EDPC 605, Field Experience Logs

EDPC 605, Keystone Assignment

Keystone Lesson

Name: Christeen Edward

Subject: Math
Grade: 9^th
Lesson Title: A theorem about triangles

Lesson Overview:
In this lesson students will discuss knowledge and research about triangles and prove a theorem about triangles. Students will use computers and materials for research, and then they will write in Google Documents their findings and answers to different questions.

Purpose of Lesson:
Students will explore how we consider something is true in math.

Common Core Standards:

Math Common Core Standards- Grade 9^th -HSG-SRT.B.4 Prove theorems involving similarity

Students will:

With guidance and support from adults, use a variety of digital tools to produce and publish writing, including in collaboration with peers.

ISTE Standards

1. Creativity and Innovation- Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology.

Students will:

a-Apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, or processes

2. Communication and Collaboration- Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others.

Students will:

a)      Students will use Google Search and work collaboratively as a group to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others.

3. RESEARCH & INFORMATION FLUENCY- Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information.

Students will:

b) Locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and ethically use information from a variety of

sources and media.

Objectives:
1) Students will understand what a theorem is and how theorems used in math.

2) Students will prove one theorem about triangle.

Materials:

- Internet access

- Smart Board

-Google Docs

- Computer lab or Classroom computers

-Notebooks

-http://www.answers.com/Q/What_is_always_true_about_a_triangle

-http://www.factmonster.com/ipka/A0876325.htm

Anticipatory Set:

I will ask the students to answer this question silently in their notebooks

How do you know something is true in math? Then discuss it as a whole class.

Procedure:

1- I will tell the students that in geometry, mathematicians create theorems, or statements that are proven based on previous theorems and ideas.
2- I will explain it more that in geometry, we write proofs to use knowledge and concepts to prove theorems.
3- I will tell the students that today we are going to start our study of geometry proofs with the study of triangles.
4- I will divide students into groups of three to use Internet and other resources to research triangles.
5- Students will also research the answers for these questions: What do we know about triangles? What is always true about triangles?
6- I will provide the students with 15 minutes to research. Students should cite their sources and references for each piece of information that they find.
Closure
I will ask the students as a whole group to compile the information that they found. In addition, compile a list of web sites that provide good references for math. Based on the information that students find. Students will write using Google Docs a geometry proof for a core triangle concept or problem (for example, prove the Pythagorean theorem or prove the area of a triangle) individually.

Differentiated Instruction:
Students will be split into groups based on ability.  Then based on ability, students will be given different websites when it comes to questions they are required to answer. Also, different students will be required to answer a different amount of questions on the Google Doc form. Students will explain a geometry proof for a core triangle concept based on their abilities (Other by drawing or writing)

Check for Understanding
Throughout the lesson I will be monitoring the students using Google Docs to see what students are writing.  During activity time, I will go around to check if they students are using inaccurate website to redirect them to find the correct information.

Independent Work:
Students will create a geometry proof for a core triangle concept or problem (for example, prove the Pythagorean theorem or prove the area of a triangle) using Google Docs.

Evaluation
Students will be graded based on a teacher designed rubric. In the rubric students will be assessed on the content and creating a geometry proof for a core triangle concept or problem using Google Docs.

 Evaluation rubric

	1	2	3
Information	The document the student wrote using Google Docs has more than 90% of accurate information	The document the student wrote using Google Docs has less than 90% of accurate information	The document the student wrote using Google Docs has less than 75% of accurate information
Interpretation	Student used the research to draw conclusions about the topic	Student tried to draw conclusions about the topic, but some of them are not based on facts	Student didn’t draw any conclusions about the topic.
Sources	Students got their information from more than one source provided and reference them	Students got their information from one source provided, but didn’t reference them	Students got their information from none of the sources that I provided and didn’t reference them
Multimedia	Student was able to use Google search and Google Docs effectively	Student was able to use Google search, but it took him/her long time to use Google Docs	Student didn’t use Google search and Google Docs

Implementation Report

1.      The outcomes of the implementation: student learning outcomes and technical procedure outcomes.

All students were able to prove theorem about triangles and write their findings using Google Docs. But there were about three students in the classroom who needed extra help with using Google Docs. I was very thankful that there were two para educator in the classroom who provided these students with assistance and helped them to make the transition from using Google search to Google Docs fast and smooth.

2.       The adjustments you had made to accommodate students with special needs.

During the activity group, I split the students into groups of three or four maximum based on their ability. Also, based on the students abilities , I gave them different websites and questions to work on.

3.      The adjustments you had made for the effectiveness of classroom management.

As I mentioned before during the activity, I split the students into groups of three or four which helped me to have an adult to work with each group. It helped me a lot to keep the students on task throughout the lesson.

4.       The questions asked by the students.

Many of the students were asking the same kind of questions about the information that they needed to find. For instance, I was asked if the information they got from each website is enough or they need to do more research and how to reference their work.

5.      The problems students had encountered during the implementation process.

Thankfully, there were no problems with the implementation process except at the end of my lesson, students were supposed to create a document explaining their findings and answering the questions. Some of the students were running behind and they couldn’t complete their documents.

6.       The decision(s) you had to make on the spot to make the implementation

easier and smooth.

One of the important decisions that I made before implementing my lesson was deciding who should be working together during the group work. I had to rethink many times who should work with certain students in the classroom such as, students who have special needs. And one of the good decisions that I made, was to have one of the students who has social emotional problems to work in a group with two students who are highly functioning students. However, the student who has social emotional problems was getting frustrated from the amount of  work that it needed to be done, he didn’t affect the other two students in his group as they were on task and were able to finish their work at time.

7.       The feedback from the students

. The overall feedback from students was good. The students enjoyed using multimedia to find the information they needed. They were excited to create a document that explains their findings.

8.      The time frame (was there enough time as you planned for).

Not all the students were able to finish at a right time. Some of the students took longer time to create the document at the end of the lesson. In the other hand, some students were able to answer the questions with writing and drawing. In general, at the end of the lesson more than half of the class were able to write their findings on Google Docs.

9. What you learned from the implementation including proposed changes for future

lessons

What I learned from implementing this lesson was to spend less time in explaining the geometry proofs and concepts to prove theorem (procedure), so that students will have extra time to complete their work.  

Interview with teacher 

 

       Throughout my experience at Port Richmond High School I have seen many opportunities for parent involvement in school activities. The school communicated with parents through letters to discuss upcoming events along with past events and what happening around the school. Communicating through letters is very important because it keeps the parent updated about what is going on in their children’s life. A monthly letter is sent from the principal to families. The monthly letter consists of a warm and welcoming greeting followed by the vents that the parents should be aware of during the month. The letters are signed by PTA, president thanking the parents for their contributions to past events. There is a parent corner at the entrance of the school where bulletins and brochures are available to parents to look at. Letters are translated into a variety of languages to get all parents from different races involved.

          The school had a curriculum meeting event, the third week of school, where the parents were invited to their children’s classroom to listen to presentation from the teacher about what they will be learning this year as well as get familiar with the learning environments that their children are exposed to. The parents were also able to address any questions or concerns about the curriculum for this year.. In addition to parents physically coming to the school, my cooperating teacher e-mails parents and writes notes to parents on students’ progress every day.

        Although these are great attempts to get parents involved, events such as PTA meetings or book fairs result in few parents attending. I was able to attend one PTA meeting and only five parents attended. One of the teacher commented that parents usually attend PTA meetings in big numbers only if it concerns their kid’s work or if the school is displaying some of their work. During the meeting, questions were posed to the parent audience but they didn’t have any concerns or questions. Parent’s involvement at Port Richmond High School is limited. The school tries to schedule events that do not conflict with working parents and the school budget. I felt that parent involvement, support, and concern in school activities were limited. 

Lesson Plan and Field Experience Reflection

      

         Throughout my observation, I have experienced and witnessed different aspects of teaching. My student teaching experience has added to my knowledge as a student and helped me grow as a future educator. When I started my observation at Port Richmond High School, I was extremely worried and nervous. I had so many questions and concerns going in my mind. I was concerned about my performance for the math lesson that I implemented and I wanted to always be prepared to impress my cooperating teacher. I felt that this was my time to shine. I can definitely say that my lesson implementation left me with memorable moments and put me through different challenges that I overcome. It made me realize how much I love my future profession and how eager I am to start my future career. I am truly grateful for this wonderful experience at Port Richmond High School. The school, Principal, and my cooperating teacher helped me through this wonderful experience and offered me all the help and guidance I needed.

          My lesson implementation experience helped me build my confidence to overcome my fear when standing in front of the classroom. When I started teaching to almost twenty students I felt that I was gaining control of the classroom and any worries would just vanish once I started teaching. My cooperating teacher helped me a lot through this experience. She was very welcoming to sharing her classroom with me. She guided me through my lesson. She praised the good things when I taught. She made me look at things from a different angle. I definitely learned a lot from her, and kept a journal of what I would implement in my future classroom.

           By the end of eighth grade, students have learned how to solve linear equations in one variable and have applied graphical and algebraic methods to analyze and solve systems of linear equations in two variable. In ninth grade, students are introduced to non-linear equations and their graphs. Students formalize their understanding of equivalent algebraic expressions and begin their study of polynomial expression. Further, they learn that there are some fractions that, when applied to the expressions on both sides of an equal.

           During the time that I observing Mrs. Debbie’s classroom, students were learning about Algebra 1 Module 1 which is about the relationships between quantities and reasoning with equations and their graphs. In this module students were learning how to analyze and explain precisely the process of solving an equation. Through repeated reasoning, student develop fluency in writing, interpreting, and translating between various forms of linear equations and inequalities and make conjectures about the form that a linear equations might take in a solution to a problem. They reason abstractly and quantitatively by choosing and interpreting units in the context of creating equations in  two variables to represent relationships  between quantities. Students at the end of this module are supposed to master the solution of linear equations and apply related solution of linear techniques and the properties of the exponents to the creation and solution of simple exponential equations. Students were also learning the terminology specific to polynomials and understand that polynomial’s form a system analogous to the integers.   

* In topic A: The goal is to introduce students to different functions by having them by having them make graphs of situations (A-CED.A.2)

* As they graph, they reason abstractly and quantitatively as well as choose and interpret units to solve problems (N-Q.A.1,N-Q.A.2,N-Q.A.3)

* Then, they apply properties of operations to add, subtract, factor and expand expressions (6.EE.A.3, 6.EE.A.4, 7.EE.A.1, 8.EE.A.1)

* They also learn about commutative, associative, and distributive properties (A-SSE.A.2)

*Multiplying polynomial expressions (A-APR.A.1)

* Process of solving linear equations (6.ee.5, 6.EE.B.7, 7.EE.B.4, 8.EE.C.7)