Teacher Work Sample Kelly Harrell

TEACHER WORK SAMPLE
UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO DENVER

SPRING 2014

KELLY HARRELL

PART I: SCHOOL CONTEXTUAL FACTORS

ALSUP ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Community & District
Information
Specific Implications; what will you do based on this
information?
Geographic Location:
Commerce City, CO

Commerce City Racial
Demographics:
White: 46%
Hispanic or Latino: 47%
Black: 3%
Asian: 2%

Commerce City Economic Data:
9.4% Unemployment rate
(state average is 8%)
Average family income:
$72,500 (State average is
$92,254)
40% of adults do not have a
high school diploma
17% of adults have less than
ninth-grade education

Alsup Elementary School is located in Commerce City, CO and
is one of 13 schools that make up the Adams 14 School
District. Though Commerce City is growing in population and
business opportunities, the neighborhood surrounding Alsup
Elementary is considered to be a high-poverty area. According
to the 2010 US Census, the average family income for
Commerce City is $72,500, which is well below the state
average of $92,254. Additionally, 40% of adults do not have a
high school diploma and 17% of adults have less than a ninth-
grade education.

Out of the 7,500 students enrolled in schools within the
Adams 14 School District, 23% are living below the poverty
line and 84% are eligible to receive free and reduced lunch.
The student population is 83% Hispanic, with 55% of students
who are considered English Language Learners. The high
poverty rate and low socioeconomic status of the nearby
population are factors that influence me as a teacher at Alsup
because many of my students are faced with challenging
financial situations at home. Many students come from
families that cannot afford school supplies, books at home,
access to technology, or transportation to and from school.
Because of my understanding of the financial status of my
students, I am prepared to help them and provide for them to
the best of my abilities. This means I will provide school
Commerce City Racial
Demographics
White
Hispanic
Black
Asian

School District:
Adams 14 School District

Adams 14 School District - Racial
Demographics for Student
Population:
83% Hispanic
13% White
2% Black or African American
<1% Alaskan Native or
American Indian
<1% Asian
<1% Native Hawaiian or
Other Pacific Islander
<1% Two or more races

District Info:
13 Schools
Approx. 7,500 students total
23% of students living below
poverty line
84% of students eligible for
free and reduced lunch
55% of students are English
Language Learners (ELL)
31% mobility rate
10% of students considered
homeless
52% High school graduation
rate (below state average)
25% Teacher turnover rate
~ $8,830 spent per student
per year
Score of 39.5% on District
Performance Framework in
2011.

supplies and educational resources that they do not have
access to at home. I also have a better sense of awareness of
the struggles that they might face at home and how that
affects their behavior and motivation in the classroom.

Because the population is primarily Hispanic, many students
speak limited English outside of school and therefore have
difficulty with English language acquisition in the classroom.
The large percentage of ELL students will affect my teaching
because I will need to differentiate parts of my instruction in
order to meet the needs of my students. Ways that I can
improve the understanding for my ELL students include
providing visuals, creating more opportunities for them to
practice speaking English, and by providing real-life examples
that are relevant and relatable to my students.

Because the Adams 14 School District scored below 42% on
the District Performance Framework Report, it was placed on
a District Turnaround Plan in July 2011 and will continue to
stay on the plan until the Fall of 2015. According to the District
Improvement Plan
(https://cedar2.cde.state.co.us/documents/UIP2012/0030-
0000.pdf), the following action items are being implemented
into all schools in the Adams 14 School District to improve
school achievement:

#1: Enable a culture and climate that support student success.
Adams 14 Student
Demographics
Hispanic
White
Black/African
American
Alaskan Native or
American Indian
Asian
Native Hawaiian or
Pacific Islander
Two or more races

Community Resources:
Boys & Girls Club
HOPE Family Resource
Center
Free Health Clinic
Intergenerational Learning
Community
Counseling Center
Big Brothers/Big Sisters
Public Library
Recreation Center
Veterans of Foreign Wars
Center (VFW)
Intramural Sports

#2 Implement Data Driven Instruction (DDI) to improve
academic growth and achievement for all groups of students.

#3: Implement aligned programs and initiatives to support the
District moving forward to increase student achievement.

#4: Evaluate and redesign secondary structures to increase
student achievement.

Knowledge of community resources is crucial for teachers in
order to build stronger relationships with the families and
local community members that their students interact with.
Commerce City offers great resources for students and
families living in the neighborhood surrounding Alsup. As a
volunteer at the local Boys & Girls Club, I am able to
strengthen relationships with students outside of the
classroom. Though Alsup students do not have a strong
presence at the Boys & Girls Club in comparison to other local
schools, I have provided students with information about the
club and encouraged students to become involved. The Boys
& Girls Club and the local Big Brothers/Big Sisters organization
offer extra support and positive influences to students of all
ages. Community resources such as the HOPE Family Resource
Center and the community counseling center are also
available for families who need better access to healthcare
and education. The community resources in Commerce City
are important to me as a teacher because these organizations
can provide additional guidance, support, and education to my
students and their families.
School Data Specific Implications; what will you do based on this
information?
Name of School:
Alsup Elementary School

Geographical Location:
Commerce City, CO

School District:
Adams 14 School District

Alsup Elementary School has approximately 620 students in
grades K-5 and is located in a low-income neighborhood in
Commerce City, CO. The faculty and staff are incredibly
dedicated to the academic improvements and personal lives of
their students. Many of the students come from large families
with a lot of siblings. Because so many of the teachers have
taught multiple children from the same family, there is a
strong sense of family and community despite low parental
involvement. Most faculty members have extensive
Number of students at each
grade level:
Approx. 620 students total in
grades K-5
Approx. 103 students per grade

Staff and Faculty Assignments:
4 Kindergarten teachers
4 First grade teachers
4 Second grade teachers
4 Third grade teachers
4 Fourth grade teachers
4 Fifth grade teachers
3 Special Education teachers
1 Speech therapist
1 Music teacher
1 Art teacher
1 Physical Education teacher
1 Spanish teacher
3 English Language Development
(ELD) teachers
1 Reading Intervention Specialist
1 Math Intervention Specialist
8 Paraprofessionals
1 Child Advocate
1 School-based Therapist

Other:
Alsup Elementary is a Title-1
School.
86% of students qualify for free
and reduced lunch.
Alsup Elementary was
appointed as a Turnaround
School as of July 2011.

knowledge of every students home life and family
background and they provide constant updates to parents via
e-mail and home phone calls.

86% of the student body is eligible for free and reduced lunch.
Because most students come from low-income families, there
are a lot of challenges and personal struggles that these
students deal with on a daily basis. Many students do not have
a supportive parent to help with homework or to provide
emotional support at home. Financial problems and high-risk
living situations create incredibly stressful situations for many
of the students at Alsup. The challenges faced at home tend to
impact the academic achievements and social interactions of
students while they are in school. Many students have
difficulty with self-control, motivation, communication, and
ability to stay on task due to stress that they experience at
home. There are also a lot of behavior issues that arise due to
emotional trauma or aggression that is learned at home from
older siblings or an adult family member. As a teacher, I
experience the effects of my students personal challenges
every day. I am prepared to deal with behavioral issues by
showing empathy and patience while also maintaining high
expectations. Its important to remember that every student
has their own reasoning behind their behaviors and its my job
to encourage their success and set a positive example at all
times.

The majority of students at Alsup are considered English
Language Learners and the student population is primarily
Hispanic/Latino. Because of the prominence of ELL students at
Alsup, there are 3 full-time ELD teachers who provide 35
minutes of ELD instruction every day. The high percentage of
ELL students presents challenges for me as a teacher because
many students struggle with understanding of new unfamiliar
concepts due to the language barrier. There are also many
students who have a hard time with oral communication and
reading comprehension depending on their level of English
language acquisition. Many students come from families
whose parents do not speak English, therefore they do not
receive help on homework and rarely have the opportunity to
practice their English speaking skills outside of school. In order
to support my ELL students, I will provide visuals, scaffolds,
and small group instruction to help with understanding of
concepts. I will also incorporate their personal interests and
background knowledge into learning activities in order to
make the content relevant and interesting. Lastly, I will seek
help from bilingual faculty and staff members when creating
documents to be sent home to parents to make sure they are
properly informed and to increase their sense of inclusion.

There are 4 teachers per grade level, with 20-26 students in
most classrooms. Alsup has three full-time Special Education
teachers who use a pull-out method to work on improving the
math and literacy skills of students who are identified as
needing special attention in school. Students attend one
period of Specials every day on a rotational schedule. The
Specials include Art, Music, P.E., Spanish, and Library. Because
students only attend PE one time per week and because there
is limited time for recess, my CT and I incorporate regular
movement breaks and physical activities into lessons as a way
to stimulate brain activity and appeal to the needs of
ADD/ADHD/generally hyperactive students who have trouble
staying focused.

As previously stated, the Adams 14 School District was
accredited as a Turnaround District and was placed on an
improvement plan in July 2011.
Test Data Specific Implications; what will you do based on this
information?
School Data (See CDE website -
Schoolview):

Academic Achievement
TCAP/CSAP 2013 Performance:
(https://edx.cde.state.co.us/Sch
oolView/DataCenter/reports.jsp
x?_afrWindowMode=0&_afrLoo
p=5963771924639774&_adf.ctrl-
state=1sgv16ddi_4)

Reading:
Advanced: 1.93%
Proficient: 55.21%
Partially Proficient: 28.19%
Unsatisfactory: 16.22%

2012-2013 CSAP/TCAP Reading Performance:

Writing:
Advanced: 3.08%
Proficient: 32.69%

Mathematics:
Advanced: 12.31%
Proficient: 49.23%
Partially Proficient: 35%

2012-2013 CSAP/TCAP Writing Performance:

2012-2013 CSAP/TCAP Math Performance:

Science:
Advanced: 2.08%
Proficient: 18.75%

Academic Growth
https://cedar2.cde.state.co.us/d
ocuments/Growth2013/SchoolS
ummary_by_School/2013-0030-
0186.pdf
Median Growth Percentiles 2012-
2013 School Year:
Reading: 44% (Does Not Meet)
Mathematics: 46% (Does Not
Meet)
Writing: 45% (Does Not Meet)

2012-2013 CSAP/TCAP Science Performance:

Although Alsup achieved higher proficiency levels in
comparison to the district, we are still below the state
achievement levels. The median growth percentiles for the
2012-2013 school year also indicated that test scores did not
meet the state requirements, but showed improvement
compared to previous years. Due to the district turnaround
status that was accredited in July 2011, Alsup is still following
the four year School Improvement Plan that was set in place in
2011. The following major improvement strategies are
currently being implemented into school-wide policies and
procedures:
Major Improvement Strategy #1: Implementation of
consistent structured and sequenced math instruction.
Increase time and quality of student math talk that
requires students to verbally articulate their mathematical
thinking.
Increase consistency to student math fact knowledge and
practice.
Provide embedded professional development for teachers
on the use of formative assessments to inform math
instruction and small group practices.
District-wide math institute to investigate the Common
Core Mathematics Standards from kindergarten through
grade 12. Participants will unpack, identify concept
development, review and refine common assessments and
discuss effective teaching strategies at their grade level.
Vertical articulation will be discussed as we move toward
rigorous mathematical programming in our district.
The first meeting of every grade level data team cycle to
review state and district curriculum frameworks to inform
short and long-range math instructional plans.
Strengthen school-wide math instruction now that we are
in year two of Math in Focus implementation.
School-wide teacher instructional rounds to observe
questioning strategies used during Every Day Counts
program.
Major Improvement Strategy #2: Supporting English
Language Learners across content areas.
Increase quantity and quality of vocabulary instruction in
math as it occurs in the district math instructional
sequence to target key math terms and understanding of
those terms to achieve automaticity for students.
Ensure that ELL needs are addressed in root causes and
instructional strategies sections of data team meetings to
inform targeted whole group and small group strategies
Bi-Monthly staff meetings dedicated to writing
professional development focusing on unit/lesson
planning and effective instructional strategies
Major Improvement Strategy #3: Using data more effectively
to inform math and writing instruction for all groups of
learners.
Use TCAP, MAP, district common assessments, and
formative classroom data to better inform priority skill
decision-making and the protocol process for math and
writing standards.
Provide teacher professional development on how to use
individual common assessment and MAP RIT band data to
inform planning for intentional small group instruction in
math and writing.
Increase focus on students at all levels of learning
(proficient/advanced, close to proficiency, far from
proficiency, very far from proficiency and needing
intensive intervention) during data team meetings in order
to identify differentiated root causes, smart goals, and
instructional strategies for their specific academic needs.
Weekly data team meeting dedicated to a mathematical
priority skill and bringing student work (short constructed
written responses that explain their thinking on how they
solved multi-step problems) to the table. Increase analysis
of student work during grade level data team meetings.
The major improvement strategies will influence my teaching
in many ways. First of all, because I plan to teach a Social
Studies unit to my second grade class, I will need to plan
around the increased time that has been allotted to Math and
Literacy instruction. I will also look for opportunities to
incorporate Social Studies concepts from my unit into Math
and Literacy instruction. I will be mindful of the needs of ELL
students and plan my lessons to include small group and
whole group instruction that addresses specific areas that they
need additional help with. I will analyze data from pre-
assessments, common district assessments, and ongoing
formative assessments to track the growth and/or deficiencies
that occur throughout my unit. I will use that data to make
decisions about how to best plan and make revisions to the
lessons that I teach.
Classroom Data Specific Implications; what will you do based on this
information?
Set up of classroom:
Two large table groups
Classroom library with
appropriate 2
nd
grade level
and above grade level books
Listening Center
Calendar Math Bulletin Board
Manipulatives for Math
Two tables for small group
instruction
Computer Center: 4
computers
White board
SmartBoard
Projector with document
camera

I will use the large table groups and small tables in the
classroom to plan small group instruction and group activities
while teaching. The layout of desks and tables in the
classroom provides room for movement and various learning
activities that will allow students to circulate to different
stations throughout the room.

I will plan to use the whiteboard at the front of the classroom
and projector with document camera to provide instructional
materials, visuals, and modeling of expected procedures while
teaching. There is also a small SmartBoard at the front of the
classroom, which is rarely used, so I hope to use the
SmartBoard during lessons when appropriate.

Books available to students:
Classroom library
School library
Book Cart at front entrance
of the school

The classroom library is stocked with fiction and non-fiction
books that are appropriate for the reading levels of all
students. All of the books are grade-level appropriate and
above-grade level for advanced readers. I plan to bring in
more books prior to teaching the unit that highlight the social
studies themes that we will be working on, such as community
and responsible use of resources. I will also plan to borrow
books from the school library that relate to the unit so that
students will have the opportunity to become familiar with
some of the concepts before we begin unit implementation.
Classroom Technology:
4 computers
SmartBoard
Projector with document
camera and PC hookup
Listening Center
Microphone system

Out of the four computers in the classroom, only 3 are
functional, so we do not use classroom technology very often.
I am hoping to provide opportunities for students to use the
classroom computers through small groups and setting up a
computer station. The SmartBoard, projector, and
document camera are resources that I plan to use in my
instruction as a way to display relevant information that is
visible to all students. My Clinical Teacher (CT) is the only
teacher in the school with an audio system in the classroom
that is connected to a wireless microphone. She uses the
microphone during instruction to increase student
engagement and focus. I have seen the difference this tool
makes in the classroom as students seem to tune in and pay
close attention when her speaking voice is amplified, and I
plan to use this microphone while teaching to increase
engagement.
Classroom rituals and routines;
as well as PBIS standards used to
establish a Caring Classroom
Community:

Class meetings (as needed)
PBIS: SOAR Behavior Model
Class Treasure Chest
Individualized Behavior
Monitoring
Established/Accepted Norms

My CT uses class meetings to build community and celebrate
achievement, but when necessary there are class meetings to
discuss behavioral issues that affect the entire class. The
school-wide behavior model is called SOAR, which stands for
Success. Opportunity. Achievement. Respect. Students are
rewarded with orange paper slips when they exhibit good
behavior. The paper slips, known as SOAR Bucks, are
entered into a drawing at a school assembly at the end of
every quarter so that they can win prizes. We also have a class
Treasure Chest which is used to reinforce outstanding
behavior in the classroom.

There is also a behavior monitoring system in the classroom,
which involves five different colored meter sticks that indicate
various levels of good and bad behavior. Purple is the highest
level of good behavior and red is on the opposite end of the
spectrum, indicating bad behavior. Good behavior and
academic efforts are celebrated by allowing a student to move
their clothespin to the purple stick. When a student
misbehaves or shows lack of effort on an assignment, they
have to move the clothespin with their name on it to the next
colored stick and gradually lose more minutes for playtime at
recess. If they show improved behavior or academic
achievement throughout the day hen they have the
opportunity to move their clothespin back to a better behavior
status.

I plan to use my knowledge of the classroom norms and
behavior models while teaching in order to maintain
consistency in the classroom community. I will follow the
classroom norms that my CT has set in place to make sure that
students understand that I have the same expectations as
their teacher.

I have spent time in classrooms where the teacher has a
greater focus on reprimanding students for behavior problems
or unsatisfactory performance in class. To me, this leads to a
general feeling of negativity in the classroom and can hinder
the learning experience for all students. I will show students
that I place a greater emphasis on student achievement and
exemplary behavior by celebrating individual improvements
on assignments and character growth.

Small Group and Individual
Student Data
Specific Implications; what will you do based on this
information?
Classroom Enrollment Data:
Number of Students: 25

Gender Distribution:
13 boys
12 girls

Student Description
Student #1
Ethnicity Hispanic
Languages Spoken English, Spanish
DRA Reading Level 1st grade Level 16 (below grade level)
STARS Assessment Early Literacy: 756 (PP)
Reading: 160 (U)
Math: 393 (U)
Reading National Percentile: 12%
Math National Percentile: 17%
Other information Strong verbal and written communication skills but
struggles with following directions, completing
assignments, and self-control.

Student #2

Ethnicity Hispanic/White
Languages Spoken English
DRA Reading Level 2nd grade level 20
STARS Assessment Early Literacy: 830 (P)
Reading: 390 (PP)
Math: 617 (A)
Other information Strong comprehension skills but rushes through
assignments. This student is now on watch for GT
status and is awaiting permission to be tested. This
student understands new concepts quickly but tends
to get bored and lose interest easily.

Student #3

Ethnicity Hispanic
DRA Reading Level 1st grade level 16
Reading: 160 (U)
Math: 532 (PP)
Other information Works very hard and tends to need extra time in order
to complete assignments. Quiet, does not participate
in group discussions but is very motivated and gets
along well with classmates.

Student #4

Ethnicity Hispanic
STARS Assessment Early Literacy: 889 (A)
Reading: 576 (A)
Math: 582 (P)
Other information This student transferred to Alsup halfway through the
school year and has not fully come out of his shell
yet. Currently on an Advanced Learning Plan (ALP) for
reading and math. Very focused and follows directions
well. Does not participate in group activities but shows
good communication skills when asked to share in
class discussions. The classroom teacher believes that
this student is identified GT but is awaiting more
information from the school that they transferred
from.

Student #5

Ethnicity Hispanic
STARS Assessment Early Literacy: 717 (U)
Reading: 120 (U)
Math: 286 (U)
Other information This student struggles with language acquisition and
has difficulty reading grade level sight words and
decoding of bigger words. This student is below grade
level in reading but is very motivated and has already
showed great improvement since the beginning of the
school year. This student is very quiet but gets along
with classmates.

Student #6
Ethnicity Hispanic
Reading: 123 (U)
Math: 461 (PP)
Other information Very creative and great oral communication skills. Has
trouble staying on task and completing work. Gives up
on activities and assignments quickly. Very disruptive
to classmates, so this students desk was separated
from the table groups and moved to a back corner of
the classroom. This student refuses to put effort into
their work and tends to complain when asked to
complete an assignment.

Student #7
Ethnicity Hispanic/White
STARS Assessment Early Literacy: 803(P)
Reading: 552 (P)
Math: 489 (PP)
Other information Good comprehension and very creative. Has difficulty
completing work and following directions Easily
distracted and disruptive so this student was removed
from their table group and their desk now sits alone at
the front of the room.

Student #8
Ethnicity Hispanic
DRA Reading Level 1st grade 16
STARS Assessment Early Literacy:800 (PP)
Reading: 350 (PP)
Math: 401 (U)
Other information Strong vocabulary, very creative. Does not participate
in groups and struggles with classmate relationships.

Student #9
Ethnicity Hispanic
Reading: 284 (PP)
Math: 551 (P)
Other information Strong math skills and shows proficiency in reading.
Good communication and gets along well with others.
Stays focused and completes tasks but has trouble
following directions. Rushes through work.

Student #10

Ethnicity White
Reading: 230 (PP)
Math: 463 (PP)
Other information On grade-level in reading and shows great interest in
reading. Has trouble completing assignments and
staying motivated. Struggles with self-control.

Student #11
Ethnicity Hispanic
Reading: 178 (U)
Math: 425 (U)
Other information Very quiet, but does not stay on task and does not
participate. This student gets along well with other
students but seems to lose focus very easily. With
individual instruction from me or from her teacher,
she picks up on concepts but doesnt seem to retain
the new skills and concepts.

Student #12
Ethnicity White
Reading: 200 (PP)
Math: 516 (PP)
Other information Very creative, strong communication skills. This
student gets along with others and is an active
participant in all classroom discussions and activities.
This student shows partial proficiency in reading and
math but is right on the edge of reaching full grade-
level proficiency.

Student #13
Ethnicity Hispanic
Reading: 164 (U)
Math: 424 (U)
Other information Struggles with comprehension and ability to read
grade level sight words. This student is very shy and
quiet and does not participate in classroom activities.

Student #14
Ethnicity White
Reading: 429 (P)
Math: 433 (PP)
Other information Strong comprehension and vocabulary skills, but has a
very hard time completing tasks. Gives up on
assignments and class activities easily, does not stay
motivated. This student lacks confidence in her own
abilities and tends to limit herself by spending too
much time worrying about herself and her classmates.
This student is very sensitive and does not work well
with most students in the class.

Student #15
Ethnicity Hispanic
Reading: 304 (PP)
Math: 554 (P)

This student has strong math skills and is on grade-
level for reading. Follows directions and works well in
small groups.

Student #16
Ethnicity Hispanic
Reading: 358 (P)
Math: N/A
Math National Percentile: N/A
Other information Strong written and verbal communication skills,
currently on an ALP for reading and writing. Waiting to
be tested for GT.

Student #17
Ethnicity Hispanic
Reading: 378 (P)
Math: 577 (A)
Other information This student is identified Gifted/Talented. They are
currently on an ALP for reading and math. Strong math
and reading skills despite low attendance. Finishes
work very quickly, participates in class, shows respect
for others and follows directions well.

Student #18
Ethnicity Hispanic
Reading: 113 (U)
Math: 414 (U)

This student is below grade-level proficiency in reading
and math. Shows respect and is able to follow
directions but tends to need extra time in order to
complete work.

Student #19
Ethnicity Hispanic
Reading: 233 (PP)
Math: 523 (PP)
Other information Partially proficient in reading and math but is very
close to reaching grade level proficiency in all subject
areas. This student is quiet and respectful but does not
participate in group activities. Also shows low
attendance.

Student #20

Ethnicity Hispanic
Reading: 180 (U)
Math: 438 (U)

This student transferred to Alsup and is below grade
level in math and reading. This student stays on task
and shows respect for others but has low attendance
which tends to put them further behind.

Student #21
Ethnicity Hispanic & American Indian
Reading: 263 (PP)
Math: 520 (P)
Other information Strong comprehension, low attendance. Very quiet
and stays focused during all activities. Currently on ALP
for advanced math skills.

Student #22
Ethnicity White
Reading: 108 (U)
Math: 347 (U)
Other information This student transferred to Alsup halfway through the
school year and is very far behind in reading and math
but shows great effort and is improving every day. This
student is very energetic, outgoing, and enthusiastic
but has a hard time staying focused and does not
follow directions well.

Student #23
Ethnicity Hispanic
Reading: 341 (PP)
Math: 578 (P)

This student has advanced math skills but tends to
rush through assignments in reading and writing. This
student is very energetic, talkative, creative, and
shows participation in all class activities. Very
enthusiastic and shows strong verbal communication
skills.

Student #24
Ethnicity Asian
Languages Spoken English, Vietnamese
Reading: 417 (P)
Math: 606 (A)
Other information Currently on ALP for advanced math, believed to be GT
but has not yet been tested. Rushes through
assignments, does not actively participate in class
activities but shows confidence in the work that they
produce. This student refrains from class participation
due to lack of confidence in English speaking abilities.

Student #25
Ethnicity Hispanic
Reading: 121 (PP)
Math: 531 (P)
Other information Strong math skills but needs improvement in literacy.
Difficulty completing assignments and staying focused.
Low attendance. Struggles with language acquisition.

Group Background
Students on Advanced Learning
Plans:

#4, #16, #17, #21, #24

Out of the five students who are currently on ALPs, 1 is
identified GT and the other four are on GT watch. This group
of students tends to finish their class work very quickly and in
some cases they become disengaged or bored after fully
understanding the content. Therefore, I will need to plan
challenging activities for this group to work on in order to
maintain motivation and engagement while also expanding
their depth of knowledge. When planning for small group
instruction, I will differentiate for this group to make sure each
the needs of each individual are met.
ELL Students
#1, #3, #5, #6, #8, #11, #13, #18,
#20, #24, #25
The students in this group are considered English Language
Learners though some are also considered to be highly
proficient in reading, writing, and math. My focus for many of
the students in this group will be to provide opportunities for
them to practice speaking English and increase their
confidence when participating in group discussions. I will also
provide additional visuals, realia, and activities that relate to
their funds of knowledge in order to increase understanding of
new concepts.
Students with behavioral issues
and students who have trouble
staying focused and engaged.
#1, #6, #7, #10, #14, #22, #25
This group of students will need extra support from me in
order to stay on task and engaged. I will work to improve
student engagement and motivation by planning lessons and
activities that appeal to their learning styles and behavioral
needs. I will also display learning objectives, provide clear
instruction and expectations, and celebrate good behavior
throughout my instruction. I will also work to improve
motivation and focus for this group of students by planning
diverse small group instruction and by incorporating
movement breaks for all students.

There are two students who will require special attention in
terms of behavior monitoring. Student #6 and Student #7
were both removed from the large table groups that the rest
of the class sit in. For the past few months, they have sat at
their individual desks at opposite ends of the classroom
because of constant disruption and aggression towards
classmates. Removing these two students from the rest of the
class was not my decision, but I understand my CTs choice in
separating them from the group. When teaching the social
studies unit, I will make sure to include these students in all
whole group discussions and make sure that they feel included
in the classroom community. When planning small groups and
assigning specific student roles, I will pay special attention to
the groups that these students are placed in to make sure they
are with classmates that they have better relationships with. If

behavioral problems arise then I will follow the class norms
and discipline protocols that my CT has established.

PART II: LEARNING GOALS

Topic & Rationale

This unit will focus on how people work together to improve their community and how to be a
responsible community member. This unit will be implemented in our second grade classroom at Alsup
Elementary, which consists of 24 students. The length of the unit will be approximately two weeks,
with five distinct lessons, but the time needed for completion will be adjusted if necessary. Prior to this
unit, students will have an understanding of how to be a responsible member of their classroom
community. Students have also been exposed to important figures who have influenced the lives of
others through previous social studies lessons about Martin Luther King, Jr. and Abraham Lincoln, as
well as a previous unit about famous inventors. Students will also have exposure to the concept of
community involvement through read-alouds and class community meetings.
Some of the main ideas that we will focus on include the characteristics of a responsible
community member, how individuals can make positive contributions to their families, schools, and
communities, and how citizens can use their local resources to take action in their community. We will
begin the unit by identifying the characteristics of a responsible community member and discussing
real-life examples of people who showed responsible leadership in their community. Next, students
will identify the ways in which community members and organizations collaborate to advocate for
their ideas and improve their communities. We will also discuss local organizations and resources that
people can get involved with in order to put their ideas into action. Our discussions will relate to our
classroom community, school community, family, and local community of Commerce City. Towards
the end of the unit, students will work in groups to identify a problem in their school or local
community and create an action plan for how to solve the problem. Students will have the opportunity
to share their work with other students, faculty members, parents, and members of their local
community through an outlet of their choice (i.e., poster, brochure, letter to a community leader, song,
speech, etc.).
By identifying the qualities and characteristics of a responsible community member, students will
increase their understanding of how to best work with others in the classroom, throughout the school,
at home, and in the community. This unit will also allow students to explore local government
departments, resources, and community leadership roles in Commerce City, which will help them solve
a problem that is meaningful to them. By incorporating place-based learning into this unit, students
will gain a deep understanding of the place they call home, including the cultural, natural, political,
and economic processes that make it work and give it its character (Schmidt, p.129).

Standards
2
nd
Grade Colorado Social Studies Standard 4: Civics
Civics Standard: Responsible community members advocate for their ideas.
CDE Prepared Graduate Expectation: Students will analyze and practice rights, roles, and
responsibilities of citizens.

Student Translation of the Standard: People can make positive changes in their communities by
taking action to support what they believe in.

WIDA English Language Proficiency Standard 5: English language learners communicate information,
ideas, and concepts necessary for academic success in the content area of Social Studies.
CDE Prepared Graduate Expectation: Students will analyze and practice the rights, roles, and
responsibilities of citizens.
Language Objectives:
Level 1: Students will identify and participate in the rights, roles, and responsibilities of citizens.
Level 2: Students will construct and replicate the rights, roles, and responsibilities of citizens.
Level 3: Students will discuss and present the rights, roles, and responsibilities of citizens.
Level 4: Students will analyze and practice the rights, roles, and responsibilities of citizens.
Level 5: Students will evaluate and integrate the rights, roles, and responsibilities of citizens.

Student Translation of WIDA Standard: I will be able to list, describe, and compare the rights, roles,
and responsibilities of citizens. I will be able to demonstrate the rights, roles, and responsibilities of a
member of a community.

Learning Target & Performance Goals
Learning Target
Students will understand how responsible community members work together to advocate for their
ideas in order to improve their communities.
Student Translation of the Learning Target
I will understand the ways that responsible community members work together to support their ideas
in order to improve their communities.

Performance Goal
To show their understanding of responsible community involvement, second grade students at Alsup
Elementary will answer four short essay questions in response to a scenario that involves a problem in
their community. After reading the given scenario, students will have 45 minutes to write an action
plan that addresses the steps they will need to take in order to solve the problem, identify people
and/or resources that they would utilize to complete their action plan, explain how to responsibly
behave while working with other community members, and discuss how their solution will benefit
other people in their community. Students will be provided with a rubric that will increase their
understanding of the expectations for this assessment. They will also have the opportunity to use
graphic organizers and journal entries that were completed during the lessons throughout the unit.
Students can also refer to our bulletin board that we will construct in class about How To Be A
Responsible Community Member.
*SIDE NOTE: As an ongoing project during the second half of the unit, students will identify a
problem or issue that is important to them. The problem that they choose can be a problem in
their school or a problem in their local community. Next, they will work in groups to create an
action plan to solve the problem and therefore improve their community. Students will have
time in class to research local organizations or school resources that they would need to work
with in order to solve their problem. Each action plan should state the problem or issue, why
the issue is important to them, a description of the specific steps they will need to complete in
order to resolve the problem or issue, and an explanation of how this action plan will make a
positive contribution to their community. Groups can present their action plans by making a
poster, writing a newspaper article, giving a presentation, performing a skit, writing a paper or
outline, or creating a brochure. Students will share their action plans with the class and any
family members, faculty members, and local community members who are able to attend. This
project is not a summative assessment and is not included as part of the Performance Goal.
Student Translation of the Performance Goal
I will be able to answer questions about a problem in my school or local community and I will create a
plan for how to solve the problem. I will identify people in my community that I would need to work
with to solve the problem and I will discuss how to behave like a responsible community member. I will
also explain how my solution will help other people in my community.

Essential Question & Unit Framing Questions
Essential Question

How can people work together to improve their community?
Explanation: By identifying the characteristics of a responsible community member and how
people can advocate for their ideas, students will gain a better sense of how their beliefs and
actions can make a positive influence on the lives of others.
Unit Framing Questions
1. Why do you think it is important to be a responsible community member?
Students will list the characteristics of a responsible member of our classroom community. Next
they will discuss what it means to be a responsible member of their family, their school
community, and their local community. Students will gain an understanding of how people can
make positive contributions to their community.
2. What would happen if no one advocated for their own ideas?
Students will read about or listen to stories of people who have made a positive impact on their
community. By analyzing how the story would be different if the main character did not advocate
for their ideas, students will understand how their actions can make a difference.

3. Why is it important to know about our local resources and current events in our community?
Students will conduct research about their local community by looking at local maps, brochures,
pictures, newspapers, the school website, and local government websites. By learning about the
resources, government departments, and current events in their community, students will
understand how responsible citizens can use their resources to improve their community.
Conducting research on Commerce City will also provide students with resources that could be
used when creating their action plan.

PART III: ASSESSMENT PLAN

Pre-Assessment Narrative

Because pre-assessments are not usually administered in our second grade classroom, its
important that I give a clear explanation in order to establish an anticipatory set before we begin our
unit on community involvement. I will need to ensure that students understand the purpose of the
pre-assessment and my expectations of their learning and performance throughout the unit. In the
weeks leading up to the unit, I will inform the class of our upcoming project on community and activate
prior knowledge through class discussions and read-alouds. I will introduce the topic for our project by
telling the class: This year, we have learned about important historical figures such as Martin Luther
King, Jr. and Abraham Lincoln. We have also read fictional stories with characters that helped improve
the lives of others, such as A Chair For My Mother and City Green. In a few weeks, you will learn
about how YOU can be the person that helps improve the lives of other people in your community, just
like the characters that we learned about. We are the only class in second grade that gets to work on
this special project and Ms. Kimling and I are very excited to see the incredible work that you all are
capable of creating. Before we begin to learn about how we can work together to improve our
community, I want to collect more information about what you already know and what is important to
you. I need to know this information so that I can create activities that are exciting and meaningful to
each and every one of you. In order for me to collect this information, I am going to need for you all to
take a pre-assessment. The pre-assessment will help me learn more about your thoughts, ideas, and
feelings. There are no right or wrong answers, but you are required to try your best and answer all
questions honestly. The good news is that you will not be graded on your pre-assessment, so there is no
need to worry about what score you will receive. However, it is important that you think about your
responses and give your best effort so that I can learn more about YOU. You will have 35 minutes to
answer the questions on the pre-assessment. I am very excited to learn all of your thoughts and ideas
about community.

In the weeks leading up to the unit I will remind students of our upcoming special project on
community involvement. We will incorporate the topic of community into read-alouds as well. On the
day of the pre-assessment, we will have a discussion about what it means to be a responsible
community member. We will make a list of the characteristics of a responsible community member
and display the list on our bulletin board. Once we have added a lot of qualities to our list, I will thank
the class for sharing their ideas and then I will remind them that we will be taking the pre-assessment
today. I will say: Thank you all for your sharing your great ideas about responsible community
members. I am so excited to learn more of your ideas about community from your pre-assessments. But
before I pass out the pre-assessment, I have very important news to discuss with you all. You see, our
class has been working very hard this year and Principal Abdale is impressed with the great progress
that you all have made. In fact, he is so impressed that he wants our class, and ONLY our class, to start
coming to school on Saturdays too. I know you probably dont think its fair that you have to come to
school on Saturdays, so its up to you to come up with a plan to solve this problem. You will not be
graded on your answers but you must try your best. Its ok if youre not completely sure how to solve
this problem right now we will be learning more about how to work together to improve our
community over the next two weeks. After that, I am confident that you will know exactly how to create
a plan that will help your classroom community. But we cant begin our activities until I know more
about you. I cannot wait to read all of your ideas that will help us solve this problem. You may begin.
Pre-Assessment

As you have just learned, Principal Abdale likes our class so much that he wants us to come to school
every Saturday for the rest of the year. As a responsible member of our classroom community, its
up to you to come up with a plan for how to solve this problem. Please answer the following
questions in complete sentences.

1. How do you plan to solve this problem? Explain what you will need to do first, second, and third.
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
2. Who will you need to work with to solve the problem? Why do you think these people will be
helpful?
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________

3. What will you do to show that you are a responsible community member when working with
other people?
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________

4. If your plan works, how will it improve the lives of other people in our class?

_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________

Pre-Assessment Rubric

Qualities 4 Points 3 Points 2 Points 1 Point
My Plan I gave a well-organized
plan for how I will
responsibly advocate for
my ideas. My plan will
include a logical sequence
of what needs to happen
first, second, and last. I
will write the parts of my
action plan in complete
sentences.
I gave a plan to solve
the problem but my
plan does not follow
a logical sequence of
what will be done
first, second, and last.
Some parts of my
plan are written in
complete sentences.
I wrote my plan but it
is incomplete. I did
not write the parts of
my plan in a logical
sequence. I listed my
ideas but I did not
write in complete
sentences.
I did not come up
with a plan to solve
this problem.
Who I will work
with
I selected people that I
can work with to solve
the problem and gave a
reasonable explanation
of how they can help me.
I wrote my answer using
complete sentences.
I selected people that
I can work with and I
wrote the ways that
they can help me, but
only some of my
answers are written
in complete
sentences.
I selected people that
I can work with to
solve the problem,
but I did not mention
how they can help
me. Instead of writing
in complete
sentences, I just listed
their name(s).
I did not select
anyone who I can
work with to solve
the problem.
How I will behave
when working
with others
I gave a detailed
description of how I will
behave as a responsible
community member
while working with
others to solve my
problem. I responded to
this question using
complete sentences.
I wrote about how I
will behave as a
responsible
community member
while working with
others, but I did not
write all of my
answers in complete
sentences.
I wrote about how I
will behave while
working with others,
but my behaviors do
not reflect the
qualities of a
responsible
community member.
I did not write all of
my answers in
complete sentences.
I did not provide any
information about
how I will behave
when working with
other people.
How my plan will
help other people
I provided a thoughtful
and well-organized
response that discusses
how my plan will improve
the lives of other people
in my classroom
community. I responded
using complete
sentences.
I provided a response
that discusses how
my plan will change
the lives of other
people in my
classroom
community. I
sometimes wrote in
complete sentences.
I wrote about how
my life will be better
once the problem has
been solved, but I did
not mention how my
plan will change the
lives of other people.
I sometimes used
complete sentences.
I did not provide any
information about
how my plan will
improve the lives of
others in my
classroom
community.
Writing
Conventions/
Fluency
I have used appropriate
grammar, punctuation,
and fluency in all of my
responses. The words
that I chose in my
answers make sense and
are spelled correctly.
Most of my responses
use correct grammar,
punctuation, and
fluency. Most of my
word choices make
sense and are spelled
correctly.
A few of my
responses use correct
grammar,
punctuation, and
fluency. Some of my
word choices make
sense and I
sometimes use
correct spelling.
My responses do not
use correct grammar,
punctuation, or
fluency. My word
choices are confusing
to the reader and I
did not spell words
correctly.

Post-Assessment Narrative

After completing our unit on community involvement, I will begin a class discussion to review
the characteristics of a responsible community member, similar to the discussion we had before the
pre-assessment. I will invite students to share their favorite parts of our group projects in which
students created community action plans.
Next, I will say We have learned a lot about what it means to be a responsible community member
over the past few weeks and I am so impressed with the great ideas that you all have shared. A few
weeks ago, you all were asked to answer questions about what you would do to solve a problem in our
school. At the time, many of us had a hard time answering the questions or coming up with an action
plan. Now you all know how to create an action plan, how to work with other community members,
and how to improve your community. You have researched local organizations in Commerce City and
you have a better understanding of what it means to be a responsible member of your classroom,
school, and local community. Now, I am going to present another problem to you all and I would like for
you to answer the same questions that you were asked before we began our unit. You have the
knowledge and experience to answer all of these questions and I cant wait to read all of your responses.
Please remember to try your best and answer all questions in complete sentences. You may use your
graphic organizers and community resource lists that you have created over the past few weeks while
answering the questions. Please make sure to take your time and follow the rubric to make sure you
understand the expectations of this assessment. Take your time and use an extra sheet of paper to
write down your ideas before answering the questions if you need to. Each and every one of you have
showed us what it means to be an outstanding community member and I know that you all will
continue to show this level of achievement when answering these questions. When you are finished,
raise your hand and I will collect your written responses. I am so proud of the incredible work you all
have showed me over the past few weeks.
Post Assessment

We have a problem at our school! We just found out that Field Day is cancelled this year because
there is not enough money to pay for it and not enough adults to help run the activities. As a
responsible member of our school community, its up to YOU to solve this problem. Please answer
the following questions using complete sentences.

1. How will you solve this problem? Explain the steps that you will need to complete in order to
solve the problem.
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________

2. Who will you need to work with to solve the problem? Why do you think this person or these
people will be helpful?
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________

3. What will you do to show that you are a good citizen while working with other people?
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________

4. If your plan works, how will it help other people at your school?
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________

PART IV: SAMPLE LESSON PLANS

Lesson 1: Communities We Belong To

Unit Learning Target

Unit Performance Goal

Lesson Learning Target
Students will understand the meaning of community and will discuss the various communities that
they are involved with.

Lesson Content Performance Goal:
Students will recognize the different communities that they are a part of (classroom, school, home,
city) and will provide examples of how they can make positive contributions to their different
communities. Students will record their ideas on a graphic organizer in their Community Journals.

Lesson Language Performance Goal:
Students will need to verbally communicate their ideas to one another in both native and non-native
language. Students will need communication skills to work with partners and small groups while
participating in a 4-2-1 activity. Practicing their oral language skills will help students prepare for their
group presentations at the end of the unit.

2
nd


WIDA Standard Focus:
Level 1: Students will identify and participate in the various communities they belong to.
Level 2: Students will describe and compare the various communities they belong to.
Level 3: Students will explain and distinguish the various communities they belong to.
Level 4: Students will analyze and exemplify the various communities they belong to.
Level 5: Students will evaluate and integrate the various communities they belong to.

Opening of the lesson: Post a Connection (5 minutes)
Begin the lesson by having a group discussion with sentence starters such as One thing I like about my
community is or I think that a responsible citizen is someone who. Students will continue the
discussion by sharing what the topic makes them think of or they can give an example of how it relates
to something that they have already learned.

Task Analysis

Materials:
Community Journals
Projector connected to computer for visuals
(24) Mind Map Graphic Organizers
Pencils

Body of lesson:
Begin by presenting the word community and have students think about what this word means to
them. Next, explain that a community is a group of people living close together who share common
interests. Give examples of communities that I am involved with (i.e. our class, our school, UCD, Boys &
Girls Club, my neighborhood, etc.). Explain that people who have a major influence in communities are
known as stakeholders. Show photos of real life community stakeholders: the Mayor of Commerce City,
the local City Council, Principal Abdale, and end with a photo of our class so that students understand
that they are stakeholders as well.

4-2-1 Activity:
Divide students into groups of four and tell them to discuss the communities that they belong to and
how they play an important role in those communities. Give the groups 5 minutes for discussion time
and instruct them to write down the ideas shared during their group discussion.
Next, have students pair with a pre-planned partner (someone who was not in their previous group of
4) and give them 3-5 minutes to discuss their ideas about community, the communities they belong to,
and how they can make positive contributions to those communities. Instruct students to write down
any new ideas discussed with their partner. Last, students will have the opportunity to record all of the
information that they shared and discussed with classmates in a graphic organizer.

Communities I Belong To: Mind Map Graphic Organizer
I Do: Display a copy of the Ming Map using the document camera at the front of the classroom.
Model the performance expectations by completing a section in front of the class.
We Do: Pass out blank copies of the Mind Map and have students work on their answers for the first
section together as a class.
We Do: Complete another section of the Mind Map together as a class.
You Do: Have students complete the remaining sections of their Mind Maps on their own.

Closing: Whip-Arounds
At the end of lessons we will have class Whip Arounds with the option to pass. Students will be given
a few sentence starters such as Today I learned that______., One thing I wonder about
is________., The thing that was most surprising to me was______., or The most interesting thing
that I learned about was______..
Lesson 2: Create a Citizen

Unit Learning Target


Lesson Learning Target:
Students will identify characteristics of good citizenship and understand that young people are
citizens.

Lesson Content Performance Goal:
Students will discuss the characteristics of a responsible community member and work in groups to
Create a Citizen.

Lesson Language Performance Goal:
language. Students will need to practice verbal communication skills while participating in an
Inner/Outer Circle activity. Practicing their oral language skills will help students prepare for their
group presentations at the end of the unit.

2
nd


Opening of the lesson (8 minutes):
We will begin the lesson with an Inner/Outer Circle activity. Because the unit was introduced to them
the day before, I will use this activity to engage learning and activate prior knowledge from the
previous days lesson. I will count by twos and divide students into their respective groups. I will take
some time to model this activity with them as we have never done it in our class before. Students will
have 1 minute and 15 seconds to discuss their answer to each prompt with the classmate standing
across from them. Once students have formed the two circles in our classroom, I will give them the
following prompts:

What does it mean to be a responsible community member?
What do you do to show that you are a responsible member of our classroom community?
What do you do to show that you are a responsible member of our school community?
What do you do to show that you are a responsible member of your family?
What can responsible community members do to improve their communities?

Following the inner/outer circle activity, ask students to sit down on the carpet and review some of the
responses that they discussed during the exercise. Write responses and key words on a flip chart for
students to refer to later on.

Tell students: Today we will discuss some more ideas about community and you will be able to work in
groups to creatively share your ideas. When I say Go, you will have 11 seconds to stand up, quietly
walk to your desks, and take out your Community Journals and a pencil. All together, what materials
you need to take out of your desks when you sit down? (Students repeat: Community Journals and a
pencil). Thank you for being such great listeners! Ok, go! (Countdown 1110987 while
students return to desks and gather their materials).

Materials:
6 pre-cut sheets of butcher paper, 3 x 4, with outline of person drawn on each sheet
6 boxes of markers
1 flip chart
Projector to show short presentation on Citizenship
Community Journals (each student has their own)
Timer

Task Analysis:

Part 1: Introduce new term: Citizenship (5 minutes)
Explain that in a larger community, another term for community member is citizen.
Write definition of citizenship on the board and have students record the term on their
vocabulary list in their Community Journal.
Because this is an abstract concept, I will provide visuals and pictures of people who are practicing
good citizenship (see Appendix A for visuals to be used in the lesson). Showing pictures and
providing specific examples is a way that I can increase understanding for ELL students and visual
learners.

Part 2: Create Your Own Citizen (30 minutes)
Give directions for our group activity: Now that you all know the characteristics of a good citizen,
you are going to work in groups to create your own citizen!
Show students a poster with the outline of a person drawn on it. Explain that they will work in
groups and write the characteristics of a responsible community member or good citizen on the
inside of the figure. Once they have finished writing their words to describe their citizens, all group
members can decorate their citizen and give them a name.
Explain roles of group members: Each person in your group is going to have a specific job to do.
One person will be the Runner, and they are in charge of gathering materials and returning
materials when you are finished. One person will be the Scribe, and they are in charge of writing
down your groups ideas. One person will be the Timekeeper, and they will make sure that the
group is staying on task so that you will finish on time. One person will be the Speaker, and they are
in charge of sharing your work with the rest of the class. ALL group members are responsible for
contributing their ideas and showing respect for one another. Once you are in your groups, I will
pass out a sheet of paper that lists what each group members job is.
Divide students into their pre-planned groups and pass out slips of paper with specific roles of each
group member.
Give students 2 minutes to discuss the characteristics of a good citizen. Remind students that
during their discussion, ALL group members should participate and feel comfortable sharing their
ideas. Tell group Scribes to write down all of the words discussed.
Instruct the group Runners to come to the front table of the classroom and collect their materials.
Provide each group with a large sheet of butcher paper (3 x 4 pre-cut) and a box of markers.
Students will have 20 minutes to write their descriptions and then name and decorate their good
citizen.

Part 3: Group Presentations (12 minutes)
After finishing their citizens, each group will have 2 minutes to present their finished product to the
rest of the class, with the group Speaker sharing information and answering any questions.
While each group shares their citizens, classmates will remain seated and will be encouraged to
write down characteristics and key words on a graphic organizer in their Community Journals.

Closing: Individual Reflection (5 mins).
After groups present their Good Citizens, students will be given 5 minutes to respond to the
following question in their Community Journals: What can you do in your community to show that you
are a good citizen? Draw a picture, make a list, or write a few sentences to explain.

Lesson Plan 3: Community Explorers Scavenger Hunt

Unit Learning Target:


Students will learn about local resources and the role of government institutions in Commerce City, CO
and how various organizations work together to maintain a community.

Lesson Content Performance Goal
resources, government departments, and current events in their community, students will understand
how responsible citizens can use their resources to improve their community. Conducting research on
Commerce City will also provide students with resources that could be used when creating their action
plan.

Lesson Language Performance Goal
language. Students will need to practice verbal communication skills while participating in a Post A
Connection activity. Practicing their oral language skills will help students prepare for their group
presentations at the end of the unit.

2
nd

Opening:

Magic Box: pass around a bin with various objects inside (at least 24 so that there is 1 per student).
Students will take one object out of the bin and give an example of how that object relates to their role
in their class, school, family, or local community.
Task Analysis:

Materials:
24 copies of Community Explorer Scavenger Hunt Questionnaire
Pencils
Community Journals
KWL Charts
Maps, brochures, newspaper articles, other print sources for research

Body of Lesson: Community Scavenger Hunt

Part 1: Introduce objectives and expectations (15 minutes)
Ask students to think of local organizations and establishments that they know of or have been to
(School, Public Library, Recreation Center, etc.)
Think-Pair-Share with an elbow partner about the local organizations that they know about.
Write down student responses when sharing and then add a few if they do not say them out loud:
Fire Department, Police Station, City Hall, etc.
Explain that today we will be Community Explorers and we will become experts about our local
community.
Display Scavenger Hunt questions on the board using projector and explain that some answers will
be found by conducting research online and some answers will be found by researching local maps,
brochures, pictures, newspapers, and other relevant documents that I will provide.
Display Glogster page: http://kcharrell.edu.glogster.com/commerce-city-community-
explorers/ and model navigating Commerce City Government website.
Half of the class will go to the computer lab to conduct internet research while the other half of the
class will stay in the classroom with Ms. Kimling to conduct research using the documents I
provide.
Review computer lab behavioral expectations with the class.
Divide students into Group 1 and Group 2 (12 students per group) and pass out Scavenger Hunt
document.

Part 2: Community Explorers (30 minutes Day 1, 45 minutes Day 2)
In the computer lab, I will set up each computer with the link to the Glogster page I have created
with links and photos to our online resources. Students will click on the links to access specific web
pages that will provide the answers to the questions on their scavenger hunt document.
In the classroom, students will look at maps, brochures, newspaper clippings, etc. to find the
answers. If there are any early finishers, they will have the option to create their own Community
Map or conduct further research on a community topic of their choice.

Closing: KWL Chart in Community Journal (10 minutes)
Students will complete a KWL Chart in their community journal about the information they learned
from conducting research about their community.

PART V: DATA-DRIVEN DECISION MAKING 1:
PRE-ASSESSMENT DATA

DATA-DRIVEN DECISION MAKING 1: PRE-ASSESSMENT

Pre-Assessment Data: All Students

Mean: 10.0
Median: 9
Mode: 8.5
Range: 10.5

Pre-Assessment Data Analysis: All Students

As a pre-assessment for the unit on community involvement, second grade students were asked to
respond to four short answer questions following a prompt. The prompt and questions were related to
a problem in their school, and students were asked to come up with a plan to solve the problem. The
prompt was read out loud to all students and was displayed on the top of the questionnaire. The four
short answer questions fell into the following categories: Creating a plan to solve the problem (Plan),
Discussing who you would need to work with and why (Helpers), Explaining how you will behave when
working with others (Cooperation), and how your plan will make a positive contribution to your
community (Community Contribution). Students were asked to answer all questions using complete
sentences. Students were assessed based on the four questions and on writing conventions/fluency.
Students could earn a maximum of four points per section, so the highest possible score on the pre-
assessment was a 20/20. The lowest possible number of points per section was zero, which only
occurred if the student left the section blank. The lowest possible score for a student who attempted
0
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Writing
Conventions
Community
Contribution
Cooperation
Helpers
Plan
to answer all questions would be a 5/20. For students who did not correctly answer the questions but
who did write in complete sentences, a half point was added to their score per section.
All 24 students were present for the pre-assessment. The results of the pre-assessment showed that
one student earned a 4.5/20 or 22.5%, two earned a 5/20 or 25%, one earned a 6/20 or 30%, one
earned a 7.5/20 or 37.5%, two earned an 8/20 or 40%, four earned an 8.5/20 or 42.5%, two earned a
9/20 or 45%, one earned an 11.5/20 or 57.5%, three earned a 12/20 or 60%, one earned a 12.5/20 or
62.5%, two earned a 13/20 or 65% and four earned a 15/20 or 75%. The mean pre-assessment score
was 10/20 or 50%, the median score was 9/20 or 45%, the mode was 8.5/20 or 42.5%, and the range
was 10.5.

Pre-Assessment Data Interpretation: All Students

Overall, the results of the pre-assessment were close to what I expected. However, I was surprised to
see that there were 6 students who left one or more sections completely blank. Based on the rubric
that I had created, students could get at least 1 point if they attempted to answer a question, so I had
to update my rubric to show that zero points would be given for answers that were irrelevant to the
question/subject matter and zero points would be given if a student skipped the question entirely. The
fact that 6 students (which is 25% of the class) left sections blank also indicated that I would need to
give students more time to complete the post-assessment. The question that was skipped the most
was the last question on the assessment, which asked students to explain how their plan would make a
positive contribution to their community. I think that this question was especially difficult for two
reasons: 1. It was the last question on the assessment and therefore students either ran out of time or
gave up, and 2. As second graders they were not familiar with the term positive contribution. After
further reflection, I decided that I would need to spend more time explaining what it meant to make a
positive contribution during the unit so that students would understand what they were being asked
on the pre-assessment.

Because there were four students in the class who earned a score of 75%, I realized I would need to
include more of the new unit vocabulary terms and new concepts in the post-assessment questions to
make it more rigorous. For example, in the pre-assessment one of the questions asked Who are some
other people you will need to work with in order to solve the problem? Why do you think that these
people will be helpful?. Because this question is fairly simple, a lot of students were able to earn the
majority of the points available by providing a response that said I would need my best friends and my
parents to help me solve this problem because they are helpful people. I realized that many students
would be able to properly answer this question and other questions based on common sense, so I
needed to make the post-assessment more specific to the terms and concepts that I would be teaching
during the unit. An example of a change I would need to make is updating this question on the post-
assessment so that it asks Who are the other community stakeholders that you will need to work with
in order to solve this problem? Why do you think they will have an influence in solving the problem?

Pre-Assessment Data: ELL Students

Mean: 9.6
Median: 9
Mode: 9
Range: 9

Pre-Assessment Data Analysis: ELL Students

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Writing Conventions
Community Contribution
Cooperation
Helpers
Plan

Out of the 24 students in the class, seven are English Language Learners. For this group of students, the
mean was 9.6, the median was 9, the mode was 9, and the range was 9.

Pre-Assessment Data Interpretation: ELL Students

My first reaction to the data for my ELL students was that the mean, median, mode, and range for their
scores were nearly the same as the data for the entire class. One explanation for this could be the fact
that one of the highest scores on the pre-assessment was earned by Student 23, who is identified GT,
and Student 6 earned one of the lowest scores in the class. Not surprisingly, the question that was
most difficult for all ELL students was the question about making a positive contribution to your
community due to the unfamiliar vocabulary. For this question, the mean for the entire class was 1
point and the mean for the ELL students was .71 (so about of a point). Two out of the seven ELL
students left answers blank, however their responses to the questions that they attempted were
strong so their total scores were not as low as some other students. This information indicates that
they either ran out of time or they skipped the question because they did not understand the language,
therefore I would need to allow more time for the class to complete the post-assessment and I would
need to make sure that they were fully prepared for the academic language that they would see on the
post-assessment. I will also need to provide more real-life examples and visuals to make the new
concepts more relatable to the class.

Pre-Assessment Data: GT Students

Mean: 11.6
Median: 12.5
Mode: 15
Range: 10

Pre-Assessment Data Analysis: GT Students


We have seven students in our class who have been identified as Gifted & Talented or GT. For this
group of students, the mean was 11.6, the median was 12.5, the mode was 15, and the range was 10.

Pre-Assessment Data Interpretation: GT Students

The data for the GT students was somewhat surprising to me because I expected that the mean for this
group would be more than 2 points higher than the mean for the entire class. Student 22, Student 23,
and Student 24 were three of the highest scoring students in the class, but Student 8 was one of the
lowest scoring students with a total of 5/20. Student 3 and Student 8 did not attempt to answer more
than one question, which had a major impact on the data for this group. Student 3 tends to give up on
assignments easily, especially if they are asked to write or explain something. Student 8 is highly
creative and generally takes longer than most students to complete work, so I think that this student
just ran out of time. For the five GT students who attempted to answer the question about how to
cooperate with others in your community, four earned 3 or 3.5 points, which is close to full credit for
this question. Because the GT students scored so high on this question, I would need to make the post-
assessment prompt and the terminology used in the questions more challenging. Students were able
to score so high on this question because they have been asked to discuss good and bad behavior
plenty of times before. Therefore, on the post assessment I would need to update this question so that
it would ask students What will you do to show that you are a responsible citizen while working with
other people?.
Like the rest of the class, the question that was most difficult for the GT students was the question
about positive contributions. I was surprised by this only because this group of students generally use
above grade level vocabulary words in their writing and 4 of the GT students in our class are on a 4
th

grade reading level or higher. This suggests that I will need to place more emphasis on the concept of
how we can improve our communities by making positive contributions.

Pre-Assessment Data: Students with Challenging Behavior

Mean: 11
Median: 12
Mode: 12
Range: 9.5

Pre-Assessment Data Analysis: Students with Challenging Behavior


Out of the 24 students in our class, there are four students who display challenging behavior on a daily
basis. For this group of students, the mean was 11, the median was 12, the mode was 12, and the
range was 9.5.

Pre-Assessment Data Interpretation: Students with Challenging Behavior

The data for this group of students was not incredibly surprising to me because I know that all four
students are capable of completing tasks and they are highly creative when it comes to problem
solving (this creativity is probably part of the reason why their behavior is considered challenging).
However, their scores on the pre-assessment were better than I anticipated because these four
students are usually the first ones to give up on a task and/or turn in incomplete work. Out of the
entire class, 25% of students did not attempt to answer one or more sections of the pre-assessment.
Surprisingly, the four students with challenging behavior attempted to answer every single question,
which was incredibly exciting for me to see. I believe that their motivation to finish the assessment and
attempt to answer each question was due to the fact that the questions dealt with how they would
solve problems as individuals, rather than asking them to solve a problem that does not directly affect
them. The prompt that they were given asked them to come up with a plan to change the principals
new rule that our class would be required to come to school every Saturday for the rest of the year, so
they showed concern and effort when responding to each question. The questions were relatable for
them and allowed them to take ownership of something. Because this group can often be stubborn, I
think that they enjoyed answering questions that allowed them to make their own choices and share
their own ideas. After reflecting some more on this data, I decided that I would need to incorporate
more scenarios that were relatable to my students. I knew I would need to provide more examples of
community involvement that depicted young people making a difference in their community and I
would need to present scenarios that dealt with our class and our school to make the concepts more
relatable for this group of students.

PART VI: DATA DRIVEN DECISION MAKING 2
LESSON PLAN REVISION

DATA DRIVEN DECISION MAKING 2: LESSON PLAN REVISION

PART 1: ORIGINAL LESSON PLAN





plan.


Students will need to verbally communicate their ideas to one another in both native and non-
native language. Students will need to practice verbal communication skills while participating
in a Post A Connection activity. Practicing their oral language skills will help students prepare
for their group presentations at the end of the unit.
2
nd
Opening:

Task Analysis:
Body of Lesson: Community Scavenger Hunt
Think-Pair-Share with an elbow partner about the local organizations that they know about.
Fire Department, Police Station, City Hall, etc.
community.
Display Scavenger Hunt questions on the board using projector and explain that some answers will
be found by conducting research online and some answers will be found by researching local maps,
brochures, pictures, newspapers, and other relevant documents that I will provide.
Display Glogster page and model navigating Commerce City Government website.
class will stay in the classroom with Ms. Kimling to conduct research using the documents I provide.
Review computer lab behavioral expectations with the class.
Divide students into Group 1 and Group 2 (12 students per group) and pass out Scavenger Hunt
document.
Part 2: Community Explorers
In the computer lab, I will set up each computer with the link to the Glogster page I have created
with links and photos to our online resources. Students will click on the links to access specific web
pages that will provide the answers to the questions on their scavenger hunt document.
In the classroom, students will look at maps, brochures, newspaper clippings, etc. to find the
answers. If there are any early finishers, they will have the option to create their own Community
Map or conduct further research on a community topic of their choice.
Closing: Whip Around (10 minutes)
Students will choose one out of three sentence starters and provide their answer. The sentence
starters will be One thing that I learned about my community is, The thing that surprised me the
most about my community was, and One thing that I wonder about my community is.
PART 2: FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT DATA ANALYSIS & INTERPRETATION

Mean: 5.6
Median: 6
Mode: 6
Range: 9

Data Analysis

During the Community Explorers lesson, students were asked to find information about their local
community in two different ways: 1. By participating in a guided web search and 2. By searching
through print materials, such as their local newspaper and brochures from local organizations. While
performing the web search and print materials search, students were asked to find the answers to
questions on two separate documents: one document for the web search (aka Computer Search) and
one document for the print materials search (aka Print Materials Search). There were six questions
on the print materials search and ten questions on the web search, for a total of 16 points possible. My
original lesson plan was set up so that half of the class would be working on the Computer Search in
the school computer lab while the other half of the class was performing the Print Materials Search. On
the morning of the lesson, I found out that the computer lab could not be accessed by any students or
unauthorized faculty members for the next two weeks, despite the fact that I had reserved the lab 3
weeks prior to the lesson. Therefore, we had to change the format of the lesson that day and students
had to perform the web search in our classroom using the 4 classroom computers while the remainder
of the class worked on the print materials search.

As the data suggests in the chart above, students had a very difficult time completing the
questionnaires. The mean was 5.6 points out of 16, or 35%, the median was 6/16, or 37.5%, the mode
was also 6/16, and the range was 9. When looking at the data in terms of individual questionnaires, the
mean for the Print Materials Search was 0.5 points out of 6, the median was 0, the mode was 0, and
the range was 3. Out of the 24 students in the class, 14 students did not answer a single question on
the questionnaire. For the Computer Search, the mean was 5.2 out of 10, the median was 5, the mode
was 5, and the range was 7. The main reason why the Computer Search had better results was because
we completed the questions as a whole group on Day 2 after I realized how poorly the questionnaire
part of the lesson was going.

Interpretation

This lesson turned out to be a mess. I think that student performance on the questionnaires would
have been higher if we were able to use the computer lab as we had originally planned, but even if we
had been able to follow the original plan, there are a lot of things that I would change entirely.

I realized early on that students did not fully understand that the different sections on the
questionnaire documents were meant to help them find the coordinating sections on the Glogster
page and in the newspaper and brochures. For a better understanding of the Glogster page that was
used for the lesson, click here to view: http://kcharrell.edu.glogster.com/commerce-city-community-
explorers. Once students realized that they could find information for each question by following the
right section title, I think that they expected to be given the answer right away just by clicking on the
link. In reality, they had to read the content on the page to find the answer, which proved to be a
challenge for most students. I think that this part of the lesson was so difficult for three reasons: 1.
They were distracted by all of the other sections that they could explore once they got to the
Commerce City government website, 2. They rarely use computers, so the concept of navigating a
government website was incredibly unfamiliar to them, and 3. The four computers in our classroom
are crammed together in one small corner of the classroom, so students had very little space to write
down the information they collected once they found the right answer.

I created the Glogster page so that navigating the different online resources would be simple. I thought
the only thing they would have to do is click on the section on the website that matched the section
on their Computer Search document, read a few sentences to find the answer, fill in the blanks, and
move on. I even displayed the Glogster page using the projector, modeled how to navigate the
different sections AND we completed a sample question together as a whole class. I gave them
everything they needed to complete this lesson, right? I was so incredibly wrong, and I quickly realized
that this lesson was crashing and burning.

For the print materials search, students struggled with finding the different sections within their local
newspaper and print brochures. This was probably due to the fact that most students had never really
looked through a newspaper before. I provided copies of the Commerce City newspaper in both
English and Spanish, thinking every student would be able to find the correct information and answer
every question without any problems. Once again, I was so wrong and chaos ensued. The first group of
students sat down to search through the newspapers and completely disassembled them, so the
sections were out of order and the English and Spanish versions were all mixed together. Also, I had
not modeled how to search the different sections of the newspaper to the class, so there was a great
deal of confusion. Students quickly lost interest and gave up on this portion of the lesson. Luckily, I had
picked up a bunch of local maps of Commerce City from the local Civic Center and so I was able to have
students explore the maps once they had lost interest in the other print materials. By asking them to
locate their street, our school, their favorite restaurant, and other local establishments, I was able to
keep them engaged in exploring their surroundings.

Despite all of the chaos and last-minute changes, students were very engaged in the exploration of
their community resources while looking at the print resources and the Glogster page. The problem
was that they didnt want to explore these resources in order to answer questions on a document that
I gave them. They wanted to explore for the sake of exploring their local surroundings in a way that
was completely new to them. The questions on the questionnaires were too structured and not
particularly relevant to the learning goal for this lesson. Therefore, I would revise the lesson so that
students can explore different aspects of Commerce City based on what they are interested in, and
then record their thoughts, ideas, and questions as they go along. The revised lesson plan can be seen
below. Sections that will be omitted are indicated by strikethrough text, and all other revisions can be
seen in red.

PART 3: REVISED LESSON PLAN

plan.

Students will need to verbally communicate their ideas to one another in both native and non-
native language. Students will need to practice verbal communication skills while participating
in a Post A Connection activity. Practicing their oral language skills will help students prepare
for their group presentations at the end of the unit.
2
nd

Opening:

Task Analysis:
Body of Lesson: Community Scavenger Hunt Exploration
Think-Pair-Share for one minute and 12 seconds with an elbow partner about the local
organizations that they know about.
Fire Department, Police Station, City Hall, Library, etc.
Activate background knowledge and begin discussion by asking the class Does a responsible
community member have to know about their community in order to make a difference? Why or
why not?
Allow a few students to share their ideas, and then ask, Why do you think its important to know
about your community?
community.
Display directions for three different Exploration Stations on a PowerPoint slide and explain the
procedures for each station. The three stations are Computer Station (Glogster page), Current
Events Station (Newspapers and brochures), and Navigation Station (Local maps).
Show students a copy of a KWL Chart that they will fill out as they move from station to station.
Remind them how to fill out a KWL Chart and model this using an example from the Glogster page.
Explain that in order to move to the next station, they must add at least 2 thoughts/ideas to their
KWL Chart per station.
Display Scavenger Hunt questions using projector and explain that some answers will be found by
conducting research online and some answers will be found by researching local maps, brochures,
pictures, newspapers, and other relevant documents that I will provide.
Display Glogster page and model navigating Commerce City Government website.
Explain to the class that each heading on the Glogster page will lead them to a section on the
website where they can learn more about that topic. Once they have finished reading about that
specific topic, they can find another topic to explore by returning to the Glogster page.
Next, model the expectations for the Current Events Station. Explain that we will use print
materials such as our local newspaper and brochures to learn more about our community.
Show students one of the newspapers and explain the different sections, such as the Events
Calendar, News Briefs, and other relevant sections.
Tell the class that they can read the newspaper in either English or Spanish, and please try your
best to keep the pages in the order you found it so that the next group can read it without missing
pages.
Direct the students to the large group table in the back of the classroom where they will find the
Navigation Station. Explain that at this station, they will be able to locate different places in their
town. Challenge them to try and find our school, their street, their soccer field, a family members
address, or other places that they frequent.
class will stay in the classroom with Ms. Kimling to conduct research using the documents I provide.
If the Computer Lab is available, 8 students will go to the lab with Ms. Kimling for the Computer
Station. If the computer lab is unavailable, 4 students will use the classroom computers in the back
of the room and 4 students will use laptops that will be set up at a round table in the classroom.
Review computer lab behavioral expectations with the class (if necessary).
Divide students into Group 1 and Group 2 (12 students per group) Groups 1, 2 and 3, with 8
students per group and pass out Scavenger Hunt document.
Part 2: Exploration Stations (60 minutes: 3 stations, 20 minutes each)
Students will be divided into groups of 8. Each group will spend 20 minutes at each station.
In the computer lab or on the classroom computers, I will set up each computer with the link to the
Glogster page I have created with links and photos to our online resources. Students will click on
the links to access specific web pages that will provide the answers to the questions on their
scavenger hunt document.
In the classroom, students will look at maps, brochures, newspapers, etc. to find the answers and
record their thoughts and questions on a KWL Chart that they will take with them to each station. If
there are any early finishers, they will have the option to create their own Community Map or
conduct further research on a community topic of their choice.
Closing: Whip Around (10 minutes)
Students will choose one out of three four sentence starters and provide their answer. The sentence
starters will be One thing that I learned about my community is The thing that surprised me the
most about my community was, I think its important to know about my community because
and One thing that I wonder about my community is.

PART VII: DATA DRIVEN DECISION MAKING 3
POST-ASSESSMENT AND FINAL REFLECTION

DATA DRIVEN DECISION MAKING 3: POST ASSESSMENT & FINAL REFLECTION

TABLE 1.

Student ELL GT
Challenging
Behavior
Pre-Assessment
Score
Post-Assessment
Score Growth
1 N N Y 60% 85% 25%
2 N N N 75% 98% 23%
3 N Y N 38% 83% 45%
4 N N Y 25% 78% 53%
5 N N N 43% 78% 35%
6 Y N N 30% 90% 60%
7 N N Y 60% 85% 25%
8 N Y N 25% 90% 65%
9 N N N 23% 88% 65%
10 Y N N 45% 73% 28%
11 N Y N 63% 93% 30%
12 Y N N 40% 50% 10%
13 Y N N 45% 95% 50%
14 N N N 65% 85% 20%
15 N N N 40% 93% 53%
16 Y N N 43% 83% 40%
17 N N N 58% 95% 38%
18 N N N 43% 88% 45%
19 N N N 43% 83% 40%
20 N N N 60% 95% 35%
21 Y Y N 60% 80% 20%
22 N Y N 75% 98% 23%
23 Y Y N 75% 95% 20%
24 N Y Y 73% 88% 15%

12
15
7.5
5
8.5
6
12
5
4.5
9
12.5
8
9
13
8
8.5
11.5
8.5 8.5
12 12
15 15
14.5
17
19.5
16.5
15.5 15.5
18
17
18
17.5
14.5
18.5
10
19
17
18.5
16.5
19
17.5
16.5
19
16
19.5
19
17.5
0
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4
6
8
10
12
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16
18
20
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0

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Pre- and Post-Assessment Score Comparison: All Students
(Out of 20 points)
Pre-Assessment Total Post-Assessment Total
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
Pre-Assessment Post Assessment
10.0
17.2
9
17.5
8.5
19
Pre- and Post-Assessment Data Comparison: All Students
Mean Median Mode
Pre- and Post-Assessment Data Analysis: All Students

The graphs above show the data gathered from both the pre-assessment scores and post-assessment
scores for the entire class. The mean score for the class on the pre-assessment was a 10 out of 20
points, or a 50%. The mean score for the class on the post-assessment was a 17.2 out of 20 points, or
an 86%. This shows that our class showed an average of 7.2 points in growth, or 36% growth between
the pre-assessment and post-assessment. The median score on the pre-assessment was 9 out of 20
and the median score on the post-assessment was 17.5. This data shows that the median score for the
class increased by 8.5 points. The mode on the pre-assessment was 8.5 points and the mode on the
post-assessment was 19 points. The mode score grew by 10.5 points.

Post-Assessment Data Analysis Based on ELL v. Non-ELL

The graph above shows the individual post-assessment scores for all students based on ELL Students v.
Non-ELL Students. Blue columns indicate ELL Students and red columns indicate Non-ELL Students.

For ELL Students, the mean score on the pre-assessment was 9.6 out of 20 (48%), the median was 9/20
(45%), and the mode was 9/20 (45%). On the post-assessment, the mean score for ELL Students was
16/20 (80%), the median was 16.5/20 (83%), and the mode was 19/20 (95%). For ELL students, the
mean score showed growth of 6.4 points (32%), the median score showed growth of 7.5 points (38%),
and the mode score showed growth of 10 points (50%).

For Non-ELL Students, the mean score on the pre-assessment was 10 out of 20 points (50%), the
median was 11.5/20 (58%), and there was not a mode score. On the post-assessment, the mean score
for Non-ELL Students was 17.6 out of 20 (88%), the median was 17.5 (88%), and there was not a mode
score. Between the pre-assessment and post-assessment, the mean score for Non-ELL students grew
by 7.6 points (38%), and the median score grew by 6 points (30%).

Post-Assessment Data Analysis Based on GT v. Non-GT

The graph above shows the individual post-assessment scores for all students based on GT Students v.
Non-GT Students. Blue columns indicate the score for GT Students and red columns indicate the score
for Non-GT Students.

For GT Students, the mean score on the pre-assessment was 11.6 out of 20 (58%), the median was
12.5/20 (63%), and the mode was 15/20 (75%). On the post-assessment, the mean score for GT
Students was 18/20 (90%), the median was 18/20 (90%), and there was not a mode. For GT students,
the mean score showed growth of 6.4 points (32%), and the median score grew by 5.5 points (28%).

For Non-GT Students, the mean score on the pre-assessment was 9.3 out of 20 points (47%), the
median was 8.5/20 (43%), and the mode was 8.5/20 (43%). On the post-assessment, the mean score
for Non-GT Students was 17 out of 20 (85%), the median was 17 (85%), and there was not a mode
score. Between the pre-assessment and post-assessment, the mean score for Non-GT students grew by
7.7 points (39%), and the median score grew by 8.5 points (43%).

Post-Assessment Data Analysis Based on Challenging Behavior v. Non-Challenging Behavior

The graph above shows the individual post-assessment scores for all students based on students with
challenging behavior v. students with non-challenging behavior. Blue columns indicate the score for
students with challenging behavior and red columns indicate the score for students with non-
challenging behavior.

For students with challenging behavior, the mean score on the pre-assessment was 10.6 out of 20
(58%), the median was 12/20 (63%), and the mode was 12/20 (75%). On the post-assessment, the
mean score for students with challenging behavior was 16.75/20 (90%), the median was 17/20 (90%),
and the mode was 17/20 (%). For this group of students, the mean score showed growth of 6.75 points
(32%), the median score grew by 5 points (28%), and the mode score grew by 5 points (%).

For students with non-challenging behavior, the mean score on the pre-assessment was 10 out of 20
points (50%), the median was 9/20 (45%), and the mode was 8.5/20 (43%). On the post-assessment,
the mean score for students with non-challenging behavior was 17.25 out of 20 (86%), the median was
17.75/20 (89%), and the mode was 19/20 (95%). Between the pre-assessment and post-assessment,
the mean score for this group of students grew by 7.25 points (36%), the median score grew by 8.75
points (44%), and the mode score grew by 10.5 points (53%).

Interpretation and Implications of Whole Class Data

I was thrilled to see the amount of growth that the class showed after reviewing the post-assessment
scores. Every single student showed growth between the pre-assessment and post-assessment; with
some students showing a 65% score increase. By teaching lessons that were student-centered and
engaging, students were able to get involved in all aspects of the unit. Because the unit was based on
community involvement, I was able to make all of the lessons relatable to my students. By
incorporating information about their local community into the lessons and class discussions, they
were able to make connections to their own lives and become more invested in their own learning.

Because topics like community, citizenship, and advocacy are fairly abstract for second grade students,
I was nervous about whether or not they would fully understand what it meant to be a responsible
community member. By incorporating different community themed stories and videos, I was able to
provide the class with real-life examples of young people who made a difference in their community. I
found that one way to increase understanding of such abstract concepts was to have students refer
back to the stories that we read and the videos we watched and discuss what they would do in a
similar situation.

Interpretation of Student Results

Rather than writing my interpretation of every individual students results, I decided to group students
based on the amount of growth that was made between their pre-assessment scores and post-
assessment scores. The student who showed the most growth in the entire class was Student 9 and the
student who showed the least amount of growth between the pre-assessment and post-assessment
was Student 12.

Students with 50% - 65% Growth

o Student 13
o Student 4
o Student 15
o Student 6
o Student 8
o Student 9

Out of the six students who showed 50% - 65% growth, two are ELL students (Student 13 and Student
6), one is GT (Student 8), one is on the GT Watch List (Student 15) and two are students who show
challenging behavior (Student 4 and Student 9). I was happy to see that there was so much growth
among all of the different learning styles and proficiency levels in our class. Student 13, Student 8, and
Student 15 are very thoughtful writers, so I think that they struggled on the pre-assessment because
they tend to take a long time in order to finish their work compared to most other students. They do
not normally receive accommodations for extra time in testing situations, but I think that they all
benefited from having more time to complete the post-assessment so that they could gather their
thoughts and turn in their absolute best work. They are all incredibly hard workers and I was not
surprised to see that they showed so much growth. Student 4 is one the ELL students in our class. This
student has strong verbal communication skills but struggles with writing and does not fully
understand a lot of the questions/writing prompts that are provided in our class. Therefore, it was
important for me to present questions and prompts in the same language throughout the unit. I tried
to show consistency in the way that I phrased questions and explanations throughout the unit in order
to increase understanding, and I think this helped for my ELL Students. Student 4 and Student 8 are
both considered behavior challenges. I was so happy to see that both of these students showed
strong participation during all of the lessons throughout the unit and even showed leadership when
working in small groups. Both students left one or more questions blank on the pre-assessment but
provided thoughtful, logical, and detailed answers on the post-assessment.


o Student 16
o Student 19
o Student 3
o Student 18

Student 16, Student 19, and Student 18 are three of the most quiet and reserved students in the entire
class. They are all female and they rarely participate in class discussions. I think that partially due to the
fact that they are introverts and they are not totally confident in their ability to speak English. I made
an effort to place these students in small groups or with partners that would make them feel
comfortable sharing their ideas and engaging in meaningful conversations. I think that these students
benefited from these interactions and showed strong improvement as a result.

Student 3 is GT and incredibly creative and talkative. This student is a fantastic problem solver, but
they lose interest easily and they often lack the stamina needed to finish a task. After observing this
student during lessons and reading their responses on exit tickets throughout the unit, I knew that this
student had the ability to earn all 20 points on the post-assessment but I was not sure if they would
put forth their best effort. This student did not earn all 20 points, but their score improved by 9 points
(45%) on the post-assessment.


o Student 11
o Student 20
o Student 5
o Student 17

Student 11 and Student 20 are two of the most attentive and reflective students in the class. They both
ask relevant questions, participate in class discussions, and both are very hard workers. Therefore it
was not a surprise to me that they were two of the highest scoring students on the post-assessment.

Student 5 and Student 17 are relatively quiet and it is often difficult to keep them motivated. Both
students have low attendance and they rarely turn in homework. They also tend to only socialize with
one another and rarely have positive interactions with students outside their core group of three
friends. Because part of our unit was focused on our classroom community, I purposefully split them
up so that they would branch out and bond with other students. I was happy to see that they were
more willing to learn, participate, and produce quality work when working with students who
influenced them in a positive way. They were engaged in all lessons and provided thoughtful responses
on all formative assessments, so I was happy to see that their understanding of new content and
increased participation was reflected by their thoughtful responses on the post-assessment.


o Student 14
o Student 23
o Student 21
o Student 2
o Student 22
o Student 1
o Student 7
o Student 10

The largest amount of students showed growth of 20% to 30% on the post-assessment. Three of these
students are GT (Student 21, Student 22, and Student 23) and scored relatively high on the pre-
assessment. Though they all showed improved performance throughout the unit and on the post-
assessment, the difference between pre- and post-assessment scores was not as dramatic as many of
the non-GT students.

Student 14, Student 2, and Student 10 are all very creative and very strong communicators. I knew that
they would benefit from lessons that incorporated small group activities and real-life problem solving
scenarios. These students had a great foundation in the beginning of the unit but were able to answer
all questions on the post-assessment more effectively after learning new vocabulary and concepts that
we discussed throughout the unit.

Student 1 and Student 7 are two of the four students in our class who consistently demonstrate
challenging behavior. Both students are incredibly bright but they can be very defiant and have a hard
time following directions. Both scored 12/20 points on the pre-assessment and 17/20 on the post-
assessment. On the pre-assessment, Student 1 and Student 7 provided creative solutions to solve a
problem, but did not have a great understanding of how people can work together. Additionally,
Student 7 left sections blank on the pre-assessment. They both showed 25% growth by applying their
understanding of new concepts and by putting forth the effort that was necessary to complete all of
the sections.

Students with 20% Growth or less

o Student 12 o Student 24

Student 24 is one of the GT students in our class and is also one of the four students who is on a
behavior plan for challenging behavior. This student is incredibly clever and is a strong communicator.
However, their grades and performance on assessments are very inconsistent. I think that this is due to
the fact that this student does not try their best if they arent in the mood to work hard. This student
was very engaged in the lessons throughout the unit and provided relevant examples of how they
could apply the concepts learned in our unit to their own life and their own community. I saw a lot of
growth from this student throughout the unit on formative assessments and during discussions. The
improvements that I saw during the unit are not reflected in the amount of growth that this student
showed between the pre- and post-assessments, and I think this is probably because they did not feel
motivated to turn in their best work.

Student 12 had the lowest score in the class on the post-assessment but their pre-assessment score
was close to the class average pre-assessment score. This student is one of two students that receives
reading intervention because they are on a kindergarten reading level. I think that this student made
meaningful connections during the lessons in this unit and I saw growth in their performance during
class activities. After reviewing their answers on the post-assessment, it seemed as though they did not
understand the questions. I sat down with this student and asked them if they could explain some of
their responses. It was clear that this student understood the concepts of community, responsible
citizenship, and how to make positive contributions to a community. However, they were not able to
transfer their knowledge and apply these concepts in order to logically solve a problem.

Site Professor and Site Coordinator Observation Notes

My UCD Site Professor, Molly Leamon, and Site Coordinator Kristin Groth observed me during our
lesson on Communities We Belong To. Students identified the different communities that they are
involved in (i.e. school, family, soccer team, classroom) and completed a graphic organizer to show
how they help each community and other people that are members of each community.

What Worked Well:

Wonderful visuals- great using photo of class as stakeholders. M. Leamon
Gave opportunities for students to share relevant and meaningful personal information to enhance
learning. M. Leamon
Provided a visual for mind map and demonstrated how to use it. M. Leamon
Students were actively engaged throughout the lesson and students productively interacted with
peers several times. M. Leamon
Very caring and supportive culture in classroom community. M. Leamon
Teacher voice used as needed. M. Leamon
Provided scaffolding as needed. M. Leamon
Good job activating prior knowledge K. Groth
Kids answered questions in complete sentences when speaking wow! K. Groth
Pictures of Commerce City Mayor & Police Chief lend relevance. K. Groth
Good job reflecting on lesson and revising as needed. M. Leamon

Next Steps/Items to Consider:

Spend more time on I Do K. Groth
Do students know terms like influence? If not, clarify. K. Groth
Graphic organizer could be simplified. M. Leamon
Work on pacing for explicit instruction. M. Leamon
Consider role-playing what it means to be a community stakeholder. M. Leamon

Implications for future learning (What should the next teacher do for these students?)

My students love working together and they work best when they know exactly what the expectations
are. I have found that most students are incredibly excited to learn, and they love any activity that
allows them to learn in a new way, such as game-based learning activities or explorations as opposed
to completing worksheets or answering questions out of their textbooks. They respond very well to
new vocabulary and concepts when you provide visuals and they love it when I relate new content to
their real life situations. For example, when we discussed the concept of Community Stakeholders, I
showed them a slideshow of people in their community who are involved and have an influence, such
as the mayor of Commerce City, their local Police Chief, and their City Council Members. The last
picture that I showed was a picture of the whole class, to show that they can be stakeholders by taking
action in their community. Once they saw a real life connection, they were incredibly engaged, showed
a deeper understanding of a new concept, and wanted to learn more.

Placing students in pre-planned groups or with specific partners is essential for my students. Every
lesson that involves groups or partnerships requires careful consideration, but the results are worth
the time that is spent planning. I have found that in some situations, its great to group students with
their friends so that they will feel more comfortable participating and sharing their ideas. In other
situations, I like to group students that dont interact as often so that they can learn from one another
and continue to build our classroom community. Being able to group students appropriately depending
on the activity or the learning goals is further proof of how important it is to know your students.

What I have done to promote social justice and equity

I feel so lucky to have been able to witness the personal growth that has taken place in every one of
my students this semester. I have promoted social justice and equity by giving my students choice and
allowing them to share their ideas and opinions. I work hard to make sure that they feel empowered
and supported. They know that I value their thoughts and feelings and they know that there is no such
thing as a dumb question. We have had conversations regarding cultural differences and the lack of
economic resources that my students experience at home. I try to promote social justice by making
sure that my students feel comfortable sharing their culture in our classroom. One simple way that I
have done this is by incorporating Spanish words into some of our daily routines. Though they are only
in second grade, its incredible to see how important it is to value their cultures and promote equity.

Class Maps Results and Discussion

Believing in Me Yes Sometimes No
PRE POST PRE POST PRE POST
1. I understand how to do my work. 19 15 5 9 0 0
2. I can help other kids in this class. 11 16 12 7 1 1
3. I can be a very good learner in this class. 17 18 7 6 0 0
4. I can do work even when it is hard in this
class.
13 16 11 8 0 0
5. I know I can do well when I try my best in
this class.
16 22 7 1 1 1
Taking Charge Yes Sometimes No
6. I am excited about what I am learning and
want to know more.
19 18 4 5 1 1
7. I work as hard as I can in this class. 17 15 7 9 0 0
8. I know it is my job to learn in this class. 20 23 4 1 0 0
9. When the work is hard in this class, I do
not give up.
17 18 7 6 0 0
Following the Class Rules Yes Sometimes No
10. Most kids in this class listen carefully
when the teacher gives directions.
18 15 6 8 0 1
11. Most kids follow the rules in this class. 17 12 7 12 0 1
12. Most kids in this class pay attention when
they are supposed to.
12 11 9 13 3 0
13. Most kids do their work when they are
supposed to in this class.
14 13 9 11 1 0
14. Most kids in this class behave well in this
class.

14 11 9 13 3 0
My Teacher Yes Sometimes No
15. Ms. Harrell believes I can learn.
22 23 2 1 0 0
16. Ms. Harrell is nice to me.
24 20 0 4 0 0
17. Ms. Harrell cares about me.
22 24 2 0 0 0
18. Ms. Harrell listens to my ideas.
19 20 5 4 1 0
19. Ms. Harrell expects good work from me.
20 19 4 5 0 0
20. Ms. Harrell asks me to do work that is
challenging for me. (not too easy)
19 18 3 5 2 1
21. Ms. Harrell makes it fun to be in this class.
22 21 1 3 1 0
22. Ms. Harrell is fair to me.
20 22 4 2 0 0
My Friends Yes Sometimes No
23. I enjoy learning with my friends in this
class.
19 21 4 2 1 1
24. My friends care about me a lot.
14 16 8 5 2 3
25. I have friends to eat lunch with and play
with at recess.
18 18 4 6 2 0
26. I have friends who will stick up for me if
someone picks on me, teases me, or calls
me names.
14 18 6 5 4 1
Talking with My Family Yes Sometimes No
27. My family and I talk about what I am
learning in this class.
15 17 6 5 3 2
28. My family and I talk about my homework
in this class.
16 18 2 3 6 3
29. My family helps me with my homework
when I need it.
21 19 2 3 2 1
30. My family and I talk about ways that I can
do well in school.
18 18 5 5 1 4
31. My family and I talk about good things I
have done in this class.
16 18 6 5 2 1
32. My family and I talk about problems I
have in this class.
14 17 5 4 5 3
I Worry That

Yes Sometimes No
33. I worry that other kids will do or say mean
things to me.
4 4 9 7 11 13
34. I worry that other kids will tell lies about
me.
5 6 8 4 11 14
35. I worry that other kids will hurt me on
purpose.
5 4 6 3 13 17
36. I worry that other kids will leave me out
on purpose.
5 3 6 7 13 14
37. I worry that other kids will try to make my
friends stop liking me.
6 6 8 5 10 13
38. I worry that other kids will make me do
things I dont want to do.
5 3 5 5 14 16
Kids In This Class

Yes Sometimes No
39. Kids in this class argue a lot with each
other.
5 2 9 10 10 12
40. Kids in this class pick on or make fun of
each other.
6 3 8 9 10 12
41. Kids in this class say bad things about
each other.
6 3 6 7 12 14
42. Kids in this class hit or push each other a
lot.
5 2 5 7 14 15

The My Teacher section of the Class Map Survey that I passed out before and after my TWS was one
of the areas that I was most interested to see. Overall, the feedback on the pre-TWS survey and post-
TWS survey were fairly consistent. I have built positive relationships with my students and I have a
sincere interest in their thoughts, feelings, goals, hobbies, and general well being. I was so happy to see
that on both surveys, nearly every student responded Yes to Question 17 Ms. Harrell cares about
me. I was disappointed to see that only 18 students answered Yes to Question 20 Ms. Harrell asks
me to do work that is challenging for me. (not too easy). I believe that many students still do not think
of me as an authority figure on the level that they view my CT. For this reason, I think that some
students feel that class is easier while Im teaching, even though a lot of the content is the same as
what their teacher provides. I also think that I could have done a better job of providing more rigorous
tasks and/or assignments for the GT students in my class. I also noticed that less than half of the class
chose Yes for Question 14 Most kids behave well in this class. I know that many students like to try
and get away with things while Im teaching that they would never attempt while my CT is in the room.
They challenged my authority many times throughout my TWS and my Solo Teaching, but I think that
their behavior has improved every day and I think that my ability to respond to behavior problems has
improved tremendously.

Professional Development

What did you do well?

I spent a lot of time planning lessons that were engaging and relatable to my students.
I have built strong positive relationships with my students and I do everything I can to make sure
that every student feels welcome, comfortable, and encouraged in my class.
I talk to my students like they are smart, respectable, people. I do not talk down to them, and they
know that I have high expectations for them.
I have been able to improve my classroom management skills tremendously. I have been able to
incorporate new routines and transitions that are engaging and improve student learning.
I think that I have done a good job of providing students with clear directions and learning
expectations at the beginning of lessons.
I have a very caring and calming demeanor when interacting with my students, but I have also
learned how to incorporate my sense of humor and bring more of my personality into the
classroom.
I am able to look at a lesson or an assessment before giving it to students and figure out the parts
that will be confusing or difficult. Once I recognize these potential problems, I change the lesson,
re-write the questions so that they are student friendly/ELL friendly, or plan for content areas that
will require extra attention.
I am very reflective about my teaching and about the growth of my students. I am open to all of the
feedback that I have received from my CT, other faculty members, and my site professor and I
spend time considering exactly what I can do next time to improve.
I am creative and willing to try new activities and routines in the classroom.
I give students very specific feedback to reinforce positive behaviors and I have meaningful one-on-
one conversations with students who have showed negative behavior in order to build a mutual
understanding of one another.

What do you need to improve?

I need to be more confident when sharing new ideas and opinions about lessons that I teach.
I need to collaborate more with other teachers and specialists in the school.
I need to do a better job of creating assessment methods that are relevant to the learning goals.
I need to be more consistent with some of my classroom management routines.
I need to get better at pacing while teaching. I tend to get excited about opening discussions and I
love hearing students share their background knowledge, but I need to be more aware of the time I
spend on various parts of a lesson to ensure we have time to close and reflect on the learning.
I would like to incorporate more technology into my classroom.
I need to be more confident when interacting with parents.

What specific conferences/workshops will you attend to improve your craft?

Conference on Inclusive Education Denver, CO February 12-13, 2015
o This conference focuses on school reform that creates equality in education and increases
achievement for ALL students, including students with disabilities.
Colorado Council International Reading Association Conference Denver, CO February 4-7, 2015
o This is a literacy conference that focuses on ways to build scaffolds in order to improve
reading, writing, and comprehension for all students.
Read.Write.Act. Conference Virtual November 7-8, 2014
o This is a virtual conference that connects literacy groups, program administrators, faculty,
and non-profit professionals from around the country with content specialists, community-
based literacy organizations and other leaders in literacy who are committed to creating a
more just society by engaging young people in literacy education.

Final Thoughts

I am overwhelmed by the amount of personal and professional growth that I have experienced since
beginning this program. I have been able to take my ideas, my skills, and my passion for education and
apply them in a way that is meaningful to my students. I have learned how to manage a classroom and
I know which techniques work for me and which ones do not. Teaching is an incredibly challenging
career but I have genuinely loved every day spent with my students, despite stressful situations. I learn
something new every day and I always go home at the end of the day with a feeling of accomplishment.
My students motivate me to work harder than I have ever worked in my life and thanks to my courses
and student teaching experience, I now have the knowledge to create and implement learning
experiences that are successful in the classroom. I know that I have so much more to learn in the years
ahead. But as a new teacher, I feel that I am fully prepared to begin the profession that I was meant for,
and for that I am incredibly grateful and excited.

Bibliography

Chappuis, J. (2009). Seven Strategies of Assessment for Learning. Boston, Massachusetts: Pearson
Education.

Fairbairn, S., & Jones-Vo, S. (2010). Differentiated Instruction and Assessment for English Language
Learners. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Caslon, Inc.

Short, D.J., Vogt, M.E., & Echevarria, J. (2011). The SIOP Model for Teaching History-Social Studies to
English Learners. Boston, Massachusetts: Pearson Education.

Schmidt, L. (2007). Social Studies That Sticks: How to Bring Content and Concepts to Life. Portsmouth,
New Hampshire: Heinemann.

Wiggins, G., & McTighe, J. (2005). Understanding by Design. Alexandria, Virginia: ASCD.

Wink, J. (2011). Critical Pedagogy: Notes from the Real World. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson
Education.

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