was in the room working with other children.
Remember if you finish, this is a good time to write down the steps of your problem.
Students were then asked to pair with their team to talk about what they did.
One boy at the table I was at was drawing a monster.
One team member asked him to stop. Then she took the pencil away. It was not done in a disrespectful way, rather as a strategy to help him focus. She then asked him to share his answer. She asked him how he did it.
Another student then asked if she could share hers.
She explained how she solved the problem.
It seemed that the more proficient student was making sure that each person could explain how they solved the problem. She had them all share before she did.
Raise your hands if you have a strategy at your table that you really liked.
T If you draw the coins and don’t remember the number, then you can record the number under each coin.
T who can share a strategy that someone else in your table did.
S K used a coin and then he counted all of them, and then he counted to 16. Then she needed 9 more to buy the eraser.
If you got 16 as the number E has, give yourselves a thumbs up.
If you got 9 as how much more money she needs, give yourself a pat on the back.
/ The students had taken their math notebooks out quickly.
(Math morning message type of activity that the students do each day as they enter the class.)
The math problem that the teacher read orally was at the top of the page in the math notebook. The students then illustrated the problem and solved it.
SIOP
Practice and application of strategies taught earlier, review and assessment.
It is evident that there are established procedures in the classroom.
The teacher provided one-on-one assistance to the ELL to provide support.
SIOP comprehensible input and strategies.
SIOP Interaction
The student getting this extra support was also expected to do the challenge.
Students are challenged when they finish before others.
It is evident that the students have been taught strategies for being respectful and supportive of each other.
Having the students share the strategy of a team member makes them very accountable for listening to each other. It also encourages students who may have had difficulties solving a problem to pay close attention, so they could share the strategy with each other.
The students even in this first grade class are being taught that there are many ways to solve problems.
SIOP strategies are being taught by the students themselves.
Having the students reward themselves promotes intrinsic motivation.
T introduced the objectives for the new math content.
Teacher called a number and asked the students to get a balance. There were to make sure that all of the unifix cubes were connected on one side of the balance, and the same number of unifix cubes on the other side would be loose. (The students had chosen previously how many unifix cubes they wanted to put in a side. Each team had a different number.)
You just need 1 pencil and put the supply box on the shelf.
A student clarified that we only need one pencil. / SIOP lesson design
Use of content and language objectives.
The teacher is using hands-on materials to demonstrate balance. Comprehensible input with concrete objects, promote understanding of equality and multiple number combinations to represent the same number.
Student choice empowers students.
You only need one pencil and one piece of paper at your table. I’ll know you’re ready when you ONE pencil ad One piece of paper.
As you can see the best way to use the ban balance is to pick it up by the base.
What do you think you are going to be doing with the paper?
S raised his hand to answer; however, he couldn’t think of an idea.
After ample wait time, the teacher asked if he wanted to pick someone up.
The student he called on answered, “We are going to be writing down what we do.”
T what do you think we are going to do with the broken ones?
S We are going to connect them?
T What we are going to do is to make addition facts.
She asked each table to tell how many cubes they had chosen.
T one person is going to be writing. That person will be the scribe.
Then will that person keep writing?
S No, we will pass it on and take turns.
The teacher asked students to also take turns doing the tasks.
They were to decide if the blocks on one side equaled the blocks on the other side. They would then write.
7 = 7 2 + 5 = 7 etc.
Students at one table decided to take turns. The girl whose birthday came first went first.
One girl didn’t like that the pencil wasn’t being passed around her group in order.
She was upset that another student took the paper because his birthday was next.
She thought it should be going around the group “like a square”.
When he was done, they gave the paper to her. She didn’t want it and passed it over to the other girl. One student asked her why she was sad. She was ready to cry. The other girl said, E are you OK? E was upset and started to sulk. The girl asked her in a kidding way, if she was OK. She got her laughing and involved. E expressed he concern to the boy. He listened and seemed willing to have the rolls rotate around the table.
The girl who was upset was then manipulating the blocks. / Prediction skills
Rather than telling the students the directions, the teacher asks the students to predict what they are going to do.
Promotes student engagement and empowerment as well as thought.
SIOP Interaction
Evidence of discovery math and Understanding by Design where students are discovering important math ideas, not just being taught stops to solve problems.
It was fascinating to observe how the student addressed their problems. The other girls demonstrated great concern over the sadness of E.
She felt confident enough to explain further to the boy why she had been upset.
He seemed reflective and supportive.
When students in classes demonstrate such coping behaviors, it often reflects modeling and careful teaching.
The teacher asked the students to trade the pan balance to the low bookshelf at the end of each table and to put the materials box on the table. Students were then asked to move to the carpet. / Again the focus on procedures is evident
A couple of students did not go to the carpet area quickly. The teacher said --- will you join us please.
The teacher told them that they would continue with the same activity tomorrow.
She asked a student to move the arrow above the pictures of the students. He moved it above column 2. The rows were the groups. Different students were asked to get different supplies for their center activities.
Some went to tables, some to computers.
Pictures representing each center were placed above other student pictures. All students could look at the small pocket chart with their pictures to see where they were supposed to go. / Students rather than the teacher are asked to indicate center rotation and material handler roles.
Having students responsible for the tasks they can take care of goes a long way in promoting a student-centered class.
Throughout the class, the teacher would identify positive behaviors that she saw. I like the way _ is doing _ etc.
When the center activity began, she said,
“It’s a little loud --- is going to have trouble hearing the computer. This voice is loud enough.
Math centers.
1) Partners in one group were playing an addition game. The flash cards had the number with different visual representations of that number. They were to add the two cards.
2) Another team had pictures of animals with the length of the animal and the weight of the animal on different sides. They were to draw the weight of the animal with longs and cubes. Long rectangular shapes represented 10s and then they would draw the individual cubes needed.
3) Another team was rolling dice. They would then find the addition problem represented by the dice, color the problem square and add the numbers to answer the problem. The partners took turns, each coloring with a different color.
4) Partners had a game board. They also had pennies and cards. Each would draw a card and then place the pennies on their side of the board. They would then discuss more and less.
5) The students in this group were working with the special ed support teacher. Each student was rolling a die. (The die was in a small baby food square container with a lid. Hence, the die couldn’t keep falling off of the table, etc. when they rolled the die. The students could shake with enthusiasm without complications caused by the die going out of each child’s work area.) The students started with pennies and were trying to exchange their pennies for nickels, then for dimes.
The object was to get as may dimes as possible.
6) The students on the computers were making die “roll”. They were then to represent the number by moving cubes into one square. When they had enough cubes in one square to make a long, a stack of 10 cubes, they would put them together to make a long. / The teacher’s use of games in the math centers makes learning math fun. Students are getting lots of practice with basic addition facts and use of coins.
The students are doing many of the addition facts that are often on worksheets. However, rather than having students doing tedious worksheets that need to be graded, the students are playing games. With the exception of the students who were working on the coins with the special education support, the students are working with partners and self-assessing
SIOP practice and review
T said Peanut butter. Students raised their hands.
T said I loved how ---- stopped. --- is ready.
Students lined up in an orderly way.
POST-OBSERVATION FORM
How did you feel about the lesson?