Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
Introduction
developed that demonstrates the essential skills I have developed on my journey towards
becoming an educator. These demonstrate key abilities such as planning, instruction and
assessment of my student. The artifacts also cover key training courses as well as exercises that
have helped me to better understand students with unique and special needs. Eight artifacts in
total have been included and each serve to showcase a different skill or piece of knowledge that I
have developed or acquired during my studies and classroom observations. Prior to each artifact,
an overview of the artifact will be provided which will explain the artifact itself. This will be
followed by my rational for why I chose to include the artifact, which will discuss the key skills
the artifact demonstrates along why I believe this artifact provides evidence that I am prepared
for a career in education. Finally, the artifacts alignment with key professional and curriculum
standard will be provided. The overall purpose of this section is to demonstrate to the reader how
I have developed and evolved as a prospective teacher and the skills I have developed along the
way.
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Artifact Overview
The first artifact that I have selected is an English Language Arts (ELA) Learning
Segment based on the comprehension skill of inferencing. The lesson segment consists of 3
sequential and connected lesson plans that look to instruct and assess students at the grade 4 level
to teach them how to inference. The lesson segment was designed to meet curriculum standards
The learning segment was included as an artifact for a number of reasons. My primary
rational for its inclusion is that it demonstrates the skills I have learned and how I apply them as
they pertain to the essential concepts of planning, instruction and assessment. While the artifact
addresses primarily the function of planning, the instructional steps and provided assessment
demonstrate how I will teach my students and assess their comprehension of the curriculum
standards and literacy skills. This artifact has the added benefit of showcasing how I have
learned to plan for multiple lessons, tie them together and execute them in a way that fulfills a
common goal which is teaching the students the very important comprehension skill of
inferencing. Teaching is much more than individual lesson plans for standalone lessons. It is
imperative and beneficial for the students that lessons remain connected to ensure that instruction
is repeated yet varied to promote mastery of a particular skill. This is important both within the
same subject and even across multiple subjects. I look forward to further developing my
InTASC
7(a) The teacher individually and collaboratively selects and creates learning experiences
that are appropriate for curriculum goals and content standards, and are relevant to learners
7(b) The teacher plans how to achieve each student’s learning goals, choosing
7(c) The teacher develops appropriate sequencing of learning experiences and provides
Standard 6 – Assessment
6(a) The teacher balances the use of formative and summative assessment as appropriate
6(b) The teacher designs assessments that match learning objectives with assessment
methods and minimizes sources of bias that can distort assessment results.
6(e) The teacher engages learners in multiple ways of demonstrating knowledge and skill
TEAC
1.1 Subject matter knowledge The program candidates must understand the subject
1.2 Pedagogical knowledge The program candidates must be able to convert their
knowledge of subject matter into compelling lessons that meet the needs of a wide range of
1.3 Caring and effective teaching skill The program candidates must be able to teach
NYS Ethics
for all. Educators apply their professional knowledge to promote student learning. They know
the curriculum and utilize a range of strategies and assessments to address differences. Educators
develop and implement programs based upon a strong understanding of human development and
learning theory. They support a challenging learning environment. They advocate for necessary
resources to teach to higher levels of learning. They establish and maintain clear standards of
behavior and civility. Educators are role models, displaying the habits of mind and work
necessary to develop and apply knowledge while simultaneously displaying a curiosity and
enthusiasm for learning. They invite students to become active, inquisitive, and discerning
Ontario Ethics
Respect - Intrinsic to the ethical standard of Respect are trust and fair-mindedness.
Members honour human dignity, emotional wellness and cognitive development. In their
professional practice, they model respect for spiritual and cultural values, social justice,
Grade 4
Lesson 1-3
ELA 4R1 - Locate and refer to relevant details and evidence when explaining what a text
Grade 4
Lesson 1- 3
Language Reading for Meaning Standard 1.5 - Make inferences about texts using stated
State your central focus and explain how your plans build on each other to help students make connections throughout the
learning segment. (edTPA Task 1, Prompt 1)
The central focus of this learning segment is for students to purposefully make inferences about a text using both stated and implied
information from the text as evidence. Students will learn to consider all facts available to them via evidence that can be found in a given
text and use that evidence to infer relevant knowledge from a given text. This particular segment relies mainly on images as evidence
for the students to make inferences regarding the nature of the text and story. All 3 stories are heavy in imagery with very little text
available and in some cases no text at all. The purpose of using these is to challenge students find evidence within the images and make
connection and draw conclusions without stated evidence that is normally found with accompanying text. The learning segment
introduces more challenging activities that paired with more challenging images containing subtler or fewer clues. The segment begins
with students inferring at a very basic level what is taking place within a story based on the provided images. It then builds upon the
learnings of lesson one by encouraging students to make inferences on a single image which they then must relate to via a reflection.
They must now work with fewer clues and the expected inferences to be made are more ambiguous which forces them to make more
challenging inferences. Finally, following a guided reading activity, students will be expected to make inferences based on very limited
imagery to infer the ambiguous concept of how indigenous students were treated in residential school. Students will need to infer their
feelings and challenges using very limited text and imagery and must express themselves as if they were students in a residential
school. Each lesson presents more challenging tasks that require higher order of cognition. Students will leverage the knowledge and
skills learned from the previous lesson in order to be successful in subsequent activities.
Create an assessment plan that will describe how you will use multiple forms of assessments that will provide direct evidence
to monitor your students’ progress toward meeting the central focus of the learning segment. (edTPA Task 1, Prompt 5a)
This learning segment will use multiple forms of assessment throughout the various learning plans to monitor a student’s progress
through the segment. Assessments will range from verbal interactions with the students during question and answer period. Formative
assessment conducted via questioning during group and individual work. Students will also be assessed based on material that is
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handed in at the end of each lesson. The material will be developed by groups of students and students will also demonstrate their
understanding by material developed individually. Overall assessment will cover:
Formative assessment via student questions and answers (during group work and during material presentation)
Assessment based on material that is handed in: annotated images, 1 page reflection, KWL Chart, T-Chart and letter home
Students will also be assessed on how they present their inferred ideas back to the class following the completion of an activity
Explain how the design or adaptation of your planned assessments allows students with specific needs to demonstrate their
learning. Consider the variety of learners in your class who may require different strategies/support (e.g. students with IEPs
or 504 plans, English language learners, struggling or underperforming students or those with gaps in knowledge, and/or
gifted students). (edTPA Task 1, Prompt 5b)
The lessons throughout the segment are adapted either at the assessment level or at the support level to ensure that all types of
learners are able to be successful in their learning. The classroom will be equipped with visual aids such as larger or clearer images for
students with poor vision, word walls with key words and definitions for ENL students and flexible seating for students with ADHD.
Furthermore assessment is always tailored to ensure the students can demonstrate understanding and mastery of the concepts
regardless of any learning challenges they may have. ENL students will typically be expected to write less or in a less structured format
as long as they demonstrate understanding of the concept. Additional support such as close proximity to the teacher or groupings with
other students will also be utilized throughout the segment.
Describe and justify why your instructional strategies and planned supports are appropriate for the whole class, individuals,
and/or groups of students with specific learning needs. (edTPA Task 1, Prompt 3b)
The learning segment uses a blended approach of group work and individual activity with regular support from the teacher via either
classroom supports and tools or modifications to expected activities based on a student’s IEP. Each lesson will incorporate some level
of group, individual and whole class work which enables students to support and learn from one another. ENL students will be paired
with students who have a strong grasp of reading and writing in order to ensure collaborative learning. The texts in themselves are
rather simple, and they primarily consist of images which can be interpreted by all students. Guided reading activities and whole class
discussion gives all the students the opportunity to participate, contribute or simply listen. Furthermore regular touchpoints conducted
throughout the lesson will enable the teacher to conduct formative assessments throughout the lessons and tailor the activity or
support if needed including but not limited to direct support from the teacher during the lesson or activity.
Support your instructional strategies through theory and/or research. (edTPA Task 1, Prompt 3)
The instructional strategy provided throughout the segment is supported by a few aspects of the instructional theory. One primary
examples is the elaboration of key ideas or concepts where they are explained and reinforces throughout the various lessons. Students
will be consistently exposed to the definitions of inferencing and the two types of evidence will need to use that information multiple
times to successfully complete the activities. The reiteration on focus on key concepts is intended to help the students better
understand and retain the key skills and competencies of the lesson. Furthermore, each lesson requires a number the students to use
different cognitive levels of bloom’s taxonomy. While creation of new content is found throughout the segment they do proceed from
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lower levels such as comprehension of the story to analysis of the various or single image and eventually into evaluation of the real
challenges faced by indigenous people and finally synthesis of a hypothetical scenario where the students find themselves in a
residential school. The activities are all designed to have some level of ambiguity in order to force the students to operate in their zones
of proximal development. Cues and support from the teacher will be required in order for the students to successfully complete the
activities within the segment.
Describe anticipated common misconceptions students might have within your central focus and how you will address them.
(edTPA Task 1, Prompt 3c)
The most common misconceptions to likely occur throughout the lesson plan as it relates to the comprehension skill or the central focus
will be regarding the difference between stated and implied or explicit and implicit evidence. This misconception will be further
exacerbated by the fact that the texts being used for the segment consist primarily of images without supporting text. It is much easier
to identify what is explicit if supporting text is available that directly states it. In an effort to address this misconception, each lesson will
start with a review of the various definitions of types of evidence, along with real life examples provided by both the teacher and
student. The anticipatory set will also contain examples of both types of evidence and the definitions/examples will be left on the board
throughout the lesson. Finally, the teacher will ensure to consistently question the students regarding the type of evidence they are
using and why they believe it’s one type or other.
Where is the school where you are teaching located? City: ___ Suburb: _ x __ Town:_____ Rural: ____
- Goal: Work with a specialist and continue to receive updates from parents regarding
vision (declining or plateauing?). Scribing, Assistive Technology.
504/ADHD 1 - Close proximity to the teacher, flexible seating classroom (the bouncy ball), allow for
movement throughout the day,
- Goal: create lesson that will provide student opportunity to move around, discuss
and to be creative.
Students with Specific Language Needs
Language Needs Number Supports, Accommodations, Modifications
of Students
ENL 7 - Label classroom items, build vocabulary, assign a classroom buddy, modify
assignments and expectations, and provide reinforcement at home (audio book).
- Provide additional time if needed and a reduction in the number of tasks used to
assess key concept. Word bank.
- Goal: motivate students to join a club or extracurricular to continue to socialize and
build their vocabulary while communicating with peers.
Students with Other Learning Needs
Other Learning Needs # of Students Supports, Accommodations, Modifications
Behavior 1 - Accommodations: Student is receiving daily check-ins in the morning and before the
Disruptive and occasional tantrums end of the day.
- Student self-assesses their behavior throughout the day and receives a sticker based
on their behavior management.
- Teacher is to provide non-verbal cues to remind student to self-control and to self-
regulate.
- Using the Zones of regulation to manage emotions and behavior. All kids will
participate in mindfulness activities to help as well.
- Close proximity to the teacher.
The central focus of this learning segment is for students to purposefully make inferences about a text using both stated and implied
information from the text as evidence. Students will learn to consider all facts available to them via evidence that can be found in a given
text and use that evidence to infer relevant knowledge from a given text.
-Prior knowledge on inferencing. In lesson one the teacher performed a whole class example by reading a text and asking inferencing
questions
-Students are familiar with both explicit and implied evidence and understand that both types of evidence should be used when they are
attempting to make inferences
-Students are familiar with inferencing as they were exposed to inferencing strategies and exercises from grade 1 and onwards
How will you use this knowledge to inform your instruction? (edTPA Handbook, Task 1, Prompt 3a)
- While students are already familiar with the concept of inferencing and the types of evidence available to them it is important to
provide them with a refresher with regards to what implicit and explicit evidence is along with how to find this type of evidence in a
text
- Students have typically used both visuals and written words as a means to collect explicit and implied evidence, given their familiarity,
the text for this lesson consists of only visuals and students will need to infer what is happening using images only
What do you know about your students’ personal, cultural, and community assets as they relate to the central focus? (edTPA
Handbook, Task 1, Prompt 2b)
The teacher chose this story because the school is located in a very multicultural area of the city with students of different races,
cultures and religions living and learning together. They recognize the importance of community and acceptance on how people must
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collaborate and help one another in order to be successful. Their insight into these values will help them to infer meaning from the story
with the limited information available.
How will you use this knowledge to inform your instruction? (edTPA Handbook, Task 1, Prompt 3a)
The story very subtly references the underground railroad and the challenges faced by runaway slaves. The main character in the book
choses to help the runaway hide from those who are trying to capture them. The activity will heavily rely on the student’s sense of
community and the values they demonstrate regarding compassion and empathy for others. The teacher will use the student’s values to
prompt them towards potential conclusion should they require additional assistance.
Curriculum Standards
NYS Next Generation English Language Arts Learning Standards: Key Ideas and Details – 4R1
Locate and refer to relevant details and evidence when explaining what a text says explicitly/implicitly and make logical inferences.
(RI&RL)
The Ontario Curriculum (Grades 1-8) Language: Grade 4 Reading – Reading for Meaning Standard 1.5
Make inferences about texts using stated and implied ideas from the texts as evidence
Syntax The students will use template Following the end of the activity when students present
Describe ways in which students will activity sheets to draft supporting their narrative the teacher will ask them for the evidence
organize language (symbols, words, text or captions for the images that they used to infer meaning for the images and the stories
phrases) to convey meaning. are contained in the book main idea. The teacher will then document on the board
their inference along with the evidence in a way that links
the two. i.e. the character was helping them because she
brought them food
1. Prior to lesson place a bag of items under one student’s desk Ensure student with ADHD
2. Have student pull the bag out from under their desk, claiming that the teacher’s roommate left the has bag
bag in the teacher’s car. Ask students to start pulling the objects out, one at a time. As the objects are under their chair
pulled out of the bag, have students infer what type of trip this person was going on. Ask the students
do they think about this person: Ensure difficult words related
a. Boy or girl to objects are explained by
b. Organized or not very organized teacher for ENL students
c. Are they ready for the trip we think they are going on? Why, why not?
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3. Explain to the students that they just used their inferencing skills to determine information about the
person and the person’s trip and that we will be using a book with just images to create a story using
our inferences.
Instructional Procedures
1. Following opening, explain to students what an inference is, which is use evidence both implicit and Youtube video of the story
explicit evidence to infer information or make a conclusion provided for visually impaired
2. Describe explicit evidence as something that is stated or shown directly in a passage or image student
3. Describe implicit evidence as something that is not directly stated but the reader can understand it
because of clues provided in the text or the image Flexible seating (bouncy ball)
4. Explain that tomorrow we will be using a text with words to inference information but today we
will practice inferencing with images alone. Explain they will be using the evidence in the images to Teacher chose the groups
infer what is happening in the story according to learning needs
5. Explain that images can convey a lot of meaning if students can find the clues within them or that
multiple images put together in the right sequence can tell a story Close proximity to teacher
6. The teacher will explain the activity for today.
- Students will be split into groups of 3-4 students and provided a handout that includes all the Big visuals
images from the text
- In groups, the students will be expected to review the images from the text that are in the Word wall
handouts and for each set of images will be asked to draft accompanying text that describe
what is transpiring in the story. The goal is to supplement the story with a narrative that the
students create using their inferences from the images. Students are asked to fill-out captions
for all pages. They do not need to fill out all of the lines on a given page as long as the text
conveys information regarding what is happening in the story
- After they have completed all the pages students will be asked to document “What the story
is about” on the last page
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7. Students should be given 15-20 minutes to complete their activity. Teacher should walk around the
classroom to observe their progress and asking probing question such as “why did you write that”,
“what evidence did you find to infer that conclusion” or “why do you think this is happening”.
Ensure to provide reminders with regards to timing
8. Once the time is up, the groups will be asked to come to the front on the class to present their
narrative of the students along with their “What the story is about” statement. Throughout, the
teacher should ask the group for the evidence they used to draft the text. The teacher will write
their evidence out using statement that support inferencing i.e. She is helping him hide because she
is sneaking food out from her own plate instead of asking her parents for food.
Closure -ENL students can request
Teacher will ask students to pull out their journals and document their definition of what inferencing is teacher’s help with drafting
as well as what they learned about the topic of inferencing. Students are encouraged to write in their learnings in their journals or
journals as if they were explaining inferencing to their parents/guardians. Remind students we will be do not need to use complete
practicing again tomorrow using a story with text. sentences
Materials/ tech tools:
Unspoken book by Henry Cole, handouts that include all the images from the book with lines at the bottom for students to document
captions or a narrative from the book. Student journals for closure activity. White board documenting statements describing their
inferencing from the story. A bag with items of a teachers choosing, for this lesson the bag will include a beach towel, sunglasses, a
bathing suit and flip flops.
Activity
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The central focus of this learning segment is for students to purposefully make inferences about a text using both stated and implied
information from the text as evidence. Students will learn to consider all facts available to them via evidence that can be found in a given
text and use that evidence to infer relevant knowledge from a given text.
-Prior knowledge on inferencing. In lesson one the teacher performed a group activity where students were asked to use images to
inference what was occurring on each page of the text as well as inference the subject of the story
-Students are familiar with both explicit and implied evidence and understand that both types of evidence should be used when they are
attempting to make inferences
-Students are familiar with inferencing as they were exposed to inferencing strategies and exercises from grade 1 and onwards
How will you use this knowledge to inform your instruction? (edTPA Handbook, Task 1, Prompt 3a)
- While students are already familiar with the concept of inferencing and the types of evidence available to them it is important to
provide them with a refresher with regards to what implicit and explicit evidence is along with how to find this type of evidence in a
text
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- Students have typically used both visuals and written words as a means to collect explicit and implied evidence, given their familiarity,
the text for this lesson will again only consist visuals but students will have more freedom in interpretation of the images as they need
to determine how they relate to any one image that will be posted in the class
What do you know about your students’ personal, cultural, and community assets as they relate to the central focus? (edTPA
Handbook, Task 1, Prompt 2b)
The teacher chose this story because it builds upon the lessons and skills developed in the last lesson and allows for students to express
themselves. As the students are very expressive this book paired with this activity enables the students to use their self-reflection and
expression skills paired to learn more about inferencing using visual evidence.
How will you use this knowledge to inform your instruction? (edTPA Handbook, Task 1, Prompt 3a)
The lesson will reference the activity conducted in the past lesson where students used multiple images to make inferences about a
story. Students will now be asked to complete a similar activity using less images (evidence) and will rely on what they learnt and their
expressiveness to infer to and relate to an image of their choosing.
Curriculum Standards
NYS Next Generation English Language Arts Learning Standards: Key Ideas and Details – 4R1
Locate and refer to relevant details and evidence when explaining what a text says explicitly/implicitly and make logical inferences.
(RI&RL)
The Ontario Curriculum (Grades 1-8) Language: Grade 4 Reading – Reading for Meaning Standard 1.5
Make inferences about texts using stated and implied ideas from the texts as evidence
Students will use a single image from the text Informally students will be assessed by the Teacher will work very closely with
and analyze to better understand what is responses they provide to the questions students who have challenges with
occurring in the image or the overall during the lesson introduction and any writing longer excerpts. ENL students
tone/feeling of the image. They will use their additional probing questions asked during will be allowed to write shorter
analysis to write a 2 page reflection the activity. Additionally the snowball reflections and students who struggle
closure activity will help to assess the with writing will be supported by teacher
information the students learned from the prompts during the activity.
lesson.
ENL students will also not be assessed on
Formal assessment will be based on the their writing skill but their ability to infer
reflections submitted by the students where what is occurring in the image and their
the teacher will assess their ability to collect thought process when relating to the
implicit and explicit evidence in the images image.
make an inference about the situation in the
image and determine how and why they
relate to the image. Students will be
assessed on the way they communicate
their relation to the images and their
writing in the reflection.
Key words and phrases students predict, guess, assume, implicit, lesson. Key vocabulary will be added to the word bank in
need to be able to understand and explicit advance of the lesson for ENL students. In addition students
use
Syntax The students will be required to Definitions for all key terms will be documented on the
Describe ways in which students willdraft a 1 page reflection regarding board along with examples from the anticipatory set.
organize language (symbols, words, the image they have selected, how Students will use these examples when drafting their one
phrases) to convey meaning. they relate to it and the evidence page reflection.
they used to form that relation to
the image.
Discourse The students will have the The teacher will support the students by engaging the class
How members of a discipline talk, opportunity to use the vocabulary in a group discussion regarding the images they chose and
write, and participate in knowledge and language both during the the inferences they made. During presentations the teacher
construction and communicate their drafting of their reflection in will ask probing questions and invite other students to
understanding of the concepts. addition to when they present the common on or discuss how their reflection was similar or
image they chose and why different to their peers.
Instructional Process Accommodations and/or
Modifications and/or Supports
Anticipatory Set/Motivator
1. Prior to lesson have the following commercial ready on the smartboard for the students to Ensure difficult words related to
watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQ4K-TZXt7E#action=share objects are explained by teacher for
2. Play the short video for the students ENL students i.e. tone, purpose etc
3. Ask the following questions:
a. What does the tone of the music tell us about the situation? Allow visually impaired student to
b. What do you think the man was looking for? sit in front of computer if it is easier
c. What might have happened to the cat? to see
d. What was probably the purpose of the bag of Doritos?
4. As the students answer the question ask them what evidence they used to come up with the
answers. Once they provide examples of the evidence, ask them to determine if it is explicit or
implicit evidence
5. Reiterate that once again students used evidence to draw conclusions or answer questions or
they made inferences
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Instructional Procedures
1. Following the opening activity, the teacher will revisit the concepts that were presented and Enlarged version of the photos for
discussed at yesterday’s lesson. visually impaired students
2. The teacher will ask the students a series of questions: What is inferencing? What is an
inference? What is needed to make an inference? Does it need to be written or can other Flexible seating (bouncy ball)
types of information be used to make inferences? What are the two types of evidence we can
find? What does it mean when evidence is explicit? Give me an example of explicit evidence. Teacher chose the groups according
What does it mean when evidence is implicit? Give me an example of implicit evidence. to learning needs
3. The teacher will document the answers to their questions on the board, ensuring to properly
define: inferencing, implicit evidence and explicit evidence Close proximity to teacher
a. Inferencing: An inference is an idea or conclusion that's drawn from evidence and
reasoning Word wall with challenging words
b. Implicit Evidence: implied or suggested, but not clearly stated and definitions
c. Explicit Evidence: clearly stated so there is no room for confusion or questions
4. The teacher will summarize the activity from the last class. Indicate that during the last lesson ENL students can write a shorter
the students viewed a story with no text and in groups were tasked with writing reflection half to ¾ of a page and
accompanying text with the images. The students were also asked to use the evidence in the can use point form if they desire
pictures, both implicit and explicit to try and determine what the overall story was about.
Remind students that despite the large amount of evidence in the pictures it was still Students can choose to write with
challenging to determine the subject of the story. paper and pencil or using a
5. The teacher will then introduce the book for today’s lesson: The Mysteries of Harris Burdick Chromebook
by Chris Van Allsburg. The book is a series of unrelated but very detailed images. The
objective of today’s lesson is for the students to:
a. Use the inferencing skills they learned in the previous lesson to review a set of images
b. Attempt to infer what is occurring in the image or the overall tone or feeling of the
image
c. Choose an image that they relate to
d. Draft a 1 page reflection about the image, how they relate to it and why
6. The teacher will then instruct the children to calmly circulate around the class and take the
time to review the images that have already been posted around the classroom. Once a
student has chosen the image they can then take only 1 copy of that image which will be
placed in piles under the image itself. The students must then return to their desk to
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individually draft a 1 page reflection about the image and how/why they relate to it. Students
will be given 15 minutes to complete this task.
7. The teacher will circulate through the room to review what is being drafted and ask probing
questions for students who may be struggling.
8. Once the 15 minutes are complete, the teacher will ask the class if anyone wants to share part
of their reflection
Closure -ENL students can request teacher’s
Snowball: Teacher will hand out a piece of paper to each student and ask them to document 2 help with drafting learnings on their
things they learned about themselves based on the picture they chose and the reflection they piece of paper can also use point
wrote. Students are then asked to crumple up the paper into a ball and to throw it to the front of form and images to express
the classroom towards the teacher like a snowball. themselves
Materials/ tech tools:
The Mysteries of Harris Burdick book by Chris Van Allsburg, printed copies of the images in the text that can be displayed across the class
for the group activity (copies of the book or larger versions on the photos in the book for visually impaired students). Blank pieces of
paper for the students to use during the closure activity. White board prompts with examples of implicit and explicit definition and
examples for students to use during reflection. Commercial shown on smart board Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQ4K-
TZXt7E#action=share with supporting questions:
Activity
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The central focus of this learning segment is for students to purposefully make inferences about a text using both stated and implied
information from the text as evidence. Students will learn to consider all facts available to them via evidence that be found in a given
text and use that evidence to infer relevant knowledge from a given text.
-Prior knowledge on inferencing. In lesson one the teacher performed a whole class example by reading a text and asking inferencing
questions
-Students are familiar with the topic of residential schools (relevant to book used for guided reading activity) as the teacher engaged in
discussion with students September 30th
-Students are familiar with inferencing as they were exposed to inferencing strategies and exercises from grade 1 and onwards
How will you use this knowledge to inform your instruction? (edTPA Handbook, Task 1, Prompt 3a)
- Because students have already been introduced to inferencing through the whole class example they should be ready to independently
inference a text following a guided reading activity
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- The teacher will remind students of past inferencing exercises as well as the elements of the story they used as evidence for their
inferencing. The teacher will instruct the students to consider different key pieces of information in the text that can be used to infer
various aspects of the story
What do you know about your students’ personal, cultural, and community assets as they relate to the central focus? (edTPA
Handbook, Task 1, Prompt 2b)
The teacher chose this story because the school is located in a very multicultural area of the city with students of different races,
cultures and religions living and learning together. Furthermore, the class has recently finished Orange Shirt Day where students
learned about residential schools in Canada and the impact they had on the Native American people.
How will you use this knowledge to inform your instruction? (edTPA Handbook, Task 1, Prompt 3a)
The story very subtly references the issues faced by students in residential schools and provides enough evidence for students to draw
conclusions regarding the problems they faced. Using what they were taught leading up to and on Orange Shirt day, the students will
pull evidence from the story that relates to what they recently learnt.
Curriculum Standards
NYS Next Generation English Language Arts Learning Standards: Key Ideas and Details – 4R1
Locate and refer to relevant details and evidence when explaining what a text says explicitly/implicitly and make logical inferences.
(RI&RL)
The Ontario Curriculum (Grades 1-8) Language: Grade 4 Reading – Reading for Meaning Standard 1.5
Make inferences about texts using stated and implied ideas from the texts as evidence
Students will use evidence from the text to In groups: students will be given pairs of Teacher will carefully pair-up students
draw conclusions that allow them to pictures and excerpts from the text to who will collaborate together and help
compare a characters feelings in the various analyze and make inferences. They will use each other. For example, pairing up an
scenarios within the text. chart paper to jot-down their ideas. They ELL student with a student meeting
will need to infer what the students are expectations in writing
feeling and what they are experiencing in
each picture/text pair. Students must also Teacher will provide a big picture for
justify their reasoning using information in clear visual.
the text. Students will then present what
information they have inferred. Flexible seating and close proximity to
teacher for students with ADHD
Function Cognitive Domain: Inferencing The teacher will support the students to inference from the
Looking at your standards and Bloom’s Verb: Inference selected by proving images from the texts and key excerpts
objectives, choose the one Bloom’s that contain relevant information for the purpose of
word that best describes the active inferencing. The teacher will support them by drawing
learning essential for students to connections to the whole group inferencing activity done in
develop understanding of concepts the previous lesson.
within your lesson.
Vocabulary Inference, infer, clues, evidence, The teacher will present the definition of the word
Key words and phrases students details, information, conclusion, inferencing and provide examples of simpler synonyms. Key
need to be able to understand and predict, guess, assume, vocabulary will be added to the word bank in advance of the
use lesson for ENL students.
Syntax The students will use template The teacher will open with an example written on the flip
Describe ways in which students will chart paper to properly state and chart using the stories title and cover illustration. The
organize language (symbols, words, organize the evidence they found in teacher will explain that based on the image and the
phrases) to convey meaning. the text and what they were able to statement within the title, they believe the characters are
infer from the information i.e. I feeling a certain way.
think the student is feeling sad and
alone because they are sitting in an Larger versions of the cover art and title will be provided to
empty room and looking at a wall all students (but are primarily for visually impaired
students).
Anticipatory Set/Motivator
The teacher will engage the students and introduce the concept of inferencing by starting the class with - Ensure student with ADHD
a riddle on the board. The riddle will start very ambiguous at first. Students will be asked to check has a clue under their chair
under their chair where the teacher will have stuck a clue under some of the chairs. One by one
students will reveal one of the clues. After a clue is revealed the class will again attempt to - Ensure difficult words in
collaboratively solve the riddle. clues are explained by
teacher for ENL students
Once the riddle is solved, the teacher will explain how the collection and analysis of the clues provided
have allowed the students to infer the answer. The teacher will explain that none of the clues on their
own would give students the answer to the question but as more clues are revealed the answer
becomes easier to infer.
Instructional Procedures
1. Before beginning the exercise, the teacher will provide students with a quick refresher on Youtube video of the story
inferencing and a review on the activity/lesson from yesterday to remind them of key components provided for visually impaired
2. In terms of review, students will have a visual definition of inferencing and examples on the board student
3. Before reading the book “When We Were Alone” teacher and students will create a (Know, What to
Know, Learned )KWL chart about the topic of Indigenous people. The KWL chart will help us Flexible seating (bouncy ball)
provide notes on what we KNOW about the topic, what we WANT to know and what we LEARNED
after reading the book. Teacher chose the groups
4. Once the KWL chart is completed, students will gather around the teacher to read-aloud the book according to learning needs
5. Teacher will tell students to pay close attention to the words and images in the book and while
reading, the teacher will ask prediction questions, inferencing questions and comment on different Close proximity to teacher
aspects of the book to provide guidance.
6. After reading the book to the class, students will be placed in groups of 3-4 and they will receive
chart paper and pair of photos. Big visuals
7. Once the groups are settled in their spots, the teacher will explain the success criteria and what is
expected. First of all, students will need to create a t-chart with the each picture (3 total) as a
category. Students will need to analyze, compare and infer those two pictures and infer the Word wall
following: What are the characters feeling, what are they doing and what could they be thinking.
They need to compare aspects of color, clothing, picture background and their surroundings.
Students should summarize the evidence they used to make their inferences.
MSED ELEMENTARY PORTFOLIO PROJECT 43
8. Students will receive 15-20 minutes to come up with their findings and a timer will be provided for
time-management skills and monitoring. As students ask questions on how to spell certain words,
the teacher will create a word bank on the board. As words are written down, the whole class will
benefit and get inspired. A few words will already be listed on the board such as types of emotions.
9. Once the time is up, students will present their findings and chart paper will stay posted around the
room.
10. As a follow-up to the inferencing comparison, students are starting to realize that their experiences
in school are completely different from the students who’ve attended residential schools. They will
take the empathy they are feeling and start writing a solo activity letter writing piece. Before they
write their letter, students will be expected to create scenarios that they might encounter as
students at a residential school, students are encouraged to use evidence from the story when
drafting new scenarios for their letter. The teacher will start with an example for the students,
making sure to use evidence front the text to infer other possible challenges faced by students in
residential schools.
Closure -Ask student with ADHD to
Teacher will provide students with post-it notes to allow them to draft an exit ticket stating what they hand-out post-it notes
learned and why they think inferencing is an important skill.
Materials/ tech tools:
When We Were Alone book, pre-populate chart paper (3 columns: what are they feeling, what they are experiencing, why do you think
that). Pairs of pictures from the text (in school vs alone) with partial excerpts from each page. Post-it notes for clues and exit tickets.
White board for riddle. Copies of the riddle for that anticipatory set along with clues e.g. Clue 1: I can be long or I can be short. Clue 2: I
can be grown and I can be bought. Clue 3: I can be painted or left bare. Clue 4: I can be round or even square. What am I?
Answer: Fingernails
MSED ELEMENTARY PORTFOLIO PROJECT 44
MSED ELEMENTARY PORTFOLIO PROJECT 45
MSED ELEMENTARY PORTFOLIO PROJECT 46
MSED ELEMENTARY PORTFOLIO PROJECT 47
Artifact Overview
The second artifact that is being included in my portfolio is my mathematical lesson plan
to teach students at the 5th grade level how to graph on a coordinate plane. This lesson plan was
developed in collaboration with 3 other teaching candidates where we were tasked with creating
a learning segment as a team. Each candidate had the expectation of creating a lesson plan for the
segment in question. We were all guided by the same central focus, however each of us had a
With regards to this particular artifact, it was included as it demonstrated a more focused
approach to assessment. The lesson plan was to be used as day 4 of a 4 day segment in which
students would be taught based on the results of a summative assessment that occurred on day 3
of the segment. The goal was to review and re-assess students based on concepts that they
experienced challenges with on day 3 of the segment. While it is again an artifact that
demonstrates planning, the artifact in question is focused primarily on the assessment of the
students and the response to the results of an assessment for the students in my classroom. It
therefore demonstrates how I as a teacher would modify instruction based on the individual
needs of my students and the academic difficulties they may encounter in my classroom. It also
accounts for all modifications or accommodation in the event that a student has an IEP or other
needs.
InTASC
7(a) The teacher individually and collaboratively selects and creates learning experiences
that are appropriate for curriculum goals and content standards, and are relevant to learners
7(b) The teacher plans how to achieve each student’s learning goals, choosing
7(c) The teacher develops appropriate sequencing of learning experiences and provides
Standard 6 – Assessment
6(a) The teacher balances the use of formative and summative assessment as appropriate
6(b) The teacher designs assessments that match learning objectives with assessment
methods and minimizes sources of bias that can distort assessment results.
6(e) The teacher engages learners in multiple ways of demonstrating knowledge and skill
TEAC
1.1 Subject matter knowledge The program candidates must understand the subject
1.2 Pedagogical knowledge The program candidates must be able to convert their
knowledge of subject matter into compelling lessons that meet the needs of a wide range of
1.3 Caring and effective teaching skill The program candidates must be able to teach
NYS Ethics
MSED ELEMENTARY PORTFOLIO PROJECT 3
for all. Educators apply their professional knowledge to promote student learning. They know
the curriculum and utilize a range of strategies and assessments to address differences. Educators
develop and implement programs based upon a strong understanding of human development and
learning theory. They support a challenging learning environment. They advocate for necessary
resources to teach to higher levels of learning. They establish and maintain clear standards of
behavior and civility. Educators are role models, displaying the habits of mind and work
necessary to develop and apply knowledge while simultaneously displaying a curiosity and
enthusiasm for learning. They invite students to become active, inquisitive, and discerning
Ontario Ethics
Respect - Intrinsic to the ethical standard of Respect are trust and fair-mindedness.
Members honour human dignity, emotional wellness and cognitive development. In their
professional practice, they model respect for spiritual and cultural values, social justice,
Grade 5
axes, to define a coordinate system, with the intersection of the lines (the origin) arranged to
coincide with the 0 on each line and a given point in the plane located by using an ordered pair of
numbers, called its coordinates. Understand that the first number indicates how far to travel from
the origin in the direction of one axis, and the second number indicates how far to travel in the
MSED ELEMENTARY PORTFOLIO PROJECT 4
direction of the second axis, with the convention that the names of the two axes and the
graphing points in the first quadrant of the coordinate plane, and interpret coordinate values of
Grade 5
Geometry and Spatial Sense - Locate an object using the cardinal directions and a
coordinate system
Data Management and Probability – Collect and organize discrete or continuous primary
data and secondary data and display the date in charts, tables, and graphs that have appropriate
titles, labels and scales that suit the range and distribution of the data
Measurement - Estimate and measure the perimeter and area of regular and irregular
Where is the school where you are teaching located? City: ___X____ Suburb: _______ Town:_______ Rural: ______
The central focus of the learning segment is to familiarize students with key terminology, functions and practical use of quadrant one from the
coordinate plane in order to explore math and real-world problems
Students have an understanding of the coordinate plane and that points, shapes or landmarks can be represented on a plane or a grid system as they have
learned these concepts as part of grade 4 mathematics
Students have prior knowledge of geometric shapes and the concepts of both perpendicular and parallel lines through previous math lessons this year and
in previous years
Students have utilized the key vocabulary terms in the previous lessons within the segment and are familiar with the appropriate syntax for plotting and
reading points on a coordinate plan
How will you use this knowledge to inform your instruction? (edTPA Handbook, Task 1, Prompt 3a)
Knowing that students have a level of experience with plotting and reading points on a coordinate plane, as well as navigating through the first quadrant,
instruction of the students will involve varying degrees of instruction based on the students’ performance on the previous lesson’s assessment. Instruction
and the activity during the lesson will aim to address challenges encountered by the student in the previous assessment. Enrichment activities are
available where students will expand beyond plotting in the first quadrant
Prior knowledge of geometric shapes will be used to integrate subject matter in geometry in both the activity and in any additional discussion within the
classroom. The activities in the classroom will involve plotting forms to create shapes and identification of perpendicular and parallel lines
Students will be encouraged to use the key vocabulary terms that they have learned in the previous lessons to discuss their answers with the classroom.
The teacher will model the use of words and prompt students to use key vocabulary terms to ensure learning and retention
MSED ELEMENTARY PORTFOLIO PROJECT 4
Students in the classroom come from a very diverse background both from a religious, cultural and racial perspective. Students in the classroom enjoy
teaching their peers about their background and their peers enjoy learning about those backgrounds
A number of students in the classroom come from lower socio-economic households and live in a community with strong social values where families
regularly help and support one another through challenges. Students in the classroom have a strong sense of community and value a social structure
where the community supports it’s citizens
How will you use this knowledge to inform your instruction? (edTPA Handbook, Task 1, Prompt 3a)
When providing instruction and explanation of the activity, the teacher will encourage the students to ask their peers questions when they encounter
challenges before they reach out to the teacher for additional help and support
Given that students enjoy teaching and learning from their peers in the classroom, students who performed well on the assessment from last class will be
paired with students who were challenged. They will work through the problems together to enable peer to peer support and learning. Students who have
performed well and wish to work independently will be given the opportunity to do so
Curriculum Standards
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.5.G.A.2 - Represent real world and mathematical problems by graphing points in the first quadrant of the
coordinate plane, and interpret coordinate values of points in the context of the situation.
Ontario:
Grade 5 Mathematics Expectations
Geometry and Spatial Sense - Locate an object using the cardinal directions and a coordinate system
Data Management and Probability – Collect and organize discrete or continuous primary data and secondary data and display the
date in charts, tables, and graphs that have appropriate titles, labels and scales that suit the range and distribution of the data
MSED ELEMENTARY PORTFOLIO PROJECT 5
Measurement - Estimate and measure the perimeter and area of regular and irregular polygons using a variety of tools
At the end of the lesson students will be able to utilize The teacher will formatively assess a student’s Allow students additional time to provide
coordinates to plot points on a coordinate plane in understanding using the responses to the “Write answers to any questions posed
any of the 4 quadrants your Coordinates – Shapes” worksheet. The teacher For ENL students, teacher will ask
will also circulate through the classroom while questions to prompt use of key
students collaborate and complete the worksheet to vocabulary
monitor discussion and math reasoning. The Teacher will engage ADHD student
student’s conceptual understanding will be directly and allow them to use
measured using their ability to identify the shapes manipulatives to plot points using a
that were formed as well as the perpendicular and physical representations of the
parallel lines in the shapes. coordinate plane (peg board and elastic
band)
Furthermore students will be asked to share their Access to the word bank for groups with
responses to the worksheet with the class and ENL students or struggling readers
discuss their process for determining the responses Verbal description of the steps in the
activity for ENL and struggling students
Students who experienced challenges in
the previous assessment can plot points
in 2 of the 4 quadrants as opposed to all
of 4 of them.
At the end of the lesson students will be able to The teacher will formatively assess a student’s Allow students additional time to provide
identify the X and Y coordinates of points that are understanding using the responses to the “Ordered answers to any questions posed
plotted in a coordinate plane as well as the shapes Pairs” and “Write your Coordinates” worksheets. The For ENL students, teacher will ask
that the plotted points form. teacher will also circulate through the classroom questions to prompt use of key
while students collaborate and complete the vocabulary.
worksheet to monitor discussion and math Teacher will engage ADHD student
reasoning. directly and allow them to answer
questions by drawing out or plotting
their response on the board
MSED ELEMENTARY PORTFOLIO PROJECT 6
Students will be asked to share their responses Access to the word bank for groups with
during class discussion and to explain how they ENL students or struggling readers
linked the points to a coordinate. Their explanation Verbal description of the steps in the
will be used to formatively assess their procedural activity for ENL and struggling students
understanding. The worksheets can be modified to
contain an example coordinate in each of
the 4 quadrants
Vocabulary
Key words and phrases students need to be 1. Coordinates The teacher will use the performance on the previous
able to understand and use 2. Origin lesson to gauge what vocabulary words require
3. Coordinate Plane additional reinforcement. The teacher will briefly
4. X-Axis review and define words and terms that were
5. Y-Axis challenging for students. Moreover the teacher will
6. Quadrant ensure to reference and model the use of each word
7. Ordered pairs during the instruction period prior to the activity as
8. Perpendicular well as encourage students to use correct vocabulary
9. Parallel when they respond to questions. The teacher will do so
MSED ELEMENTARY PORTFOLIO PROJECT 7
Discourse
How members of a discipline talk, write, Students will have the opportunity to The teacher will model and guide the students through
and participate in knowledge construction engage in group and whole class the reading, plotting and discussion of plotting
and communicate their understanding of
the concepts
discussion as it pertains to the coordinates on a plane. The teacher will guide the
responses on the worksheet. Students students by using prompting questions to encourage
will discuss their math reasoning to the use of correct vocabulary and procedure. The
explain the responses to their questions. teacher will also encourage other students to provide
responses to questions posed by the peers by
Students will also be paired in groups providing them the opportunity to respond. The
that facilitate peer to peer instructions teacher will also document responses using key
and support. Student will be enabled to vocabulary words on the board that students can refer
provide explanation and instruction to to during the lesson if needed.
their group members as well as pose
MSED ELEMENTARY PORTFOLIO PROJECT 8
“Boys and girls, today we will be reviewing the concepts that we have been learning over the
past 3 days with regards to the coordinate plane, Quadrant 1 and we will also be learning
Access to the word wall or word
about plotting coordinates into Quadrants 2, 3 and 4 which include negative coordinates.”
bank at the front of the classroom
for ENL students
Who can remind me what coordinates are and what they represent? Does anybody
Close seating to the teacher, use
remember how to properly document or write down coordinates? Can someone please give
of ball as chair for student with
me an example of a coordinate?
ADHD. Provide them with
opportunity to get up and scribe
The teacher will then draw a coordinate plane on the board and will not label the 4
their answer if they would like to
quadrants. The teacher will then ask the students what is the name of the horizontal line in
Repeating of questions clearly for
the coordinate plane. Once students have answered, ask them the name of the vertical line in
struggling readers
the coordinate plane. If needed ask students to come to the board and label the numbers in
Quadrant one from 0 – 10 on both the X and Y axis. Finally ask the students where the origin
can be found on the coordinate plane.
Instructional Procedures
Access to the word wall or word
bank at the front of the classroom
1. Following the anticipatory set the teacher will provide a brief overview of key for ENL students
concepts that based on the last lesson’s assessment may have been challenging. Close seating to the teacher, use
a. The teacher should formally define vocabulary terms that were either not used of ball as chair for student with
correctly or not well understand in Day 3 of the segment. The teacher should ADHD. Provide them with
aim to model the correct use of these opportunity to use pegboard and
MSED ELEMENTARY PORTFOLIO PROJECT 9
2. The teacher will then follow the vocabulary overview with a reminder of why elastic bands to plot coordinates
coordinate points are useful and how they can be applied. and draw shapes
a. The teacher will explain to the students that coordinates are an excellent tool Repeating of questions clearly for
to help with wayfinding by directing people the direction to travel in struggling readers
b. The teacher will explain that they are a great way to specify the location of a Frequent checks for
particular object, landmark or place and that they are often used in maps in understanding at all points where
different ways concepts or activities are
c. The teacher will also explain that they can help to determine the distance explained
between particular places and points depending on the grid or plane that they 1:1 engagement with student to
are mapped onto explain difficult concepts or
words if needed
3. The teacher will then explain to the students that coordinate planes do not only exist Access to workstation with
in Quadrant 1 which the class has been focusing on for the first 3 lessons of the google translate if needed
segment. The teacher will explain that there are in fact 4 quadrants in a typical Teacher can provide additional
coordinate plane examples on the worksheet for
coordinates on all 4 quadrants if
4. The teacher will then label the 4 different quadrants on the coordinate plane that was needed to assist with more
drawn on the board during the anticipatory set and discuss that while quadrant 1 challenging quadrants containing
deals only with positive coordinates, the other quadrants have some negative negative numbers
coordinates within them Teacher can read instruction on
the worksheet out loud and use
5. The teacher will outline that X represents going left and right and that the Y axis
simplified language to explain
represents going up and down. If we travel left down the X axis past the origin, we
activity
end up in quadrant 2 where the X coordinates are negative and the Y coordinates are
Specific hand gesture for ENL and
positive. If we then go in a downwards direction past the origin we then end up in
Struggling Readers that signal to
quadrant 3 where both coordinates for X and Y are negative. Finally, we maintain our
teacher when they require
Y position but travel towards the right past the origin again we end up in quadrant 4
assistance with challenging
which has a positive X coordinate but a negative Y coordinate. As the teacher
words
navigates through the various quadrants, they should ensure to draw points in each
quadrants with lines connecting the points. All points should form a 4 sided shape
(square or rectangle) that the teacher will ask the class to identify
MSED ELEMENTARY PORTFOLIO PROJECT 10
6. The teacher will then ask students to come to the board and attempt to label the
points with the correct coordinates on the whiteboard with a letter and the respective
coordinates. The teacher will then ask the students to identify the pairs of lines that
are perpendicular and the pairs of lines that are parallel. The teacher will ensure to
document all the responses on the board using correct vocabulary and annotation
7. The teacher will then hand out the ordered pairs worksheet to each student in the
classroom and instruct them that they will be filling out the worksheet together as a
class.
8. The teacher will start the activity by modeling the procedural knowledge and
reasoning required to complete one example of each question (i.e. determining one of
the ordered pairs and determining one of the letters that the documented ordered
pair belongs to)
a. The teacher should ensure to model the process steps for determining the
answer such as when a point is identified, first travel towards the X axis until
they reach the X axis, document an open “(“ then the number they landed on
the X axis “X coordinate”. They will then return to the point and travel towards
the Y axis until the reach a number on the Y axis. They will then add a “,” and
then the “Y coordinate” followed by a “)”. The reverse process should be
documented for identifying the letter that corresponds to the provided
ordered pair
9. The teacher will then circulate through the classroom and ask the students to provide
answers to the various questions on the worksheet. The teacher will ensure to
document the responses onto the board.
a. The teacher should ensure to ask prompting questions to assess a student’s
procedural knowledge and math reasoning. The student should explain how
they reached their answer. The teacher should also prompt them to use the
correct vocabulary. i.e. “what quadrant is that point in?” or “what axis does
that particular number represent?”
MSED ELEMENTARY PORTFOLIO PROJECT 11
10. The teacher will complete the worksheet with the class and then hand them the
remaining two worksheets (Write the Coordinates and Write the Coordinates –
Shapes worksheets). The students will be instructed to complete the “Write the
Coordinates” worksheet first before proceeding to the “Write the Coordinate –
Shapes” worksheet”
11. The teacher will then break the class up into groups of 2 – 3 students. The teacher
should ensure to group the students based on the results of the Day 3 assessment.
Students should be grouped with peers who understood concepts that they found
challenging and vice versa. The teacher will give the students 2 minutes to group up
and then inform them that each student must complete their own worksheet, they
can and should work with their partners and ask them questions. Inform the students
that they will have 20 minutes to complete the worksheets
12. The teacher will circulate across the room to monitor the student’s progress and
ensure that they are working collaboratively to answer the questions. The teacher
should ensure that the struggling students are not simply using the answers of their
peers. The teacher should use prompting questions to engage students who may be
struggling and help guide them to answers using questions that prompt both
procedural and math reasoning knowledge as well as conceptual understanding for
the shapes worksheets. Finally, the teacher should continue to ask prompting
questions to encourage the correct use of vocabulary in the same way that it was
done in step 9.
13. Teacher should give the students warnings at the 10, 5 and 1 minute mark, “Boys and
girls please note you only have X minutes left” At the end of the 15 minutes the teacher
will inform the students that they will be invited to share the results of their
discussion
14. Provide the students with 10 minutes to share their responses and discuss them
amongst the class. The teacher should continue to ask prompting questions and
ensure students are explaining their reasoning for how they arrived at an answer and
are using correct vocabulary while doing so. The teacher should also ask other
MSED ELEMENTARY PORTFOLIO PROJECT 12
students to explain their methodology if it was different from the other students. This
is done to model correct procedure.
List all materials and/or technology tools required for the lesson.
Key instructional materials must be attached. These materials might include such items as class handouts, assignments, slides, and
interactive white-board images.
Artifact Overview
The following artifact is a science lesson plan that aims to teach students in 5th grade the
concepts of engineering design. This lesson plan was developed to be part of a 4 day learning
segment on the topic of engineering design and was developed in collaboration with 4 other
teaching candidates. The segment itself was based on the same central focus but all lessons
covered different curriculum standards and had unique but interconnected expectations and
objectives.
with other teachers for the benefit of the students. As a prospective teacher, it is imperative that I
am able to work productively with other teachers and other specialists. In order to fulfill the
needs of a diverse student population, individuals with a variety of skill sets will likely be
engaged. Whether these are literacy specialists or special education teachers it is important for
teachers to be able to plan, instruct and assess in collaboration with others. Furthermore, I chose
to include this lesson as it assess their students on their ability to think scientifically about the
scientifically and critically which are extremely valuable attributes both in school and in life.
InTASC
7(a) The teacher individually and collaboratively selects and creates learning experiences
that are appropriate for curriculum goals and content standards, and are relevant to learners
MSED ELEMENTARY PORTFOLIO PROJECT 2
7(b) The teacher plans how to achieve each student’s learning goals, choosing
7(c) The teacher develops appropriate sequencing of learning experiences and provides
Standard 6 – Assessment
6(a) The teacher balances the use of formative and summative assessment as appropriate
6(b) The teacher designs assessments that match learning objectives with assessment
methods and minimizes sources of bias that can distort assessment results.
6(e) The teacher engages learners in multiple ways of demonstrating knowledge and skill
TEAC
1.1 Subject matter knowledge The program candidates must understand the subject
1.2 Pedagogical knowledge The program candidates must be able to convert their
knowledge of subject matter into compelling lessons that meet the needs of a wide range of
1.3 Caring and effective teaching skill The program candidates must be able to teach
NYS Ethics
for all. Educators apply their professional knowledge to promote student learning. They know
MSED ELEMENTARY PORTFOLIO PROJECT 3
the curriculum and utilize a range of strategies and assessments to address differences. Educators
develop and implement programs based upon a strong understanding of human development and
learning theory. They support a challenging learning environment. They advocate for necessary
resources to teach to higher levels of learning. They establish and maintain clear standards of
behavior and civility. Educators are role models, displaying the habits of mind and work
necessary to develop and apply knowledge while simultaneously displaying a curiosity and
enthusiasm for learning. They invite students to become active, inquisitive, and discerning
Ontario Ethics
Respect - Intrinsic to the ethical standard of Respect are trust and fair-mindedness.
Members honour human dignity, emotional wellness and cognitive development. In their
professional practice, they model respect for spiritual and cultural values, social justice,
Grade 5
3-5-ETS1-1 – Define a simple design problem reflecting a need or a want that includes
Grade 5
2.2 – Measure and compare, quantitatively and/or qualitatively, the force required to
2.6 – Use a variety of forms (e.g., oral, written, graphic, multimedia) to communicate
Where is the school where you are teaching located? City: ___X____ Suburb: _______ Town:_______ Rural: ______
The central focus of the learning segment is to prepare students for scientific investigation, through use of safe science inquiry and
appropriate use of vocabulary and discourse. The students apply this knowledge by testing and diagraming the structure.
Students have conducted experiments in the 4th grade and have some level of familiarity with the processes required for experiments. As part of this
segment they have also completed a science experiment up until the point of evaluation of results
Students have a partial understanding of scientific vocabulary through the use of scientific journals in past classes and through previous lessons during the
current and past school years. Students have used: hypothesis, kinetic energy, potential energy, gravity and accuracy
Students have been introduced to the scientific method and understand the 6 primary steps associated with conducting scientific research or inquiry
How will you use this knowledge to inform your instruction? (edTPA Handbook, Task 1, Prompt 3a)
Knowing that students have a level of experience with conducting an experiment and the several steps involved, instruction of students on
experimentation processes will consist of a high level overview as opposed to an in-depth explanation. For this particular lesson, the overview will consist
of the steps needed to review the results and draw conclusions.
Given the students past experience with the scientific method, they will be questioned on how to proceed with the overall experiment from day 3 as
opposed to providing them with direct guidance on possible next steps. The teacher will use questions and prompts to guide students towards the correct
parameters to measure and assess
MSED ELEMENTARY PORTFOLIO PROJECT 4
Students in the classroom enjoy friendly competition and work diligently and effectively in collaboration with one another if they believe they can win in a
competition.
A number of students in the classroom come from lower socio-economic households and many of the students qualify for free lunch. Given that the
experiment traditionally calls for the use of marshmallows it is important that the teacher is sensitive to the notion of wasting food.
How will you use this knowledge to inform your instruction? (edTPA Handbook, Task 1, Prompt 3a)
Given the competitive nature of the students, it will be important for the teacher to maintain proper classroom management during the discussion period
of the results. Students will be asked to compare the builds in the various groups and determine if they meet specified criteria. It is likely that students will
become competitive as the various catapults are compared. In order to ensure that the discussion remains productive, the student will create ground rules
prior to the discussion period in collaboration with the students that they will be expected to follow.
As the students had used marshmallows as projectiles in the experiment, the teacher will provide them with marshmallows as treats following completion
in the lesson in order to address potential sensitivities from the last lesson in which they may have perceived that food was wasted.
Curriculum Standards
Ontario:
Grade 5 Understanding Structures and Mechanisms – 2. Developing Investigation and Communication Skills
2.2 – Measure and compare, quantitatively and/or qualitatively, the force required to move a load using different mechanical systems
2.6 – Use a variety of forms (e.g., oral, written, graphic, multimedia) to communicate with different audiences and for a variety of
purposes
At the end of the lesson students will be able The teacher will circulate through the classroom Allow students additional time to provide
to describe their catapult design and the during group discussion as the student’s document answers to any questions posed
their various ideas regarding catapult design. For ENL students, teacher will ask
design of their peers as it compares to the Teacher will look for use of key vocabulary words as questions to prompt use of key
model created by the teacher. they describe their own design, the design of their vocabulary. Teacher will also allow the
peers and the design of the model. use of gestures or pictures to describe
thoughts and ideas
Teacher will engage ADHD student
directly and allow them to answer
questions using manipulation of the
model
Access to the word bank for groups with
ENL students or struggling readers
At the end of the lesson students will be able The teacher will formatively assess the Allow students additional time to
to scrutinize the results of the catapult test in students using both the discussion taking document answers into their
both distance traveled by projectile and place during both group and whole class graphic organizer
accuracy of projectile. discussion. The teacher will also use the Allow students to provide
results of their graphic organizer to assess simplified answers, descriptions
the students or images on the graphic
organizer
Access to the word bank for groups with
ENL students or struggling readers
Allow students the use of gestures during
whole class discussion
At the end of the lesson students will be able The teacher will collect the graphic Allow students additional time to
to determine which forces acted on the organizer worksheet of each of the students document answers into their
various parts of the catapults and on the to formatively assess their ability to identify graphic organizer
projectiles and how those forces impacted the various forces learnt throughout the Allow students to provide
the results of the experiment. lesson and how those forces act upon the simplified answers, descriptions
catapult and the projectile. or images on the graphic
organizer
MSED ELEMENTARY PORTFOLIO PROJECT 6
Describe ways in which students will The students will need to understand The teacher will have an anchor chart with the 6 key
organize language (symbols, words, the correct order in which the steps of the scientific method up in the classroom that
phrases) to convey meaning.
information should be collected and students can reference if needed. The teacher will
used to draw conclusions. In order to model the overall analysis process using the example
compare and contrast the various of the egg drop experiment that was conducted earlier
catapults the students will need to first in the school year. The teacher will ensure to describe
identify which parameters will be used all the key pieces of information required when
to assess the catapult, then they will assessing the results of multiple experiments
need to collect data for all designs.
Following collection of the data they can
assess the results of each catapult and
then compare the designs based on the
results.
Discourse
How members of a discipline talk, write, Students will have the opportunity to The teacher will model and guide the students through
and participate in knowledge construction engage in whole class and group the identification, description and assessment of the
and communicate their understanding of
the concepts
discussion as it pertains to the catapult design and results of the various experiments.
assessment of their own catapult design The teacher will guide the students using prompting as
and experiment results as well as well as focusing questions, encouraging students to
discuss the results and design of the consider key aspects of the experiment results. The
catapults of their peers. Discussion will teachers will ask students to expand on ideas or justify
be used to evaluate and compare the their responses. The teacher will also document
various designs and determine what responses on the anchor chart and encourages the
modifications could be made to improve students to document new responses on their own
the design. graphic organizer.
Anticipatory Set/Motivator
Access to the word wall or word
“Boys and girls, today we will be reviewing the results of yesterday’s catapult experiment to bank at the front of the classroom
assess the various forces involved in both the catapult and the projectile it launches” for ENL students
Ability to use gestures or
Who can remind me about the different forces we discussed during yesterday’s lesson? Do simplified words for some
you remember which forces acted on which parts of the catapult? How about the forces that answers i.e. moving energy
acted on the projectile? Finally, if we are looking at the results from our experiment, can instead of kinetic energy
somebody tell me which step in the scientific method they think we will be working on Close seating to the teacher, use
today? Please take 2 minutes to chat amongst your groups from yesterday’s class and be of ball as chair for student with
ready to share. ADHD. Provide them with
opportunity to get up and scribe
The teacher will provide the student 2 minutes to discuss among their colleagues and will their answer if they would like to
then take 3 minutes to hear the student’s answers. The questions posed and the answers Repeating of questions clearly for
provided will be documented on an anchor chart. struggling readers
Instructional Procedures
Access to the word wall or word
bank at the front of the classroom
15. Following the anticipatory set the teacher will review the answers provided in order for ENL students
to assess what aspects of the lesson may require a brief refresher prior to proceeding Ability to use gestures or
with the lesson. simplified words for some
a. Teacher should consider providing a definition of any of the forces that were answers i.e. moving energy
either misunderstood or missing from the response of the students instead of kinetic energy
b. Teacher should consider reiterating the steps in the scientific process and Close seating to the teacher, use
stating that today’s lesson will focus on step 6 and that the results from of ball as chair for student with
yesterday’s lesson will be reviewed and used to draw conclusions about their ADHD. Provide them with
catapults opportunity to get up and scribe
their answer if they would like to
16. The teacher will then provide a brief overview of yesterday’s lesson. Reminding the Repeating of questions clearly for
students that they built a working catapult using everyday household/office items, struggling readers
using step by step instructions provided by the teacher. Remind the students that
they tested their catapult design by launching projectiles and attempting to get them
MSED ELEMENTARY PORTFOLIO PROJECT 9
into baskets that were set a distance away and that those results were documented Frequent checks for
for future assessment. understanding at all points where
concepts or activities are
17. Once and overview of yesterday’s lesson is complete, the teacher will provide a brief explained
overview the final step in the scientific method. Teacher will remind the students that Simplified graphic organizer for
we are in the 6th and final step of the scientific method which is evaluation of results. struggling readers and ENL
a. Teacher should open by asking the students for the purpose of evaluating students
results. Teacher should offer a few students the opportunity to answer and Additional time to fill-out graphic
should ensure to either alter questions or ask follow-up questions who may organizers if needed
not have gotten the correct response. Teacher will remind the students that 1:1 engagement with student to
the purpose of evaluating their results is to determine if their hypothesis was explain difficult concepts if
accurate and determine why or why not. Teacher will also remind the students needed
that we evaluate results in order to determine how we can change the Access to workstation with
experiment or alter the hypothesis and test it again. google translate if needed
b. Teacher will remind the students that constant testing, revision and testing of Ability to use images to explain
hypothesizes is how scientists develop theories answers on graphic organizers or
use of incomplete sentences if
18. The teacher will then inform the students that they will be evaluating the results of needed
yesterday’s class to test the hypothesis about their catapults and determine how they
could improve their catapults for future experiments.
19. Teacher will then instruct the students to get into their same groups from yesterday’s
experiment and to designate one group member to collect a graphic organizer sheet
from the teacher. Teacher will give the students 3 minutes to assemble into their
groups and collect the graphic organizer sheets.
d. Students will be expected to also compare the results of the catapult test i.e.
distance traveled and accuracy of projectile
e. Teacher will then review each of the questions with the class ensuring to
conduct frequent checks for understanding
21. Once the explanation is complete, the teacher will instruct one group member from
each group to come and acquire their catapult from yesterday’s lesson
22. Students will be asked to work in groups to discuss the questions on their graphic
organizer but will be expected to each fill-out their own graphic organizer ensuring to
answer all the questions. Students will be given 15 minutes to complete this task.
Each group will then be asked to share their findings
23. During the 15 minutes, the teacher will circulate through the groups to conduct
formative assessment, ask prompting or focusing questions and provide students to
review the model catapult from yesterday’s lesson.
24. Teacher should give the students warnings at the 10, 5 and 1 minute mark, “Boys and
girls please note you only have X minutes left” At the end of the 15 minutes the teacher
will inform the students that they will be invited to share the results of their
discussion
25. Before the results are shared the teacher will set ground rules for the discussion.
Since we are comparing each other’s work, students will need to be respectful of each
other’s ideas. Teacher will provide a 1-2 ground rules to start i.e. raise your hand to
answer, respect the answer of your peers, if you disagree politely say why. The
teacher will then ask the students for some ground rules, all of which will be
documented on an anchor chart
26. The teacher will then ask the students to share their results 1 question at a time,
ensuring to document the answers on the black board or anchor chart. The teacher
should also ask questions to help students expand their thinking as well as invite
other students to comment on the answer of their peers
MSED ELEMENTARY PORTFOLIO PROJECT 11
27. Once completed, the teacher will review the results with the class and discuss how
their findings relate to: 1. their hypothesis and 2. Future iterations of this experiment.
Students will then be reminded of the importance of evaluating the results of an
experiment
List all materials and/or technology tools required for the lesson.
Key instructional materials must be attached. These materials might include such items as class handouts, assignments, slides, and
interactive white-board images.
e. Record Results
f. Evaluate Results
11. Graphic Organizer for analysis of catapult experiment results (standard and simplified language)
12. Anchor chart with the same sections as the graphic organizer to document the response of the students
13. Catapults from the previous lesson
14. Marshmallows
Activity
MSED ELEMENTARY PORTFOLIO PROJECT 13
MSED ELEMENTARY PORTFOLIO PROJECT 14
MSED ELEMENTARY PORTFOLIO PROJECT 15
Artifact Overview
on Anxiety Disorders. Pecha Kucha presentations are short slide based presentations that rely
primarily on audio voice overs to communicate information on a particular topic. They comprise
of 20 slides with 20 seconds of audio content on each slide. The purpose of these presentations to
provide a concise overview of a given topic that encourages listeners to research more about a
particular topic.
The Pecha Kucha presentation was included as an artifact as it helps to serve a multitude
of purposes within the classroom. The first purpose is to engage the curiosity of the students and
encourage them to conduct their own research through discovery learning. The presentation
provides fundamental knowledge of a particular topic. That knowledge can generate many
questions that students can seek answers to through research. Secondly, the Pecha Kucha
presentation is a novel way to present information. It integrates technology in a way that allows
students to easily access and share the content. It demonstrates my ability to try new techniques
about potential challenges my students may be facing. It also allows me to share that knowledge
with my students to help create a safer and more empathetic classroom environment. My
teaching students about the challenges their peers may face as the result of mental illness, we can
work collaboratively to support one another. Overall, the presentation is a great way to share
information and bring awareness to a serious mental health issue. The ability to learn about and
understand the challenges of my students is a key skill to develop and nurture as a teacher.
MSED ELEMENTARY PORTFOLIO PROJECT 2
InTASC
2(h) The teacher understands students with exceptional needs, including those associated
with disabilities and giftedness, and knows how to use strategies and resources to address these
needs.
2(m) The teacher respects learners as individuals with differing personal and family
3(l) The teacher understands how learner diversity can affect communication and knows
3(n) The teacher is committed to working with learners, colleagues, families, and
3(q) The teacher seeks to foster respectful communication among all members of the
learning community.
TEAC/CAEP
1.3 Caring and effective teaching skill The program candidates must be able to teach
NYS Ethics
Principle 3 Educators commit to their own learning in order to develop their practice.
Educators recognize that professional knowledge and development are the foundations of their
practice. They know their subject matter, and they understand how students learn. Educators
respect the reciprocal nature of learning between educators and students. They engage in a
MSED ELEMENTARY PORTFOLIO PROJECT 3
and to promote student learning. They draw on and contribute to various forms of educational
Ontario Ethics
Care - The ethical standard of Care includes compassion, acceptance, interest and insight
for developing students' potential. Members express their commitment to students' well-being
and learning through positive influence, professional judgment and empathy in practice.
ISTE
Citizen 3b - Establish a learning culture that promotes curiosity and critical examination
CEC
Standard 10 - Advocation
MSED ELEMENTARY PORTFOLIO PROJECT 4
Pecha Kucha – Slide Presentation
MSED ELEMENTARY PORTFOLIO PROJECT 2
MSED ELEMENTARY PORTFOLIO PROJECT 3
MSED ELEMENTARY PORTFOLIO PROJECT 4
MSED ELEMENTARY PORTFOLIO PROJECT 5
MSED ELEMENTARY PORTFOLIO PROJECT 6
MSED ELEMENTARY PORTFOLIO PROJECT 7
MSED ELEMENTARY PORTFOLIO PROJECT 8
MSED ELEMENTARY PORTFOLIO PROJECT 9
MSED ELEMENTARY PORTFOLIO PROJECT 10
MSED ELEMENTARY PORTFOLIO PROJECT 11
MSED ELEMENTARY PORTFOLIO PROJECT 12
MSED ELEMENTARY PORTFOLIO PROJECT 13
MSED ELEMENTARY PORTFOLIO PROJECT 14
MSED ELEMENTARY PORTFOLIO PROJECT 15
MSED ELEMENTARY PORTFOLIO PROJECT 16
MSED ELEMENTARY PORTFOLIO PROJECT 17
MSED ELEMENTARY PORTFOLIO PROJECT 18
MSED ELEMENTARY PORTFOLIO PROJECT 19
MSED ELEMENTARY PORTFOLIO PROJECT 20
MSED ELEMENTARY PORTFOLIO PROJECT 21
Pecha Kucha Slide Transcripts
# Subject Transcript
This is a Pecha Kucha presentation about Anxiety Disorders by Danny
1 Title Slide
Toubassy
Anxiety disorders are a form of mental disorder in which the individual
suffers from feelings of anxiety and fear. Anxiety is characterized as a
Definition of worry about future events whereas fears generally deal with present
2 Anxiety circumstances. Anxiety disorders tend to also elicit physical symptoms
Disorder which tend to manifest themselves as an elevated heart rate as well as
shakiness. Individuals who develop an anxiety disorder have a tendency
to suffer from multiple types of the various disorders.
The condition known as anxiety disorder covers a wide spectrum of
different disorders each with their own unique symptoms, causes and
coping mechanisms. It is important for an educator to understand the
Overview of
type of anxiety disorder the student is suffering from in order to
Common
3 properly help the student. Types of anxiety disorders include:
Anxiety
Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Health Anxiety Disorder, Obsessive
Disorders
Compulsive Disorder, Panic Disorder and Agoraphobia, Post Traumatic
Stress Disorder, Selective Mutism, Separation Anxiety Disorder, Social
Anxiety Disorder and Specific Phobias
Generalized Anxiety Disorder or GAD is characterized by a worry
about future events which can often be minor issues. While others may
Generalized exhibit low levels of fears. Individuals with GAD experience an
4 Anxiety excessive amount of worry which is often uncontrollable and cannot be
Disorder stopped. Episodes tend to occur daily and manifest themselves
physically in symptoms such as muscle tension, fatigue, trouble
sleeping and concentrating as well as irritability.
Health Anxiety Disorder similarly to Generalized Anxiety Disorder
involves an excess and often uncontrollable level of worry. With Health
Anxiety Disorder, these worries are related to somatic symptoms or a
Health Anxiety perceived illness. Students have a tendency to mislabel natural
5
Disorder sensations as symptoms of an illness and they can become easily
alarmed about their health. Students tend to be excessive in questioning
others about their health or may choose to avoid any and all contact
with a clinical practitioner for fear of discovering an illness.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder or OCD is a very complex disorder
which can manifest itself in various different ways. In general, the
individual will suffer from thoughts, images or urges which are referred
Obsessive
to as obsessions that are often unwanted or disturbing. These
6 Compulsive
obsessions result in significant anxiety for the individual and they often
Disorder
engage in in repetitive behaviors or mental acts to reduce the
discomfort. These acts are known as compulsions and are unique to the
individual.
MSED ELEMENTARY PORTFOLIO PROJECT 2
Artifact Overview
The following artifact is an Individual Education Plan Analysis or an IEP analysis. The
IEP Analysis is an exercise where teachers review a student’s IEP and analyze the various
supports that are in place to determine if they feel the plan adequately supports the students. The
analysis overs the students Present Level of Education Performance (PLEP), Classroom/Program
Accommodations or Modifications, Services that are provided for the student, the Goals that the
IEP has outlines for the student, the Educational Strategies that are provided and finally an
overall Reflection on the IEP itself. For this particular exercise, an actual IEP was provided and
the teacher candidate was expected to assess all of the above mentioned attributes of the
I chose to include this particular artifact as it demonstrates a very important skill that all
teachers should demonstrate; which is the ability to understand the various learners within their
classroom. It is likely that throughout my career I will encounter many students who possess
IEPs and the ability to properly understand a student’s IEP and how I as a teacher can
supplement it is crucial to ensuring that I can set up my student for success. It is imperative that
prior to the beginning of the school, year a teacher must take the time to learn about their
students, and analysis of an IEP is one way to start for students that possess these plans. By
learning to objectively analyze these documents and supplement them using research, I can
ensure that my classroom environment is conducive to that students learning and overall
academic success.
MSED ELEMENTARY PORTFOLIO PROJECT 6
InTASC
2(h) The teacher understands students with exceptional needs, including those associated
with disabilities and giftedness, and knows how to use strategies and resources to address these
needs.
2(m) The teacher respects learners as individuals with differing personal and family
3(l) The teacher understands how learner diversity can affect communication and knows
3(n) The teacher is committed to working with learners, colleagues, families, and
3(q) The teacher seeks to foster respectful communication among all members of the
learning community.
TEAC/CAEP
1.3 Caring and effective teaching skill The program candidates must be able to teach
NYS Ethics
Principle 3 Educators commit to their own learning in order to develop their practice.
Educators recognize that professional knowledge and development are the foundations of their
practice. They know their subject matter, and they understand how students learn. Educators
respect the reciprocal nature of learning between educators and students. They engage in a
MSED ELEMENTARY PORTFOLIO PROJECT 7
and to promote student learning. They draw on and contribute to various forms of educational
Ontario Ethics
Care - The ethical standard of Care includes compassion, acceptance, interest and insight
for developing students' potential. Members express their commitment to students' well-being
and learning through positive influence, professional judgment and empathy in practice.
Respect
Intrinsic to the ethical standard of Respect are trust and fair-mindedness. Members
honour human dignity, emotional wellness and cognitive development. In their professional
practice, they model respect for spiritual and cultural values, social justice, confidentiality,
CEC
Standard 10 - Advocation
PLEP
Overall, Keenan is a strong student who, with minimal support can be encouraged to be
successful in the classroom. Keenan has many strengths, particularly in mathematics, spelling
and overall physical activity and health. He has shown an affinity towards mathematical
reasoning and numerical operations as well as physical education. He also possesses strong daily
living skills and can be helpful in the classroom. Furthermore Keenan is able to work
MSED ELEMENTARY PORTFOLIO PROJECT 8
independently and has good overall organization. Despite his many strengths, Kennan can
struggle in social situations, particularly due to aggressive tendencies and feelings of anxiety in
which he has trouble self-regulating. Academically, Keenan struggles with reading and reading
in academics.
Classroom/Program Accommodations/Modifications
accommodations that are required are minimal. The accommodations that are in place appear to
be in line with the student’s needs in the classroom. For instance, Keenan is seating at the front
of the room and is able to select a seating partner to help reduce his anxiety. This close proximity
to the teacher has been shown to enable early identification of feelings of anxiety which helps the
teacher act quickly with regards to de-escalation and the use of calming strategies. Close
proximity to a student he is comfortable with also helps Keenan to stay calm and avoid
aggressive behavior. Additional accommodations include extended time for testing and
administration of tests in smaller groups (6 or less) to reduce feelings of anxiety that Keenan may
feel. Additional time, also has the added benefit of providing Keenan with more time to read and
comprehend questions on a test or assessment as he does experience challenges with reading and
comprehension. Finally, Keenan has access to a computer for math and science for the purpose
Services
When considering the services available to support Keenan in being successful, we see
that they offer a very unrestricted environment for learning. The most disruptive of the services
is when Kennan is pulled from class to see a counselor. Even this services is limited in scope as
MSED ELEMENTARY PORTFOLIO PROJECT 9
the class pull-out only occurs once a week and is only for a short period of time (30
minutes/week). This especially helpful as Keenan can struggle with aggression and social
situations and therefore limiting time away where he can work and learn to interact with this
peers is crucial in helping him develop the required social skills to be successful. The counseling
however is an essential part of his services as he is clearly dealing with anxiety issues relating to
concerns that should be of little consequence to a child his age. Dealing with such mature
concerns at a young age can be quite challenging and therefore support from a specialized
professional would be quite beneficial. From an academic perspective, Keenan benefits from the
co-teaching framework that is employed in the classroom. Co-teaching is available for all
courses of study everyday of week. This is especially helpful for Kennan in ELA as he struggles
with reading and comprehension. Having additional support from the co-teacher either during
instruction or during activities would be beneficial for Keenan as it allows him to work through
areas of opportunity even if the other students are progressing onto more advanced areas. This
can also be beneficial even outside of ELA as the co-teacher can help Keenan with challenges in
social situations should they arise. Overall his supports are extremely non-restrictive and allow
Goals:
Overall Kennan’s goals appear to align with his individual needs as they focus on the
classroom. Specific to reading, the goal is focused on his overall reading comprehension as it
pertains to a stories main idea, central message, lesson or moral. While this is great goal that is
easily measurable (80% success) it may be ideal to include other reading comprehension skills in
MSED ELEMENTARY PORTFOLIO PROJECT 10
the measurement such as sequencing or potential inferences that can be made from the text. This
may be something of a stretch goal in which these additional components can be added once he
was been successful over the initial 2 month period. With regards to his emotional and social
behavior the goals are focused on how he communicates with his others and his use of coping
skills when he experiences a negative emotion. These are both great goals that focus primarily on
self-regulation than teacher intervention which is a great way to enable Keenan to be more
identify then use coping skills. While these skills can be taught, it is important for the student to
Educational Strategies
With regards to educational strategies that can be used in the classroom to further support
Keenan’s success; the teacher can utilize the zones of escalation to help Keenan recognize when
his feelings are escalating. By identifying emotions and behaviors in that fall in the 3 different
zones (green, yellow and red) and what the appropriate actions should be at each of the zones to
de-escalate the situation, the teacher can provide Keenan witch a structured framework to help
self-regulate and manage emotions. The structure is simple, and helps both student and teacher
measure the situation and act accordingly to mitigate the situation. Another evidence based
means to help Kennan with reading is the use of Peer Assisted Learning where he can be
assigned a reading mentor that can help guide him through his reading comprehension. This
would of course have to be a student of his choosing, someone he is comfortable with as well as
someone who has demonstrated strong reading comprehension skills. Peer assisted learning helps
MSED ELEMENTARY PORTFOLIO PROJECT 11
to avoid some of the frustration involved in the learning process as students are able to coach one
Reflection
The IEP analysis is a great exercise to not only better understand your student but to also
reflect on how it can either be modified or incorporated into your individual classroom to ensure
that student is successful in their learning. This is an excellent way to prepare for the student in
advance of the school and is something a teacher should complete prior to the beginning of the
academic year. When analyzing an IEP it is always important to respect the content that is
provided as they are drafted by individuals who understand the child well and have taken the
time to identify the appropriate strategies to help the child be successful. With that said, is
important for a teacher to consider how they can employ those techniques in the classroom as
well as to identify what additional supports they can provide if needed. The IEP analysis should
be a collaborative process in which all parties come together to ensure the success of the student.
References
Anderson, S., Bartholow, B., Jirikowic, T., Nash, J., Snow, J., and Stratiner, M., (2017,
November). Developing Self-Regulation in Children with FASD Using the Zones of Regulation.
Douglas Fuchs, Lynn S. Fuchs & Pamela Burish (2000) Peer-Assisted Learning Strategies: An
Artifact Overview
The Assessing Student Literacy exercise is a specific from of literacy assessment which
engages a student in an assessment exercise. Based on the results of that assessment, the teacher
must provide an overview for: the skills that the student demonstrates, the skills that have not yet
demonstrated, techniques the teacher will use to support future learning, the feedback the teacher
will give to the student on their assessment, an overview of the theory used to support the future
instructional strategy and finally how the teacher will determine the student’s learning and
monitor their future progress. It is an excellent way to focus on a single student and further
The Assessing Student Literacy artifact was included as it provides an excellent overview
of how a teacher can utilize the results of any type of assessment to drive future instruction and
promote a student’s success. While this format in particular is regarding instruction in literacy, a
similar format can be applied to other subjects. This artifact demonstrates my ability to
comprehensively assess a student’s work and my ability to use the information I have collected
from that assessment to update my teaching in the future to help a student develop skills or
knowledge that they struggled with on the assessment. It demonstrates how I can use research,
theory and different tools to help a student develop in challenging areas. It also demonstrates
how I will provide the student with productive and constructive feedback that helps them
understand both how they were successful and where their areas of opportunity exist.
InTASC
1(a) The teacher regularly assesses individual and group performance in order to design
and modify instruction to meet learners’ needs in each area of development (cognitive, linguistic,
social, emotional, and physical) and scaffolds the next level of development.
1(b) The teacher creates developmentally appropriate instruction that takes into account
individual learners’ strengths, interests, and needs and that enables each learner to advance and
1(i) The teacher is committed to using learners’ strengths as a basis for growth, and their
1(j) The teacher takes responsibility for promoting learners’ growth and development.
3(e) The teacher uses a variety of methods to engage learners in evaluating the learning
3(f) The teacher communicates verbally and nonverbally in ways that demonstrate
respect for and responsiveness to the cultural backgrounds and differing perspectives learners
Standard 6 – Assessment
6(b) The teacher designs assessments that match learning objectives with assessment
methods and minimizes sources of bias that can distort assessment results.
6(d) The teacher engages learners in understanding and identifying quality work and
provides them with effective descriptive feedback to guide their progress toward that work.
MSED ELEMENTARY PORTFOLIO PROJECT 14
6(g) The teacher effectively uses multiple and appropriate types of assessment data to
identify each student’s learning needs and to develop differentiated learning experiences.
6(l) The teacher knows how to analyze assessment data to understand patterns and gaps
in learning, to guide planning and instruction, and to provide meaningful feedback to all learners.
6(n) The teacher understands the positive impact of effective descriptive feedback for
TEAC/CAEP
1.1 Subject matter knowledge The program candidates must understand the subject
1.2 Pedagogical knowledge The program candidates must be able to convert their
knowledge of subject matter into compelling lessons that meet the needs of a wide range of
1.3 Caring and effective teaching skill The program candidates must be able to teach
NYS Ethics
for all. Educators apply their professional knowledge to promote student learning. They know
the curriculum and utilize a range of strategies and assessments to address differences. Educators
develop and implement programs based upon a strong understanding of human development and
learning theory. They support a challenging learning environment. They advocate for necessary
resources to teach to higher levels of learning. They establish and maintain clear standards of
behavior and civility. Educators are role models, displaying the habits of mind and work
necessary to develop and apply knowledge while simultaneously displaying a curiosity and
MSED ELEMENTARY PORTFOLIO PROJECT 15
enthusiasm for learning. They invite students to become active, inquisitive, and discerning
Ontario Ethics
Respect - Intrinsic to the ethical standard of Respect are trust and fair-mindedness.
Members honour human dignity, emotional wellness and cognitive development. In their
professional practice, they model respect for spiritual and cultural values, social justice,
Grade 3: 3W1 – Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with
reasons
Grade 2: 2W3 – Write narratives in which they recount a well elaborated event or short
sequence of events, include details to describe actions, thoughts and feelings. Use temporal
Ontario Curriculum
Grade 3: Writing 3.8 – Producing Finished Works: Produce pieces of published work to
meet identified criteria based on the expectations related to content, organization, style, use of
Grade 2: Writing 2.1 – write short texts using a variety of forms (e.g., a personal or
ILA
3: Assessment and Evaluation Candidates understand, select, and use valid, reliable, fair,
and appropriate assessment tools to screen, diagnose, and measure student literacy achievement;
explain assessment results and advocate for appropriate literacy practices to relevant
stakeholders.
New York State: 3W1 – Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with
reasons
Ontario: Writing 3.8 – Producing Finished Works: Produce pieces of published work to meet
identified criteria based on the expectations related to content, organization, style, use of conventions
and use of presentation strategies.
The student demonstrated a great understanding of the elements required for writing opinion pieces.
With regards to the piece itself, the student provided a clear and concise opening statement that
informed the reader of their overall opinion. It is clear from the beginning what the student intends to
write about. The student proceeds to provide several reasons to justify their point, many of which are
quite different from the other reasons provided previously or later on in the text. In addition to the
varied reasons to justify the point of view, the student also take the time to elaborate on each of their
ideas, providing rational for why these activities contribute to their enjoyment of summer. They use a
varied set of adjectives to describe each activity such as expanding on the fact that visiting the part and
eating ice cream is fun because it is so delicious. The student also end their piece by restating their
opinion in a different way which again demonstrates their understanding of the required elements for
an opinion piece such as the importance of restating the opinion at the end of the text and providing
closure to the piece.
While the student has demonstrated their ability to clearly articulate their opinion via a written piece,
there is a need to work on the punctuation and sentence structure of their writing. They have not yet
demonstrated an understanding of when to capitalize letters. They often use capital letters for the first
letter of a word mid-sentence. Furthermore, the student has not yet demonstrated a full understanding
of how to break up ideas into various sentences and demonstrates moderate understanding of how to
use appropriate punctuation (mostly periods) as they write. With additional support on writing
conventions the student will be well on their way to meeting the outlined standard.
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As the student has already demonstrated an understanding of how to write an opinion piece, the focus
of their future learning will be their capitalization and spelling. In an effort to improve these aspects of
their writing they will start by improving their understanding of how and when to use capital letters in
sentences and how to properly punctuate their sentences. They will be expected to complete the
attached “Capitalization and Punctuation” worksheet. This worksheet provides them with the ability to
practice basic capitalization, punctuation and some spelling and grammar skills. The worksheet
involves correction of simple sentences and will help with building foundational knowledge of these
skills.
#2:
Once the student has practiced basic use of capitalization and punctuation in a sentence by sentence
basis, the student will need to apply their understanding to more complicated forms of writing. The
student will be given a larger text, similar to what they have produced for their opinion piece. The
provided texts will contain a mix of errors including words that are not capitalized when they should
be, lack of or improper use of punctuation. The teacher will practice editing a text with the student and
then provide them with the opportunity to edit a text on their own. The teacher will then review the
edited piece of work with the student and provide additional feedback where needed on what was done
well and what still requires further development.
b. Student feedback
Charles you did a great job with your opinion writing assessment, I am very proud of you. I was very
impressed with how you clearly stated your opinion about summer and even ended the story by
repeating your opinion once you have provided all the reasons. You also did a fantastic job and giving
many different reasons to support your opinion and went a step further by elaborating on and
expanding your reasons as well as explaining why they are important to your love of summer. It would
be good for you to practice your use of capitals letters and punctuation in your sentences. If we
reviewed some of the rules of using punctuation and capital letters I really think we can take your
writing to the next level.
The theory that supports the proposed instructional steps is Bloom’s Taxonomy. It is clear that the
student knows that punctuation and capital letters are required when writing but their understanding of
how and when to use them is limited. They also need to progress to a stage where they are able to
correctly apply the rules when writing. The proposed instructional steps aim to first build an
understanding of the rules for when to use capital letters and different kinds of punctuation. Once the
student has built that understanding and practiced the application of these rules to sentences; they will
be graduated to applying these rules to more complex texts.
MSED ELEMENTARY PORTFOLIO PROJECT 18
The students learning will be assessed and monitored based on their performance on the above tasks
given as they will need to demonstrate basic understanding through completion of the assigned
worksheet. Once they have demonstrated that they know and understand how to use the capital letters
and punctuation they will advance onto the editing texts of increasing difficulty and complexity which
will demonstrate their ability to apply the knowledge. The final task will involve the student repeating
the original writing exercise where they will be expected to write a new opinion piece on a different
subject. Final assessment of their learning will be conducted using this exercise.
New York State: 2W3 – Write narratives in which they recount a well elaborated event or short
sequence of events, include details to describe actions, thoughts and feelings. Use temporal words to
signal event order, and prove a sense of closure.
Ontario: Writing 2.1 – write short texts using a variety of forms (e.g., a personal or factual recount of
events.)
The student has demonstrated the ability to write a narrative that recounts a short sequence events that
includes details on thoughts and feelings. The student has done a great job at expressing how they felt
during the event itself. The student was able to describe the range of the emotions they felt as well as
the factors that contributed to those emotions. Student also described the basic setting of the narrative
and outlined all the people involved. They also made an attempt at portraying dialogue via the use of
quotation marks which shows a level of understanding of how spoken words are portrayed in a written
story. It is clear that the student is attempting to include the required elements of a written narrative but
may require some assistance in expressing and organizing their ideas.
The student has not yet demonstrated their knowledge for the spelling of high frequency words which
can make the interpretation of their text challenging at times. While the student does need to improve
their spelling of high frequency and basic words, it is clear that they are using the sound of the words to
guide them on how they should be spelt. Based on the words that are misspelt, it appears that the
MSED ELEMENTARY PORTFOLIO PROJECT 19
student is having trouble with the medial sounds in some of the words, therefore additional practice in
this area along with regular practice with high frequency words would be beneficial
With regards to the narrative writing aspect, the student has not yet demonstrated their ability to use
temporal words to signal event order as there is no discernable progression to the story. It is clear that
the student has a wide variety of details they would like to share as part of their narrative but lacks the
ability to organize those ideas into a way that recounts an event.
With respect to the students challenges in spelling of high frequency words the teacher will provide the
student with a word bank consisting of high frequency words that include the words the student has
trouble spelling. This word bank will be compact and can be taped to the corner of the student’s desk
for reference. The teacher will also complete the attached Reading a-z exercise on medial sounds with
the student to help them practice recognition in words of increasing complexity.
#2:
To address the student’s ability to better structure their narratives, the student will be given the attached
sequencing template and be asked to organize their events, actions, feeling and thoughts into the
correct order that helps them accurately recount the event. The worksheets also teach the child some
key sequencing vocabulary and guides the student in how this vocabulary should be used to portray the
order of the events. The teacher will work with the student to fill out the first template and then the
student will be expected to fill out one template to recount a story they have read. Finally, once they
have demonstrated their ability to recount another person’s story, they will be expected to fill out the
template to recount another set of events they experienced.
b. Student feedback
Sara I really enjoyed your day with your sister and her friend Molly. It sounds like you had a lot of fun
and I hope you and Molly could become friends. I thought your story did a really a good job of
showing what you were thinking and especially what you were feeling during the day which really
helped me understand what was happening. I think we could definitely add to the story if we added a
few more details about what else happened and also be more specific on what happened when. I also
noticed that some of the words in the story were a little hard to spell, but you did a good job of
sounding them out and using that to try and spell them. I think if we practice some of the words
together they will become easier for you to spell in the future.
The instructional supports that are proposed to help with future learning is supported by Vygotsky’s
zone of proximal development and scaffolding. Based on the students initial narrative assignment it is
clear that the student possess a level of fundamental understanding that will help them be successful,
both with regards to the writing of the story and the spelling of the words. It is clear that the student
understands that a set of details are needed to recount a story meaningfully and that the spelling of the
MSED ELEMENTARY PORTFOLIO PROJECT 20
words can be derived from the sound they make when spoken. With some assistance activities from the
teacher as well as supporting templates that help them better structure their ideas, the student could
learn to accurately recount events sequentially in a written medium.
The students learning progress will be monitored as through their performance in both the orally
administered medial sound exercises and their ability to organize their ideas on the sequencing
worksheets. Through the use of scaffolding and modifications of the original activity the student will
progress through the recounting of events. At first the organization of ideas and sequencing of events
will be done using the template, a story and assistance from the teacher. The next step will be to
maintain all supports but have the student complete the worksheet independently. Following successful
completion of this, the student will then be expected to complete the template using events they have
experienced themselves and therefore will not be able to rely on a pre-written story. Finally, once
mastery of all previous activities has been demonstrated, the student will then be asked to write a net
new narrative without the use of templates or supporting documents.
Artifact Overview
The Teacher Survey Assignment involved the development, deployment and results
analysis of a survey aimed at collecting relevant data from teachers regarding a relevant topic.
The artifact contains an overview of the survey which outlines its purpose, the ideal target
MSED ELEMENTARY PORTFOLIO PROJECT 21
population as well as an introduction for the survey participants. It also contains the instructions
for survey participants and the questions themselves. Following, the survey, an overview of the
results including an analysis and commentary is provided. The analysis is concluded with
potential steps or strategies to use to address the areas of opportunity that exist pertaining to the
topic in question, in this case it is how can we better support educators in the effective use of
While this particular artifact does not necessarily address competencies of teaching
within the classroom, it does demonstrate a very important learning which is the ability to
conduct action research whether that be within the class, school or community. The concept of
action research is an excellent and reflective practice that teachers can employ to help drive
improvements at various levels whether it be within their own practice or within the school. It is
an excellent way for teacher to self-reflect as well as seek continuous improvement. The survey
assignment demonstrates my ability to identify an area of interest or a problem areas that exists.
Develop a means to capture data, analyze the data that I have collected and use the results of that
analysis to develop and implement solutions that address problem areas. By learning the
fundamental skills required to conduct action research, I will be able to not only bring that skill
set into the classroom and school, but also the mindset of continuous improvement which is of
InTASC
9(a) The teacher engages in ongoing learning opportunities to develop knowledge and
skills in order to provide all learners with engaging curriculum and learning experiences based
experiences aligned with his/her own needs and the needs of the learners, school, and system.
9(c) Independently and in collaboration with colleagues, the teacher uses a variety of
data (e.g., systematic observation, information about learners, research) to evaluate the outcomes
9(h) The teacher knows how to use learner data to analyze practice and differentiate
instruction accordingly.
9(k) The teacher knows how to build and implement a plan for professional growth
directly aligned with his/her needs as a growing professional using feedback from teacher
evaluations and observations, data on learner performance, and school- and system wide
priorities.
9(n) The teacher sees him/herself as a learner, continuously seeking opportunities to draw
upon current education policy and research as sources of analysis and refl ection to improve
practice.
CAEP
Standard 1.2 - Providers ensure that candidates use research and evidence to develop an
understanding of the teaching profession and use both to measure their P-12 students’ progress
Principle 3 Educators commit to their own learning in order to develop their practice.
Educators recognize that professional knowledge and development are the foundations of their
practice. They know their subject matter, and they understand how students learn. Educators
respect the reciprocal nature of learning between educators and students. They engage in a
and to promote student learning. They draw on and contribute to various forms of educational
Ontario Ethics
Integrity - Honesty, reliability and moral action are embodied in the ethical standard
Artifact Overview
The final artifact outlines key training that I have completed through courses with the Ste
State Education Department. These two course are for the Identification and Reporting of Child
Abuse and Maltreatment as well as Training in School Violence Prevention and Intervention.
These training certificates were included as artifacts as they represent training that I have
received in skills that are essential as not only an educator but for any profession working with
children. It is our duty as teachers to create a safe and secure learning environment free from all
types of violence. The ability to prevent violence in our classrooms and schools is extremely
important and who better to educate on these skills than our teachers who work with children
daily. It is also extremely important to understand how to identify the sometimes very subtle sign
of abuse and maltreatment. Further to identification, we must also train our teachers on their duty
to report these findings when they are identified. These two training modules have provided me
InTASC
3(a) The teacher collaborates with learners, families, and colleagues to build a safe,
3(n) The teacher is committed to working with learners, colleagues, families, and
3(q) The teacher seeks to foster respectful communication among all members of the
learning community.
TEAC
1.3 Caring leadership skills - The program faculty must provide evidence that the
candidates know how to act on their knowledge in a caring and professional manner that results
Principle 6 - Educators advance the intellectual and ethical foundation of the learning
community. Educators recognize the obligations of the trust placed in them. They share the
responsibility for understanding what is known, pursuing further knowledge, contributing to the
generation of knowledge, and translating knowledge into comprehensible forms. They help
students understand that knowledge is often complex and sometimes paradoxical. Educators are
confidantes, mentors and advocates for their students’ growth and development. As models for
youth and the public, they embody intellectual honesty, diplomacy, tact and fairness.
Ontario Ethics
Care - The ethical standard of Care includes compassion, acceptance, interest and insight
for developing students' potential. Members express their commitment to students' well-being
and learning through positive influence, professional judgment and empathy in practice.
Respect - Intrinsic to the ethical standard of Respect are trust and fair-mindedness.
Members honour human dignity, emotional wellness and cognitive development. In their
MSED ELEMENTARY PORTFOLIO PROJECT 39
professional practice, they model respect for spiritual and cultural values, social justice,
Conclusion
Having started my journey towards a career in teaching with little to no experience there
was very little in terms of skills and knowledge that I could show to demonstrate my aptitude as
a potential teacher and educator. While I still have a vast amount of knowledge to acquire and
many more skills to develop and improve I can say that I have learned a significant throughout
my studies and classroom interactions. It is my hope that the artifacts I have provided in section
3 of my portfolio outline what I have learned to date as well as the skills that I have developed as
a prospective teacher. The artifacts I have chosen aimed to demonstrate competencies I have
developed with regards to planning, instruction, assessment, support of students with special
needs, action research and maintaining a safe and nurturing learning environment. I hope to bring
these skills that I have developed into my future classrooms and I will work regularly to further
improve these skills so that they can effectively support my students, colleagues and school.