Rutherford Math Time Graph Lesson Plan Reflection 1

Self-Reflection
To be used by the teacher candidate after observation by the Field Experience instructor and post conference

Name: Heather Rutherford

Date: 10/10/13

My lesson plan was for a group of seventh and eighth graders. The objective of my lesson was to teach the students how to identify an ordered pair on a graph. I used color coding to help the students identify the x and y axes. I gave the students a blank graph and a clock manipulative. The students put a time on their clock and wrote that time in a box on the graph. The students then had to write the ordered pair coordinates for the box where they wrote the time. I made two worksheets with times on a graph and a list of ordered pairs below the graph. The students had to find the ordered pair on the graph and write the time they found at that point. The students seemed to understand the lesson fairly well. I knew after a few minutes that the worksheets were not going to be appropriate for all of the students. I had to modify my lesson plan while in the process of teaching. I found that two of the three students needed more prompting and support. The third student was picking up the lesson very quickly, and I was able to give him a worksheet to work on independently while I helped the other two students. While giving the students support, I continually referred to the x and y axes on their graphs as the blue numbers and red numbers. I should have used the vocabulary of x axis and y axis along with the colors to help the students learn the appropriate mathematical terms. For future lessons, I need to make sure to use any appropriate vocabulary terms along with the modified terminology I may have incorporated into the lesson. I also

Rutherford Math Time Graph Lesson Plan Reflection 2

need to stop limiting my students by assuming that they will not be able to access the standards. I need to attempt lessons based on the Colorado state standards to give my students the access they are entitled to receive.