Department of Teacher Education & Learning Sciences

Elementary Education Program

Pre-Observation Form

Directions: This form is to be completed prior to every lesson that will be observed by the mentor
teacher or university supervisor. It is to be submitted no later than 3 business days prior to the actual
observation along with your lesson plans.

Name: Rachel Cummins Date: 2/20/17

1. What is the topic of your lesson?

a. The topic of our lesson is the main idea tree. We will have the students
read articles about specific people who were important in the civil rights
movement. They will have to figure out the different main ideas and
supporting facts that will show why it would be a main idea.
2. Why are you teaching this lesson? What is your rationale for teaching it?
a. We are teaching this lesson because our observer told us that the children
struggle with figuring out main ideas in text. We figured it would be fitting if
we chose articles about people in the civil rights movement and time
period because it is Black History Month. We will connect it to a main idea
of, why is it only one month celebrated? This will help students understand
the important people involved in this movement and some of the struggles
they had to go through.
3. What is your Teaching Behavior Focus? Why did you choose this?
a. Talking slowly and pushing students to answer the questions I ask in
depth. I think I struggle with talking too fast sometimes and not letting
students explain themselves enough. I want to ask engaging questions to
get the students really thinking about the information they are learning.
4. Why did you design your instruction in this lesson the way that you did? Why did
you choose this way of teaching the lesson (e.g., Was the idea from a methods
course? From your mentor teacher? Another source?)
a. We took some ideas from how Dr. Harrington designed her lesson. We
figured our subject should be centered around Black History Month and
African Americans in the civil rights movement. We are using the GRR
method; I Do, We Do, You All Do, to help scaffold the students. We also
took advice from the Teaching Common Core ELA Standards textbook to
get ideas about the main idea tree.
5. As you are thinking through this lesson, what do you believe will be the most
challenging part of this lesson for you when you teach it? Why?
 a. I think the most challenging part of the lesson will be scaffolding the
students in the I Do portion of our lesson. I think that it will take time and a
lot of details mentioned on my part. I have to make sure to slow down and
show the students my thinking through it so they can repeat it when they
have to do it on their own. I will have to ask the right questions and keep
them engaged and not bored throughout the lesson.
6. How will you know if your learning outcomes for the students are met
successfully?
a. At the end of the lesson we are taking exit tickets, from these exit tickets
we will be able to see if students are able to figure out the main idea and
use supporting ideas from the text as evidence. From there I will be able
to see which students understand and which students need a little more
support.
7. How will your classroom management support the learning outcomes?
a. I have to keep the students engaged and interested in the lesson. I think
providing jobs for the group members will help keep control so everyone
will know what their role is in the group. If the class is engaged and
behaving I will be able to convey my message to them.
8. List 1-3 areas which you would like for your observer to pay particular attention.
Why do you want your observer to focus on these areas?
a. I want my observer to watch my wait time, seeing if I am clarifying enough
for students and if I am asking engaging questions that will have my
students thinking.

9. Is there anything else you would like your observer to know before the
observation?
a. N/A