Teacher Work

Sample
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Tyler Hair
Westminster College
April 2020
Funds of Knowledge and Analysis

I have been working with a student who needs extra guidance to stay on task and constant

reminders to persevere through her work. She is below grade level and also has an IEP that allows

her to receive additional support throughout the day. I’ve also noticed that she is distracted easily and

lacks motivation. She is quick to allow someone else to do the work for her and her friends are

willing to help her or give her the answers. She loves to dance and play with her friends at the after

school club. She doesn’t like to read, even though her mom makes her every day. Her favorite

subject is science and she looks forward to being with her friends when she is at school. She has two

older siblings that are not at Horizon Elementary and she lives with them and her mother.

After getting to know her mother after parent teacher conferences, her mom has great

concerns about where her daughter is academically and what additional support she can provide at

home. They work on reading and basic letter sounds after school in order to help her get caught up to

grade level. The mother’s biggest concern is that she will continue to fall behind as she moves up to

each new grade and enters junior high in the next few years. My teachers have addressed the

student’s lack of willingness to try and her mother hopes to address that at home as well. She knows

that her daughter is capable of doing the work but that she needs to help build up her confidence and

effort first. The mother expressed that she had coddled the student for many years and now worries

that will have a negative impact on her education. My teachers and the parent have both agreed to

work on the student’s effort to help her succeed both at school and at home.

I have learned that I need to be aware of both my students’ needs and how I can use both

parents and the school as resources to accommodate these needs. It is important to communicate with

parents, especially those that are willing to work with teachers for their child to succeed. As I

continue to work with the student, I want to push her to challenge herself and build resilience

towards her school work. For our upcoming project, I know that I will need to be diligent in pulling

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small groups so that I can monitor her progress and help push her to keep trying. She could also

benefit from daily goals on what needs to get done each day in order to stay on task. I also hope to

collaborate with other teams at school that work with this student, such as Special Education, to

continue reinforcing and helping her with her willingness and growth mindset.

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Community Inquiry Activity and Analysis

Community

Horizon Elementary school is located in Murray, UT and is part of the smallest district in the

state. The area around the school is very green with trees, shrubbery, and trimmed yards on all the

local homes. The school is set between neighborhoods but also has quick access to other businesses

in the community. The population around Horizon Elementary is very diverse. There are many

ethnicities such as White, Hispanic, Asian, African, Polynesian, and Indian. Many families that live

in this area are immigrants to the US, have lived in refugee camps, or have been living in the

community for generations. There is a mix of young families and retired residences around and near

the school.

There also seems to be diversity with socioeconomics within the community. Some people

commute to Downtown Salt Lake for corporate jobs as well as to Murray, and Lehi. There are many

people in the community that work at local stores and businesses in the area. There also appears to be

a mix of people who work salary jobs and hourly waged jobs. This became more apparent after the

COVID-19 outbreak resulted in school closures. I noticed that some students had parents who were

able to work from home while other students were home alone while their parents went to work

during the day, or even in the evening.

I feel that the school is not represented visually in the community as it is surrounded by

homes and neighborhoods. I wonder if it would be possible to have banners or signs in the students’

yards and in local businesses. However, many homes in the community do represent the local high

school, Murray High. I have noticed PTA events displayed at the school that invite the community to

come to the school and participate in. The community also organized a fundraiser for an employee at

Horizon Elementary that was in an accident, and unable to return to work.

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 Communities can be a great resource for a teacher as there are many diverse people with

different experiences that can be shared with students. I also think that generally, people in the

community are willing to help schools as it is helping the local children. I think a big step for

utilizing the community is to first invite them to the school and have events where they are able to

come and learn about the school and the students so that connections can be made to build up both

the school and the community.

School

At Horizon Elementary, each classroom has art or work displayed by each student which

helps give perspective to what that class is interested in or studying. I really like that there is a clear

effort to have the entire class displayed rather than only a few individual student’s work. There are

many signs around the school itself such as school pride, rules, or expectations hanging on the walls.

Horizon Elementary is also the only elementary school in the district to provide the Dual Immersion

Program. The halls have both English and Spanish signs hanging in the hall to include this program.

The Dual Immersion Program consists of the majority of students learning Spanish as a second

language and a small percentage of students who speak Spanish as their native language. Because of

this, there is a definite difference between socioeconomic class between the Dual Immersion students

and the General Education students.

For lunch, students eat inside in the multipurpose room and then go outside for recess. The

majority of students get school lunch rather than bringing something from home. Horizon

Elementary is a Title I school that provides breakfast and free/reduced lunch programs. The students

are also given three options for lunch each day and are able to choose their preferred meal each day.

The students eat lunch by homerooms, as each class is assigned a table. At lunch they play

basketball, foursquare, or are on the playground. I have noticed that there is a lack of mingling

between the General Education students and the Dual Immersion students. I feel this may be because

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they do not have the opportunity to be in class with one another because of the Dual Immersion

program. One thing I found valuable at the school is the relationship support staff, such as mentors

and coaches, have with the teachers. As a teacher, this can be a great resource to help understand the

school in its entirety and builds a support system between the staff members.

Classroom

My fourth grade classroom is very diverse as there are students from many different countries

and speak different languages. While it is hard to determine their families socioeconomic status, it

seems that many of them may belong to the working and/or lower class, as that is the overall

demographic of the school. The students range in learning levels from advanced, right on the learning

target, just below the target, and significantly below the grade level expectations.

One unique teaching approach my school has is utilizing partner teaching, where one teacher

focuses on Math and Writing and the other teacher focuses on Science and Reading. Both teachers

see 50 students a day, but this method allows them to differentiate the students. They have

differentiated the students based on their ability and behavior which then allows them to customize

the instruction for each groups’ overall needs. This method is also used with the teachers that teach

Dual Immersion. I think this is a great approach to teaching as the students have an opportunity to

build a relationship with another teacher at the school and the teachers can collaborate and work

together to help students succeed.

Both classrooms that I am in have the same layout which makes transitions for the students

quick and simple. The class has built a strong respect and connection to one another and it is clear

that they know what is expected of them and when. There is also a strong focus on collaboration

between students and they are given many opportunities to work with one another or in groups. The

teachers also try to relate the curriculum to topics or ideas that peak the students’ interests. This

comes from knowing the students both on an individual and a class level. I know that in order to

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make my lessons engaging and interesting to the students, I need to know their interests and tie the

curriculum to their likes wherever possible. The students are more engaged and more willing to

participate when their interests are tied to the lesson.

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Unit Plan – 4th Grade

Unit Theme:

Students will learn about a county in Utah by researching their land, economy, recreation, and

history. Students will demonstrate their knowledge by writing a research paper and following the

writing process. Students will also learn the differences between an opinion text and a research text.

Students will create a PowerPoint presentation with relevant information of their topic that supports

their presentation.

Standards:

- Writing Standard 2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas

and information clearly.

o A. Introduce a topic clearly and group related information in paragraphs and sections,

including formatting, illustrations, and multimedia when useful to aid

comprehension.

o B. develop the topic with facts, definitions, or other information related to the topic.

- Writing Standard 6: With some guidance and support from adults, use technology to produce

and publish writing as well as to interact and collaborate with others.

- Language Standard 1: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English

grammar and usage when writing or speaking.

- Language Standard 2: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English

capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.

- Social Studies Standard 1: Students will understand the relationship between the physical

geography in Utah and human life.

o Objective 2: Analyze how physical geography affects human life in Utah.

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 - Standard 2 Objective 3: Investigate the development of the economy in Utah.

Unit Objectives:

- Students will be able to write a research paper that includes an introduction, three body

paragraphs, and conclusion.

- Students can research facts online about their assigned county.

- Students can follow the writing process to organize their research.

- Students will be able to utilize their research to draft and edit three body paragraphs.

- Students can create a final, typed draft of their research.

- Students will be able to display their research by creating a PowerPoint presentation.

Essential Questions:

- What is a county?

- What is a research paper?

- How do you categorize research?

- What is a PowerPoint Presentation? What is it’s the purpose?

- How do I write a strong hook sentence?

- What are the steps in the writing process?

- What is the difference between a research paper and an opinion paper?

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Pre-Assessment:
1.

2.

3.

9
4.

5.

6.

7.

10
8. 9.

10.
11.

12.

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Pre-assessment Analysis

Administering the pre-assessment was valuable for me to learn more about my students and

their prior knowledge. The pre-assessment allowed me to understand where my students are with

writing and the process of a research paper. The class has worked on opinion writing but have not

focused on research or informational writing yet this year. I excluded questions on the pre-

assessment about how to find information online as the students have already been working on

research online but have not used the information to write a paper. I also was able to gage the

students’ understanding of counties through this process as I plan to begin introducing them to

counties in Utah during this unit.

From this assessment, I have learned that my students understand what a hook sentence is

and now could benefit from learning the process for creating a strong hook sentence. I also need to

emphasize the importance of research and the differences between opinion writing and informational

writing. I feel that the students have an understanding for research but would benefit from comparing

and contrasting it to an opinion text. Along with the writing components, I will emphasize the social

studies curriculum of Utah history by studying and understanding counties. Lastly, I was not

surprised by the mixed results on what the purpose of a PowerPoint is because of my student

demographic and their exposure to technology. I hope to help my students learn how to use their

Chromebooks as a tool and to understand the benefit of using a PowerPoint to present their research.

I found it beneficial to use the pre-assessment as a tool to learn about my students’ learning

styles. When I originally thought of a pre-assessment, I did not consider adding questions that would

relate to learning preferences. By adding these questions to the assessment I am able to understand

more about my students and build my unit to match their interests. I want to focus my individual

lessons to include many different styles of student involvement such as pairs, group work, and

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individual tasks. By creating this variety, I hope to create opportunities for all students to feel

comfortable and confident to participate in the lesson.

I also asked my students their preference for instructions, or how they remember best, in

order to understand their preferred learning style. I was surprised to find that the class was divided

almost equally between reading, speaking, and visual learners. I want to make a priority of having all

three learning styles in my unit for the benefit of all students. I plan to provide all instructions for the

project written in their County Packet and also give verbal instructions for each day’s task. I think it

will also be useful to write the objectives of each day down on the board for students to read. In

addition, I would like to also add an example of each stage of the projects for those who are visual

learners as it will give students clear expectations for each task/assignment.

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 Formal Summative Assessment:

Students will complete a written research report on their assigned county. They will work

through the writing process and create a final, typed research paper. In their paper, students will

demonstrate the research they collected regarding history, facts, economy, and recreation. Students

will be able to describe their county and each topic will be used as a body paragraph. Students will be

assessed on their ability to group related information together, topic development, and ability to

create a strong hook sentence. In addition, students will be assessed on their ability to create a

PowerPoint that is relevant to their topic. Students will be presenting their PowerPoint to their

parents during our student led parent-teacher conferences.

Standards: Rating: Comments:

Writing Standard 4 & 6 4= Above Proficient 3= Proficient
Language Standard 1 & 2 2= Below Proficient 1= Below Proficient
Social Studies Standard 1 & 2

1. I have clearly introduced a topic with a

strong hook sentence that is relevant to the 4 3 2 1
topic.

2. I have grouped related information

together in paragraphs and sections. 4 3 2 1

3. I have developed the topic with related

facts, definitions, details, or other 4 3 2 1
information.

4. Student describes their counties

geography, history, and economy with 4 3 2 1
details and supporting information.

5. Student has consistent and correct

language conventions. 4 3 2 1

6. I have completed a PowerPoint

Presentation with relevant information to 4 3 2 1
my topic.

Student Examples: County Final Report Example 1 County Final Report Example 2
County PowerPoint Example 1 County PowerPoint Example 2
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 Scoring Above Proficient 4 Proficient 3 Approaching Proficient 2 Below Proficient 1

Introduction Students has clearly Student has Student has not clearly Student did not
W.4.2a introduced the topic introduced the introduced the topic but state the topic in an
with a hook sentence topic and includes has a paragraph formed. introduction
and additional insight. a hook sentence. paragraph.

Grouping Student has clearly Student has Student has not clearly Student has not
Information grouped related grouped related grouped related grouped related
W.4.2a information together in information information together, but information
paragraphs, and together in sections information is relevant to together and the
includes quotes or or paragraphs. topic. information is not
references. related to the topic.

Topic Student develops the Student develops Student has developed Student did not
Development topic with facts, details, the topic with facts the topic but with limited develop the topic
W.4.2b and additional and other facts, examples, and and had no facts or
information and information related information. information that
examples that enhance to the topic. related to the topic.
the information for the
reader.

Social Student describes their Student has stated Student has explained 1 Student has not
Studies county’s geography, 2 of the 3 aspects of the 3 aspects of their clearly stated the
SS.1&2.3 history, and economy of their county and county. They provide geography, history,
with details and provides details. little details on the 1 or economy of
supporting information. aspect covered. their county.

Language/ Student has consistent, Student used most Student used some Student has not
Writing correct language language language conventions used language
Conventions conventions conventions (capitalization, conventions
L.1&2 (capitalization, (capitalization, punctuation, and (capitalization,
punctuation, and punctuation, and spelling) correctly with punctuation, and
spelling) with 4-5 spelling) correctly 10-12 errors. spelling) correctly
errors. with 6-9 errors. and has more than
15 errors.

Presentation Student has completed Student completed Student completed 2 Student did not
W.6 an introduction and 3 3 slides with slides with information have any
supporting slides with relevant related to the topic. completed slides.
relevant, concise information to the Student had few visuals The presentation
information. Student’s topic. Student had and 10 or more spelling was also missing
presentation was neat, visuals to aid the errors. information related
had visuals, and had no presentation and to the topic and
more than 5 spelling had 6-8 spelling visuals.
errors. errors.

Post Assessment

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(* indicates the correct answer(s) for each question. I had 43 students complete the pre-assessment
and 48 students complete the post-assessment which may have skewed the data.)

What is a hook sentence? 1.

35
30 33
25 28
20
15
10
8 9
5 6 7
0
The conclusion sentence The first sentence of a body *The first sentence in an
paragraph introduction paragraph

Pre-test Post-test

Check all the ways you can create a hook sentence.

40
35 37 2.
30 33
25 28
26
20 21
15
16
10
5
0
*Setting the scene with a *Asking a question *Sharing a fact that is
description about the topic of the paper

Pre-test Post-test

A research paper is:

40
35
30 34 3.
25
20 22
15 19
10
11
5
0 2 3
*Only facts about the topic A fictional account of a A point of view about a
topic topic, based on facts

Pre-test Post-test
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 Which is NOT part of a research paper? 4.
40
35
36
30
25 27
20
15
10
10
5 8
6
0 4
Introduction paragraph Facts that explain the topic *Your opinion about the
topic

Pre-test Post-test

What is a county?
25 5.

20 21

15 17
15 15
13
10
10

0
Land controlled by a single *A division of a state for A town or city
government local government

Pre-test Post-test

How many counties are in Utah?

30
6.

25 26 25
20 22
18
15

10

0
29 Counties Different number than 29 given

Pre-test Post-test 17
 What is the purpose of a PowerPoint? 7.
35
30 33
29
25
20
15
15
10 12
5
0
0 2
*It gives key points during a It is a movie It is a paper with detailed
presentation research

Pre-test Post-test

Click Here for the Pre-Assessment

Click Here for the Post-Assessment

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Post Assessment Analysis

I found the post-assessment data useful to compare the growth of student understanding from

the beginning to the end of the unit. Overall, the students’ scores did improve on all questions. I was

most pleased with the improvement on the writing questions that focused on hook sentences and

parts of a research paper. These were the aspects that I really wanted students to understand and the

post-assessment data, along with their formative assessment, is an effective way to track their

progress and growth. I feel this data is also useful in that I can assess students based on each question

and pull small groups to reteach that topic. While I did give this pre and post assessment

anonymously, it would be advantageous to have students’ names tied to their results so that I could

work with students who were still unsure about some topics to reteach and reassess.

I feel that this assessment could have been given again in the middle of the unit in order to

analyze student progress and identify the students who are still struggling and address the topic at the

time. In the future as I continue to use exit tickets, I think it would be to my benefit to record the data

so that I could see the overall trends of the students’ understanding and create more opportunities for

small group or individualized learning. I tend to look through exit tickets to collect a general

understanding of the class, but by collecting the data for each student I could determine what students

could benefit from a small group lesson to reteach or expand their learning.

While the questions around the county topic increased, I did not feel that there was a large

improvement while those scores. I believe that the questions were broad whereas the unit was geared

towards students learning about an individual county. We did not cover much about counties

collectively but rather for students to learn about one particular county. In the future, I would

consider rephrasing these questions so that they relate more to the research that the students

completed. I also felt that I concentrated more on the writing standards rather than the social studies

standards. I used the county study as the topic for the writing standards. I would change this going

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forward by focusing more on the social studies standards and using writing as a way to assess the

students’ knowledge.

I also found the formative assessment gave depth and knowledge for the students’

understanding and the post-assessment supplemented those findings with more concrete data. I tend

to create assessments that are different from a standard test because there are other underlying

factors, such as anxiety, that can affect test scores. However, after having this post-assessment in

concurrence with the formative assessment, I was able to have more rounded data on my students’

progress. This combination of assessments has been beneficial to me as I learn about my students and

is something I want to continue incorporating in my practice.

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Lesson Guides

Lesson 1: What is a county? (Students have already had experience with researching a topic on
their Chromebook)
Standards:
- Writing Standard 2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas
and information clearly.
o B. develop the topic with facts, definitions, or other information related to the topic.
- Social Studies Standard 1: Students will understand the relationship between the physical
geography in Utah and human life.

Objectives:
- Students will be able to understand what a county is and our different counties in Utah.
- Students can classify between a county and a country.
- Students can independently research facts about their assigned county.

Materials:
- Map of the World, US and Utah Counties
- Print out of counties (mostly UT) and countries
- County Packet

Essential Questions:
- What is a county?
- How are counties made?

Vocabulary:
- County, government, country, research

Phase I:
- As a class, we will discuss the world map. Students will point out what they know and what
is shown with the lines (around countries).
- Then we will ‘zoom in’ on the United States and make observations about the new map.
Have students make comparisons between the boundaries in the world map to the U.S. map.
- Explain that the lines in each picture represent are most important to different governments
and boundaries of leadership.
- Next, show a picture of the state of Utah, with counties outlined. Have students predict what
these lines are for based on what we learned about the other maps.
- Discuss how counties are within states or countries and breakdown a common area further for
government representation.
- Explain that county sizes vary based on population. Compare different counties in Utah based
on size and population.

Transition to Phase II:

- Have students break into partners. Give each partnership a picture that has either a county or
country highlighted.
- Instruct students to identify with their partner if the picture is a county or a country and
explain why they know.
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 - Have countries stand on one side of the room and countries on the other. Then have 2 pairs
discuss if they made the correct decision.
- Collect images and handout again for students to classify between county and country.
- Collect all pictures and then hand each student a picture of a county in Utah. (If preferred,
assign counties ahead of time to passing out pictures).

Phase II:
- Monitor students as they classify between county/country. Pull 2 pairs to check their
understanding and reasoning.
- Do as many rounds as necessary for students.
- Encourage partners to pick other groups they might not normally work with.

Transition to Phase III:

- After students have received the picture of their county, explain that we will begin
researching counties to understand more about them.
- Give each student a county packet and have them write their assigned county name on the
cover.
- Students will go to google classroom and use the assigned websites to complete their research
of facts about their county in the facts section of the packet.

Note: Give students one day to complete the history research and a second day to complete the
economy & recreation research. If needed, review with students how to use proper sites and use
headings to gather information.

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Lesson 2: What are the components of a research paper?

Standards:
- Writing Standard 2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas
and information clearly.
o B. develop the topic with facts, definitions, or other information related to the topic.
- Social Studies Standard 2 Objective 3: Investigate the development of the economy in Utah.

Objectives:
- Students will be able to identify key features of a research paper.
- Students can research facts about their county’s economy and recreation.
- Students can compare and contrast between a research paper and an opinion paper.

Materials:
- Video Explanation of Informational Texts
- Video on "What is economy?"
- Sticky Notes
- Expo Markers
- Paper
- County Packet

Essential Questions:
- What is a research paper?
- How is it similar and different to an opinion paper?
- What is economy and recreation?

Vocabulary:
- Research, economy, recreation, evidence

Phase I:
- As a class we will review our anchor chart of opinion writing (that has already been covered
before this unit).
- Watch the short video that explains informational texts. Encourage students to think about
what the key features are of informational texts.
- After the video, have students discuss key features and any differences they noticed from
opinion writing.
- On the board, draw a large venn diagram with opinion writing and research/informational
text on each side.
- After students discuss with a partner, share as a class the key features of informational texts
and write them on the board as students share their answers.
- Next, have students compare and contrast opinion writing to research writing. Have students
discuss with a new partner for a few minutes.
- Debrief as a class, have students share their thoughts and allow students to write their ideas
on the venn diagram on the board.

Transition to Phase II:

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 - Have students watch the video on “What is economy?”. Give each table group 3 sticky notes
while they watch the video.
- Students will work in table groups to decide if this is an opinion or informational text. Then
as a group, they need to come up with 3 facts they learned about the economy.
- Have students place their finished facts on the whiteboard. Allow students to gallery read
what the other groups chose as their 3 facts.
- Debrief about how facts give us information about a topic and can be used as pieces of
evidence when writing about a topic.
- Next, have students work in pairs to think about 2 ways they spend money and 2 ways they
could make money (through bartering or selling something).
- Give students paper to draw what they would sell.
- Review as a class that in order to sell/or barter, they would rely on other things such as
availability of resources available.

Phase II:
- Monitor groups and encourage different students to write down the facts on the sticky notes
so that students are participating.
- Encourage students to think of reasonable things/ideas they could sell/barter that would be a
part of the economy.
- Pull students who are still not understanding informational texts/evidence during the
economy activity.
- Encourage early finishers to elaborate on their items they would sell, such as how they would
deliver them, costs etc.

Transition to Phase III:

- After students have brainstormed their own potential contributions to the economy, have
them research the economy of their county.
- Quickly review recreation and the wide range of things that count as recreation.
- Remind students to look for evidence and facts that will explain the economy of their county.
- When they have finished their research on the economy, have them research facts about
recreation and answer the guided questions in their packets.

Phase III:
- Work with students that could use help with researching the economy of their county.
- Remind students to use the website on Google Classroom to research the economy of their
county.
- Give students an additional day to finish Phase III if necessary.

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Lesson 3: The Writing Process

Standards:
- Writing Standard 2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas
and information clearly.
o A. introduce a topic clearly and group related information in paragraphs and sections,
including formatting, illustrations, and multimedia when useful to aid
comprehension.

Objectives:
- Students will be able to understand the steps in the writing process.
- Students will be able to create a final story/paper by following the writing process.
- Students can explain three ways to be a bucket filler.

Materials:
- “Have you Filled a Bucket Today?” By Carol McCloud
- Writing notebook
- Pencils
- The Writing Process PowerPoint
- Post-It notes

Essential Questions:
- What is the writing process?
- How can I be a bucket filler?
- What are the steps in the writing process?

Vocabulary:
- Writing process, edit, rough draft, final draft, bucket filler, main idea, details

Phase I:
- As a whole group, introduce the writing process. Review the anchor chart of the writing
process.
- Have students draw their idea web in their writers notebook.
- Introduce the topic for this writing session, Being a Bucket Filler.
- Read the story, “Have You Filled a Bucket Today?” and tell students to think about ways
they can be a bucket filler during the story.
- After reading aloud, discuss as a class the different ways someone can be a bucket filler.
- Write ideas on the board.
- Have students choose three ideas that they like the most for being a bucket filler. Have
students complete their idea web with their three ideas.
- Then have students share with their table the three supporting details they chose.

Transition to Phase II:

- Next, give students time to begin their rough draft stage. Remind students that this stage is to
get ideas on paper.
- Encourage students to write as much as they can during this stage.

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 - Once they have finished writing a paragraph for each idea, have students work in pairs to
peer edit.
- Each student will take turns reading to their partner what they wrote. Students will each be
given a sticky note and they must write two things they liked about their partner’s story and
one suggestion they could do to change.
- After each student has read and given feedback to their partner, have them work together to
make any changes and check for spelling and grammar mistakes.

Phase II:
- If needed, choose partners so students can work productively.
- Remind students that are room is a safe space for growth and how we give positive feedback.
- Pull a small group of students that may need extra assistance during the writing stage.

Transition to Phase III:

- Students will not use their rough draft with peer edits to write a final draft.
- Remind students that this is the final draft and the expectations for a final draft.
- When students turn in their final draft, have them complete the exit ticket that asks students
to put each step of the writing process in order.

Phase III:
- If time or for early finishers, have students read their paper to a small group.
- If needed, some students can reread their rough draft with their edits if they are unable to
rewrite a new final draft.
- Give students extra time to finish the final draft if needed.

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Lesson 4: Creating a strong hook sentence and introduction paragraph.
(Note: This was my observed lesson with my Westminster Supervisor)

Standards:
- Writing Standard 2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas
and information clearly.
o A. introduce a topic clearly and group related information in paragraphs

Objectives:
- Students will be able to write a hook sentence and topic sentence that relates to their paper
and introduction paragraph.
- Students can use their researched information to help them build an introduction.

Materials:
- Example of an introduction paragraph
- Topic that is relevant to students
- Post-it notes
- Writing notebooks

Essential Questions:
- What is the purpose of an introduction paragraph?
- How do we start an introduction paragraph?
- Why does a hook matter?

Vocabulary:
- Introduction, hook, creative, informative

Phase I:
- As a class, we will read two different introduction paragraphs (one simple and one with depth
and a hook)(can be found in Annotated Bibliography).
- Have students identify what they liked about each paragraph and identify differences between
the two stories.
- Review the different types of hook sentences that are used in an introduction paragraph
(Setting the scene, question, facts). Give examples of each. Emphasize that hook sentences
are because they catch the reader’s attention.
- Next, we will discuss some facts that students know about winter and the snow, or something
that is of interest to the class to build on their prior knowledge.
- Brainstorm ideas or facts that students know about winter, and write on the board.

Transition to Phase II:

- Students will write a setting the scene, question, and facts hook sentence with a partner about
winter. Each sentence will be written on a colored sticky note.
- After each sentence is written, have students put them on the board by category of type of
sentence that they are.
- After all students have posted their ideas on the board, read the different sentences that were
created.

27
 - Review that many different hook sentences can be created with the facts/information given.

Phase II:
- While groups are working on their hook sentences, walk around and help groups that are
struggling or need a kick start.
- Give groups enough time to write all three types of hook sentences.
- Give cues to students to write exciting sentences that hook an audience.

Transition to Phase III:

- Students will now write their own hook sentence about their assigned county. Using the
research they have collected, they can choose which hook format they want to use and write
that sentence.
- Once they have written it, have them share with a partner and make any changes after reading
it aloud.
- Then students will continue to write the rest of their introduction paragraph for their paper.

Phase III:
- For students have difficulty self-starting on which hook format they like, have them write
multiple sentences to choose from.
- Pull small groups if needed to help students stay focused.

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Lesson 5: What is a presentation?

Standards:
- Writing Standard 6: With some guidance and support from adults, use technology to produce
and publish writing as well as to interact and collaborate with others.
Objectives:
- Students will be able to create a PowerPoint from a template.
- Students can provide relevant information on their PowerPoint.
- Students can add pictures to enhance their PowerPoint.
- Students will be able to understand how PowerPoints help a presenter.

Materials:
- Examples of good/bad presentations and PowerPoints
- Chromebook
- County Report PowerPoint Template
- Telephones

Essential Questions:
- What is a PowerPoint?
- Why do we need presentations?
- How do I make a PowerPoint that relates to my topic?

Vocabulary:
- Presentation, presenter, evaluation, performance

Phase I:
- As a class, we will look at examples of good and bad presentations.
- After each one, have students share what they liked and didn’t like about the presentation.
- On the board, have students write features they liked on the PowerPoints. Use this list to
explain what the purpose of a PowerPoint is.
- Review what makes a good presenter (eye contact, sitting/standing straight, clear voice).
- Have students practice their presenter position by reading a prompt on the board a few times.
- As a whole group, have each student open their chromebook and open the template
PowerPoint.
- Go through how to change or add words, what the title slide should look like, and how to
search for a picture and add it to the slide.
- Review what would make sense to go on the slide, including images that support what the
topic is about. (Make sure to also explain that if something is out of frame, it will be cut off
when PowerPoint is put into present mode).

Transition to Phase II:

- Next, have students work on the next slide, Facts about their county, using the research and
facts they have already collected.
- Students can work in table groups to navigate the PowerPoint and edit what they would like.
- Students need to have at least 3 facts but no more than 5. They need to also add a title to each
slide to explain the section and a relevant picture.

29
 - Have students review one another’s slides and check for grammar/spelling errors.

Phase II:
- Pull small groups for students who may need additional support on the computer and typing
their information.
- Encourage early finishers to try transitions to their presentation and to preview their
presentation in Present Mode.

Transition to Phase III:

- After all students have completed one slide and reviewed with a peer, have students finish the
next 2 slides, History and Economy/Recreation.
- Each slide should have 3 facts but no more than 5, and at least 1 picture.
- Remind students that facts and images need to be relevant to each section.
- After students have completed their slides, have them practice their presentation in Present
Mode as if they were going to present to an audience. Students can read into telephones to
practice speaking.
- Next, find a partner to practice your presentation to. Give each other feedback and make any
changes.

Phase III:
- Give students additional days to practice presentations and review what a strong presenter
looks like.
- Remind students that they will be presenting these at parent teacher conferences for their
families.
- Pull small groups to listen to one of their slides and give feedback on their overall
presentation.
- For students who cannot/are unable to present, have them complete the PowerPoint and
submit with their written report.

30
Unit Reflections

Reflection 1: How and why did you use funds of knowledge data in designing the unit?

I worked with my mentor teacher to create the overall idea and associated standards that would

be most useful for the class when creating my unit plan. I wanted to challenge both myself and the

students with a writing unit. I felt the least comfortable teaching writing out of all the subject areas

and I knew that many of my students did not enjoy writing. I spent the next few weeks leading up to

my anticipated start date for my unit observing students during writing. Overall, my class did not

have a dedicated writing time every day. There would be lessons around writing techniques but not

always the opportunity for students to write each day. I wanted to focus on having opportunities to

write often, even if it just involved a few sentences as an exit ticket.

I also felt that using Utah counties as the topic for the writing would be interesting to the class as

many of them are immigrants to both Utah and the United States. They also ask me often about what

Salt Lake City is like or what it is like to live there. This made me realize that learning about the

counties could be an interesting topic for students to buy into as they would have the opportunity to

learn about the cities and areas in the state of Utah.

One last change I made that I hadn’t originally planned on, was assigning a county to each

student. I was going to do it randomly but felt it would be better for some students to receive a

certain county. Based on what I knew about the student’s interest and student knowledge, I assigned

them a certain county. For example, one girl in class is very interested in snowboard and winter

sports, so I felt it would be beneficial to give her Summit County where Park City is as she would

find that information in her research very interesting. I also gave students who were strong inferrers

counties that may have less information or research than others so that they could build upon their

inferences.

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Reflection 2: How and why did you use the research in context data you collected as you designed
your unit?

The pre-assessment allowed me to learn that the class understood what a hook sentence is but

were unclear on the strategies for how to go about writing one. This information became something

that I wanted to cover and help my students learn. I also felt that building on their knowledge of a

hook sentence would set them up for success to write more in depth paragraphs and papers in the

future. Often the first sentence is the hardest part of writing, so I wanted to expand their knowledge

and give them tools to write hook sentences easily. It was clear that the students were aware of the

idea of research, or research paper, but did not fully understand what made this type of writing

different from other texts.

I was also not surprised by their background knowledge of counties, and anticipated this topic to

be the main concept for our writing assignment. Because of their funds of knowledge on counties, I

began designing my lesson to teach students the difference between counties and countries, and

learning that there are many different counties in Utah. While there are many concepts that could be

covered regarding counties, I wanted to teach the basic knowledge for this unit so that students could

understand the topic while also focusing on the writing portion. I also felt this would be a useful

introduction for an upcoming unit my teachers were planning on Utah studies.

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Reflection 3: How and why did you use the pre-assessment data of students’ knowledge, abilities,

and interests as you designed your curriculum and made instructional decisions?

I found the data on students’ learning preferences equally as useful as the curriculum questions.

Even though I felt like I had a strong grasp of what my students liked and preferred, this data

solidified their learning styles and allowed me to think of how to incorporate all styles in my unit. I

was most surprised to find the class almost equally split between working in groups, partners, or

alone. Based off of this information, I wanted to make sure that I included all options at some point

during all my lessons. I decided it would be best to utilize groups and partners at the beginning of the

lesson for discussion and collaboration between students. Then because each student had a different

assigned county, their research would be individual work with the opportunity to work in partners or

groups at the end to debrief or review their work.

I also found it useful to understand how students learn and remember information. I had asked

students “I remember best when…” and gave them the options of I can read it, it is told to me out

loud, and someone can show me on the pre-assessment. My class was equally split between all three

answers. Because of this, I wanted to ensure that my instructions were given in all three ways to

benefit the entire class. This information resulted in making the county packet so students always had

the information written. I also completed my own copy to provide students with a visual example and

the expectations for each step of the project.

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Reflection 4: How did you conduct a formative assessment and make changes as you taught your

lesson?

For this unit, I wanted to push the students to complete a finished writing product for our final

assessment. I used this writing piece as my formative assessment as I felt it captured all the

objectives that I was hoping the students would achieve. With this end goal in mind, I realized that I

needed to put a greater emphasis on the writing process so that students did not feel overwhelmed or

defeated before even starting the assignment. I added the writing process lesson to my original plan

as I noticed the class’ knowledge of the process was varying. I also decided to add a checklist to the

project packet so they could visually see what needed to be completed next and that each day was a

different step in the process.

I had also originally added Writing Standard 2.c, linking ideas with categories of information

using words and phrases, as part of my rubric for the formative assessment. However, when I began

writing my lesson plans and estimating the time of each lesson I felt that I was not going to be able to

adequately teach and prepare my students for this section of the formative assessment. I found it

beneficial to have my rubric in place when designing my unit so that I could ensure I was giving my

students all the information they needed to be successful with the formative assessment. I attempted

to change some of my lessons to add this standard in but I felt that it was too rushed and not as

important in this unit in comparison to the other standards. I also found that I was thinking of my

rubric often while I was teaching each lesson so that I could emphasize certain concepts or ideas that

would help my students with the end goal.

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Reflection 5: What effective teaching strategies and technology did you use?

Across the entire unit I wanted to focus on giving students many opportunities to work with one

another through group and peer collaboration. Even though each student had a different county or

topic, I felt that they were able to have strong discussions with one another about the writing topic

and similarities between their counties. I also modeled each step or task so that students were aware

of the expectations for the assignment and provided students a starting place with their own work.

From my pre-assessment I learned that 1/3 of the class preferred instructions given to them visually

and I wanted to emphasize this with both my instructions and the assignments.

I also liked to use questions to check for understanding or having students rank their individual

learning and understanding so that I could assess their progress and when to move forward or

reinforce the material. This self-assessment was helpful because, for example, when we were

learning about what a research paper is, I started the lesson by asking students what they thought the

differences were between an opinion writing piece and a research writing piece. I asked the students

to self-assess if they felt confident to give an example or a definition for opinion writing. When I was

writing my lesson plans I thought this would be quick and not need reviewing. After my students

indicated how comfortable they felt with what an opinion was, I realized that I should review an

opinion writing before moving forward with the comparison. This was not something I originally had

in my plan, but the check for understanding allowed me to set the students up for success on the next

part of the lesson.

This unit involved many opportunities on the Chromebooks. The students used the internet to

research information about their counties and also typed their final draft on the computer. One last

tool I wanted to teach the class on the computer was how to create a PowerPoint and how to use it as

an aide when presenting. This was a great chance to learn about other capabilities the computer offers

and how it relates to their writing.

35
Reflection 6: Behavior: What were your concerns; what worked; what did not; challenges?

During the release phases of my lessons I was most concerned about how to manage the students

that completed the task for the day quicker than others. We spent one day per topic of research so

that I could monitor student progress and help students stay caught up together. I knew that some

students would finish faster than others so I wrote additional questions they could answer if they had

time on the board that guided their research. I also asked some of these early finishers to help their

classmates that may like help with their research and where to look for the information. After the first

two days of having students do this I felt like there could be another option that could stretch their

knowledge more than just helping their classmates. I collected some sample brochures and

challenged the early finishers to create their own brochure on the county that would entice someone

to visit. I thought this would be both creative and an extension on the assignment to take the research

they found and compile it in a way that would persuade someone.

This turned into a great extension that the students were able to do when they were finished and

allowed me to work with the students that needed additional support on the assignment for the day. I

did allow students to work near others who were also creating a brochure so they could encourage

and build off of one another, however this became a louder and more distracting part of the room for

the other students. I think in the future I would have them work individually and silently on it, and

give them the last few minutes of the lesson to talk with others. I also found the extension difficult as

there were some students who wanted to work on the brochure but were unable to complete the

original task for the day. I found this challenging as this extension was an incentive for students to

stay on task and finish their work, but for others it was more distracting and they could not finish

their required task for the day. In the future, I think I would leave the brochure open for students to

complete during centers, free time, or other earlier finishers opportunities to allow for those students

who wanted to participate.

36
Reflection 7: Academic: What were your concerns; what worked; what did not; challenges?

Overall, I was pleased with how the students were able to implement the writing process and

write a strong hook sentence. I felt that the class had not completed many full writing pieces with the

writing process, and the final assignment for this unit was lengthy compared to other assignments

they have worked on. I felt that it was beneficial that I scaffolded the work overtime and gave each

step of the process and dedicated day during the unit. This helped break down the assignment and

gave the students more stamina with the overall assignment.

In future I feel that I would start this unit after covering the geography of Utah or the history of

Utah. The class has had little exposure to the social studies standards which I learned during my pre-

assessment. While I did try to give an introduction to these topics, I feel this unit in particular could

have benefitted, and had greater depths of knowledge, if the students were comfortable with the

geography of Utah and the history of the state. Another change that could be beneficial for the unit is

to build a vocabulary bank for some of the words they would encounter in their research. For

example, many of my students were unfamiliar with the words manufacturing, livestock, mining, and

tribes. I had not considered this beforehand and it would have been more effective to review these

words beforehand or have a place where students could reference what they meant while they were

doing their research.

I also feel that I could emphasize more on the social studies topic and find ways to incorporate

their research in other disciplinaries in the class. I would have liked to do some type of spotlight at

the end of the unit, or towards the end, where students could share what they learned about their

county and the interesting facts they found in their research.

37
Reflection 8: How would you describe student learning during the unit, based on pre and post-

assessment data?

After looking at the pre and post-assessment data and the formative assessment, I felt that overall

the students were able to improve and achieve the objectives of the unit. I was very pleased with the

hook sentences that students were able to create and the variety of strategies that were used to do so.

I was also happy to see that students were able to use their technology to create a cohesive final draft

and a PowerPoint to supplement their presentation. Both of these skills will need continual practice

but the class overall was able to complete both of these assignments well. Overall, I felt that all the

students made progress with their writing because we broke up the process and took it step by step.

I also feel that the students have an understanding of counties in Utah but could use more depth

on the topic from another unit. I feel that this unit was focused with social studies as the topic but it

could be made to focus more on the social studies through writing. The post-assessment data helped

me to understand this as the class improved on their understanding of the writing portion but could

use more clarity with what a county is in general. I think it would have been beneficial to teach about

the government and how it is set up for the students to fully understand what a county is and why it

matters.

38
Reflection 9: Take one lesson guide and discuss what would be the next steps for students who did

not meet your objectives.

My third lesson in this unit was teaching the writing process and the end objective was for

students to be able to create their own final draft of their writing after going through the steps in the

writing process. For students who did not meet this end objective, I would pull small groups the next

day during our writing time. This unit was designed to have students work for part of the designated

time on researching their individual county. I feel that during this individual research time would be

best to pull a small group to review the writing process as the rest of the class would know what is

expected from them during their work, and they have already done a similar task and assignment.

With a small group, I would review a poster or anchor chart of the steps of the writing process. I

would also give the students a smaller version as a checklist for them to keep track of where they are

with their work. We would then continue working with where they all left off with their ‘Being a

Bucket Filler’ topic. We would review our brainstorm ideas and have students share their three ideas

they chose. Then we would take one idea at a time and write a paragraph about how their idea helps

them be a ‘bucket filler’. At this point students will move at different paces and so some will work on

all three paragraphs while I will help others that need additional support with writing a paragraph. At

this point, most of our writing time will be used and so I will have students return to the whole group

to work on their research for their county.

On another day of research, I would pull the same small group and finish up this lesson by

having students partner up and practice reading their rough draft. Each student will share 1 grow and

1 glow that they liked about their partners writing. Then students will write their final draft. By

having this smaller group, I feel that I can assess their work and progress closer and help identify

additional topics that need to be retaught.

39
Reflection 10: What will you do the same and or differently in the future in terms of assessing

student learning and using assessment to design curriculum?

I found that creating the assessment criteria from the beginning made building the unit easier and

allowed me to focus on what areas needed the most attention and emphasis with the students. I plan

on continuing to design the formative assessment first in order to build the instruction around those

end goals. I also learned that the assessment does not need to cover as many standards as possible.

While I find it useful to use cross-disciplinary instruction, I do not need to overload a unit by having

every standard in it. When I first looked into the standards and made my rubric, I was trying to cover

every part of the social studies standard into my unit. I soon realized that this was going to involve

the unit becoming longer and my formative assessment more extensive than I had originally planned.

I decided that it would be better to focus on part of the standard rather than every subsection that was

listed. This helped my lesson plans become more concise and have a better flow between each one.

While the students were still learning about these different subsections, I realized that it didn’t mean

that I had to assess them on this particular assignment.

Going forward, I will continue using the pre-assessment as I learned more about my students and

their funds of knowledge. I feel that a pre-assessment at the beginning of a new section will allow me

to understand my students’ learning and how I can create a unit that builds upon their knowledge. I

also learned that assessments do not need to always be tests or quizzes. While these are useful

assessments for some topics, there are many other ways to assess student knowledge and

understanding. I enjoyed working on this writing piece with my class and in the future I think this

unit has the opportunity to include an art aspect to supplement the writing portion. By having a

variety in the types of assessment, I feel that the students can expand their knowledge and show their

understanding in different ways that may be more advantageous to their learning styles than a

standard test.

40
41
Annotated Bibliography

Inkwell Media. (2014, April 20). Econ vids for kids: what is money? [Video]. Youtube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjTwcQYgISA

After learning about the components of a research paper, we will practice by learning about

the economy and how it relates to both the students and their assigned counties. This video gives a

simple explanation of what economy and money is and how our society relies on bartering, selling,

and buying. Students will watch this video and debrief on what the economy is. Students will apply

this knowledge by brainstorming ways they can participate in the economy and build on these ideas

as supporting details for a research paper on the economy.

McCloud, C., Lundgren, M., & Messing, D. (2006). Have you filled a bucket today?: A

guide to daily happiness for kids. Northville, MI: Ferne Press.

This story is about the idea of filling a bucket, or spreading kindness and service to others. The

book gives examples of ways to be a ‘bucket filler’ and how those actions have positive effects on

many people. We will read this book during Lesson 3 as it will be our topic for practicing the writing

process. Students will learn about the writing process and write about ways they can be a ‘bucket

filler’. Students will brainstorm ideas after reading the story’s examples and follow the steps of the

writing process to complete a final draft about the topic.

Teaching Without Frills. (2016, June 13). Informational writing for kids-episode 1:what is it?

[Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DN4d76QP_MA

This video is used in Lesson 2 to introduce the topic of a research/informational text writing. The

video gives a short, kid-friendly explanation of the components of informational texts and how to

identify them. We will use this video at the beginning of the lesson to introduce the topic and build

42
an equal level of understanding for all students on what informational texts are. This will help later in

the lesson for our comparison between opinion and research writing. Students will then have the

opportunity to practice writing the different parts of a research paper.

Utah Division of State History. (2020). Utah’s counties.

http://ilovehistory.utah.gov/place/counties/counties.html

Utah Education Network. (n.d.) Counties of Utah.

https://www.uen.org/counties/

Utah Travel Center. (n.d.) Counties. Travel Center.

https://www.utahtravelcenter.com/destinations/counties/

List of counties in Utah. (2020, March 26). Wikipedia.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_counties_in_Utah

These websites are chosen for students to complete their research of their county with. I built

the questions in their county packet around these websites to help them be successful in finding all

the information they need through these websites only. I posted these links on the Google Classroom

and encouraged students to only use these sites. All of the sites organize the information into

categories which makes it easier for students to find the information they are looking for by reading

the headings. I also felt that using these websites prevented students from searching their counties

and sorting through information that did not make sense to them or was not relevant to the topics we

were covering. These websites are kid friendly and built for student use.

County Packets for each student: County Packet

I created this packet for students to use throughout the unit. It includes written instructions

for each research step, guiding questions for research, and a checklist for all parts of the project.

43
Students can use this packet to help them organize their research and it will allow me to monitor their

progress on the research portion of the unit.

Example of introduction paragraphs: Lesson 4

“The San Francisco county is in California . It has many people that live there. There are many things that

have happened there and lots of different people have lived there in the past. It is one county out of many in

California.

Imagine it is the year 1776, and you have been traveling to find a new place to live. You see land that is

surrounded by water on three sides and is right next to the ocean. You think it might look be a good place to

build a place for ships to come and go. This is what the Spanish people thought when they first saw the San

Francisco land. The people created San Francisco county on June 29th, 1776. They lived and worked there for

many years. The county became popular, has had many events in history, and is now one of the biggest counties

in the United States.”

These two contrasting paragraphs are used at the beginning of Lesson 4 to emphasize a strong

hook sentence and introduction paragraph. Students will identify the similarities and differences

between the two paragraphs and explain what makes the second paragraph a strong introduction

paragraph. I wrote these example paragraphs so students could have an example of a paragraph that

relates to counties and how they could begin brainstorming their own hook sentence and introduction

paragraph.

Map of the world, map of the U.S., and map of Utah counties PowerPoint

I created this PowerPoint to use during Lesson 1 when introducing the concept of a county

and its relation to countries. The first map is of the world to show continents and discuss what the

lines on this map represent. The next map is zoomed into a country (USA) to discuss what the lines

on a state map represent and how they are different from countries. The last map is of the state of

Utah and again discuss what these lines on the map mean. This is a visual that supports the teaching

44
of counties compared to countries and states. It also allows for a visual of the counties in Utah before

assigning them to the class.

Templates for google classroom:

County Final Draft Template County PowerPoint Template

I created these templates for the final draft paper and PowerPoint to guide students on the

format for each final assignment. As my students have not had much experience with typing out a

final draft or creating a PowerPoint, I wanted to provide structure for this part of the assignment. It

was also not part of the rubric criteria for them to complete the format correctly. I placed them on

Google Classroom and each student was able to turn in their work digitally when completed.

The Writing Process PowerPoint: The Writing Process Powerpoint

I made this PowerPoint to support my Lesson 3 about the Writing Process. It is an outline of

the entire writing process and has key notes and concepts for students to refer to when working

through the process on the topic of being a ‘bucket filler’. After reading the story and brainstorming

ideas that students can use in their writing piece, this PowerPoint can be displayed to supplement oral

directions given and act as a reminder for what is expected from the student at each stage of the

writing process.

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Additional Materials

- Pencils

- Plain Paper

- Post-it notes

- Telephones

- Writing notebooks

- Expo Markers

- Chromebooks

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