Life Science Lesson Teaching Reflective Summary

Teacher Candidate for Science Endorsement: Alison Dunford

School: Timber Ridge Elementary School

Grade:

Lesson Topics:
S5L1a: Animal Classification: Demonstrate how
animals are sorted into groups (vertebrate and invertebrate) and how
vertebrates are sorted into groups (fish, amphibian, reptile, bird, and
mammal). S5L1b: Plant Classification: Demonstrate how plants are
sorted into groups.
Write a brief summary or blog of your experiences teaching this lesson,
addressing the following questions:

What went well? What did not go well? (Cite specific examples) I
love this lesson! I started writing it a while ago, and love
changing it over time as I learn at MSP and receive feedback on
it. This lesson was delivered after standardized testing when
students think they are done, but of course, they arent! This
lesson is a highly engaging way to keep them learning left
science targets. One of the things that made this go particularly
well is splitting up the class into two groups. One half is
comprised of research scientists who are researching and
writing on iPads. The other half of the class is working closely
with me on the group performance task making their own
dichotomous key. The next day, the teams switch tasks, and so
on. One of the best successes is the actual key. Students are
highly engaged in this process. They have just completed
gradual release work understanding how scientists use
classification, how to solve dichotomous keys, and are not writing
one themselves. They really feel like scientists here.

How well were the lessons student performance objectives

attained?
The objectives are so embedded in their work, students dont
realize they are learning just having a great time in science. I
am able to act as a facilitator, flowing to help and check
understanding. My favorite part is when a team gets really
stuck, and has to work out the problem before continuing. This
truly reinforces the targets and objectives of the lesson.

Did classroom activity center on science understanding, inquiry,

and sense-making by all students?
In this unit, all students work at the highest levels of thinking to
create their own key and further, to evaluate the work of all other
teams. Inquiry is the key word in this dichotomous key lab. After
they are finished with their keys, they are hung up all along the
5th grade hallway. The science understanding is very evident!

Did your scientific content knowledge enable you to support

students construction of knowledge and understanding of
important scientific concepts and processes?
When I started trying to have students make dichotomous keys, I
wasnt very confident in my own understanding of them, or if I
was going to be able to evaluate the work thoroughly enough for
the students. My understanding of classification has grown so
much in MSP. I loved the kinesthetic key and several other
models learned in MSP and will incorporate more of them in this
unit in the future. I feel that my understanding of important
concepts, and misconceptions, is now truly good.

When you have the opportunity to re-teach this lesson, what will
you do differently (strategies, teaching tools, assessments, etc.)
to improve student learning for all students?
This is a terrific unit. I will definitely add other elements in the
future including the kinesthetic dichotomous key, and others. I
will also change my rubric, which was developed by another
teacher for the actual group key project so it provides better
student feedback. I was so pleased that my evaluator saw the
same levels of learning during this unit and lesson that I do.