EDUC 450: PROFESSIONAL CLINICAL PRACTICE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION CLAFLIN UNIVERSITY TEACHER UNIT WORK SAMPLE TEMPLATE

Candidate: Peter-RaNard Commodore Academic Year: 2011-2012 District: Orangeburg Consolidate School District 5 Grade Level: 2nd Subject: Science

Mentor Teacher: Mrs. Gail Richardson

School: Mellichamp Elementary

Dates of unit: from September 6, 2011 to October 14, 2011

Unit Title and/or Description: Magnets, Apart of Our World

Describe the number of students, demographics of the students, and any other special features or important information. There are 22 total students in the classroom. The classroom consists of all students of African American decent. There is one child in the classroom that is biracial. There are quite a few students in the classroom that are reading below level.

Section I: Major Unit Objectives (Key Element 2.A) Describe the major objectives of the unit
and indicate the corresponding state standards.

Major Unit Objectives Key Element 2.A

The student will demonstrate an understanding of force and motion by applying the properties of magnetism. The students will be able to use magnets to move objects without being touched. The students will be able to and explain how the poles of magnets affect each other in order to better understand how magnets are used everyday The students will be able to tell about the different kinds of metal in order to better understand the best uses for a magnet. The students will be able to compare the effects of magnets on various materials in order to better understand how magnets are used in there daily lives. The students will be able to identify everyday uses of magnets in order to understand how magnets are used in their world.

Reflect on the unit objectives (Key Element 2.A) How did you craft these objectives so that the students understand both the objectives and their relevance?

Before starting with magnets, the first item that we completed together as a class was a KWL chart. The KWL chart allowed me to see what all the students knew about magnets and what all they wanted to learn about them. When implementing my daily lessons, I took into consideration the information from the chart and the different types of students I had inside the classroom. I then made sure the activities and the daily plans went along with the objectives. At the beginning of the lesson we are to state the purpose, which may be telling the students why the content is important. The objectives aligned well with what I had planned for the students.

Section II: Unit Plan (Key Element 2.B)

Describe your instructional plan that is, the sequence of steps that you need to follow if your students are to achieve the unit objectives including the key activities or strategies and resources (e.g., materials, technology).

Instructional Plan for the Unit Key Element 2.B

Magnets can move without touch: The students were first introduced to how items could be moved by magnets without them being touched. They experimented with racing a magnetic car. The cars moved without being touched. The students also found that magnets can attract through solids and water as well. According to the state standards, students must demonstrate an understanding of force and motion through magnets. Magnets South and North Pole: The students discovered the different sides of a magnet and how they work together. The students then went to discover where magnets were strongest at. This allowed them to see how the poles of magnets work. I used videos and different types of magnets to help the students understand the concept. What is Magnetic: The students were able to discover what types of items were magnetic and how they use magnets in their everyday lives. We first went around the classroom and the school to discover what types of objects was magnetic. The students thought only shiny objects were, so I allowed them to test their hypothesis. We also talked about the importance of magnets in their everyday lives and why it is such a necessary object in the world. Final Project: The students were split into groups of twos and threes. In their group, the students were to come up with a creative way to show their knowledge on magnets. Once completed, they presented the information to the class.

Reflect on the instructional plan for the unit (Key Element 2.B): How does this instructional plan establish a balance between grade level academic standards and expectations and the needs, abilities and developmental levels of individual students? The different instructional plans that were developed for this unit was appropriate for the various styles of learning possessed in the classroom. I carefully thought of appropriate practices for the students, and the different needs that they had. I then took that into consideration when planning for the daily lesson plans. The students met my expectations when they showed me the knowledge that they gained when I was walking around the class observing and assessing. There were times that I had to review the content for the students because they did not understand it at the time. I did meet the students levels of needs but what I wish I had done was allow them to do more note taking. With the notes that they may have taken, they could refer back to them as needed; also they would have been able to read what they had written.

Section III: Unit Assessments Key Element 3.A

List the key unit assessments.

Type of Assessment (Attach Copies) Key Unit Assessments (Key Element 3.A)

Teacher-Made

Commercially Available

The unit assessment that was given was all multiple choice. There was one question that required writing the answer onto the line. This test was found in the second grade South Carolina Standards Test Preparation workbook. This test covered all the indicators and objectives taught throughout the unit.

Reflect on the unit assessments (Key Element 3.A): How did you determine that your unit assessments were valid and reliable for all students? In this unit, we had one major assessment. This assessment covered each standard and indicator that was covered. It also covered the objectives that we had for the students to meet. The test that was given was valid and authentic towards the students learning. The items that were on it were things that should have been covered in the unit. The test came from the second grade standardized test booklet that the school provides the children. The test included questions from the state standards which I read to the students. The test was valid towards the students learning but how the questions were asked were not. While the students were testing, I was observing them.

Section IV: Analysis of Student Performance (Key Element 3.B)

Describe the way(s) in which you analyzed student performance.
The way that I analyzed the students performance was by grading the test. I carefully graded each test and out of the 22 students in the class, 5 failed the unit test. The test consisted of 21 questions, 20 multiple choice questions and one fill in the blank question. I read the test for the students both the questions and the answer choices.

What were your findings?

Once the tests were graded, I founded that the students actually did learn. When I assessed them before they understood that particular test, but it seem as if this test was a little difficult for them. What I found out is that the questions on the test were asked differently then how I asked them. The students knew the answers from previous days, but the way that the questions were asked were not how I asked them at all. The students performed well, but the scores could have been better because they knew the information on the test.

Reflect on the analysis of student performance (Key Element 3.B): In what way(s) did this information (a) increase your understanding of individual students strengths and weaknesses and (b) determine specific aspects of your instruction that need to be modified? It increased my understanding of individual students strengths and weaknesses a little. It has because I was able to see how the test questions can easily confuse some of the students. Those with low reading levels I saw knew the answers when asked but when it got to the test, they were the ones to mess up. Like stated above, I need to take note on the way I ask the questions. I also need to make sure that what I am teaching is flowing well together day after day.

Section V: Response to Formative Analysis (Key Element 2.C)

Reflect on the findings of the formative assessment analysis (Key Element 2.C): (1) Did you need to adjust your plan as you progressed through this unit? Why or why not? (2) Do you foresee the need to make adjustments (a) to future unit plans for this group of students and (b) to this unit plan, if and when you teach this unit again to a different group of students? Why or Why not?

With the different learning levels of learning in the classroom, I made sure that the students were gaining their knowledge. Some adjustments had to be made for a few students, which may have took an extra day in covering it. Therefore, I had to make a few adjustments in a few lessons. If I had to teach this unit over to the same group of students, I would make a few adjustments to the unit. I would do so because there were somethings that I left out. I would make sure to change some of the items and make it more rigorous for the students. I would do this for both the same group of students as well as a new group. A few of the activities should have been more challenging towards the students learning. I would also change some items because I have learned from implementing this unit already. Since teaching it, it

allowed me to see what I could have and should have done.

Section VI: Summative Results (Key Element 3.C)

Summative Results (Key Element 3.C): How did you determine the students grades (or other performance indicators) for the unit, and what were the overall results for your students?

There were two teacher assessments made for this unit. The first quiz had a total of fourteen questions and the next quiz had a total of five questions. If I saw that something needed to be covered from the quiz that the students missed, then I took the time to do so. That seem to have helped the students as well because when questions were being asked, they remembered what we reviewed in class. When I teach this unit in the future, I would make sure that I state the objectives at the beginning of the lessons. I will also make sure that they know the purpose of the unit. With the typed teacher made test, I will make sure to make it multiple choice next time. I had a few students that knew the answer but the word bank did not help them as much. When the students were done with the test, I then graded them to see if anything else needed to be reviewed. If so, then I will take the time to review at the beginning of the lesson.

Reflect on the summative results (Key Element 3.C): Based on the overall results, did the students gain from this unit all that you expected? Why or why not? The students did gain from this unit what I expected. I do wish that the scores for the unit tests were higher but most of them did well. I did see growth in the students because similar questions that were asked on the unit assessment, the students got them correct. I believe they gained from the unit but what I have learned is that I should have taught from the unit assessment. The students should have gotten familiar with the types of questions that were on the test.