Learning to Teach

Check out the video on our teaching experience!  

I loved teaching!  I think I had a wonderful first experience.  My group and I worked together extremely well.  We split up the work equally and each put in an equal about of effort.  Samantha, Barbara, and I frequently met up to plan our work.  We collaborated well with out thoughts and ideas.  Also, we never disagreed on anything.  I think that the students were engaged in our lesson and wanted to learn.  

Direct Instruction

For our direct instruction, we gave a PowerPoint to teach the students about the causes of the revolutionary War.  We focused on the French and Indian War, The Stamp Act, The Boston Tea Party, The Battles of Lexington and Concord, and Fort Ticonderoga.  We started the lesson by showing the class four pictures.  We asked them, "What do these pictures have in common?"  Throughout the PowerPoint, we had checkpoints.  We asked the students direct questions on what we learned in the previous slides.  Also, the students worked on a graphic organizer while we were going through the PowerPoint.  Then, we had the students do a few matching activities. They had to match the events to the pictures.  Also, they had to find the causes and effects of each event.

I think that our direct instruction went very well.  My group members and I were confident and the classroom was engaged.  However, if I could redo it I would change my closure.  Instead of having the students fill out an exit ticket, we should have just asked questions.       

Inquiry Lesson

For our inquiry lesson, we had the students try to figure out which event their artifact bag related too.  First, we have an introduction for the students.  We showed the class pictures and they had to tell us what happened during the battle or historical event.  Then, we showed the class a voki that introduced their task to them.  The students had to use the inquiry process to discover which topic they had.  Then, the students presented their findings to the class.

I think that our inquiry activity went well.

Cooperative Learning Lesson

For our cooperative learning lesson, the students had to make a newspaper article.  First, we discussed what it means to work in a group.  Then, each group received a topic to write about.  Using secondary sources, they researched and found information about their topic.  They made a newspaper article and presented it to the class.  Then, the students evaluated their group members.

I think that we could've split up the assignments.  Instead of all the students working on a newspaper article, we should've assigned different activities to each group.

Overall, we had a wonderful teaching experience!