SIGNATURE ASSESSMENT #5: EVIDENCE OF STUDENT LEARNING

Evidence of Student Learning

Katey Brashears

Signature Assessment #5
March 22, 2016
Part A: Learning Context, Topic and Objectives

SIGNATURE ASSESSMENT #5: EVIDENCE OF STUDENT LEARNING

Perry Hall Middle School (PHMS) is a large school for grades six through
eight, located in Northeast Baltimore County. According to the Perry Hall
Middle School Profile issued by Baltimore County Public Schools, 1,605
students were enrolled at this location during the 2013/2014 school year.
Fifty-nine percent of the students enrolled are white, 20% are black or African
American, 13% are Asian, 4% are Hispanic/Latino and 4% are two are more
races. In terms of enrollment in special programs, 33% of the student
population is considered Gifted and Talented, 9% of students receive Special
Education services, and 30% of students receive Free and Reduced Meals.
Eighty-nine percent of the instructional staff at Perry Hall Middle has a
Masters, while the remaining 11% have Bachelors degrees.
PHMS is a friendly, student-centered environment that is conducive to
learning and teaching. Safety and academic growth are among the top
priorities at Perry Hall Middle, supporting the Baltimore County Public School
vision. Student projects and artwork is prominently displayed throughout the
entire school building, and school administrators are visiting classrooms and
monitoring the hallways each day. This provides a sense of support for
students as well as staff, and fosters professional relationships. Perry Hall
Middle promotes a highly collaborative system, not only between team
members. All staff members are supportive of one another, including
teachers of different grade levels and subject matter, paraprofessionals, the
nurse, administration, cafeteria staff, and custodial staff. Perry Hall offers a
very welcoming environment for parents and families as well.

SIGNATURE ASSESSMENT #5: EVIDENCE OF STUDENT LEARNING

I am interning in the Functional Academic Learning Support (FALS)

Program at Perry Hall Middle School with 17 wonderful students with special
needs. There are three sixth grade students, four seventh grade students
and two eighth grade students in my reading class. There are two special
educators in this self-contained program; one of the teachers has a
homeroom class of eight students, while my mentor teacher has a
homeroom of nine. The additional staff members in the FALS program include
one instructional assistant, one teacher aide and three one-on-one
assistants. My reading class is comprised of nine children with unique
learning differences; there are three female students and six male students.
In this group, there are seven white students and two black students.
Each student in my reading class has an IEP and receives Special
Education services, which includes various accommodations and supports.
Six of the students have Down syndrome, two students have autism, and one
student has a specific learning disability in the area of reading. In terms of
cultural and linguistic differences, there is a young man from the Ukraine in
this class. Although he understands his peers, his teachers, and his one-onone assistant when they speak English and is responsive to questions and
requests, he struggles to communicate both verbally, and in terms of written
language. This is partially due to his language differences and partially due
to his disability. This student has Down syndrome. In order to communicate
with, teach, support, and assess this student, I use picture-supported
materials. His behavioral incentives are presented to him in the form of

SIGNATURE ASSESSMENT #5: EVIDENCE OF STUDENT LEARNING

pictures, and he has a daily picture schedule to help him with transition
periods. Additionally, all learning materials (texts, classwork, homework, and
assessments) are supported with symbols and pictures.
Oral and written language development levels vary for the students in
my reading class. Four students are not considered proficient in terms of oral
language. Two of these students have autism and they are often nonverbal,
although sometimes I can elicit one- or two-word responses. Two of the
students have Down syndrome and speech intelligibility is an area of
weakness for both of these students. One of the students also speaks very
little English, and the other child in particular has difficult with coordination
of muscle movement necessary for intelligible speech. Both students have
difficulty articulating specific sounds and often stutter when communicating
orally.
All four of these students who struggle with oral language are provided
supports and accommodations that allow them to communicate successfully.
For example, each student is provided with a picture-supported response
board that contains lesson-specific picture cues so they are able to
participate in class discussions. Additionally, the FALS Program at Perry Hall
incorporates American Sign Language into lessons and other activities so
that the students who are nonverbal or struggle with oral communication can
learn and use signs to socialize, participate during instruction and in the
community, and ask for help.

SIGNATURE ASSESSMENT #5: EVIDENCE OF STUDENT LEARNING

Written communication is a challenge for six of the nine students.

Writing connects language, cognition and motor skills, and many of these
children have difficulties in one or more of those skill areas. In order to allow
my students, who struggle with written language to access learning,
participate in activities and respond to reading assessments, I create
differentiated lesson materials and assessments with adapted materials.
Sometimes lessons include cut and paste activities, while other responses
are elicited via matching or circle the correct answer activities.
This unit is called Chapter 6: The West. It is a part of a larger unit,
Regions of the United States and was adapted to fit my students needs from
a Unique Learning Systems leveled curriculum guide. The West unit is
comprised of a series of three lessons that involve reading an informational
text about the West and completing vocabulary, comprehension, and
sentence completion activities. These activities are followed by formative
assessments that allow students to demonstrate their ability to comprehend
informational text, identify key ideas and relating ideas within the text. This
unit is aligned with the following Maryland College and Career Readiness
Standards (MCCRS) Anchor Standard for Reading Informational Text, Grades
6, 7 and 8:
Cluster: Key Ideas and Details
RI1 CCR Anchor Standard Read closely to determine what the text
says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual

SIGNATURE ASSESSMENT #5: EVIDENCE OF STUDENT LEARNING

evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the

text.
This unit and the unit objectives are aligned with several essential
skills and knowledge included in the RI1 CCR Anchor Standard:
(1)Apply appropriate before reading strategies to a text e.g., previewing
the text, setting a purpose for reading, making predictions about the
text, and drawing connections between prior knowledge or experience
and the text.
(2)Monitor comprehension with appropriate during reading strategies e.g.,
rereading, paraphrasing, summarizing, connecting related ideas within
a text, verifying or modifying predictions, visualizing, and connecting
text ideas with prior knowledge or experience.
(3)Demonstrate comprehension of a text with after reading strategies by

explaining the central ideas

identifying what is directly stated in the text

drawing inferences

drawing conclusions

verifying or adjusting predictions

making new predictions

paraphrasing a summarizing

making connections between the text and oneself

SIGNATURE ASSESSMENT #5: EVIDENCE OF STUDENT LEARNING

(4)Determine and state evidence that confirms the meaning of an

informational text.
(5)Using relationships between words for understanding.
(6)Participate actively and appropriately in discussions about
informational texts.
(7)Using appropriate academic or domain-specific words when discussing
or writing about informational texts.

The measurable and relevant unit objectives developed for this unit
are:
(1)I can read the informational text and make connections within the text,
as well as text-to-self connections.
(2)I can identify and define five new vocabulary words from the text.
(3)I can demonstrate comprehension of the text by answering
comprehension questions.

Part B: Assessment Plan

The unit begins with a five-question pre-assessment; the students are
asked questions about the West region of the United States. This assessment

SIGNATURE ASSESSMENT #5: EVIDENCE OF STUDENT LEARNING

is conducted at the beginning of Lesson #1. Each question is delivered in a

multiple choice format with three possible choices. All text on the
assessment is picture-supported, and the students are asked to circle their
response to each question. The very same assessment is to be used as a
post-assessment when the unit is complete. Students will receive feedback
on their pre-assessment and post-assessment scores at the end of the unit.
Each lesson in the unit is accompanied by a formative assessment
following instruction each day. These informal assessments serve as data
points for me to determine whether or not individual students have met their
daily learning goal. The data gathered from formative, end-of-lesson
assessments can also be useful for teaching reflection, as well as for
planning future lessons.
The formative assessment for Lesson #1 Vocabulary involves the
students demonstrating their mastery of the lesson objective: I can identify
my five new vocabulary words. The students will be selecting the correct
vocabulary card on the response board as the teacher reads the word aloud.
The vocabulary words students will be asked to identify are: West, region,
map, Rocky Mountains, and beach. Many students in this class have difficulty
with written language and fine motor skills, the assessments do not involve
writing activities. Additionally, while some of the students can effectively
communicate verbally, two of the students are often nonverbal, and other
students struggle to produce intelligible speech. The students are welcome
to respond verbally as well, but they will not be assessed on their ability to

SIGNATURE ASSESSMENT #5: EVIDENCE OF STUDENT LEARNING

answer the questions verbally. The students can choose to respond by raising
their vocabulary card or pointing to the correct response on the response
board. An informal assessment tool will be used to record student responses
to collect assessment data and analyze student learning.
The formative assessment for Lesson #2 Shared Reading is similar to
the first lesson in that students will be asked to respond nonverbally and
without writing. This time, however, the questions involve responses that are
not included in the student vocabulary cards, so students will be asked to
use their response boards only. The students will be demonstrating their
mastery of the lesson objective: I can read a chapter to help me understand
new words. The questions ask students to relate concepts in the text in order
to choose the correct response. For example, students were asked to point to
the state where Yellowstone National Park can be found, and the students
would point to the picture card labeled Wyoming. An informal assessment
tool will be used to record student responses to collect assessment data and
analyze student learning.
After Lesson #3 Tour of the West, the students will take the
summative assessment for this unit. The assessment will measure both the
lesson objective (I can take a tour of the West to help me remember facts
during the unit test), and the unit objective (I can demonstrate
comprehension of the informational text by reading the text, making
inferences, making connections, identifying vocabulary words, and
answering comprehension questions.) The students will participate in the

SIGNATURE ASSESSMENT #5: EVIDENCE OF STUDENT LEARNING

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same five-question assessment that was given to them as a pre-assessment,

in order to demonstrate what students were able to comprehend and retain
throughout the course of the Chapter 6: The West unit. All students in the
reading group receive accommodations that they are able to request during
assessments. All students are entitled to a reader and a scribe. Additionally,
five of the students receive the following accommodations: (1) reduced
choices, (2) verbal prompting, and (3) monitoring test responses. The
teachers, instructional assistants, and one-on-one assistants work together
to provide each student the accommodations and supports necessary to help
them access and demonstrate learning.

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SIGNATURE ASSESSMENT #5: EVIDENCE OF STUDENT LEARNING

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SIGNATURE ASSESSMENT #5: EVIDENCE OF STUDENT LEARNING

Vocabulary Cards

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SIGNATURE ASSESSMENT #5: EVIDENCE OF STUDENT LEARNING

Response Board

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SIGNATURE ASSESSMENT #5: EVIDENCE OF STUDENT LEARNING

Lesson #1 Assessment Data

Chapter 6: The West

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SIGNATURE ASSESSMENT #5: EVIDENCE OF STUDENT LEARNING

Date: ____2-28-16____

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Lesson: ____Lesson #1

Vocabulary____
Objective: ____I can identify my five new vocabulary words.____

INFORMAL ASSESSMENT DATA

map

Rock
y
Mts.

beac
h

SCO
RE

3/5

60%

3/5

60%

Josh

4/5

80%

Nasir

5/5

100%

Andrea

4/5

80%

Austin

3/5

60%

Chris

4/5

80%

Taras

4/5

80%

David

3/5

60%

West

regio
n

Ashley

Carly

Student

C = CORRECT
I = INCORRECT
Notes:
Josh missed the pre-assessment, the majority of instruction, and endof-lesson assessment. Ms. Jamie, Joshs one-on-one, gave him the end-of
lesson assessment later in the day. He identified all words except for Rocky
Mountains, earning an 80% even after missing most of the lesson. The
following day, Josh took the pre-assessment. He answered 3/5 questions
correctly.

Lesson #2 Assessment Data

SIGNATURE ASSESSMENT #5: EVIDENCE OF STUDENT LEARNING

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Chapter 6: The West

Date: ____3-1-16____

Lesson: ____Lesson #2 Shared

Reading____
Objective: ____I can read a chapter to help me understand new words.____

INFORMAL ASSESSMENT DATA

map

Rock
y
Mts.

beac
h

SCO
RE

5/5

100%

3/5

60%

Josh*

5/5

100%

Nasir

5/5

100%

Andrea

4/5

80%

Austin

5/5

100%

Chris

5/5

100%

Taras

5/5

100%

David

4/5

80%

West

regio
n

Ashley

Carly

Student

C = CORRECT
I = INCORRECT
Notes:
*Josh was absent during instruction and also for the end-of-lesson
assessment. His absence from reading class was due to disability-related
behavior issues. I was unable to have Josh participate in this informal
assessment the following day, so it wasnt until 3-3-16 that I was able to
assess his ability to meet this particular objective.

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Part C: Instruction
Regions of the United States
Chapter 6: The West
Lesson #1 Vocabulary
About This Lesson
DESCRIPTION
Lesson #1 Vocabulary involves preparing students to begin reading
Chapter 6: The West. After administering a pre-assessment, each student will
receive a set of picture-supported vocabulary cards that they will color using
realistic color choices. A set of pre-colored vocabulary cards will be displayed
on the SmartBoard for students to use as a reference. Students will create
vocabulary flash cards during a cut and paste activity. The teacher will
introduce the new terms by calling out the words. Students will be asked to
choose the correct card, and the teacher will share a definition or description
of each word. As an informal, post-lesson assessment, the teacher will
provide clues associated with the words, and the students will hold up the
correct Chapter 6 vocabulary card to demonstrate knowledge of each term.
Lesson #1 is the first lesson in the Chapter 6: The West unit. Chapter 6
is the last chapter in a book about the five regions of the U.S., called
Exploring the United States. In this final unit, the students will read
Chapter 6 to gain knowledge about this region. As a class, the group will read
several emails a child has received from friends in various locations.
Students will learn about cities, states, and climates in the West. Additionally,
students will read information about important attractions located in this
region. The class will take a virtual train tour of the West, read the story to

SIGNATURE ASSESSMENT #5: EVIDENCE OF STUDENT LEARNING

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answer comprehension questions, and finally take a five-question unit

assessment containing picture-supported text.
PREREQUISITES
Students will need to have a general understanding of United States
geography; there are five regions. Our last United States region of study is
The West. Although many of the terms will be reviewed, students will also
need to have a basic understanding of the following vocabulary terms:

beach

region

city

state

land

visit

map

United
States

ESTIMATED TIME
8:30 am 9:20 am (50 minutes)
Potential Use
PURPOSE
The purpose(s) of this lesson are:
1. to introduce and define vocabulary words that students will encounter
in the unit,
2. to gather informal assessment data that will be useful for professional
learning to help the teacher plan subsequent lessons, and

SIGNATURE ASSESSMENT #5: EVIDENCE OF STUDENT LEARNING

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3. to enhance student knowledge and understanding in the following

content areas:

Reading

Social studies

Science

GRADE(S)
6th, 7th, 8th
CONTENT AREAS

Reading

Social studies

Science

STANDARDS
Range and Level of Text Complexity

Experience grade level and age-

appropriate literature materials, including poems, biographies, chapter

books, fiction and nonfiction works that are adapted to student reading level.
RI1 CCR Anchor Standard Read closely to determine what the text says
explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual
evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the
text.
Goals
OBJECTIVE
I can identify my five new vocabulary words.

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VARIABILITY
This FALS class of nine students is a diverse group of learners. There
are six males and three females. Two students have autism, six of the
students have Down syndrome, and one student has a specific learning
disability in reading. Each student is unique and all students have different
strengths and areas of need. There are many behavioral challenges in the
class as well. It is important to keep these students on task so they are able
to gain knowledge through participating in the lesson. Every student in the
class has an IEP and receives accommodations and supports. Seven of the
students will require material to be read to them. Five students struggle with
written language and will require adapted materials. For example, five of the
students will complete matching, cut and paste, and circling activities, while
the other four students can copy written words from a word bank.
Additionally, all materials are adapted to support each students learning
style. For example, all of the students benefit from visual supports, so all
readings and assignments are developed with picture-supported text.
Assessments
FORMATIVE ASSESSMENTS
Pre-Assessment: Students will be asked to try their best to answer five
questions about the West by circling the best out of three possible responses.
End of Lesson Assessment: Students will be asked to select the correct
vocabulary card to match the word the teacher reads aloud.
SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENTS

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There will be a five-question unit assessment to determine what

information students were able to comprehend and retain throughout the
course of the Chapter 6 unit.
Instructional Methods
OPENING
Students will view a short video introducing the first special location we
will read about in the West: Cannon Beach, Oregon
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2dF1WajkN0
Cannon Beach, Oregon Drone Flight (1:00)
BEFORE the Video:

What region is Cannon Beach, Oregon located in? (the West)

What is a drone? (a small, remote controlled aircraft that is used to

record a video, in this case)

AFTER the Video:

What kinds of things did you see in the video? (people, houses,
mountains, beach, sand, waves, ocean, birds)

Would you like to visit this place?

What do you think you would find in the sand if you were walking on
Cannon Beach? (shells)

DURING
1. Students will each receive a strip of paper containing their five new
vocabulary words (beach, map, region, Rocky Mountains, and West).
Using colored pencils or crayons, students will color in each picture

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using accurate color choices. The students will be able to base their
color choices off of the color photograph of the vocabulary words,
displayed on the SmartBoard.
2. Each student will receive five index cards; they will be instructed to use
a pencil to write their names on the back (blank side) of each card.
Each student will be given a glue stick and scissors to cut out each
vocabulary word and corresponding picture and paste the pictures on
the front (lined side) of each card.
3. The teacher will read the cards aloud while showing each picture. The
students will repeat by holding up the correct card and saying the
word.
CLOSING
Informal Assessment: Students will demonstrate the ability to
recognize their five new vocabulary words by displaying the correct word
card when a description is given by the teacher. Reduced choices may be
used if students require additional support. The teacher should take note of
incorrect responses to gather informal assessment data and to help plan
future lessons.
Materials
MATERIALS AND SUPPLIES

Chapter 6: The West (copy for each student)

Picture-supported vocabulary cards (copy for each student)

Colored pencils/crayons

SIGNATURE ASSESSMENT #5: EVIDENCE OF STUDENT LEARNING

Scissors

Glue sticks

Index cards (five per student)

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RESOURCES

Cannon Beach, Oregon Drone Flight YouTube video:

https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=S2dF1WajkN0 (1:00)

Chapter 6: The West (digital copy for SmartBoard)

Picture-supported vocabulary cards (digital copy for SmartBoard)

REFLECTION AND ANALYSIS

This lesson was an effective introduction to the new unit of study, the
West. The students seemed to enjoy the drone flight video of Cannon Beach
and I was able to elicit much participation from this group after the video.
The students were discussing personal experiences about beaches. The
students were able to talk casually in groups as they were coloring their
pictures and this provided them with the opportunity to practice social skills
and improve peer-relationships. When I called a vocabulary word and held it
up, I was able to take this opportunity to help students correct their mistakes
before assessing them.
The informal assessment data show that one student was able to
identify all of the vocabulary words. Out of the remaining eight students, half
of them earned a score of 80% while the other half responded to three out of

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five questions correctly, a score of 60%. The assessment results indicate that
students did not reach mastery level with this objective; however, I
anticipated these results. The students have made progress toward the goal,
but the class as a whole is still unable to identify the words with 80%
accuracy, as the average score on the informal assessment is a 73%. The
lesson for the following day will involve reading an informational text. The
vocabulary words will be introduced in a context, and photographs will be
displayed on a Flipchart. It is my hope that the text will help students to
identify the words and begin to define them. Additionally, the data show that
many of the students are having trouble identifying the Rocky Mountains. I
will focus on helping the students relate this word to the text.

Regions of the United States

Chapter 6: The West
Lesson #2 Shared Reading
About This Lesson
DESCRIPTION
Lesson #2 Shared Reading involves the teacher reading aloud the
first page of Chapter 6: The West to model fluent reading. The students will
take turns reading aloud to the group; each student will read one page and

SIGNATURE ASSESSMENT #5: EVIDENCE OF STUDENT LEARNING

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choose a friend to read next. This will allow the teacher to collect
individualized reading data for each child. The teacher will draw attention to
the vocabulary words. After the student has finished reading a page, the
teacher will have the students highlight the words in their text. Students will
be able to see pictures and videos of up to five special locations in the West.
This will help them to visualize the information as they read the text. As an
end-of-lesson assessment, students will be given a description or explanation
of the vocabulary words and the teacher will ask the students to use their
response boards to point to the picture that corresponds to the word.
Lesson #2 is the second lesson in the Chapter 6: The West unit.
Chapter 6 is the last chapter in a book about the five regions of the U.S.,
called Exploring the United States. In this final unit, the students will read
Chapter 6 to gain knowledge about the West. As a class, the group will read
several emails a child has received from friends in various locations.
Students will learn about cities, states, and climates in this region.
Additionally, students will read information about important attractions
located in the Western United States. The class will take a virtual train tour of
the West, read the story to answer comprehension questions, and finally take
a five-question unit assessment containing picture-supported text.

PREREQUISITES
Students will need to have a general understanding of United States
geography; there are five regions. Our last United States region of study is

SIGNATURE ASSESSMENT #5: EVIDENCE OF STUDENT LEARNING

29

the West. Although many of the terms will be reviewed, students will also
need to have a basic understanding of the following vocabulary terms:

beach

region

city

state

land

visit

map

United
States

ESTIMATED TIME
8:30 am 9:20 am (50 minutes)
Potential Use
PURPOSE
The purpose(s) of this lesson are:
1. to review vocabulary words that students will encounter in the chapter,
2. to gather informal assessment data that will be useful for professional
learning to help the teacher plan subsequent lessons, and
3. to enhance student knowledge and understanding in the following
content areas:
a. Reading
b. Social studies
c. Science
GRADE(S)
6th, 7th, 8th

SIGNATURE ASSESSMENT #5: EVIDENCE OF STUDENT LEARNING

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CONTENT AREAS

Reading

Social studies

Science

STANDARDS
Range and Level of Text Complexity

Experience grade level and age-

appropriate literature materials, including poems, biographies, chapter

books, fiction and nonfiction works that are adapted to student reading level.
RI1 CCR Anchor Standard Read closely to determine what the text says
explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual
evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the
text.
Goals
OBJECTIVE
I can read a chapter to help me understand new words.
VARIABILITY
This FALS class of nine students is a diverse group of learners. There
are six males and three females. Two students have autism, six of the
students have Down syndrome, and one student has a specific learning
disability in reading. Each student is unique and all students have different
strengths and areas of need. There are many behavioral challenges in the
class as well. It is important to keep these students on task so they are able
to gain knowledge through participating in the lesson. Every student in the

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31

class has an IEP and receives accommodations and supports. Seven of the
students will require material to be read to them. Five students struggle with
written language and will require adapted materials. For example, five of the
students will complete matching, cut and paste, and circling activities, while
the other four students can copy written words from a word bank.
Additionally, all materials are adapted to support each students learning
style. For example, all of the students benefit from visual supports, so all
readings and assignments are developed with picture-supported text.
Assessments
FORMATIVE ASSESSMENTS
End of Lesson Assessment: The teacher will describe a word and the
students will point to the correct word and picture on their response boards.
SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENTS
There will be a five-question unit assessment to determine what
information students were able to comprehend and retain throughout the
course of the Chapter 6 unit.
Instructional Methods
OPENING
Students will view a short video introducing the second special location
we will read about in the West: The Golden Gate Bridge in San
Francisco, California https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HygbD44_j4
What Do You Know about the Golden Gate Bridge? (3:00)
* BEFORE the Video:

SIGNATURE ASSESSMENT #5: EVIDENCE OF STUDENT LEARNING

Which region would you like to visit?

Have you ever been to California?

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* AFTER the Video:

What kinds of things did you see in the video?

Would you like to visit this place?

What color is the Golden Gate Bridge? (orange/red-orange)

DURING
1. The teacher will read the first page of Chapter 6: The West to model
fluent reading. This means the teacher must read aloud with fluency
and expression. The students should follow along in their text. The
teacher should comment on how the photographs and illustrations help
to learn about the West. It is important to have students identify
vocabulary words within the text and highlight them (if any). The
teacher will use the SmartBoart to display photographs/videos that
relate to page one (if any). Remind students to turn the page.
2. The teacher will choose a student to begin reading aloud on the second
page. Remind students to read with fluency, expression, and clarity.
Supports may include choral reading or echo reading.
3. After each student finishes a page, the teacher will have the students
review the page to look for vocabulary words to highlight. He/she will
use the SmartBoard to display photographs/videos related to each
page (if any). The teacher should continue to remind students to turn

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the page each time. Have the reader call on another student to read
the following page.
4. The teacher will monitor print concepts and fluency, as well as focus on
fostering attentive, appropriate behaviors that foster a positive
learning environment.
CLOSING (begin at 9:18 am)
Informal Assessment: Students will demonstrate their understanding of
their new vocabulary words by pointing to the correct picture on their
response boards when a description is given by the teacher. Reduced choices
may be used if students require additional support. The teacher should take
note of incorrect responses and support methods used in order to gather
informal assessment data and to help plan future lessons.
Materials
MATERIALS AND SUPPLIES

Chapter 6: The West (copy for each student)

Chapter 6 picture-supported vocabulary cards (copy for each student)

Chapter 6 response board

Highlighters (one for each student)

RESOURCES

What Do You Know About the Golden Gate Bridge? YouTube video:
https://www.
youtube.com/watch?v=6HygbD44_j4 (3:00)

Chapter 6: The West (digital copy for SmartBoard)

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Chapter 6 picture-supported vocabulary cards (digital copy for

SmartBoard)

Chapter 6 response board (digital copy for SmartBoard)

Flip Chart containing related photographs/videos

REFLECTION AND ANALYSIS

I feel that this lesson was one of my most successful so far this
semester. I believe that I was able to manage the behavior challenges that
occurred during this lesson, primarily due to the fact that the students and I
have developed a trusting, nurturing, professional relationship. I feel that
using proximity control by working the room serves many purposes. It is a
subtle, non-disruptive way to address behavior issues, and it allows me the
opportunity to support students on a more individualized basis, as well as
assess students performance throughout the lesson. Additionally, it is my
feeling that the informal assessment was an effective measure of the
learning goal I set for the lesson: I can read a chapter to help me understand
new words. Upon reflecting on every lesson I have taught, I can always
identify ways that I could improve my lesson and my professionalism as a
whole. For example, in this lesson, I mistakenly confirmed a students
incorrect response. While it was not my intention to misinform the student, I
realized the impact this error can cause when the same student referred to a
geyser as a volcano in a follow-up lesson I taught today. I made sure to
admit my mistake and explain to the student the differences between the

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two landforms. In the future, it is critical for me to confirm facts and deliver
direct, accurate responses to my students.
The primary purpose of each lesson is to teach a specific goal, or set of
goals, to the students, and document their progress toward the goal. In this
lesson, the students performed exceptionally on the informal assessment.
Due to the fact that one student was absent for the majority of the lesson, I
did not obtain any assessment data for him. In the analysis of the data of the
eight participating students, the average score was 90%. Seven out of the
eight students assessed achieved a score of 80% or greater, and five out of
the eight students earned a grade of 100%, or 5/5. One student performed
with 60% accuracy, choosing three correct responses out of a possible five. I
was very pleased with the evidence that the majority of my students both
enjoyed the lesson and successfully achieved the objective I established for
them.

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Regions of the United States

Chapter 6: The West
Lesson #3 Tour of the West
About This Lesson
DESCRIPTION
Lesson #3 Tour of the West involves the students participating in a
virtual train tour of the Western United States. Each student will need a ticket
and a Passport to get on The West Express and at each of the five
destinations, the students will receive a stamp in their passports. The five
stations will be set up in the hallway and each station will have a poster
decorated with illustrations, photographs, pictures, and information. This will
help students to recall information about each attraction and their
corresponding locations. After the tour, the students will complete a fivequestion unit assessment to assess knowledge gained throughout the unit.

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Lesson #3 is the third lesson in the Chapter 6: The West unit. Chapter
6 is the last chapter in a book about the five regions of the U.S., called
Exploring the United States. In this final unit, the students will read
Chapter 6 to gain knowledge about the West. As a class, the group will read
several emails a child has received from friends in various locations.
Students will learn about cities, states, and climates in this region.
Additionally, students will read information about important attractions
located in the Western United States. The class will take a virtual train tour of
the West, read the story to answer comprehension questions, and finally take
a five-question unit assessment containing picture-supported text.
PREREQUISITES
Students will need to have a general understanding of United States
geography; there are five regions. Our last United States region of study is
the West. Although many of the terms will be reviewed, students will also
need to have a basic understanding of the following vocabulary terms:

beach

region

city

state

land

visit

map

United
States

ESTIMATED TIME
8:30 am 9:20 am (50 minutes)

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Potential Use
PURPOSE
The purpose(s) of this lesson are:
4. to use visual and kinesthetic activities to review locations in the West
and the attractions found in each location,
5. to gather summative assessment data that will be useful for
professional learning and to examine the student learning that
occurred throughout the unit, and
6. to enhance student knowledge and understanding in the following
content areas:

Reading

Social studies

Science

GRADE(S)
6th, 7th, 8th
CONTENT AREAS

Reading

Social studies

Science

STANDARDS

SIGNATURE ASSESSMENT #5: EVIDENCE OF STUDENT LEARNING

Range and Level of Text Complexity

39

Experience grade level and age-

appropriate literature materials, including poems, biographies, chapter

books, fiction and nonfiction works that are adapted to student reading level.
RI1 CCR Anchor Standard Read closely to determine what the text says
explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual
evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the
text.
Goals
OBJECTIVE
I can take a tour of the West to help me remember facts during the unit
test.
VARIABILITY
This FALS class of nine students is a diverse group of learners. There
are six males and three females. Two students have autism, six of the
students have Down syndrome, and one student has a specific learning
disability in reading. Each student is unique and all students have different
strengths and areas of need. There are many behavioral challenges in the
class as well. It is important to keep these students on task so they are able
to gain knowledge through participating in the lesson. Every student in the
class has an IEP and receives accommodations and supports. Seven of the
students will require material to be read to them. Five students struggle with
written language and will require adapted materials. For example, five of the
students will complete matching, cut and paste, and circling activities, while

SIGNATURE ASSESSMENT #5: EVIDENCE OF STUDENT LEARNING

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the other four students can copy written words from a word bank.
Additionally, all materials are adapted to support each students learning
style. For example, all of the students benefit from visual supports, so all
readings and assignments are developed with picture-supported text.
Assessments
FORMATIVE ASSESSMENTS
End of Lesson Assessment: See SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENTS
SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENTS
There will be a five-question unit assessment to determine what
information students were able to comprehend and retain throughout the
course of the Chapter 6 unit.
Instructional Methods
OPENING
Students will view a short video about a train ride through Colorado.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=687ybxhnIfE Durango to Silverton
Colorado, Narrow Gauge Steam Train, Riding through San Juan Mountains &
River (2:45)
* BEFORE the Video:

Have you ever been on a train?

Have you ever been to the mountains

Have you gone camping?

* AFTER the Video:

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What was the land like in the video? [Flat and grass-covered, or rocky
and covered in mountains?]

Would you like to visit this place?

DURING
1. The students will be divided into two equal groups. Each student will
receive a passport; one group will have blue passports and the other
group will have green passports. The teacher will lead one of the
groups through the tour of the West, while a paraeducator leads the
other. (Make sure the groups are staggered at least one stop apart).
The tour will be conducted in a hallway or a large room.
2. There will be five destinations to visit on this tour. At each stop the
adult will read the name of the attraction aloud to the students. The
teacher should have the students decide the state in which the
attraction is located, based on the text and the poster. The students
should look closely at the photographs and other decorations on the
posters in order to visualize each destination. The teacher should lead
a brief discussion about what the students notice in the photographs.
Before moving to the next stop, each student should receive a stamp
in his/her passport to indicate he/she has visited that location. All of
the students should have five stamps in their passports at the end of
the tour.
3. After returning to the classroom, the teacher should invite students to
discuss what they saw on the tour.

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What is this chapter about? (the West or the Southeast)

What mountains are in the West region? (Niagara Falls or Rocky)

Where can you find shells? (bridge or beach)

What color is the Golden Gate Bridge? (orange or black)

CLOSING (begin at 9:15 am)

The students will complete a five-question unit assessment to
determine what information students were able to comprehend and retain
throughout the course of the Chapter 6 unit.
Materials
MATERIALS AND SUPPLIES

Passports (one for each student)

Posters (one for each location)

Printed stamps (one per student, per each location)

Unit Assessment: Chapter 6

RESOURCES

Durango to Silverton Colorado, Narrow Gauge Steam Train, Riding

through San Juan Mountains & River YouTube video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=687ybxhnIfE (2:45)

REFLECTION AND ANALYSIS

This lesson was a joy for both teachers and students. After watching
the engagement video, I asked distributed student passports and asked them
to line up based on color (blue in one line, green in the other). Each student

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also received a train ticket. The students really enjoyed this part of the
lesson, and it provided an appropriate opportunity for movement. The
purpose of this activity was to review information that students would
encounter on the unit assessment at the end of the lesson. Incorporating
visuals and movement in the lesson made it more exciting, but also helped
to make learning accessible to students who learn differently.
The unit assessment took the place of the end-of-lesson assessment in
this particular lesson. The data show that all students were able to complete
the assessment with at least 80% accuracy. Most of the students (7/9)
earned a 100% on this assessment, answering all five questions correctly. I
am happy to see that students were able to perform so well on the
assessment and that the data indicate students have successfully reached
the objectives outlined for them in this unit.

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Part D: Analysis & Instructional Decision Making

C = CORRECT, I = INCORRECT

PRE-ASSESSMENT DATA
Studen
t
Ashley
Carly
Josh
Nasir
Andrea
Austin
Chris
Taras

Item
1
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
C

Item
2
C
I
C
I
I
I
I
C

Item
3
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C

Item
4
C
I
C
C
C
C
C
C

Item
5
I
C
I
C
I
C
C
C

Scor
e
3/5
2/5
3/5
3/5
2/5
3/5
3/5
5/5

David

1/5

%
60%
40%
60%
60%
40%
60%
60%
100
%
20%

POST-ASSESSMENT DATA
Studen
t
Ashley

Item
1
C

Item
2
C

Item
3
C

Item
4
C

Item
5
C

Scor
e
5/5

Carly

5/5

Josh
Nasir

C
C

I
C

C
C

C
C

C
C

4/5
5/5

Andrea

5/5

Austin

5/5

Chris

5/5

Taras

5/5

David

4/5

%
100
%
100
%
80%
100
%
100
%
100
%
100
%
100
%
80%

SIGNATURE ASSESSMENT #5: EVIDENCE OF STUDENT LEARNING

GROWTH PERCENTAGES
Studen
t
Ashley

Pre

Post

60%

Carly

40%

Josh
Nasir

60%
60%

Andrea

40%

Austin

60%

Chris

60%

Taras

100
%
20%

100
%
100
60%
%
80%
20%
100
40%
%
100
60%
%
100
40%
%
100
40%
%
100
0%
%
80%
60%
Average
40%

David

Grow
th
40%

POST-ASSESSMENT RESULTS ORGANIZED BY STUDENT

DISABILITY CODE

Down Syndrome
Student
Ashley
Carly
Nasir
Andrea
Chris
Taras

Score
5/5
5/5
5/5
5/5
5/5
5/5

%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%

Autism
Student
Josh
Austin

Score
4/5
5/5

%
80%
100%

Specific Learning

45

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Disability
Student
David

Score
4/5

%
80%

Although patterns typically arise by ability level, the data organized by

disability code has not shown any distinct patterns. There is no correlation
between disability and performance in this unit. The data does indicate that
the lowest scores on the post-assessment were earned by a student with
autism and a student with a specific learning disability. Both of these
students reached the unit objectives with 80% mastery.
The data from the assessments indicate that all students have met the
individual lesson objectives, as well as the unit objectives developed for
them with at least 80% accuracy. In the beginning of the unit, in terms of the
MCCRS RI1 CCR Anchor Standard, there was a pattern of student weakness
in the Essential Skills and Knowledge, specifically using appropriate
academic or domain-specific words when discussing or writing about
informational texts. According to the informal assessment data, the average
score on this assessment was a 73%. While I anticipated an average wholeclass score of around 75%, I did not anticipate four students earning a score
of 60%, or answering only three out of five questions correctly. This is due to
the fact that some of the vocabulary words in this unit have been discussed
in other units. As an intervention, I reviewed the terms with students in the
beginning of the next days lesson. During the lesson, I asked each student
to read aloud a portion of the text. When the students were reading, there

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was only one student who was unable to identify and read a vocabulary word
contained within the text. I used his vocabulary cards to help him practice
identifying the vocabulary words until he was able to find each word
accurately with no prompting. It is my opinion that providing students with a
context for the vocabulary words helped them to recognize them on their
response boards. After the first lesson, student achievement improved
greatly. The average percentile score on my Lesson #2 informal assessment
was 91%.
In comparing the pre-assessment scores to the post-assessment
scores, it is evident that students have gained new knowledge and are able
to apply the knowledge. The average growth percentage from the pre- to
post-assessment was 40%. This means that class as a whole achieved
significantly higher on the post-assessment than on the pre-assessment.
Growth was expected, but 40% growth was a pleasant surprise. In terms of
individual growth percentages, there was one student who achieved 0%
growth, simply because he scored a 5/5 on both the pre- and postassessment. On the pre-assessment, eight students scored 60% or lower,
while the post-assessment data show that all nine students in the class
earned a score of 80% or better, demonstrating successful achievement of
the unit objectives and the MCCRS standards aligned to this set of lessons.

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SIGNATURE ASSESSMENT #5: EVIDENCE OF STUDENT LEARNING

Sample of Student Work (Pre-Assessment)

49

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SIGNATURE ASSESSMENT #5: EVIDENCE OF STUDENT LEARNING

Sample of Student Work (Post-Assessment)

55

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57

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Part E: Reflection & Self-Evaluation

In reflecting on my instruction and interventions used throughout the
unit on the West, including the analysis of the data, I have decided that
overall, this unit was a successful series of lessons that helped student reach
the academic goals outlined in the unit and lesson plans. The intervention
strategy used after the first lesson was helpful to students, as indicated by
their performance on the Lesson #2 informal assessment.
Describe how instruction influenced student learning, addressing
cultural, linguistic and learning differences
In this particular educational setting, instruction appears very different
for each student. For example, there is one student who speaks little English.
In order to communicate with this student and elicit responses to assessment

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questions, visuals are used. This student uses the response board to answer
questions during class discussion; I say the word aloud and have the student
repeat it. This not only helps the student to access the content, but it also
helps to build the students English language vocabulary.
Every student learns differently and in this group of nine students with
developmental disabilities, differentiation is imperative. In order to foster an
environment that allows all students equal access to the content, all lesson
materials and assessments must be adapted to fit each individual students
specific learning needs. Four students in the class have difficulty with oral
language, including the English as a Second Language (ESL) student. I want
these students to be able to express themselves and contribute to the
learning environment. Sometimes it is difficult to understand them, as their
speech is often intelligible. There are two students who often are nonverbal
as well. Additionally, written language is an area of weakness for six out of
the nine students in the class. The lesson materials and assessments for
these students take a different format than other students. With adapted
resources, including picture-supported text, cut and paste activities,
response boards, and multiple choice questioning, these students are able to
demonstrate what they really know. It is these differentiated materials,
combined with appropriate accommodations and supports, that allow
students to participate in class, gain new knowledge, and exhibit the new
knowledge.

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Two implications based on student achievement for changes to my

future instructional activities
Based on student achievement during Lesson #1, I would introduce the
vocabulary words in different contexts to help the students make
connections. The sentences would be displayed on the Promethean board
with symbol supports so that the students will be more likely to recognize the
word on their response boards during an assessment.
I was able to receive feedback from my supervisor for Lesson #2
because I had an observation that day. It was brought to my attention that,
although unintentionally, I gave a student information that was incorrect. It is
critically important to check my facts if I am unsure before I respond to
students. I learned that in the future, if I am unsure of an answer to a
question, I will be honest with the student, and then I will research the topic
and discuss it with the student at a later point in time.
In order to make these changes to activities, I could collaborate with
other professionals within the school. For example, there are children in my
reading class that are not in my homeroom. In order to find out more
information about what interests them so I could help make material more
relatable, I would ask the homeroom teacher questions about each of the
students. Activity time takes place in homeroom groups, so the homeroom
teacher would know best what the students find interesting in their free time.
Another example of professional collaboration that could improve my future
instruction is collaborating with other teachers in the building who specialize

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in that particular content area. While this was a reading unit, it was based on
an informational social studies text. I would benefit from communicating with
social studies teachers to check my facts or ask content-specific questions.
Teaching this unit has taught me a lot about myself as an educator. I
learned that I do have the ability and determination to set a series of goals
for my students and support them in reaching the goals. Upon reflecting on
this unit, I have developed personal learning goals that I plan to improve on,
the first relating to CEC Initial Preparation Standard #3 Curricular Content
Knowledge. Providing students with information that is incorrect can impact
student performance and achievement. Therefore, I plan to strengthen my
content knowledge in all areas so I am better able to respond to student
inquiries.
Another goal I have set for myself is related to CEC Initial Preparation
Standard #5 Instructional Planning and Strategies. During the first lesson in
this unit, I struggled to manage my instructional time appropriately. In
previous situations, I had difficulty completing a lesson before the class
period was over. In this lesson, however, the lesson was finished about five
minutes early and I had to scramble to find another activity. It is critical for
me to consider time management while planning for lessons to ensure that I
have enough planned to last the entire mod. The development of these goals
will help me to become a more effective educator, in terms of both lesson
planning as well as instruction.