Observed

Teacher: Teacher A Grade/Subject: 3rd grade ELA lesson Date: _11/5/14

Evidence Collection Organizer
Full Observation
DOMAIN 2 & 3: CLASSROOM OBSERVATION
(Evidence collected during observation)
2A. How does
your classroom
promote a
culture of
learning?
Creates a
respectful
classroom culture
of trust, safety
and high
expectations

Ai. Creates a safe learning

environment

Desks in small groups; room to maneuver between desks

T Make sure youre listening to each other, especially when
youre working with your partner

T Were going to put your work under the doc. cam so you
can share your work with others. We need to show
empathy if you were up in front sharing your work, think
about how you would feel.

T- That last line that they had in their paragraph come to
school and work hard thats what I saw. You all worked
hard.

Aii. Establishes high

cognitive expectations

T- Are there any questions now that we have gone over the
expectations? SN.
S Can we just write down the words in our notebook before
we start?
T Yes, you can write down the things you need in your
paragraph down first
S2 Can we write more than 4-5 sentences?
T Yes. If you want to challenge yourselves!

Students form pairs to work on their paragraphs. 100% of
students engage in conversation with their partner about the
assignment.

(After one student group shares their work) T One more
group. Im seeing sad faces. We can read the rest during
morning meeting tomorrow.

T- Nice work everyone. Were going to continue this work
tomorrow and in life science.
Ss Yay!!!
T Oh I love that response!

Aiii. Creates a culture of

persistence

To another pair:
T I just want to check how youre doing. What is your topic?


2B. How do you
manage your
classroom?

S- How to heres what we wrote so far.

T- Great! You already started with a transition word! Keep
going!

T- Before you start, I want to compliment you two. We were
down to our two minute warning and these young men were
having a hard time with their topic. So they they worked
together, and they got it done. Whats your topic?


T - There were a few groups that struggled in the beginning,
and you all worked through it, so pat yourself on the back for
your hard work and cooperation.

Bi. Establishes and

maintains classroom
routines and procedures

T Find someone by you, make a tent. (Students turn

immediately to a partner near them, form a tent, and then
begin talking)

(T raises hand. Students raise their hands, stop talking, and
turn to face the front where the T stands.)

T- What do we do if we want to do different topics? SN.
S Rock, paper, scissors.

T 30 seconds to move back to the carpet 10 start making
your way to the carpet. 9 8 7- (student voices are quieting,
students are moving to the carpet) 6 -5 -4- 3- 2 1 (3
students not yet to rug. T raises hand. Students raise hands. T
claps. Students repeat clap. T raises hands and claps. Students
raise hands and clap. )

Bii. Monitors and

provides feedback on
student behavior

(T begins writing a class example paragraph on the board

putting in students ideas.)
T- Thank you for those of you who are just reading along in
your head that shows you respect my work.

(T raises hand. Students raise hands.) T - I see a student not
looking, can someone help?
(S touches students arm and student turns to look at the
teacher).

T What was your topic?
S - Our topic was we were at first going to think about doing
our own thing but then Ayub spoke up and said why dont
we
T- So you were cooperating! Nice job!


(T gives directions to clean up. Calls on one student to
demonstrate.)
T- Lets watch and see if she can follow directions.
(Student follows directions. T puts her thumbs up and then
points to three more students).




3A. How do you
communicate
content to
students?
Communicates
learning targets
and content
clearly and
effectively

Ai. Uses content language T Past two days whats that word I said was really
important?
to promote learning
S- Same as in math.
T Yes, same as in math. Whats the word?
S Sequencing
T Sequencing!
(Ss chorally repeat sequencing)

T Repeat after me, Transition (Students chorally repeat.)
T What does transition mean?
S Like when we go from recess to lunch.
T Good. IT can mean moving from one place to another.

(T calls on volunteers to share transition words. T writes
transition words on the board. )
S1 next like next day
S2- Once there was
S3 happily ever after
S4 for the end, in the end
S5 the last thing

T - Why is sequencing important?
S Sequencing is important because if you read a book thats
really long, you can write beginning, middle and end, and
read about what you wrote.
T So you can read your notes to remember what you read
before.

(Learning targets posted on white board - reading and
Aii. Communicates
writing)
learning targets and

content
(Lesson learning targets projected on promethean board)
T- I need someone to read our second learning target. (Draws
name stick. S reads the learning target aloud. T discusses then
reveals the third learning target.)
T You knew this was coming, so lets all read it together.
(Ss choral read third learning target)


(Step by-step directions are posted on the Promethean
board and chart paper for the pair paragraph activity. T
demonstrates steps and then walks students through the
steps.)


3B. What
Bi. Uses instructional
strategies do you strategies to engage
use to engage
students in learning
students and
promote their
ownership of
learning?
Facilitates
activities and
discussions that
promote high
cognitive T Find
someone by you,
make a tent.
Share words that
tell you youre in
the beginning,
middle, or end.

Bii. Uses questioning and

discussion techniques

(Full group discussion. Students sit on carpet facing

promethean board.)
T raise your hand and tell me one thing you need to do to
get ready for a snowy day? Im just going to draw sticks
because everyone is raising their hands.
S Scarf
S2 Snow pants
S3 Mittens or gloves
S4 Hat
T Any more? (Ss hands go up)

T Here are your partners and your directions. (Puts to do list
up on the board).1. Decide topic. 2. Decide who is writing. 3.
Write a sequenced paragraph


(1 pairs discussion during the paragraph writing)
S1 We cant just write 1. And then the sentence and then 2.
S2 We can. We have to use words. Like first then second
How about you do first and then I do a sentence for second
S1 OK. First (writes and says) you should put the dog in the
bath. OK. What next?
S2 Next, never throw it down the well.
S1 OK. (Writes next.)
(S2 grabs paper and highlights first and next)

(Students move from pairs to sitting in a whole group on the
carpet. Pairs are asked to project their work to the class using
the ELMO and read their paragraphs aloud. Students then call
on classmates to identify the transition words.)

T What is sequencing? SN.
S Putting events in order.
T- Anything else in school that we sequence? That we put in
order? Just think.
(Ss raising hands. T calls on student raising hand.)
S2 Numbers.
T Yes. We sequence numbers greatest to least, least to
greatest.
S Our schedule. We put our schedule in order.
T Good. (Points to another student)

S Books
T What do you mean by books?
S They have numbers and we put them in order.

T Find someone by you, make a tent. Share words that tell
you youre in the beginning, middle, or end.

(Techniques for selecting students to speak included calling
on volunteers, drawing name sticks, and having students call
on other students.)
Biii. Groups purposefully

T If youre in a spot thats not good for you, you need to

make sure we fix it.

T Here are your partners and your directions. (Projects
partners on promethean board. Reminds students that they
picked their partners the day before based on who they could
work well with.)

(Students formed pre-determined groups of 2. One group of 3
joined T to get their paragraphs started).

Biv. Uses appropriate

pacing and structure

Beginning

(Refers to prior learning.) T Past two days whats

that word I said was really important?
Group discussion of sequencing and transition words

Middle

T demonstration of writing a paragraph using

transition words

Students pair up and write a paragraph using

transition words together

End

3C. How do you
utilize student
data to advance
each students
learning?

Ci. Uses formative

assessments to inform
instruction

Students share their paragraphs with the class.

Closing discussion on why sequencing is important.

T- Nice work. Were going to continue this work

tomorrow and in life science

(Students write paragraphs describing a sequence of steps

using transition words. Students highlight or butter the
transition words or popcorn words.)

(T circulates to each pair as they work on their paragraphs. T

Uses varied
assessment
techniques to
advance student
learning

asks questions such as, I just want to check how youre

doing. What is your topic? How many transition words
have you used? Did you butter your popcorn? Can you
think of any other transition words you could use?

Cii. Provides academic
feedback to advance
learning

Ciii. Promotes student

self-assessment

T I know some students know the answer and dont have

their hands raised. Im going to wait.

To a pair:
T- Wow! Youve written a lot. How many transition words
have you used?
(S1 highlights transition words.) S1 - 3.
T See if you can use a couple more. Wait I see some more.
See if you can find some more. Good job!
(S1 reads aloud.)
S2 - Then! Thats another one!
Student highlights then and keeps reading aloud. S then!
(S1 highlights then).
S2 we used it there, too (points to then later in
paragraph; S1 highlights)
S1 - We used 5 transition words!
Ss high five each other.

T - What are our expectations for writing a sequenced
paragraph?
S Butter the popcorn.
T How many popcorn or transition words do you think we
need? Show me with your hands.
(Ss show between 5 and 10)
T Lots of you have a lot. Lets look at my paragraph and
count I used 5. Does that change your expectations? (Some
students lower the number of fingers raised)
T Ok. 5 or more. How about spelling? (Students indicate
with thumbs down) Ok. Spelling doesnt matter. How about
complete sentences? (Students indicate with thumbs up or
sideways). Ok. Most of you think we should have complete
sentences
(Students are asked to set the expectations for the paragraph
assignment; expectations are written on the Promethean
board and projected throughout the pair activity. T refers to
the expectations when circulating to groups for students to
check that their work meets expectations.)