UNO - 8051

May 5, 2014

First Grade

General Education

University of New Orleans

UNO - 8051

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UNO - 8051

Table of Contents

Evidence Set One: Contextual Factors ……………………………………………………...pg. 4

School and Community ……………………………………………………………..pg. 4

Classroom and School Demographics ………………………………………………pg. 5

Theme for Thematic Unit …………………………………………………………...pg. 7

Three Focus Students ……………………………………………………………….pg. 8

Evidence Set Two: Learning Goals …………………………………………………………pg. 9

Evidence Set Three:Assessment Plan ………………………………………………………pg. 10

Description of Pre- and Post-Assessment ………………………………………….. pg. 11

Plans for Formative Assessment …………………………………………………….pg. 15

Evidence Set Four: Design for Instruction …………………………………………………..pg. 17

Results from Pre-Assessment………………………………………………………..pg. 17

Description of Pre-Assessment Chart ……………………………………………….pg. 29

Analysis of Results ………………………………………………………………….pg. 29

Unit Overview ………………………………………………………………………pg. 34

Daily Schedule Log …………………………………………………………………pg. 35

Eight Unit Activities in Detail ………………………………………………………pg. 36

Technology ………………………………………………………………………….pg. 37

Evidence Set Five: Home / School Connection ……………………………………………..pg. 38

Community Resources ………………………………………………………………pg. 39

Family Communication ……………………………………………………………..pg. 41

Parent Information Letter ………………………………………………………….. pg. 43

Evidence Set Six: Analysis of Student Learning……………………………….……………pg. 44

Whole Class Analysis ……………………………………………………………….pg. 44

Pre and Post Assessment Data ………………………………………………pg. 44

Formative Assessment Data …………………………………………………pg. 67

Analysis of Subgroups ………………………………………………………………pg. 71

Analysis of Individuals ……………………………………………………………...pg. 72

Evidence Set Seven: Reflective Practice ……………………………………………………pg. 74

Most Successful Learning Goal ……………………………………………………..pg. 73

Least Successful Learning Goal …………………………………………………….pg. 74

Possibilities for Professional Development …………………………………………pg. 74

Appendix (portfolio only)

Pre-and Post-Assessment Data…………………………………………………….pg. 75

Growth Chart ………………………………………………………………………pg. 82

Formative Assessment Data ……………………………………………………… pg. 83

Parent Information Letter ……………………………………………………….....pg. 84

Student Invitation ………………………………………………………………….pg. 85

Blank Worksheets from Formative Assessments

Students Work Samples

Evidence Set One: Contextual Factors

The learning-teaching environment at Mimosa Park Elementary is amazingly collaborative and open. Teachers plan together and are friends outside of school. They value everyone’s opinions, even my own as a student teacher down at the bottom of the totem pole. Questions are encouraged and they are happy to give feedback including answering any questions I might have.

School and Community

  • The school is very open to questions and offering opportunities for observations.
  • The teachers in the school are welcome to opinions from other teachers in planning, including my own as just a student teacher.
  • Teachers all plan together – making the teaching aspect quite comforting.
  • First grade is broken up into two teams depending on their enrichment times and alternate by month who has reading and writing and then who has math.
  • The school building only includes first and second grade.
  • Kindergarten is housed at a different school but our principal is the principal over both schools.
  • Most first graders (all except two classes) are housed in the newest wing.
  • The school has been undergoing construction for the past two years while they add a new building in the back of the school for kindergarten.

Taking these characteristics of the school and community into consideration, planning is an easy and comforting task. The teachers value my opinion which makes me feel very comfortable in suggesting teaching strategies or questioning particular activities. Having that collaborative planning with teachers helping to assemble the needed materials – homework, independent assignments, and formative assessments – it makes the individual time spent planning at home or off of school hours minimal. Tweaking is still done individually to meet the needs of particular students. However, having that support and feel of security in collaboration, helps immensely with the act of planning.

Classroom and Student Demographics

  • The students in this classroom are extremely bright.
  • Most students are reading far above grade level – some, two levels above.
  • 2 Chinese Americans, 3 African Americans, 1 Hispanic, and 15 Caucasians.
  • 10 girls and 11 boys
  • Most students in the class come from middle – upper class families.
  • A large majority of the students have teachers as parents.
  • There are 5 repeaters in this class – all males.
  • One student came here from a different school and was originally placed in second but moved back down to first. He is the lowest achieving student in the class.
  • There are 4 students being SLBCed for possible ADHD or ADD symptoms.
  • There are a total of 6 students with behavior problems.
  • There is one student diagnosed with muscular dystrophy.
  • There is one student diagnosed with a disease called alopecia areata universails.
  • This condition includes losing hair all over the body – head, eyelashes, eyebrows, etc.
  • This student is a female.

The students in this classroom are not typical of first graders. Seventy percent of the students in this classroom are functioning at a much higher level than typical first graders. This results in serious consideration about lesson planning. Higher expectations should be held for these students and their academics should be more rigorous. With this in mind, there are five repeaters that were exposed to most of this last year – the content and rigor has changed some. There are also two students in the classroom functioning around a typical first grade level. This makes planning for all students at once difficult unless you use differentiated instruction. My approach to this is a little different. I maintain the same expectations for all students – whether they are functioning on a lower or higher level. I feel that in order to see how much a child can really grow, that you have to have high expectations and push them and see where they can climb. With these high expectations I offer more support to the lower students, including the four repeaters. I also teach and offer more “challenge” questions and harder content (more on the 2nd grade level) to all students so not bore the advanced ones with the lower expectations of first grade.

The demographics of the classroom are fairly mixed. About half the students are girls and half are boys. There are only three African American students, two Chinese Americans, one Hispanic, and the rest are Caucasian. This creates some diversity among interests. Many of male students are interested in dinosaurs;a vast majority is interested in animals, while a handful is interested in space or historical leaders. The girls in the class are pretty girly and are interested in dance or gymnastics. They do not really have much interest in anything else. This creates a challenge in order to meet everyone’s needs. Academics and reading levels are fairly spread apart as well. When planning with their interests in mind one has to find many differentiated resources and books at varying levels to accommodate students’ needs and interests. I find myself visiting local libraries as well as the school library to find books on certain topics that will pertain to every child’s interests. While doing nonfiction I have to keep in mind their reading levels while picking books. I know for my lower students that I need easier books for them. This goes for my higher ones as well; I know that I need higher and more interesting books – possibly nonfiction with more detailed facts – for my higher students.

Theme for Thematic Unit

  • My thematic unit is centered on plants.
  • Plants are a part of the normal first grade curriculum in science.
  • We will use this theme to learn skills and strategies over the content areas of science, mathematics, and reading.

Three Focus Students

  • High Student: Student # 8
  • Gifted student
  • Very high interest in plants, penguins, and falcons
  • Needs accelerated learning and enrichment opportunities
  • Reading far, far above expected reading level
  • Reads constantly at home
  • Surrounded by books and opportunities to learn at home
  • While male
  • Petite in size
  • Average Student: Student # 2
  • Needs average support and guidance with assignments
  • Active participator
  • Friendly and well-liked by peers
  • Lots of self confidence in abilities and is not timid around others
  • White female
  • Petite in size
  • Low Student: Student # 12
  • ADHD with aggressive tendencies and vulgar language if not medicated
  • Medication is inconsistent
  • Often does not feel well due to inconsistency with meds
  • When not on meds – he does no work at all – shuts down
  • Quiet and timid child
  • Needs warmth and loving environment full of support with assignments and positive feedback
  • Requires directions to be given to him individually after whole group instructions have been spoken
  • White male
  • Repeater in 1st grade
  • Parents are separated and mostly lives with dad and stepmom

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UNO - 8051

Evidence Set Two: Learning Goals

Learning Goals / TLWBAT identify the life cycle of a plant and how it changes, thesteps in planting, and the parts of a plant. / TLWBAT identify the characteristics of plants. / TLWBAT identify what plants need to grow and survive. / TLWBAT compare numbers by identifying which number is greater, less, or equal to another number. / TLWBAT measure the length of objects using nonstandard units of measurement. / TLWBAT ask and answer questions about details in a text.
Specific Topics Covered / The steps in planting.
Life cycle of a plant. / Types of vegetables and where they grow.
Parts of a plant.
Jobs of parts of plant. / Identify what plants need to survive and grow. / Comparing numbers using greater than, less than, and equals to. / Measurement with nonstandard units. / Answer questions from a text.
Content Area / Science / Science / Science / Math / Math / Reading
CCSS or GLE / LS-E-B1 / LS-E-B1 / LS-E-A1 / 1.NBT.B.3 / 1.MD.A.2 / RL.1.1
Type and Level of Learning / Type:
  • Direct Instruction
  • Student Led Conversation
  • Hands-on
  • Independent Assessment
Level of Learning:
  • Synthesis (predictions)
  • Comprehension (summarizing)
  • Application
/ Type:
  • Inquiry
  • Student Led Conversation
  • Direct Instruction
  • Hands-on
  • Independent Assessment
Level of Learning:
  • Knowledge
  • Synthesis (predictions)
  • Comprehension
/ Type:
  • Student Led Discussion
  • Direct Instruction
  • Independent Assessment
Level of Learning:
  • Knowledge
  • Comprehension
  • Application
/ Type:
  • Direct Instruction
  • Guided Practice
  • Independent Assessment
Level of Learning:
  • Knowledge
  • Comprehension
  • Application
  • Analysis
/ Type:
  • Inquiry
  • Direct Instruction
  • Guided Practice
  • Independent Assessment
Level of Learning:
  • Knowledge
  • Application
  • Analysis
/ Type:
  • Direct Instruction
  • Guided Practice
  • Independent Assessment
Level of Learning:
  • Knowledge
  • Application
  • Analysis

Why appropriate / This learning goal is appropriate on several levels.
  1. Aligned with the Louisiana GLEs for science in first grade.
  2. Students had a very high interest in plants.
  3. It encompassed hands-on learning and experimentation which is cognitively developmentally appropriate for children this age.
/ This learning goal is appropriate on several levels.
  1. Students had a very high interest in plants.
  2. The students prior knowledge about plants surpassed the standards required of them so I focused on standards at the next level of education.(2nd grade)
  3. It encompassed hands-on learning and experimentation which is cognitively developmentally appropriate for children this age.
/ This learning goal is appropriate on several levels.
  1. Aligned with the Louisiana GLEs for science in first grade.
  2. Students had a very high interest in plants.
  3. It encompassed hands-on learning and experimentation which is cognitively developmentally appropriate for children this age.
/ This learning goal is appropriate on several levels.
  1. Aligned with Common Core State Standards.
  2. The skill was modeled for clear teaching purposes and then gradually given to the students to practice on their own prior to assessment.
/ This learning goal is appropriate on several levels.
  1. Aligned with Common Core State Standards.
  2. Encompasses inquiry where I can build on what the children show me that they already know.
  3. It encompassed hands-on learning which is cognitively developmentally appropriate for children this age.
/ This learning goal is appropriate on several levels.
  1. Aligned with Common Core State Standards.
  2. It encompassed hands-on learning which is cognitively developmentally appropriate for children this age.

Numbered Goal / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6

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UNO - 8051

Evidence Set Three: Assessment Plan

Learning Goals / Assessments / Format of Assessment / Adaptations
Learning Goal 1:
TLWBAT identify the life cycle of a plant, how it changes, and the steps in planting. / Pre-Assessment:
Formative Assessment:
Post-Assessment: / Label steps in life cycle
Fill in diagram
Student led conversation, oral question and answer, independent worksheet on retelling of a story with life cycle, life cycle diagram, and 3D plant with labels, planting of pinto bean plants, journal of observations of plants.
Label steps in life cycle
Fill in diagram / Students who seem behind the other students in the class based on information gathered from informal assessments and observations will get small group or individual assistance in help learning the skill. Students who struggle with the independent assignments will get addition teaching in a small group or one-on-one help. They will then be given the opportunity to complete another independent assignment to see if they have grown and have mastered the skill.
Learning Goal 2:
TLWBAT identify the characteristics of plants including the parts of a plant and the jobs of the plant parts. / Pre-Assessment:
Formative Assessment:
Post-Assessment: / Fill in the blank
True or False
Students led conversation, oral question and answer, guided flipchart, independent worksheet on tops and bottoms, morning message question, diagram on worksheet.
Fill in the blank
True or False / Students who seem behind the other students in the class based on information gathered from informal assessments and observations will get small group or individual assistance in help learning the skill. Students who struggle with the independent assignments will get addition teaching in a small group or one-on-one help. They will then be given the opportunity to complete another independent assignment to see if they have grown and have mastered the skill.
Learning Goal 3:
TLWBAT identify what plants need to grow and survive. / Pre-Assessment:
Formative Assessment:
Post-Assessment: / Fill in the blank
True or false
Student led conversation, oral question and answer, independent craft.
Fill in the blank. / Students who seem behind the other students in the class based on information gathered from informal assessments and observations will get small group or individual assistance in help learning the skill. Students who struggle with the independent assignments will get addition teaching in a small group or one-on-one help. They will then be given the opportunity to complete another independent assignment to see if they have grown and have mastered the skill.
Learning Goal 4:
TLWBAT compare numbers by identifying which number is greater, less, or equal to another number. / Pre-Assessment:
Formative Assessment:
Post-Assessment: / Circle the correct answer.
Oral question and answer, interactive flipchart, independent worksheets, and roll the dice activity sheet.
Circle the correct answer. / Students who seem behind the other students in the class based on information gathered from informal assessments and observations will get small group or individual assistance in help learning the skill. Students who struggle with the independent assignments will get addition teaching in a small group or one-on-one help. They will then be given the opportunity to complete another independent assignment to see if they have grown and have mastered the skill.
Learning Goal 5:
TLWBAT measure the length of objects using nonstandard units of measurement. / Pre-Assessment:
Formative Assessment:
Post-Assessment: / Performance task
Responses from inquiry, student led discussion, oral question and answer, individual measuring and answers, interactive flipchart, and independent worksheet(s).
Performance task / Students who seem behind the other students in the class based on information gathered from informal assessments and observations will get small group or individual assistance in help learning the skill. Students who struggle with the independent assignments will get addition teaching in a small group or one-on-one help. They will then be given the opportunity to complete another independent assignment to see if they have grown and have mastered the skill.
Learning Goal 6:
TLWBAT ask and answer questions about details in a text. / Pre-Assessment:
Formative Assessment:
Post-Assessment: / Constructed response
Oral question and answer, interactive flipchart.
Constructed response / Students who seem behind the other students in the class based on information gathered from informal assessments and observations will get small group or individual assistance in help learning the skill. Students who struggle with the independent assignments will get addition teaching in a small group or one-on-one help. They will then be given the opportunity to complete another independent assignment to see if they have grown and have mastered the skill.

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UNO - 8051

Description of Pre and Post Assessment

The pre and post assessment will consist of two parts; part one will be a packet of questions determining the student’s knowledge in the areas of science, math, and reading. The second part will be a performance task to assess student’s measurement knowledge. In the performance task the student will have to measure a real life object using a nonstandard unit of measurement that I provide (large paperclips.)

The pre and post assessment will be the same test. The pre-assessment will be given before any of this material is taught and tested to gather the prior knowledge of students before starting the thematic unit. The post-assessment will be the exact same test but given as a summative indicator to measure student’s growth and overall knowledge with the skills I am teaching. There are several reasons why I feel I can give the exact same test to the students as the post test. The first reason is that I never went over the results of the pre-assessment with the students. I never told them which answers were correct and which were wrong or the correct answer to the question in general. The second reason that I feel I can give them the same test but as a summative grade is that I want to see specifically if they grew using the same type of questioning format. Sometimes when you give different alternatives in questioning – multiple choice, constructed response- to assess growth, you are not accurately measuring growth because the type of questions have changed along with the probability of getting them correct.