Showcase of Work
The following are eight artifacts that showcase the work I have completed during my adventure in the Master of Arts in Education program through Michigan State University. I chose to concentrate in the areas of math and science so I could create lessons that would impact my students in authentic ways. Through my journey, technology and analysis and reflection have been major themes of these classes. I have chosen to group my showcase around the two themes to highlight how these projects continue to shape me as a teacher and life-long learner.
Analysis & Reflection
Teaching Science through NGSS
This lesson sequence was created as part of my Earth Science Unit. The primary focus was developing a lesson using the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) to teach about the rock cycle. The lesson reflects the ideas and practices used in NGSS and incorporated best practices as seen by ambitious science teachers. The document provides a detailed lesson plan along with the assessments used to evaluate student learning. Creating this lesson gave me experience with teaching science using inquiry-based instruction. I was able to use powerful teaching strategies I learned from observing ambitious science teachers and apply it to my practice.
Using Student Interviews to Drive Instruction
In this project, I conducted two small group interviews with my sixth grade science students. The interview was used to uncover students’ thinking about the theory of plate tectonics. The ideas shared were used to help frame my science unit on plate tectonics and the interaction between Earth’s major systems.
Literacy Learner Analysis
In this case study I worked with a struggling fifth grade literacy student. I took a deeper look into her strengths and struggles as a reader using assessments to guide the individualized instruction. This report walks you through the pre and post assessments, an analysis of the results, and recommendations for her parents and future teacher. From this case study, I learned how to use data from assessments to help me differentiate my instruction to meet the needs of individual students. Also, it showcase how reflective I needed to be in both the assessments and after each lesson to best accommodate to her learning.
Science Talk & Self-Reflection
In this project I recorded a science lesson I taught during a Matter and Energy unit I created during my teaching internship. Parts of the science discussion were transcribed and analyzed for how the students were making sense of the science and talk moves I used during the instruction/discussion. This project was powerful as it required self-reflection of the teacher moves used during instruction. The document shows my reflection along with evidence of the learning and teaching that occurred. While analyzing and refelecting on the discussion, I became aware of talk moves I used that supported the discourse and other talk moves which hindered the discussion by being to much of a "what" not "why" question.
Technology
Math Resource Library
I created a website to compile online math resources which could be used to assist the instruction and learning in a sixth grade classroom. It includes a variety of tech tools which students can use to assist in their understanding of specific math concepts. I also included resources for myself and other 6th grade teachers with links to lesson plan ideas and other strategies that would help the learning. An evaluation of the technology is included with some of the tech tools or resources (e.g. Fraction Models). By creating the evaulations for the website, I learned how to thoroughly examine the technology before using it in my instruction. The tech tools, resources, and evaluations will be used in my classroom to support the math curriculum.
Technology Tool Evaluation
This project provides an example of one of many tech evaluations I did to examine various math technologies. Evaluating the technology allowed me to have a better understanding of how the technology could fit into my instruction and student learning. Here is another example of a math tech evaluation. As a result of this project, I examine tech tools and spend time thinking how I will use them before I introduce them to my students.
Technology in the Math Classroom
In this project I conducted action research about the use of technology in my math class. I used the app Plickers to collect informal assessment data on my students in lieu of exit tickets. The report describes in detail how the technology was used and the practicality of it. From my research, I learned using Plickers was a quicker and more manageable way to collect and analyze data. However, since no work is shown it was hard to tell if students were guessing or not since the questions must be multiple choice. Therefore, the purpose of the information impacts wheter or not Plickesr is an appropriated assessment tool or not.
Flipped Classroom
I created a video, using Vimeo, to show how technology can be integrated into any subject matter. This project provides an example of digital storytelling which can be created by teachers and students. For this Vodcast I used images, text, and first-person narration to describe some relationships in the environment amongst organisms and explain how energy flows. I plan to use this vodcast next year during my ecosystem unit. This project provided me with new ways to allow my students to demonstrate thier understanding and thinking in a creative way. I hope to have my students creating their own digital stories throughout the year.
All images on this page are courtesy of Wix.