Ashley Roomsburg

EDUC540

01/19/2018

Reflection: Domain 1

When teaching in the classroom, it is important to plan and prepare lessons that are rich

in curriculum and interaction for the students. Planning lessons is an important activity that

occurs before implementing and learning can occur in the classroom. Following the Danielson

framework for planning and preparation (Danielson, 2013) can help create positive learning

experiences and outcomes. It is important to follow the key elements in Domain 1, which I have

used for the lesson plan above.

It is important to know the content and pedagogy that will be a part of your lesson, as

addressed in subdomain 1a of the framework (Danielson, 2013). In my lesson plan, I clearly

address the content that will be taught in the lesson plan. This lesson will address measuring

irregular objects, which is an important of mathematics that can translate also to science and

social studies measurements and maps. Before the students work independently, in this lesson I

am able to address the proper and incorrect ways to measure to avoid misconceptions. The

strategies of working hands on in the classroom environment is appropriate for the content and

will help to build understanding for the students.

Knowing your students, and what helps them learn, is an important aspect of planning

lessons that are effective, as described in subdomain 1b of the framework (Danielson, 2013).

This lesson is appropriate for my student population because at their younger age, having visuals

and hands on activities makes it easier to grasp the content. They are able to work in teams

successfully and with ease. The groupings of the teams will allow for peer support and assistance
throughout the activities. The students will also have homework to complete after the lesson, so I

will be able to assess who understands the material independently as well as who may need extra

support. I will be able to watch the students as they perform this task, and scaffold appropriately

to ensure all of the students in the classroom are learning.

Setting instructional outcomes, as described in 1c of the framework (Danielson, 2013),

help keep the lesson focused on the goals of the lesson plan. Understanding that the goal of this

lesson is for the students to begin measuring irregular objects with accuracy helps to guide the

lesson plan and activities. Keeping the goal in mind, I was able to create the activity of

measuring crooked paths after teacher instruction is delivered. It is important to ensure this goal

is being met by talking with the students as they complete their partnered activity.

Using the proper materials and resources in the classroom that are available can help

assist learning in the classroom, as discussed in subsection 1d of the framework (Danielson,

2013). In this lesson, I utilize materials that are easily available in the classroom. Using paper,

scissors, unifix cubes, and tape, I am able to create the paths for the students and have them

measure them with a familiar manipulative. Also, the math journal curriculum provided by the

school allows the students to have extra math practice independently at the end of lessons and

also provides the students with homework sheets to reinforce the lesson plan. These are matched

to the student skill level as well as what they have learned thus far in mathematics.

Instruction must be coherent to be effective, as described in subdomain 1e in the

framework (Danielson, 2013). The students will be engaged with this lesson as they are able to

move around the room and practice their new skill. Students will be able to choose what they

want to measure, as well as make their own irregular patterns or use irregular objects around the
room to measure. They will be able to use their higher level thinking skills to decide proper

modes of measurement throughout the task.

It is important to properly design assessments for them to be meaningful in instruction, as

described in subsection 1f in the framework (Danielson, 2013). The expectations and outcomes

of this lesson help to guide the assessment. Most of the assessment is informal, in that the

students will be assessed by observations of their work and growth in the classroom. However,

the homework assignment allows for a more formal assessment of their skills without support of

teachers or peers, and if they need further instruction.

It is important to keep the Danielson (2013) Framework as a guide during the planning

and preparation aspect of teaching. In order to ensure students are learning the goals of the

lesson, it is important to involve appropriate activities for the student population as well. Using

this framework, I was able to create a lesson plan that is both engaging and effective.
References

Danielson, Charlotte. The Framework for Teaching: Evaluation Instrument. Danielson Group,

2013.