National University

School of Education

National University General Education Student

Teaching USP Observation
Student Teacher: Pecora,Alyssa
Observation #4
Observation Date: 2016-03-24
University Support Provider: Alpert,Madelon

Domain D: Planning Instruction and Designing Learning Experiences for Students

University support provider feedback:

Rubric level: Applying
Evidence / Feedback / Next Steps:
Alyssa your organized lesson was aligned with the grade 5 science standard on the digestive
system. You clearly stated your lesson objective at the beginning of the lesson which followed
what you had written in your lesson plan. You effectively planned a wide selection of instructional
activities that engaged all students but especially for the learning needs of EL learners by
incorporating visuals and engaging students in a creative rap with hand motions that taught the
sequence of the digestive system. The chunking of the lesson into varied activities was appropriate
and allowed students to access the information in a variety of learning modalities. Having students
write in their science journals with a labeled diagram of the digestive system allowed them to
connect their thoughts and demonstrate their understanding of the sequence of each organ. The
inclusion of the flow chart at the end of the journal was a good closure to the lesson that you could
easily check for student understanding.

Domain A: Making Subject Matter Comprehensible to Students

University support provider feedback:

Report generated on: 2016-05-09-11.06.38.000000

Rubric level: Integrating

Evidence / Feedback / Next Steps:
Alyssa planned a highly organized science lesson on the digestive system for her fifth grade
students to address the California Common Core standard of: students will know the sequential
steps of the digestive system and the roles and function of each organ. Students had watched a
video in a prior lesson and she reviewed what they remembered by having them read a one page
summary and underline the important statements and star anything that they had a question about.
She then had a quick five minute review to clarify any questions that students had. Using the
SmartBoard she had a prepared diagram of the digestive system and she labeled each organ and
explained the function of each part. She then had students do a highly creative interactive
mirroring activity where students mimicked her hand motions which started at the mouth, went
down to all the organs of the system and ended with flush. Students then made a rap to go along
with their hand motions. Students were then engaged with partners as they did the motions activity
to check the sequence of the digestive system. Alyssa then had students label their individual
diagram which they then pasted into their science journal. The closing activity had students take
notes while watching a video on the digestive system and draw a flow map. This lesson provided
visual context for English language learners and the use of a variety of instructional activities
enabled them to successfully understand the digestive system.

Domain F: Developing as a Professional Educator

University support provider feedback:

Rubric level: Not Observed
Evidence / Feedback / Next Steps:
this domain not the focus of this observation

Domain E: Creating and Maintaining an Effective Environment for Students' Learning

University support provider feedback:

Rubric level: Not Observed
Evidence / Feedback / Next Steps:
this domain not the focus of this observation

Report generated on: 2016-05-09-11.06.38.000000

Domain C: Engaging and Supporting Students in Learning

University support provider feedback:

Rubric level: Not Observed
Evidence / Feedback / Next Steps:
this domain not the focus of this observation

Domain B: Assessing Student Learning

University support provider feedback:

Rubric level: Not Observed
Evidence / Feedback / Next Steps:
this domain not the focus of this observation

Overall observation feedback:

This was the last observation in this placement in grade 5. Alyssa has had a very successful experience in
this classroom and demonstrates her skill, knowledge and abilities on a daily basis. She has been teaching
the entire day for the past two weeks and the SSP shared that she had done an outstanding job. I look
forward to her next placement in kindergarten !

Report generated on: 2016-05-09-11.06.38.000000

Integrating - The candidate provides clear, consistent, and convincing evidence demonstrating the
competency or competencies. Candidate's practices demonstrate a preponderance of appropriate,
relevant, accurate, and clear or detailed evidence. The evidence is purposefully connected and
reinforced across this TPE Domain.
Applying - The candidate provides clear evidence demonstrating the competency or competencies.
Candidate's practices demonstrate a preponderance of appropriate, relevant, or accurate evidence.
Evidence is connected across this TPE Domain.
Emerging - The candidate provides partial evidence demonstrating the competency or competencies.
Candidate's practices demonstrate a preponderance of minimal, limited, cursory, inconsistent, and/or
ambiguous evidence. Evidence is weakly connected across this TPE Domain and may be inconsistent.
Beginning - The candidate provides little or no evidence demonstrating the competency or
competencies. Candidate's practices demonstrate a preponderance of inappropriate, irrelevant,
inaccurate or missing evidence. Evidence is unconnected across the TPE Domain.

Report generated on: 2016-05-09-11.06.38.000000