Secondary History/Social Studies

Task 1: Context for Learning Information

TASK 1: CONTEXT FOR LEARNING INFORMATION

Respond to the prompts below (no more than 4 single-spaced pages, including prompts) by typing your responses within the
brackets following each prompt. Do not delete or alter the prompts. Pages exceeding the maximum will not be scored.

About the School Where You Are Teaching

1. In what type of school do you teach? (Type an X next to the appropriate description; if
other applies, provide a brief description.)
Middle school: _____
High school: ___X__
Other (please describe): _____
Urban: __X___
Suburban: _____
Rural: _____
2. List any special features of your school or classroom setting (e.g., charter, co-teaching,
themed magnet, remedial course, honors course) that will affect your teaching in this
learning segment.
[In addition to special education classes, my school provides co-teaching opportunities for
students who can handle being in a general education classroom. There are AP courses offered
as well. I have once class that is a co-teaching class and I have no AP classes. The rest of my
classes are just a regular version of the class. The school also runs on the Standard Reference
Grading (SRG) grading system. Level 1-4 grading. This takes out things like classroom
participation, timely assignments, etc., and focuses on if the students really know the content of
the course.]
3. Describe any district, school, or cooperating teacher requirements or expectations that might
affect your planning or delivery of instruction, such as required curricula, pacing plan, use of
specific instructional strategies, or standardized tests.
[There are both ELL and students with IEPs and 504s in my class. This will mainly affect my
planning, pacing, and use of specific instruction, as well as assessment.]

About the Class Featured in this Learning Segment

1. What is the name of this course?
[ American Government ]
2. What is the length of the course?
One semester: X
One year:
Other (please describe):
[ ]
3. What is the class schedule (e.g., 50 minutes every day, 90 minutes every other day)?
[78 minutes every day, and on Wednesdays the classes are 55 minutes due to early release.]
4. Is there any ability grouping or tracking in history/social studies? If so, please describe how
it affects your class.
Copyright 2015 Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University.
1 of 3 | 4 pages maximum
All rights reserved.
V4_0915
The edTPA trademarks are owned by The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University. Use of the edTPA trademarks is
permitted only pursuant to the terms of a written license agreement.

Secondary History/Social Studies

Task 1: Context for Learning Information

[There is both AP Government and regular government available at my school. There are
options for other government classes as well, but in terms of America Government, these are
the only two options. It is required to graduate from this high school.]
5. Identify any textbook or instructional program you primarily use for history/social studies
instruction. If a textbook, please provide the title, publisher, and date of publication.
[Our textbook is not for primary use, but here is the title; Government Alive!! Power, Politics, and
You (2014 version)]
6. List other resources (e.g., electronic whiteboard, resource library in classroom, online
resources) you use for history/social studies instruction in this class.
[Electronic white board is used many times during a class]

About the Students in the Class Featured in this Learning

Segment
1. Grade-level composition (e.g., all seventh grade; 2 sophomores and 30 juniors):
[1 10th grade male, the rest are 12th grade students.]
2. Number of

students in the class: __28___

males: __14___ females: ___14__
3. Complete the charts below to summarize required or needed supports, accommodations, or
modifications for your students that will affect your instruction in this learning segment. As
needed, consult with your cooperating teacher to complete the charts. Some rows have
been completed in italics as examples. Use as many rows as you need.
Consider the variety of learners in your class who may require different strategies/supports
or accommodations/modifications to instruction or assessment (e.g., students with
Individualized Education Programs [IEPs] or 504 plans, students with specific language
needs, students needing greater challenge or support, students who struggle with reading,
students who are underperforming or those with gaps in academic knowledge).
For Assessment Task 3, you will choose work samples from 3 focus students. At least one of
these students must have a specified learning need. Note: California candidates must
include one focus student who is an English language learner.1
Students with IEPs/504 Plans
IEPs/504 Plans:
Classifications/Needs
Learning disability

Number of
Students
1

Supports, Accommodations,
Modifications, Pertinent IEP Goals
Close monitoring, extra time on
assessments, optional verbal reading for
assessments

California candidatesIf you do not have any English language learners, select a student who is challenged by academic

English.

Copyright 2015 Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University.

2 of 3 | 4 pages maximum
All rights reserved.
V4_0915
The edTPA trademarks are owned by The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University. Use of the edTPA trademarks is
permitted only pursuant to the terms of a written license agreement.

Secondary History/Social Studies

Task 1: Context for Learning Information

Reading disability

Extra reading time for in class reading

assignments, may use library resources
to help with test; having someone read to
them, extended assessment time

Students with Specific Language Needs

Language Needs

Number of
Students

English language learners

with only a few words of
English

English language learners

that speak good
conversational English

Supports, Accommodations,
Modifications

Discuss government concepts with

students individually or as a group as
needed. Allow students to use L1
dictionary if needed in class and at
home.

Insure all ELL students have the

classroom textbook to take home and
one to use in a classroom for their
own pacing. Make sure students
understand the more difficult nonconversational words in the book.

Students with Other Learning Needs

Other Learning Needs

Number of
Students

Supports, Accommodations,
Modifications

N/A

Copyright 2015 Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University.

3 of 3 | 4 pages maximum
All rights reserved.
V4_0915
The edTPA trademarks are owned by The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University. Use of the edTPA trademarks is
permitted only pursuant to the terms of a written license agreement.