Final Argument Paper

Running Head: Evaluating Effective Lessons 1

EVALUATING EFFECTIVE LESSONS

Annette Williams

ECE642: Quality Curriculum in Early Childhood Education

Instructor Wynn

October 14, 2019

Evaluating Effective Lessons 2

Evaluating Effective Lessons

Step 1: Making Playdough: Mix, Measure and Describe

Content Area or Developmental Focus: Math and Language

Age/Grade of Children: Pre-K

Length of Lesson: 5 minutes

Goal Guide the children through language

development, learn various English and

Spanish words

Objective To achieve language development in the

children

Help them learn math by showing them

measurements of various ingredients

Enhance fine motor skills

Standards Included Not observed

Materials 1 cup of salt

1 cup of flour

2 cups of water

2 tablespoon oil

Food coloring

Introduction The teacher goes over the several ingredients

of making playdough.

Lesson Development The teacher asks the students open-ended

questions to know more about their language

development and expands vocabulary. For

instance, they learn the name of the yellow

color in both English and Spanish

Differentiation Children engage in a discussion with the

teacher on the making of the playdough

Assessment (Practice/ Checking for

Understanding

The teacher asks students to mix the dough

with their hands to practice hand coordination

and fine motor skills.

Closing The teacher gives students various tools to

help them demonstrate their creativity

Evaluating Effective Lessons 3

Step 2

THIS PLAN IS DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE 4 POINTS

___x_____ My plan is appropriate for the age and experiences of the children I will be teaching.

_______ This activity idea is suitable for the children in my class based on at least one of these

criteria:

• The head teacher/ instructor has approved my idea.

• My idea builds on the children’s interests and was suggested by things the

children have said or done.

• My idea relates to the early learning standards and/ or the content standards for

my state or school.

____x____ The materials and teaching strategies are sensitive to the language, culture, and

experiences.

of all or some of the children and families in the class.

____x____ The objectives are arranged in a logical order using the concept of developmental

direction.

THIS PLAN IS COMPLETE 4 POINTS

___x_____ All parts of an effective activity plan are represented in my plan.

____x____ All materials needed in the activity is specified (including any materials needed for

set- up, such as covering a table with paper, or clean- up, such as sponges and water).

____x____ The procedure includes examples of appropriate teaching strategies for the activity

type, including scripts such as those associated with behavior reflections, open-ended questions,

challenges, or do- it signals.

___x_____ The evaluation section of the plan includes questions related to the children’s

experience in the activity as well as at least one question related to self- evaluation, and

reflection.

THIS PLAN IS RELEVANT 3 POINTS

____x____ The plan uses hands-on materials that are of high interest to the children (they are

meaningful and worthy of the children’s attention).

___x_____ The teaching strategies outlined in the plan support the goal.

____x____ The strategy for assessing the learning of the children is appropriate for the activity

and the children’s development (checklist, work sample, child observations, etc.).

THIS PLAN IS ACCURATE 9 POINTS

Evaluating Effective Lessons 4

____x____ The planned activity clearly supports the goal.

___x_____ There is an obvious link between the goal and the objectives.

____x____ The objectives specify what the children will do about the content.

____x____ Each of the objectives is addressed within the procedure.

____x____ The procedure specifies what the teacher will do and say.

____x____ The specified content is accurate (I have looked up or verified the information).

___x_____ The content is reflected in the procedures section of the plan with the terms and facts

made clear.

___x____ The simplifications and the extensions are related to the goal and remain within the

chosen develop-mental domain.

____x____ The evaluation of the child component of the plan assesses the degree to which

children are successful in addressing the goal and the objectives.

TOTAL POINTS = __19______ Out of 20

Self- Check Scoring Key - Circle the level your plan falls in

18– 20 Ready to Submit/ Try Out with Children

13– 17 Getting Close

8– 12 Try Again

1– 7 Reread Chapter 3, Consult with Others to Clarify Misunderstandings

Evaluating Effective Lessons 5

These steps included gathering information, identification of goals and setting the activity up

(Graham, C., Cagiltay, K., Lim, B. R., Craner, J., & Duffy, 2015). The early childhood educator

organized instructions and implemented them with the students. She also evaluated it. Her goals

were expanding vocabulary and language development, knowledge in math and they're fine

motor skills. The planning contributed to the success of the activity in that it gave the caregiver

the required resources to work with the children such as the ingredients of making playdough.

The lesson was developmentally appropriate in that the children were learning on the same

level, and it was able to teach them about relevant things according to their age such as language

development, math and an evaluation of their fine motor skills. Lessons address the specific

problems of the students (Chen, W., Hendricks, K., & Archibald, 2011). The lesson plan was

aligned with the objective because it enabled the children to enhance their language

development. It also helped them learn math by measuring various ingredients of making the

playdough. Language development was enhanced by asking the students open-ended questions

about the names of the ingredients.

The score of the video was 19 because the teacher was able to attain her goals using the

intentional plan. Effective tools such as measuring equipment were used to teach the students on

math, and the questions asked expanded the vocabulary of the children. By completing this

activity, I will be able to ask leaders to develop plans which align with their objectives. I will

also be able to analyze plans to determine whether they are effective in achieving the goals of the

leaders.

Evaluating Effective Lessons 6

REFERENCES

Chen, W., Hendricks, K., & Archibald, K. (2011). Assessing pre-service teachers' quality

teaching practices. Educational Research and Evaluation, 17(1), 13-32.

Graham, C., Cagiltay, K., Lim, B. R., Craner, J., & Duffy, T. M. (2015). Seven principles of

effective teaching: A practical lens for evaluating online courses. The technology source, 30(5),

50.

Kostelnik, M. J., Soderman, A. K., Whiren, A. P., & Rupiper, M. L. (2015). Developmentally

appropriate curriculum: Best practices in early childhood education (6th ed.). Retrieved

from https://content.ashford.edu