Lesson Teaching Reflective Summary

Teacher Candidate for Science Endorsement: Janice Belcher

School: Dowell Elementary

Grade: 5th

Lesson Topic: Cells

Write a brief summary or blog of your experiences teaching this lesson,
addressing the following questions:
How well were the lessons student performance objectives
attained? Did classroom activity center on science
understanding, inquiry, and sense-making by all students? Did
your scientific content knowledge enable you to support
students construction of knowledge and understanding of
important scientific concepts and processes? When you have
the opportunity to re-teach this lesson, what will you do
differently (strategies, teaching tools, assessments, etc.) to
improve student learning for all students?
On March 17, 2016 I observed a Ms. Bower teaching a Cell to her fifth
grade class. Ms. Bower provided groups with iPads that they use to
access a website titled Cells Alive. The interactive cell model is
observed where students watch a cell animation of a plant/animal cell.
Students choose various cell organelles and learn its purpose and
function.
Later Ms. Bower reviews with students their prior knowledge about
cells and their functions. They use their interactive science notebooks
to respond to various inquiry questions posed. Students describe the
functions of the nucleus, cell wall, cell membrane and chloroplasts.
Time is provided to allow students to freely interact with the various
animations. Students are engaged while the groups interact with the
cell animation.
Students transition to an activity that involves them folding a cell
mates folding notebook. Students read the mini book and read the
information. Students connect their learning to the structures found in
animal and plant cells. They discover the ways in which the two cells
are alike as well as different. Challenging vocabulary works like
eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells are identified and compared. Students
are given the opportunity to read aloud as well as respond to
comprehension questions. Ms. Belcher ensures comprehension by
asking a variety of questions, she assesses students orally. Students

transition again to cutting out comic strips and gluing onto a larger
graphic organizer, students record the function of the parts to serve as
an informal assessment.

This lesson plans identify the targeted concepts, essential question,

Georgia standard, work session and closing. A lesson plan books
includes a variety of activities from vocabulary identification,
interactive activities to comprehension activities. A STEM challenge is
later introduced to students which involves the creation of an actual
cell.