Evidence of Student Learning

Sarah Creegan
Towson University
March 22, 2016

Part A: Learning Context, Topic, and Objectives

School Profile
New Town High School (NTHS) of Owings Mills consists of 997 students with
the average class size of 27.6 29 students. Of these students, 93% are African
American, while the other seven percent is compiled of White (3%), Hispanic (2%),
Asian (1%) and two or more races (1%). Gender divides the school almost evenly with
512 males and 485 females. The attendance rate at NTHS is at 94.7 percent and does not
differ greatly within race or gender. In 2015, 15.3 percent of the student population
received special education services not including the 49 students with 504 plans. Along
with these special services, over half of the school (52.1%) received Free and Reduced
Meals (FARMS).
Class Profile
The class I have chosen to collect data from is a Communication and Learning
Support (CLS) science class that is taught for 30 minutes twice a week. The class consists
of nine students with cognitive impairments/ autism. Since some of the students are
unable to read or communicate, adult support is available. Within this class, we have one
special educator, an educational assistant, a one-to-one, and myself to help with reading,
writing, and comprehension. Five of the students are limited verbally, so adult support is
rotated throughout the class period so everyone has the same opportunity to comprehend
the material.
The demographics of the class show slight diversity with gender, race, and ability.
Two students are African American females, four are African American males, one is a
white male, and two are Hispanic males. All of the students are working towards

vocabulary development and reading comprehension. From this, we focus a portion of

our class on vocabulary terms and reading a story based on the unit.
Jason and Edgar speak Spanish as a first language and English as a second
language. Jason is able to read fluently, but along with Devin, is working to answer
questions about a text. Devin has Tourette syndrome and Obsessive-Compulsive
Disorder, which affect his focus during class. Edgar and Raquel are limited verbally and
are working on matching vocabulary to definitions. Daesha is focused on reading
comprehension and fluency. Jamauri, demonstrates behaviors that disrupt his learning,
but he is able to focus using proximity control. He is working on reading fluency and
vocabulary development. Next we have Terry who is working to focus his attention on
the task at hand and comprehend readings using visual cues. Furthermore we have
Anthony who is a quiet student, but is able to read fluently when asked to perform aloud.
Jonathan generally works well with Anthony because he is unable to read and write so
having peer support is beneficial. All of the students were able to be involved during each
day of the unit so data was recorded for the respective student.
Objectives
The first lesson will be focused on introducing conservation and developing
vocabulary related to the new material. The objective will be for students to define the
conservation vocabulary by reading a story and highlighting key terms. Since the class
periods are thirty minutes, prioritizing information is essential with each lesson. Here we
will incorporate experiences and life-skills so that students are able to relate to the
material. With that in mind, I found that the core-learning goal best fits CCSS.ELALITERACY. RST.9-10.2: determine the central ideas or conclusions of a text; trace the

text's explanation or depiction of a complex process, phenomenon, or concept; provide an

accurate summary of the text. Students will read the conservation text in order to define
their vocabulary and discover examples of the terms.
During the second lesson, students will be able to identify ways we influence the
environment in order to categorize energy sources and recyclable objects This lesson will
have the students utilizing their vocabulary terms to classify images. The common core
standard that aligns with this objective is CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.9-10.1: Cite
specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts, attending to
the precise details of explanations or descriptions. Students will need to use their text in
order to complete the activity. The activity is explaining and differentiating recyclable
items and energy sources.
Day three encompasses the objective of students identifying the ways natural
resources impact our daily life in order to categorize examples of energy sources. The
students will watch a video and read a story on conservation in order to highlight key
terms and relate real-world objects to their vocabulary. This correlates directly with
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.9-10.4: Determine the meaning of symbols, key terms, and
other domain-specific words and phrases as they are used in a specific scientific or
technical context relevant to grades 9-10 texts and topics.
Finally, our last day incorporates each aspect of our unit to complete a class
project and assessment. The objective is to identify natural resources by sorting materials
and explaining their importance to the environment. Students will observe a video on
conservation and analyze their items that were brought to class. This relates to CCSS.
ELA-LITERACY.RST.9-10.6: Analyze the author's purpose in providing an explanation,

describing a procedure, or discussing an experiment in a text, defining the question the

author seeks to address.
Part B: Assessment Plan
The pre-assessment consists of five questions relating to the material that will be
covered in the unit. The unit is based on the Biology curriculum covering conservation.
Each question will be focused on a vocabulary term that the students will become
familiar with during the next few class periods. Along with each question will be pictures
so that the students are able to visualize the key words. For example, above the word
natural resources will be a picture of trees.
I also wrote the questions using why, what, and define because this class in
particular is unable to respond to complex questions that ask for detailed responses. Each
question had three multiple-choice responses. One of the responses was off topic, one
was related to the word, and the third was the correct answer. I observed two preassessments created by my mentor and found that hers were laid out in this manner
because this format is conducive to student understanding of what is being asked.
Once the students completed the assessment, I graded each one individually and
took notes on which questions needed to be emphasized during the next lessons. I feel as
though the visual cues above the words aided in the comprehension of the vocabulary
term and connected the students prior knowledge. Nonetheless, the questions did not
necessary ask for students to define the word, but understanding the concept assisted in
the response.
The scoring tool for the assessment was a scale of 1-5, which was recorded on the
top of each paper. However, I also felt that I needed to record my own data in multiple

forms in order to see who chose their answer according to the question and where
patterns were apparent. For example, one student chose the answer that was read to them
last. So for each question, the last box was circled. This shows that their grade reflects
their listening/ comprehension skills, not their content knowledge. Furthermore, I decided
that I would note the score, the pattern, who chose the responses that were outlandish,
and which questions were commonly misread. Using this data, I was able to appropriately
revise my lesson plans in order to better aid student comprehension of the unit.
The summative assessment is identical to the pre-assessment so that student data
will be accurate. In order to successfully complete the assessment students must have
completed the activities and notes, which corresponded to the common core standards for
ninth grade science. The standards have the students utilizing text, visual prompts, and
experiences in order to describe scientific terms. This knowledge will also be related to
real-world instances where students are able to determine how we conserve our
environment and the impact it makes.
Since the class is thirty minutes, we do not have the extended time for students to
complete a written exit ticket each day. So instead, my closures involve students
responding to predetermined so assess student comprehension of the material taught in
class. For example, one student was asked, how do we know if a plant or animal is
extinct? The response was if it isnt alive anymore. I find this to be an accurate
response because they were able to communicate the definition without referring to their
notes. Here is where I took notes on my observations and student responses in order to
reflect and plan for the next lesson.

I also used the activities completed each class period as forms of an assessment in
order to document the current comprehension by each student. Those these are not exit
tickets these assignments will provide me with information to analyze the topics that need
to be further discussed. On each paper turned in, I wrote notes to see where common
mistakes were made and who was able to relate their prior knowledge to the current
content.

Conservation: Day One

Core Learning Goal:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.9-10.2
Determine the central ideas or conclusions of a text; trace the text's explanation or
depiction of a complex process, phenomenon, or concept; provide an accurate
summary of the text.
Objective:
Students will be ale to define the conservation vocabulary by reading a story and
highlighting key words.
Class work Modifications:
Guided notes/ Story
Repetition of directions
Positive Reinforcement
Visual Cues
Highlighting of key words
Pre-cut materials
Assessment Accommodations:
Four of the nine students will have one of the adults in the room read the
questions and responses aloud. They will need to circle the appropriate answer.
Highlighting will also be used to emphasize key words.
Materials:
Vocabulary sheet, Conservation story, pre-assessment, highlighters, glue
Lesson Components
Agenda: (~2 minutes combined with (Objective/ Greetings)
Greetings
Pre-assessment
Vocabulary look-over
Read Conservation Story
Vocabulary/Definitions
Goodbyes
Opener/Warm up: (~2 minutes)

I will walk around the room to greet students and then continue into the new unit.
One student will read the objective and we will try to define the term conservation
as a class. Once our discussion is complete, I will pass out the pre-assessment
and students will be given time to answer the questions based on previous
knowledge.
Information Exchange: (~23 minutes)
Exploration (~3 minutes):
Students will be given pre-cut definitions and vocabulary terms, which will need
to be laid out on their desk. They will take one minute to read over the definitions
and terms to see if they recognize any of the words. Once they have read over the
information, we will begin with our story. This portion of the class is to observe
previous knowledge from students and see who is able to make real world
connections.
Explanation (~5 minutes):
Each student will be provided with a story on conservation and a highlighter.
While reading through the story together, we will highlight our new vocabulary
terms and read them aloud. This will emphasize the new words and show the
students where to find meanings and examples.
Elaboration (~15 minutes):
We will reflect on our readings in order to appropriately pair our definitions to our
readings. I will have students take turns choosing a word and reading the
corresponding definitions. I will then ask students for examples either from the
reading or from experiences. The students will then glue their definitions to the
terms in order to create vocabulary cards to use for the duration of the unit.
Closure/Summary: (~2 minutes)
We will summarize the lesson by having individual students say one thing they
have learned about each vocabulary term. The students will be expected to say an
example or say a definition in their own words.
Forward Look: (~1 minute)
We will talk about next class period and our further discussion on recyclable items
and sources of energy.

Conservation: Day Two

Core Learning Goal:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.9-10.1
Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts,
attending to the precise details of explanations or descriptions.
Objective:
Students will be able to identify ways we influence the environment in order to
categorize energy sources and recyclable objects.
Class work Modifications:
Guided notes/ Story
Repetition of directions
Positive Reinforcement

Visual Cues
Highlighting of key words
Pre-cut materials
Assessment Accommodations:
I will ask questions and give students time to think before I call their name and
ask for a response. This way each student has time to think and respond
accordingly.
Materials:
Vocabulary sheet, Conservation story, Activity with cutouts, highlighters, glue,
Brain Pop video
Lesson Components
Agenda: (~2 minutes combined with (Objective/ Greetings)
Greetings
Vocabulary with definitions
Natural Resources Brain Pop
Conservation Story
Activity
Goodbyes
Opener/Warm up: (~5 minutes)
I will walk around the room to greet students and then continue into the new unit.
One student will read the objective and we will go over our vocabulary cards.
Students will be asked to define the term that I place on the board (read the back
of the card) and provide an example. I will ask questions for further thought such
as what is something we recycle during lunch? This way students are taking
what they learned the previous class and relating it to their daily life.
Information Exchange: (~20 minutes)
Activity 1 (~6 minutes):
Students will observe a Brain Pop video on natural resources. I will pause the
video are certain times so that the students are able to think of examples of the
different vocabulary terms outside of the ones already discussed. I will expect
students to use the ones directly from the video or relate those examples to
previous knowledge.
Activity 2 (~4 minutes):
Using the story that we previously highlighted, students will take turns reading
aloud. It is expected that each student will repeat the vocabulary words and follow
along with the reader. Once the story is complete, we will turn back to the section
on energy sources and underline the three types. This way each student will know
where to reflect on during the next activity.
Activity 3 (~10 minutes):
Students will work in pairs to complete an activity where they categorize pictures
as recycle, trash, and energy source. The pairs will be pre-planned so that the
students who are able to read are partnered with those who may need prompting.
Each group will cut out the images and glue them where they best fit using their
vocabulary definitions and reading. They will also need to reflect on our
discussion during the video because I would have previously stated a few of the
examples and emphasized their importance.

Closure/Summary: (~3 minutes)

Once each group has finished, they will compare it with another group to double
check their responses. The group discussion should last only three minutes and
consist of reasoning as to why answers may need to be changed.
*During this activity, the adults in the room will need to be observing student
interactions and aiding in on-task behaviors.
As a closing, I will have students help me complete my chart using their own. I
will ask questions based on their reading and the video in order to aid in higher
order thinking. This portion of the class should last no longer than
Forward Look: (~1 minute)
We will talk about next class period and our further discussion on Natural Resources
(reflect on the four types).
Conservation: Day Three
Core Learning Goal:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.9-10.4
Determine the meaning of symbols, key terms, and other domain-specific words
and phrases as they are used in a specific scientific or technical context relevant to
grades 9-10 texts and topics.
Objective:
Students will be able to identify the ways natural resources impact our daily life in
order to categorize examples of energy sources.
Class work Modifications:
Guided notes/ Story
Repetition of directions
Positive Reinforcement
Visual Cues
Highlighting of key words
Pre-cut materials
Assessment Accommodations:
I will ask questions and give students time to think before I call their name and
ask for a response. This way each student has time to think and respond
accordingly.
Materials:
Vocabulary cards, Conservation story, Activity with cutouts, glue, Brain Pop
video (Energy Sources)
Lesson Components
Agenda: (~2 minutes combined with (Objective/ Greetings)
Greetings
Vocabulary with definitions
Conservation Story
Energy Sources Brain Pop
With activity
Goodbyes

Opener/Warm up: (~5 minutes)

I will walk around the room to greet students and then continue into the new unit.
One student will read the objective and we will go over our vocabulary cards.
Students will be called on to choose the vocabulary word that best fits my
example. They will then need to call on a friend to read the definition. This
method of going over the vocabulary terms will be used so that we are not
conducting the same activity each class period. Nonetheless, we need to follow
similar schedules throughout the unit because the students in the CLS program
need structure and routine to feel comfortable within an environment.
Information Exchange: (~20 minutes)
Activity 1 (~5 minutes)
As a class, we will read our Conservation story and underline the points that
correspond to the objective. Students will be focusing on natural resources and
how they impact the environment. We will talk about the natural resources that
they use on a daily basis. This will enhance the comprehension of material
because student will find ways to relate to the information.
Activity 2 (~15 minutes):
Students will be given a chart and precut pictures that they will need to complete
during the Brain Pop video. The chart will have four categories (plants,
rocks/minerals, fossil fuels, and petroleum). Each of these categories is
emphasized during the video and provides multiple examples. However, the
students will need to relate their pictures to the examples in order to appropriately
match their picture to the natural resource. In order for students to have the
opportunity to comprehend the video and complete their worksheet, I will pause
the video after each section. Students will discuss with their neighbor what they
feel matches the natural resource and then raise their hand to be checked by an
adult in the class. I will want students to be discussing the material and using
previous knowledge/ the video in order to explain their answers.
Closure/Summary: (~3 minutes)
We will discuss student responses as a class and double check answers so that
students can use this worksheet as a reference page.
Forward Look: (~1 minute)
Students will be asked to collect materials from lunch before our next class
together. I will write on the board that items expected will be recyclable. I will
also collect materials such as a banana peel and plastic utensils.

Conservation: Day Four

Core Learning Goal:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.9-10.6
Analyze the author's purpose in providing an explanation, describing a procedure,
or discussing an experiment in a text, defining the question the author seeks to
address.
Objective:

Students will be able to identify natural resources by sorting materials and

explaining their importance to the environment
Class work Modifications:
Vocabulary with definitions
Repetition of directions
Positive Reinforcement
Visual Cues
Assessment Accommodations:
Four of the nine students will have one of the adults in the room read the
questions and responses aloud. They will need to circle the appropriate answer.
Materials:
Vocabulary/ Definitions, Items from lunch, Poster with sections (Recycle and
Trash), Notes from previous class, Post-assessment
Lesson Components
Agenda: (~2 minutes combined with (Objective/ Greetings)
Greetings
Vocabulary with definitions
Discussion of items with partner
Placement of items on class poster board
Goodbyes
Opener/Warm up: (~5 minutes)
I will greet each student individually with a handshake and expect students to
respond accordingly. I will then pass out the vocabulary cards and students will
work in pairs to go over the terms with definitions. Some of the groups will need
an adult to guide discussion. One student will say a word and the other student
will read the definition. Then once we come back as a whole group, I will ask the
students to read the recycle definition aloud. We will then discuss what types of
items are recyclable and what is not. Each student will be expected to give an
example or something they recycle (water bottle, soup can, glass olive jar, etc.)
Information Exchange: (~20 minutes)
Activity 1 (~5 minutes)
Students will observe a Brain Pop video on energy sources in order to aid in
categorizing their materials brought to class. They will be able to visual different
types of materials we recycle and relate that understanding to what was brought to
class.
Activity 2 (~5 minutes)
I will have students place their items on their desk (I will give items to students
who did not come prepared or were unable to gather materials). They will be
given five minutes to discuss their items with a partner using the prompts written
on the board. The prompts will consist of naming the item, whether to recycle or
trash the item, naming the type of natural resource, etc. I will walk around the
classroom to guide discussions and keep students on task.
Activity 3 (~15 minutes):
Students will come up to the front of the classroom and name the item that they
brought up. As a class, we will discuss why we recycle or trash the item. We will

discuss the outcomes of the materials and the reasoning as to why we must
recycle. By the end of the activity, we should have all of our materials taped to the
poster board with the type of natural resource written next to it (plant, petroleum,
mineral, etc.)
Closure/Summary: (~3 minutes)
Students will complete the post-assessment that reflects the format of the preassessment. Students will need to circle the appropriate response using the
knowledge and resources from their previous class periods. Visual cues will be
placed above vocabulary terms to aid with reading comprehension.
Part C: Instruction Reflection
Before the class period began, I wrote the agenda and the objective on the board
so that all students were in eyesight. As students entered the room, I greeted each one
individually and then we began class. First, we focused on the objective and one student
read it aloud. Once it was read aloud, I discussed the connection between the objective
and the agenda. This is a routine that the students are accustomed to because of previous
class periods.
To gain insight of students previous knowledge, I asked questions to see where
the unit may lead. The first question was to see if any of the students have heard of the
word conserve before. I was not expecting a definition or example, just a raise of the
hand. Once students responded, I then used the word in a sentence and asked, Does this
mean conserve is to protect or harm the environment? Students who thought it meant to
protect, raised their hands. Of the nine students, only three responded. The others slowly
raised their hands after looking around the classroom.
We then checked greetings off on the board to give a visual of where we are on
the agenda and then moved on to our activity (pre-assessment). The students were given
five minutes to complete the pre-assessment because from the discussion at the beginning
of class, not many were able to connect prior knowledge to the new material. At the end

of the lesson, I looked over the assessments and found that none of the students were able
to answer each question correctly. Since some of the terms are not used regularly with
some of the students (especially those who are nonverbal), the grades for the assessment
were as expected.
Since this is a new unit and students are not all familiar with these vocabulary
terms, I decided to make my lessons engaging and relatable. To begin, I asked students
questions to relate the material to the classroom. For example, I would have the students
turn off the lights to conserve energy or place a plastic bottle in the recycling bin. This
way students can visualize how we impact the environment on a daily basis.
Incorporating real-world scenarios is essential to motivating students to continue their
efforts and remember the information.
I also incorporated highlighting of reading material, group work, and Brain Pop
videos in order to differentiate my teaching methods and give students the opportunity to
understand the material is a variety of ways. For my second day of lessons, students
reviewed their vocabulary and responded to questions relating to the terms. They then
watched a video on those exact terms where examples were included to provide visuals.
Once again, we read the conservation story as a class and repeated the vocabulary words
aloud. I feel as though in a CLS program, reiteration of material in different engaging
formats is the most efficient way to aid in student learning. This provides each student
with the opportunity to understand whether they are visual, auditory, or kinesthetic
learners.
Once we complete the vocabulary, video, and story, the students will complete an
activity relating to the material. To encourage creative thinking, students will work with

partners to complete their work. They will match the images to the appropriate categories
and work on their verbal communication with a peer. So not only are we focused on
science concepts, but also life skills and developing practical communication skills. At
this point, I will be performing my formative assessments by asking students questions
and observing their responses. Class periods are only thirty minutes and do not leave time
for formal assessments. Nonetheless, I feel as though I receive better feedback when
verbalizing questions and discussing the material as if having a conversation. Then the
next class period, I will begin my lesson with addressing where I saw areas of concern
and finding ways for students to relate to the material.
Overall, I feel as though the class project that the students complete on the fourth
day is where real-world scenarios are brought to surface. Visually and kinesthetically
working with the materials provides the students with further insight on the vocabulary
terms and the relationship between the environment and us.
Part D: Analysis and Instructional Decision-Making
While reviewing the MCCRS and Essential Skills and Knowledge, I found that
almost 90 percent of my students grew in knowledge from day one to day four. Each day,
students were asked to analyze text in order to describe scientific terms. In order to
achieve these standards, students needed to follow the agenda and work through their
activities, which were directly aligned with the standard. If the students performed well
on the activities, then their comprehension of the material would be evident and reflected
on during the summative assessment.
I also observed student growth through observations and formative assessments.
This aided in the differentiation of my future lesson because the responses by students

provided me with quick feedback. That feedback helped me to know what aspects to
focus on and who needed reinforcement of certain topics.
After reviewing the data in the following chart, I was then able to analyze the
students who did not master the lesson objective. As I stated previously, 90 percent of my
students showed growth, while one student remained at the same level of comprehension.
I find this interesting because during independent and group work, Raquel was able to
answer my verbal questions and point the appropriate response. I feel as though for the
next assessment, she will need someone to focus her attention on the paper and asked
which word/image corresponds to the question. She does best when looking at pictures
and matching words to the appropriate image.
Another student who showed great efforts was Terry who increased his grade at
80 percent. During the pre-assessment, Terry circled the responses at random and was not
focused on the questions at hand. This was one of our first classes together and he was
focused on remembering my name so he could not give all of his attention to the
assignment. Nonetheless, the next class period Terry and I were able to discuss the
questions after vocabulary and he was able to respond quickly to my questions. I feel as
though distraction often disrupt the learning process because information is not fully
comprehended. I found this is most evident within special education where students have
difficulty with multi-tasking and staying on task.
In order to aid student learning, I reviewed all of the pre and post assessments and
found that we need to refer back to our story and vocabulary in order to better understand
extinct and endangered species. This could include an activity on the two terms or simply
referring back to the story to highlight examples and relate to conservation. We will also

need to work on keeping our discussions on-task and not focusing on information that is
not conducive to learning. For example, I could have Terry use his schedule to keep track
of time with the agenda I wrote. This way we can stay within our time limits and
complete all aspects of each activity instead of rushing through.
Student
Devin
Edgar
Terry
Raquel
Jamauri
Jason
Anthony

PreNotes
PostNotes
Assess
Assess
2/5 Except for #1, DH chose
4/5 Answered reserve question
the last response for each
as park (both have tree
question
image)
1/5 Chose relatable responses
4/5 Answered reserve question
as park (both have tree
image)
0/5 Circled each response
4/5 Endangered specials as
something growing
2/5 Did not look at paper,
2/5 Did not look at paper, even
even when pointing
when pointing
0/5 Chose relatable responses
2/5 Only looked at images
instead of listening to what
was being read
2/5 Answered second page
5/5 No rocking while working
correctly (rocking while
reading)
4/5 Endangered meaning
5/5 Fixed previous mistake

Jonathan

0/5

Daesha

3/5

Circled the last response,

pointed to each picture
Mixed extinct and
endangered

3/5
5/5

Unable to answer extinct

and endangered
Took full time but answered
all correctly

% Of
Change
40%
60%
80%
0%
40%
60%
20%
60%
40%

Part E: Reflection and Self-Evaluation

While planning for my unit lessons, I had a meeting with my mentor teacher to
discuss daily routines, student goals and possible activities. I feel as though having the
discussion provided myself with feedback to enhance my lesson and engage my learners.
I also feel as though it would have been beneficial to incorporate the opinion of a general
education science teacher to gain the background knowledge of the actual content.

Working with multiple people throughout the school will only enhance a lesson because it
provides the opportunity to hear different viewpoints and use learning strategies that may
be new to you.
At the beginning of each lesson, we went over the objective and agenda as a class
in order for everyone to understand what will be expected during the lesson. I had the
students take our objective and focus on the key words. Here, students were able to know
what we will be discussing and how it relates to their own experiences.
Within this class, I need to focus on sticking to the routine and following the
procedures that the students are familiar with. So next, we worked with vocabulary terms
and students needed to discover the definitions after reading our story on conservation. I
find discovery to be an important component in any lesson because I have found that
students learn best when finding material for them. Providing direct answers will have
students aimlessly following everything they are told and not using their comprehension
skills to learn new material.
Since each of my students is unique with differing abilities, it is essential to pair
students accordingly. Of my students only four are able to read and these students are
paired with those who need extra guidance. Working in pairs also benefit learning
because each student brings their own strengths and experiences to the group. This way
the students are not only relying on what they know, but also the viewpoint of their
partner. I found this coming into play with one partnership where one student guided the
reading, and the other was able to move the images to the appropriate category. Some
were then able to communicate in complete sentences why they put each object in that
particular column.

One implication from my third day of the unit was when students were asked to
categorize images by natural resources. I feel as though students would observe the video
and then glue without discussing the reasoning behind the placement. So if I were to
teach this lesson again, I would have the students place the image without gluing first.
Then we would have an open discussion with student responses to explain why that
image is in the correct place.
Second, I feel as though I need to be more direct with my directions for each
activity. The students were not collaborating as expected and one would end up doing a
majority of the work. With this class, I was able to catch this dilemma early and give each
student a job within the partnership. For the next time I teach, students will be assigned a
job within the group and will be graded according to their communication with their peer.
Especially since this is a CLS program, I want students to develop their academic
language and use it appropriately. These group assignments make for the perfect
opportunity to practice.
Furthermore, I am working towards the goal of Promoting meaningful and
inclusive participation of individuals with exceptionalities in their schools and
communities (Council for Exceptional Children). I believe that in a CLS program, we
must provide students with opportunity to build their life and communication skills. In
my unit, I had students collect materials from their lunch in order to observe how much
of their lunch items are recyclable and which forms of natural resources take a part in
producing them. This was an interactive activity that took place within and out of the
classroom setting. Even students outside of the class were discussing their lunch and what
should go in the trash and what they need to recycle.

Along with my previous goal, I feel as though another would be to participate in

the growth and dissemination of professional knowledge and skills (Council for
Exceptional Children). Here I had my students working on their academic language and
communication skills when working with their partners. I would circulate the room and
ask questions to engage a discussion between the pair. My effort was put forth in order to
aid in comprehension of the material and to enhance the relationship between students
based on personal experiences.

Reference
Council for Exceptional Children. (2016). Special Education Professional Ethical
Principles and Practice Standards. Council for Exceptional Children.