EDUC 240-Introduction to Physical and Health Education for Elementary Teachers

Observation Guide
Name: Katherine Espich_________________________________________
Subject Observed: 2nd grade PE class ______________________________
Lesson Activity: Heart Maze________________________________
Date: 3/12/2014__________________________________________

Respond to the following questions in several complete thoughts.

1. What activities does the teacher do to launch the lesson/activity with the students?
The 2nd grade students are drop off by their teacher. Sometimes it may be later than the starting
time of PE class. The PE teacher mostly haves to go with the flow. Mrs. Ahlman was the PE
teacher and at the beginning of class she took attendance by just looking around. She also makes
sure the kids are all wearing their gym shoes. If the students as a class are all wearing gym shoes
they get a sticker. Once she was done taking attendance she started the activity off by talking
about the heart and seeing what the kids know about the heart. She will pick a demonstrator to
show the students how to do the heart maze then the activity will begin.

2. What instructional materials are used to teach the lesson/activity?

Different compartments were set up to make the heart. She had two different sides the red side
and blue. She told the kids they are blood and thats how blood moves through the heart. Before
the activity started she told the kids what is in the heart and how the blood moves through it. Etc.
Red/ Blue balls, a long rope to separate two sides, scooters, different areas to go through, jump
rope, and a tunnel. I really liked how the heart maze was set up. It was neat watching the kids go
through the heart.

3. Are rules discussed while organizing students for the lesson/activity? What verbal and/or nonverbal cues does the teacher use to control the students?
The students mostly knew the rules once they got into the gym. She just told the kids it is not a
race, and told the students what she expects out of them. At the beginning of the PE class the

kids were getting rowdy so Mrs. Ahlman clapped her hands and the students copy her. I notice
when Mrs. Ahlman told the students I will be looking for a listener to demonstrate the heart maze
the kids were raising their hands and putting a finger over their mouth. Mrs. Ahlman told the
students if they are talking while she and a student demonstrate the heart maze, she will take 5
minutes away from their time.

4. What varieties of learning strategies are used during the lesson/activity?

Mrs. Ahlman haves the kids answer some questions about the heart before they do their activity.
She gets the students involved in her classroom. She picks on someone to demonstrate the heart
maze. At the end of the class period she has the students answer some fun facts about the heart
and if you get it right you will skip down to line up. She lets the kids be independent on what
they do.

5. If guided practice is used, how or when is it used?

Mrs. Ahlman uses guided practice by having one student show the rest of the kids how to do the
heart maze. Just to let you know they have been doing the heart maze for 4 years now so they all
know what they are doing. I felt like the kids help each other throughout the heart maze. What
surprise me was I saw none of the kids arguing of the ball. They shared everything in the heart
maze.

6. What portion of the students is actually engaged in the learning process midway through the
lesson/activity?
All the students loved doing the heart maze. All the students were up and running doing what
they should be doing. A lot of the kids were saying they are tired but they still kept going through
the maze. Even at the beginning of class when Mrs. Ahlman said they are doing the heart maze
everyone was cheering and was so excited to do it.

7. If independent practice is used, how is it organized? For example, what are students expected
to do when they finish early?
I would say the students were independent when they were going through the heart maze. They
knew they had to keep going through the maze without stopping. The teacher told the students
when to start and when to finish. Mrs. Ahlman told the students if they are tired they may walk
instead of running through the maze.

8. What provisions does the teacher make to accommodate student diversity?

I felt like during the heart maze she didnt have to worry to accommodate student diversity. The
only thing I saw was an autistic child but he was able to do everything the other students were
doing. The maze was very simple but fun at the same time. I was surprised how much they loved
doing the heart maze even when there were simple obstacles set up.