Part 1: Planning
Teacher Candidate: Christopher Costa
Subject: Social Studies
Grade(s): 8
Name of Lesson:
Colonial Insurrection prior to the American Revolution and Analyzing Legitimate Government
Learning Objective(s), including Bloom's taxonomic level (Label A, B, C, D):
Students, forming groups, will trace the growth in colonial anger prior to the American Revolution by studying key terms, while analyzing legitimate government to review for a re-take of a previous exam.
A: Students
B: Tracing the growth of colonial anger by studying key terms and analyzing legitimate government.
C: In groups
D: NA
Bloom's Taxonomy: Knowledge and Analysis
Student Standards:
Rhode Island Grade Span Expectations (GSEs) for Social Studies: Grades 5-8.
Civics and Government 1 (7-8) –1
Students demonstrate an understanding of origins, forms, and purposes of government by…
c. explaining what happens when political structures do or do not meet the needs of people
C&G 1 (7-8)–2
Students demonstrate an understanding of sources of authority and use of power, and how they are/can be changed by…
c. defining and identifying the nature of authority and sources of power
Historical Perspectives 1 (7-8) –2
Students interpret history as a series of connected events with multiple cause- effect relationships, by…
a. investigating and analyzing historical and visual data in order to draw connections between a series of events.
Teacher Standards:
NETS:
1. Facilitate and inspire student learning
and creativity
Teachers use their knowledge of subject matter, teaching and learning, and technology to facilitate experiences that advance student learning, creativity, and innovation in both face-to-face
and virtual environments.
b. Engage students in exploring real-world issues and solving authentic problems using digital tools and resources
RIPTS:
4. Teachers create instructional opportunities that reflect a respect for the diversity of learners and an understanding of how students differ in their approaches to learning.
Teachers...use their understanding of students (e.g., individual interests, prior learning, cultural background, native language, and experiences) to create connections between the subject matter and student experiences.
Rationale:
The question of what constitutes legitimate government- where does it come from, how should it be enforced, etc.- has been asked repeatedly throughout history, and is still culturally relevant today, as evidenced by the abuse of authority by police officers in Ferguson, MO. This question fits into the context of the American Revolution, resting at the very center of the principles for which it was fought for- namely, against unjust rule. It appears to be at the end of a unit of instruction, right before we leap into the unit concerning the American Revolution.
Materials/Resources needed:
Smartboard and Internet Connection
Accommodations and Modifications:
Students with IEP's are provided with an assistant during class hours and are sat in groups in the front of the room to foster greater involvement in the exam review; students who did well on their first attempt of the exam are allowed to work quietly in their groups on newer material.
What content resources support this knowledge base?
The internet, primary sources made available to students by the teacher, and the textbook.
How confident are you in this topic as you start this lesson?
Very confident.
Part 2: Action
Bell-ringer: How will you get students seated, and ready for academic work? (without using your voice?)
Mr. Lefort stood at the front of the room. A student desk by the door had hand-out's placed upon it; students would walk in, grab a copy of the hand-out, and would sit down looking at it. Mr. Lefort waited until everyone was seated before starting.
Anticipatory Set: How will you introduce the material, interest the students, show relevance of topic?
A youtube video was played of Gordon Fox being interviewed about his recent resignation as Rhode Island's Speaker of the House. This was then related to class discussions of what really constitutes legitimate government- how "legit" is our own government?
Intro:
Previously mentioned youtube video followed by discussion of how this relates to other things in the news (Ferguson) and how this idea of "unjust" rule plays into colonial complaints against the British prior to the Revolutionary War.
Presentation:
Provided an explanation for why they would be reviewing previous material today before explaining why they needed to re-take the test, stating,"We really need to cover tho setter if we want to move forward; this lays the foundation for everything we're going to be covering from now on." Explained the planned classroom activity before diving into the guided practice.
Guided Practice:
Encouraging student collaboration to correct mistakes on their first attempt of the exam, as well as conducting a class-wide vocabulary review by using online-generated flashcards via quizlet.
Closing:
Covered what will be on the exam as well as tools students could use in order to be prepared.
Homework/Application:
Students were told to study for their exam next class.
Review and Reflection: How will you review for students who are still having trouble?
Mr. Lefort uploaded videos of himself further clarifying the material to the school website and encouraged students to watch them to aid them in their studying.
Extension: What will you offer to students who have mastered this?
Students who performed well on the previous exam were not obligated to retake it.
Part 3: Reflection
What went well?
The review for the exam was generally positive; students who appeared to be ill-prepared improved noticeably as the review progressed. Advice on how to study and teacher-provided tools helped to visibly increase confidence.
What areas of weakness need addressing?
I thought having the students who had done well on the exam could have been provided with something more challenging to do while Mr. Lefort worked with those who had been struggling with the material. They were behaving well, but they didn't appear to be focused, and it just felt like it was a waste of a lesson for them.
What objectives were met? What is the evidence?
Students definitely connected the youtube video of Gordon Fox with instances of injustice and corruption related to Michael Brown and the Ferguson riots before connecting it back to colonial protests, demonstrating that they had a fair understanding of what constitutes just and unjust power, as well as what happens if such injustice is allowed to continue.
Which students did not meet objectives?
Three students were withdrawn from the class to work independently with the teacher assistant- as a result, it is difficult to assess if they met the objectives or not.
Was time managed appropriately?
No; the lesson ended rather early, and students had too much free time at the end, crowding the door minutes before the bell rang.
Did any teacher mannerisms or action detract from the lesson?
No.
What were the strengths and weaknesses of classroom management?
I thoroughly enjoy Mr. Lefort's lax style, as it encourages all students to feel included and to participate, although it allows some unwanted behaviors to go away unpunished (i.e crowding the door before being dismissed).
Was the lesson engaging?
As a review for the exam, engagement with the lesson varied. For those who did well, it was severely lacking, as could be expected.
What did I learn from my peer observation?
I learned a great deal about effective classroom management and a lot about what goes on with being a teacher outside the classroom. Getting to see a day of school through a teacher's perspective for the first time was definitely interesting.
How will this experience influence your professional identity?
Very positively; I have always highly respected Mr. Lefort and this experience has done little to change my opinion. I hope to imitate a lot of what he does in the classroom and how he relates to students.
How will it influence how you plan/teach/assess in the future?
I admired Mr. Lefort's ability to improvise on the fly, but I could definitely see myself needing a detailed plan as to what I would need to be doing for the day if I were in his shoes- middle school students need constant stimulus to stay engaged, and I doubt I'll be able to manage a classroom as effectively as he can within my first year of teaching.
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