Teacher Work Sample

1st/2nd Grade
Salcha Elementary School

Stephanie Powell
University of Alaska Southeast
ED 688
Spring 2019
 Contextual Factors

Community, District, and School Factors

The rural community of Salcha is located in interior Alaska approximately 36

miles from the city of Fairbanks. The average socioeconomic status of the residents of

the community is low.

The school is part of the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District in which

there are approximately 13,000 students enrolled (FNSBSD, 2018). Salcha is one of the

smallest schools in the district.

Because of its low socioeconomic status, Salcha is a Title one school, which

allows the students to benefit from extra programs as well as more aides in the school.

Many of the students receive free or reduced breakfast and lunch. The school enrollment

is around 70 students. The school environment is a close-knit community. There are

many parent volunteers who help regularly in the school. The school has a strong PTO

group, which sponsor many family nights and extra activities for the students, including

swimming instruction for the whole school during the third quarter each year.

Classroom factors

The 1st/2nd grade classroom that I am in is comprised of 23 students. 14 boys and

9 girls ages 6-8 years old. Approximately 74% of the students are white, 17% African

American, 5% Hispanic, and 4% Asian/Pacific Islander.

English is the primary language spoken in the classroom. There are no ELL

students in the classroom and all of the students speak English as the primary language in

their home. There is one student in the class that requires the assistance of a one on one

aide. Ten students are pulled for Leveled Literacy Intervention. Four students receive
speech and language services and two receive occupational therapy services. Many of the

students have a hard time staying focused during lessons and work time. There is a lot of

talking and wondering, especially during transitions and getting ready for recess and

going home. They really enjoy being read to and being involved in hands on activities.

The daily routine of the classroom is the same almost each day, which allows

students to know the structure of their day and makes transitions easier. Many of the

students have a somewhat complicated home life so they enjoy the structure and routine

of the school day. The students enter the room, put their belonging away and make their

way to the carpet. The opening routine begins with a daily letter to the students from the

teacher, changing the daily calendar and then a book. After opening the students have

math, break, word work and reading. The students then have lunch and recess followed

by writing, specials and science or social studies.

Instructional Implications

Given that many of the students in this class receive support services within and

outside the classroom I will need to take these needs into consideration when planning

lessons. Pairing lower readers with stronger readers will offer support to the lower

readers while allowing the higher readers to develop their skills through ‘teaching’ their

classmates. Another consideration that I need to take into consideration is the attention

span of the students. Lessons need to be kept short with hands on activities for the

students to practice and engage in the material.

Learning Goals

Standards Learning Goals Bloom’s Significance, Scaffolding

Taxonomy Challenge, and
Level Variety.
Fairbanks North Star LG 1:Students Create Students will This aligns
Borough School will be able to Analyze write and use with the
District Science explain the Understand drawing or FNSBSD scope
Curriculum different phases pictures to and sequence
ESS1.A The Universe of the moon. demonstrate of grade 1
and its Stars. Patterns their knowledge science
of motion of the sun, of moon phases. curriculum.
moon, and stars in the
sky can be observed,
described and
predicted.

Alaska Science LG2: Students Understand Students will This aligns

Performance Standards will be able to Remember use writing to with the
Earth Science: SD3 identify the sun Apply demonstrate FNSBSD scope
Earth & the solar as the center of their knowledge and sequence
system, energy flow & our solar system of the sun and of grade 1
cycle from sun and provide one other science
Grade 1 Alaska details on one planet. curriculum.
Writing other planet. Students have
Standards 2. Write also been
informative/explanatory working on
texts in which they non-fiction
name a topic, supply writing.
some facts about the
topic, and provide some
sense of closure.

This unit will build on the student’s existing knowledge of the earth and prepare

them to continue to learn about earth’s processes in later grades. The unit will consist of

many hands on activities in order to fit with the learning styles in the class as well as the

active nature of first and second grade children. The learning goals are appropriate and

important for young students to learn about the solar system and the sun and moon in

particular.
 Assessment Plan

Learning Goal 1: Students will be able to explain the different phases of the moon.

Assessments Format of Assessment Adaptations

Students will be given a phases of the Read all of the instructions as a
Pre- moon assessment in which they are to class and provide additional
Assessment match a picture of the moon phase with support to students who may
the correct name of the phase. (Appendix A) struggle to read to assessment.

Observe students demonstrating the

Provide explicit directions and
rotation of the moon in relation to the
teacher modeling. Students will
earth.
work in partners to complete
Formative task.
Assessment Students will complete a phases of the
moon foldable activity in which they will
draw each phase of the moon.

Students will be given a phases of the Read all of the instructions as a

Post- moon assessment in which they are to class and provide additional
Assessment match a picture of the moon phase with support to students who may
the correct name of the phase. (Appendix A) struggle to read to assessment.

Learning Goal 2: Students will be able to identify the sun as the center of our solar
system and provide details on one other planet.

Assessments Format of Assessment Adaptations

Each student will receive a copy
of the quiz and a copy will be
displayed on the document
Students will be given a ten question multiple choice
Pre-Assessment camera. The questions and
and true/false quiz on the solar system. (Appendix B)
choices will be read to the
student to reduce confusion with
reading.

Students will compare and contrast two planets.

Students will be allowed to work
Formative Assessment
with a partner.
 Students will write a short paragraph on one planet.

Each student will receive a copy

of the quiz and a copy will be
Students will be given the ten question multiple displayed on the document
Post-Assessment choice and true/false quiz on the solar system that camera. The questions and
they were given for the pre-assessment. (Appendix B) choices will be read to the
student to reduce confusion with
reading.

In order to pre assess students for their knowledge of moon phases I decided to use

pictures of the moon phases with the written term of each phase in order for the students to match

the picture to the correct term. This will give me a sense of what the students already know about

moon phases. During the unit I will be doing several hands on actives in which I can do formative

assessments. I think this is a good option for this class as they are young and like to move and do.

The students will then repeat the moon phase’s quiz that they did for the pre-assessment. I

decided to use the same assessment because I felt that this was comprehensive of what I wanted

the students to learn during the unit.

For the second learning goal I used a multiple choice and true/false quiz that will be

repeated as a post assessment as well. I chose to do it this way because I really wanted to see

what the students knew on their own and I didn’t want them to influence each other which may be

the case with a more movement based pre-assessment. I will be reading the quiz to the students

since they are first and second graders and not all of the students are strong readers quite yet. The

students will be doing some writing for this part of the unit, which I will use for formative

assessments.

Design for Instruction

Pre-Assessment:
 To pre-assess students for my first learning goal, LG1: students will be able to

explain the different phases of the moon; I gave students a quiz where they had to match

a picture of the moon phase with the correct name of the moon phase. To pre-assess for

my second learning goal, LG2: students will be able to identify the sun as the center of

our solar system and provide details on one other planet, I gave students a ten question

multiple choice and true or false quiz that looked for their knowledge of the moon, sun

and planets. Below are tables that represent the findings of the pre-assessment for the unit

learning goals.

Table 1 Moon Phases Pre-assessment data

Students

Knew three moon phases

Knew two moon phases

Students
Knew one moon phase

Knew zero moon phases

0 2 4 6 8 10 12
Table 2 Sun, moon and planet pre-assessment data

Planet Question

Sun Questions Incorrect

Correct

Moon Questions

0 10 20 30 40 50

As evidenced in table 1, students are lacking knowledge of the moon phases.

Many of them knew a crescent moon, but none of the other phases. I can assume that they

may be familiar with the shape crescent rather than knowledge of the moon phases

themselves.

Table 2 shows that students are lacking in their knowledge of the planets. The

students answered more correct questions than incorrect questions for both the moon and

sun questions, however they still missed quite a few questions. The pre-assessment

showed that the students seems to have a basic understanding of the moon and sun, but

may be lacking a little more in-depth knowledge. The unit will build on their existing

knowledge of the sun, moon and planets to more in depth knowledge.

 Student Teaching UbD Unit Design Template

Student Name: Intended Grade Level of Unit

1st/2nd
Stephanie Powell
Theme of Unit Content Area:
Science
Solar System

Classroom Demographics:
23 Students

Alaska Content Standards:

Fairbanks North Star Borough School District Science Curriculum
ESS1.A The Universe and its Stars. Patterns of motion of the sun, moon, and stars in
the sky can be observed, described and predicted.
Alaska Science Performance Standards
Earth Science: SD3 Earth & the solar system, energy flow & cycle from sun
Grade 1 Alaska Writing Standards 2. Write informative/explanatory texts in which
they name a topic, supply some facts about the topic, and provide some sense of closure.

Transfer Goal(s) - Unpacked Standards

LG 1:Students will be able to explain the different phases of the moon.
LG2: Students will be able to identify the sun as the center of our solar system and
provide details on one other planet.

BIG IDEA of the Unit:

Students will learn about the sun being the center of the solar system, the phases of the moon and
basic facts about the planets.

STAGE 1 – Essential Questions and Enduring Understandings (Bank of EUs and EQs for
Unit)
Enduring Understanding(s) Essential Questions to be Considered:
Students will understand that….

There are five phases of the moon and will be How does the position of the sun, earth, and
able to identify the picture of the moon phase moon affect each other?
with the name of the moon phase.
 Our solar system has a sun, moon and planets What are some characteristics of our solar
system?

STAGE ONE: (Bank of Objectives for Unit) STAGE TWO: (Bank of

Assessments for Unit)
Objectives/Learning Targets: Assessments Sources of Evidence of Learning
Knowledge and Skills: K & S ____________________________
___________________________ (Assessment bank here)
(Objective bank here) Pre-assessment: Students will be given a phases
of the moon assessment in which they are to
Learning Goal 1: Students will be able to match a picture of the moon phase with the
explain the different phases of the moon. correct name of the phase.

Formative: Observe students demonstrating the

rotation of the moon in relation to the earth.

Students will complete a phases of the moon

foldable activity in which they will draw each
phase of the moon.

Post-assessment: Students will be given a

phases of the moon assessment in which they are
to match a picture of the moon phase with the
correct name of the phase.
Learning Goal 2: Students will be able to
identify the sun as the center of our solar
system and provide details on one other
Pre-assessment: Students will be given a ten
planet.
question multiple choice and true/false quiz on
the solar system

Formative: Students will compare and contrast

two planets.

Students will write a short paragraph on one

planet.

Post-assessment: Students will be given the ten

question multiple choice and true/false quiz on
the solar system that they were given for the pre-
assessment.
Action/ Mini-hook for each Process: Specific
Lesson lesson: Teacher does/ Student Does strategies
Connection to prior Product: To
learning/knowledge Assessment/ Evidence of Learning accommodate
Lesson closure specific
student
variability/
accommodate
all learners
Materials for lesson #1: Pre-test, IPads
Objectives and Essential Questions for lesson #1: What do you know about the solar system? What are some
characteristics of our solar system?
Standards/Content areas covered in lesson #1: Fairbanks North Star Borough School District Science Curriculum
ESS1.A The Universe and its Stars. Patterns of motion of the sun, moon, and stars in the sky can be observed,
described and predicted.
LG2: Students will be able to identify the sun as the center of our solar system and provide details on one other
planet.

Lesson 1 Students will be told *Students will be given a short pre-assessment on their The test will be
Title that in preparation of knowledge of the solar system and phases of the moon. read to the
Pre- the unit on the solar *When students are finished with the assessment, they students to help
assessment system they are will be allowed to go onto EPIC on the IPads and read students at a
going to be taking a books about the solar system-moon, stars, planets or lower reading
short assessment to sun. level and
see how much they because of the
may already know fact that this is
about the solar new material
system. since it is a pre-
test.
Materials for lesson #2: Book The Sun is Kind of a Big Deal, My planets mini book, picture of the solar system on
computer, inflatable solar system hung in classroom.
Objectives and Essential Questions for lesson #2: Students will learn that our solar system has a sun, moon and
planets. What are some characteristics of our solar system?

Content areas covered in lesson (from standards) #2: Alaska Science Performance Standards
Earth Science: SD3 Earth & the solar system, energy flow & cycle from sun

LG2: Students will be able to identify the sun as the center of our solar system and provide details on one other
planet.

Teacher asks, Show students Brain Pop Jr. video on Solar system
What’s the name https://jr.brainpop.com/science/space/solarsystem/
of the planet that
we live on? Teacher asks What new information did you learn
(Earth) about the solar system? Listen to student responses
and discuss. Point out main ideas to students if they
What are some of are not included in their responses; Mercury is
the things you closet to sun, Venus in the hottest. We live on earth;
know about earth has tons of water and is the perfect distance
planet Earth? away from sun to support life. Earth has one moon.
Mars is the red planet, Jupiter is the largest.

Refer to the inflatable solar system model that will

be hanging in the classroom

Read The Sun is Kind of a Big Deal Book

Give students my planets book. Show students This activity

pictures of each planet, read the page in their book will be done as
and have them color while showing pics and photo a group activity
on document camera. to
accommodate
various learning
abilities.

Materials for lesson #3: Compare and contrast worksheet, student My Planet Book
Objectives and Essential Questions for lesson #3: Students will learn that our solar system has a sun, moon and
planets. What are some characteristics of two planets?

Content areas covered in lesson (from standards) #3: Grade 1 Alaska Writing Standards 2. Write
informative/explanatory texts in which they name a topic, supply some facts about the topic, and provide some
sense of closure.

LG2: Students will be able to identify the sun as the center of

our solar system and provide details on one other planet.
Lesson 3 We have been Using their planets book, students are to pick two
Title learning some planets to compare and contrast and fill out the compare Students can
interesting and contrast worksheet. Using the information from the work with a
information about compare and contrast worksheet, students will write a partner to share
planets the last few short informative paragraph about one of the planets. information as
days, which planet is well support
your favorite so far? lower level
What do you like students.
about it?

Materials for lesson #4: Large yellow piece of paper, globe

Objectives and Essential Questions for lesson #4: Why don’t we see our sun at night? Does it go away?

Content areas covered in lesson (from standards) #4: Alaska Science Performance Standards
Earth Science: SD3 Earth & the solar system, energy flow & cycle from sun
LG2: Students will be able to identify the sun as the center of our solar system and provide details on one other
planet.

Lesson 4 What do you know Ask for 2 volunteers from the class. Have one person be
Title about the sun? the sun and give them the yellow paper to help students
The sun Write answers on remember. Have the other person be the earth.
board Explain that the earth moves in two ways. It spins
Make sure the once around every day and it moves around the sun
following topics get in one year.
discussed:
Is the sun a star Ask the “earth" student to face the sun. This is the
or a planet? star daytime position. Then ask the student to turn
What does the around slowly stopping the student when his back
sun give us? faces the sun. Can he see the sun? What time of day
(heat and light) would this be? What can we see now that we can’t
Can we live see in the daytime? (Other stars)
without the sun?
 (no)
The sun is only a
medium-sized
star. Why does it
seem so bright to
us? (It’s so much
closer than the
other stars.

Materials for lesson #5: The Moon Book, phases of the moon foldable
Objectives and Essential Questions for lesson #5: Students will understand that there are five phases of the moon.
How does the position of the sun, earth, and moon affect each other?

Content areas covered in lesson (from standards) #5: Fairbanks North Star Borough School District Science
Curriculum
ESS1.A The Universe and its Stars. Patterns of motion of the sun, moon, and stars in the sky can be observed,
described and predicted.
LG 1:Students will be able to explain the different phases of the moon.

Lesson 5 *Ask students if they *Teacher tells students that today we will be talking The foldable
Title know that the moon about the phases of the moon. will be
has different phases. *Teacher reads the book The Moon Book completed
*Students tell teacher *Teacher asks students to recall the names of the phases together as a
what they might they heard in the book and write them on the class.
know about the whiteboard.
moon phases *Students will then complete a moon phases foldable
by drawing each phase of the moon and gluing on the
appropriate name for each phase
Materials for lesson #6: Show students Brain Pop Jr. video on the moon
https://jr.brainpop.com/science/space/moon/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wz01pTvuMa0

The book, The Next Time You See the Moon

Objectives and Essential Questions for lesson #6: Students will understand that there are five phases of the moon.
How does the position of the sun, earth, and moon affect each other?

Content areas covered in lesson (from standards) #6: Fairbanks North Star Borough School District Science
Curriculum
ESS1.A The Universe and its Stars. Patterns of motion of the sun, moon, and stars in the sky can be observed,
described and predicted.
LG 1:Students will be able to explain the different phases of the moon.
Lesson 6 Teacher will show students the moon video on Brain
Title Pop Jr.
Introduction Read The Next Time You see the moon and then watch
to moon https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wz01pTvuMa0
phases Have students try the activity
Unit Closure: Bring it all together with the focus of the lesson and the Objective. Tie the closure for each lesson
in with the Main Hook, the Objective, and the Essential Question.
The students will a post assessment (same as pre-assessment) to demonstrate acquired knowledge throughout the
unit.

UNIT REFLECTION Cultural Capital: Discuss how this Unit increases your students’ access to “Cultural
Capital.”
The students will know more about the planet they live on as well as surrounding planets, the moon and the sun.

STAGE TWO: Culminating Performance Task

Culminating Performance Task – idea/sketch (to be completed in ED621C)

STAGE THREE: Learning for Understanding/ Instructional Activities

(Make only as many lessons as are appropriate for your Unit)

Attachments: Graphic Organizers, Quizzes, Worksheets, Assessment Rubrics etc. for each
Lesson. (You can embed them as screenshots)
Note: If there are more than 3 Graphic Organizers with your curriculum, please provide a
screenshot of them take up less space making sure, of course, that they are legible and that the
page layout looks professional.

Attachments: Examples of student work:

 So l a r
Th e
1 2

Sy st e m
STAPLE

A Min i-B o o k b y :
STAPLE

The Solar System is the name for

our Sun together with all the
planets, moons, and other bodies
that orbit around it.

3 4
Th e Su n Me r c u r y

The Sun is the center of our Solar Mercury is the first planet from the
System. All the other planets, Sun. It is the closest planet to the
moons, and other bodies orbit Sun, but it is not the hottest. It
around it. orbits around the Sun the fastest.
 Instructional decision-making

Situation 1:

During the first day of my solar system unit, I planned on showing a Brain Pop Jr. Video

to introduce the students to the sun and the planets, and then read a book titled, The Sun is Really

Awesome. Then, the students were to complete a ‘my planets’ flip book. After watching the

video the students were very excited about beginning to learn about the solar system. They asked

to do the quiz on the brain pop jr. video. I decided to go through the quiz as a class and have the

students raise their hands according to which answer they thought was correct. In doing this I was

able to assess the students learning from the video as well as see where there might be any lack of

knowledge for a particular topic. The students did very well on the quiz so I didn’t feel I needed

to add anything more to the unit plans that I had already make, but the game-like quiz was very

engaging for the class and it got them really excited about the topic of the solar system. Making

this decision I added a day to my unit because I still wanted to do the activities that I had planned,

but I think taking the time to listen to a suggestion made by the students is important.

Situation 2:

Lessons five and six of the unit focused on the phases of the moon. I read several books

on moon phases; they watched a video on moon phases as well as how the moon and earth move.

They had also made phases of the moon flip book. This is a fairly tricky concept for 1st/2nd

graders and many of them were struggling to remember what each phase looked like and the

name of the phase. I decided that I really needed to do one more moon phase activity before the

post assessment for the unit. As a fun way to wrap up the unit and as an extra formative

assessment before the post assessment quiz I decided to have students pair up in partner and make

the moon phases using Oreo cookies. They needed to carve out the white filling to match the

phase of the moon and then label, which phase it, was on their plate. I wrote the names of the

phases on the whiteboard, but I wanted them to try to get the moon phase shape on their own. I
think this was a fun and engaging activity. Most of the students did very well on this activity. I

think working in partners was helpful to a few who were really struggling.

Analysis of Student Learning

Whole class Analysis:

Pre and posts tests were given to students at the beginning and the end of the unit.

Some of the students were absent for either the pre or post-test, therefore that data was

eliminated from the analysis, leaving me with 17 students who participated in both the

pre and post test.

Table 1 shows the data of scores for the entire class for both learning goals. The

difference between pre-test and post-test scores for both learning goals is significant. Out

of 17 students all but one student made a growth on the post-test with the entire class

averaging a 50% average learning score gain. The class percent average for the pre-test

was 51% while the average for the post-test was 75%. Table 2 shows the pre and post

tests percentages on a bar graph. The data shows that 12 out of 17 students scored above

70%.

Table 1:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Students Raw Raw Pretest Post Test Actual Potential Learning
Score Score percentage Gain Gain Gain
N=17 Percentage
Pretest Post Test Score Score Score
Top Top
possible possible
=15 = 15
1 9 13 60% 86% 26% 40% 65%
2 7 13 46% 86% 40% 54% 74%
3 11 15 73% 100% 27% 27% 100%
4 8 13 53% 86% 33% 47% 70%
5 7 12 46% 80% 34% 54% 63%
6 8 12 53% 80% 27% 47% 57%
7 5 5 33% 33% 0% 67% 0
8 7 9 46% 60% 14% 54% 26%
9 4 11 26% 73% 47% 74% 63%
10 8 11 53% 73% 20% 47% 42%
11 7 8 46% 53% 7% 54% 13%
12 6 7 40% 46% 6% 60% 10%
13 6 11 40% 73% 33% 60% 55%
14 11 13 84% 86% 2% 16% 12%
15 9 14 60% 93% 33% 40% 82%
16 10 14 66% 93% 27% 34% 79%
17 6 10 40% 66% 26% 60% 43%
Average Learning Gain Score 50%

Table 2:

14

12

10

8
Pre-test
6
Post- Test

0
Under 60% Between 60%- Between 70% and 80% and above
69% 79%

Subgroup Analysis:
 I chose to compare pre and post tests scores of those students currently receiving

reading intervention with the scores of students not receiving any kind of reading

intervention. These five students had the lowest post test scores in the class, a few of the

students improved their scores with the posttest, but some made little or even no

improvement. For the pre test I did orally read the test to the class and had them answer

questions on the test because of the amount of lower readers in the class. However, for

the post test I had the students read it on their on because we had been studying the solar

system for a few weeks and most of them have been reading books on the solar system so

their familiarity with words relating to the solar system should have increased. When I

look at these test scores I wonder if sometimes we are testing content knowledge or

reading ability. It would be interesting to have these students complete the test again with

in being read to them to see if it makes any difference at all. Table 3 shows the students

who are receiving reading intervention in blue and their scores. Table 4 shows the

average percentage on the pre and post assessments for students not receiving reading

intervention and those students who are receiving intervention. The average post-test

score was not too big of a difference in the two groups of students, however the post-test

scores as well as the amount of growth from pre to post test is a significant jump.

Table 3:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Students Raw Raw Pretest Post Test Actual Potential Learning
Score Score percentage Gain Gain Gain
N=18 Percentage
Pretest Post Test Score Score Score
Top Top
possible possible
=15 = 15
1 9 13 60% 86% 26% 40% 65%
2 7 13 46% 86% 40% 54% 74%
3 11 15 73% 100% 27% 27% 100%
4 8 13 53% 86% 33% 47% 70%
5 7 12 46% 80% 34% 54% 63%
6 8 12 53% 80% 27% 47% 57%
7 5 5 33% 33% 0% 67% 0
8 7 9 46% 60% 14% 54% 26%
9 4 11 26% 73% 47% 74% 63%
10 8 11 53% 73% 20% 47% 42%
11 7 8 46% 53% 7% 54% 13%
12 6 7 40% 46% 6% 60% 10%
13 6 11 40% 73% 33% 60% 55%
14 11 13 84% 86% 2% 16% 12%
15 9 14 60% 93% 33% 40% 82%
16 10 14 66% 93% 27% 34% 79%
17 6 10 40% 66% 26% 60% 43%

Students in blue are students who are currently receiving reading intervention

Table 4:
 80%

70%

60%

50%

40% Pre-test

30% Post-test

20%

10%

0%
Students not receiving reading Students receiving intervention
intervention

Individual Students:

I chose to look at student number 17 for one of my individual students. This

particular student did raise her score from the pretest to the post-test, however her post -

test score was much lower than I expected. During in class assignments and formative

assessments she did very well, so I really expected her post assessment score to be a little

higher than it was.

I also looked at the scores of student number 3. He was the only student to get a

100% on the post assessment so I would say that he fully met the learning objectives. He

did fairly well on the pre assessment and was able to raise his score on the post

assessment. This student was particularly interested in the topic of the solar system. He

did very well during in class assignments and formative assessments. He also frequently

chose to read books about the solar system and even write about it during writing time.
 Reflection

Most successful learning goal

The most successful learning goal for this unit was probably learning goal number

1: Students will be able to explain the various phases of the moon. I picked this goal as

being the most successful because I saw a lot of growth from the majority of the students.

On the pre-assessment many students only knew two or even less moon phases, but

during formative assessments throughout the unit as well as the post assessment, many

students could list all six moon phases and almost all students showed an increase in the

amount of moon phases they were able to recognize. I think the students were successful

at achieving this goal because we practiced the moon phases many times and in many

different ways throughout the unit. I added an additional moon phases activity to help

students who I felt were struggling to grasp the content. I think this activity addition gave

them enough extra practice with the material to really understand it and do well on the

post assessment.

Least successful learning goal

The least successful learning goal for this unit would probably be learning goal

number 2: students will be able to identify the sun as the center of the solar system and

provide details on one other planet. I picked this as the least successful goal because I

feel the second part of the learning goal, providing details on one other planet was not

assessed and taught as well as it could have been. Most of the students did understand

that the sun was at the center and they understood how the planets moved around the sun.

I had the students read about planets on EPIC and in books and then compare and
contrast two planets. Most students completed the assignment, but I don’t think they

retained the information. I think I could have made a few more hands on activities to help

them have a deeper knowledge of the planets. I also feel that because the post assessment

was multiple choice, it didn’t allow the students to fully complete the learning goal by

providing details on a planet.

Reflection on possibilities for professional development

One area of professional development that I feel to improve on as a teacher is

classroom management and keeping the students engaged in what they are doing. Our

school district using the C.H.A.M.P.S. model and most of the teachers have received

training in this area. I have seen it being using pretty effectively in some classrooms,

although my host teacher doesn’t use it regularly. I would like to implement this more in

my classroom and would love to attend an actual training to help learn how to best

implement the model in my own classroom.

A second area of professional development that I would like to work on is the use

of formative assessments throughout the unit. I think I use formative assessments

throughout the day as I teach, but I would like to learn more about keeping track of

formative assessments so I can really use this information to help guide my instruction. I

would also be interesting in learning some other methods of collecting formative

assessments. I could do this by reading books related to this topic, talking or observing

other teachers or finding a workshop related to this topic. After researching a few books

on formative assessments, I came across a book titled 25 Quick Formative Assessments

for a Differentiated Classroom: Easy, Low-Prep Assessments That Help You Pinpoint
Students' Needs and Reach All Learners, by Judith Dodge. I think this book would help

me add to my methods of using formative assessments in the classroom.