Summary Paper - Professional Development Needs Assessment

PPR Domain 1 5th Grade Science Meadows Elementary Time: 08:30 to 10:00 Teacher: Mrs. De La Santo  Teaching Strategies: The strategies that the teacher use for the activity was called: Steps of the Scientific Method (Steps of a Science Project.) The students had to use the background knowledge that had been shown to then in the beginning of the week and the information that she had went over at the beginning of the class that day. The children were told to think about: • Hypothesis • Recipes  • Gathering material • Experiment • Control-things that stay the same (constant) • Review and ask questions • Get response from children • Conclusion- the end of investigation Class Learner or Teacher Centered: The children are teacher centered: due to the fact that they need her guidance on the project and they have to listen to her instructions so that they do the right thing and in the right steps.  Learning Strategies: The children were put in groups of 3 to work on the flow chart of steps for the experiment. All the children were very involved in the project. They all used the resources that were around the room and their journal that had most of the information for the week of learning. They seemed to work hard to get the flow chart complete. They were doing it all as a group effort. They were very intense about the project and were doing everything that was expected of them. They were using the notes and the hint that the teacher had given them. Teaching and Learning Activity: The students were learning how the process of doing an experiment. They had to know the steps that were to be followed as they go and not to miss one step because they would not do the experiment right or something could go wrong with it. The teacher had stressed this to the students a few times so that they could understand that there could be mistakes if not. The project was on how to conduct an experiment and the steps that would be there for them as they go. They had to put together the flow chart together first so that the rest of the project could be done. Before they could start the project they had to do the flow chart and the teacher wanted all the students to be on the same area as they started working in the groups. The children did get the chart done and the teacher said that if they want to do the project they had to be sure that the directions were followed, had the be exact. They all seemed eager to start working, so they put their heads together and used the notes that they had to get the flow chat exact. Technology: The teacher had them watch a video on how to get the flow chart started and what the next steps would have to follow as they progressed on in the project. And then she had also put together a power point that had the steps one by one. The power point was a great way for the children to understand because she went into more detail on them and had the children make some notes in their journal to have for later. And there was one at the end about how the flow chart should look and what was needed to them. The examples were very detailed for them and the students were very intent on watching so they knew what they would need. Not just power point was used; she had the overhead projector on so that they could see the film and other ideas that would help them with it.  Instructional Strategies: The children were given a handout with questions and had to put them in order of the way that the experiment would be done. This was a way for the teacher to know if the students really did understand the steps that they would have to follow. She helped them when they were finished and made sure that the right answers were on the papers, the ones didn’t have the order right were helped by the student that sat next to them that got it right. She continually went over the paper so that they did understand what needed to be done and that the answers were right. She had some students read the question and the answer so that she knew they had the right ideas needed. She had them go over it 2 or 3 more times s they would get in their heads and really understand the object of the flow chart. They were really wanted to get it right so they answered every question and made sure that the answers were right. The students kept up with her as she explained and taught them. The students really wanted to get to the real experiment but she told them that until them could get the flow chart right and understand it, the project would had to wait because it was important that they all understand everything. Students Strengths: Science learning of the flow chart for an experiment, that they will be doing next week. Made sure they understood every detail of how the experiment would be conducted. They all understood that if one thing was done wrong or missed that they experiment would not turn out. They were answering the work sheet with all the right answers and had the understanding of the steps that they were to follow. The teacher seemed to be teaching the very well because the worksheet showed that they had listened to her in the week before. They were very strong in the knowledge of the steps of the experiment.  Taught the class: Don’t think that I would have taught it any differently. She kept asking questions and made sure that they understood, gave out instructions very clearly, and told them where to turn the papers in. she was walking around checking on the children’s process and she also wrote on the board where to turn in their work in case someone was not listening. As they did the test, she had them put up a folder so that no one could see the other answers. I like the way that she was involved in what they were doing. Wanted to see them learn, she asked many questions of the students. Kept them on track with time and where thing went. Would look at what the children were answering on the test to see if they knew what she had taught them. She is a great teacher and had well knowledge in the science field. She knows her work; all the children were very good in her class, so she had good class management too and the students like her. The school had adapted the no walls method and I like it. It seemed to be working here for all the teachers. All the students in the school were happy with the no walls method too. The teacher was very happy and loved her students too. She is very involved with the students and wanted to make sure that they get the education that is expected. She is very organized and down to earth. At the end of class she was having the students stand in line for next class saying the capitals of the states which gave them the chance to remember something the other teacher was teaching them too. She was in tuned with what she taught. She also did a game with them with the states, had all the students stand and started have one at a time say the capital and the spell it. If they got it right they could continue standing, if wrong they had to sit down and the children were still learning in some form or fashion. She kept their mind working the whole time.