Milford Mill Academy
LESSON PLAN TEMPLATE
Formal Observation
Teacher’s Name: Coffing
Date: 10/14/19
Period: 2B
Evaluation Year: Yes
Subject/Grade/Level: 9th Grade American Government
Unit/Focus Topic: Principles of Government
Class Equity Background: This is a 9th Grade standard class. There are 25 students in the class.
Students in this class seem generally interested in government, but are also interested in
sports, technology, and socializing. I gathered this information through observations as well as
student interest surveys given in the first week.
There are five students with IEPs in this class. There is also one English Learner and one student
who currently has a concussion.
Accommodations to these students are most often presented as options for the whole class. I
always offer all students highlighters, use graphic organizers frequently, offer to read aloud to
students, and use timers in the classroom to keep students on track.
I provide specific support to students who need it by doing additional check-ins with those
students as they work. I also provide more one-on one instruction to those students, pulling a
chair next to them or being near them during an activity to scaffold the content.
For students who may need higher level content or activities, I provide extension activities
every class period that are not graded but provide additional support, specifically in application
of content. Students who finish early are instructed to complete the additional activity to push
their thinking and apply their knowledge in a different way.
For both students who need additional support and students who need to be pushed more, the
function on Schoology to individually assign folders to specific students has been immensely
helpful to me. By having two or three sets of information, leveled appropriately, students can
work at their own level and pace without confusion. Students ONLY see the folder I assign
them, so there is no public difference between what students are looking at.
Finally, to accommodate all students I like to have a variety of activities and assessments
available throughout a unit to give all students a chance to succeed or show off their best skills.
Standards: I can analyze situations about the relevance and purpose of government in my daily
life.; I can analyze the extent to which the principles of government are upheld in America and
in other countries.
Milford Mill Academy
Learning Objective: I can use my knowledge of the principles of government to compare
different government and economic types, explain whether or not a government is successful in
filling its purpose, and analyze historical documents for their influence on my life and our
government today.
Drill: Why did the Articles of Confederation not fill the principles of our government?
How does our current Constitution and Bill of Rights better fill the principles of our
government?
Anticipatory Set: Review of purpose for the lesson and acknowledge that students will be
completing a variety of activities.
Teach and Model: Teacher walkthrough of stations and brief review of what each station is
doing.
Guided Practice followed by Check Understanding and adjust/Reteach: For three minutes at
the end of each station rotation, students will write down the information they knew well and
the information they need to review.
(checking for understanding/hinge question- midway point) Midway through the class (after
three rotations) – mix-pair-share activity, ask students additional short answer review questions
to extend thinking and check-in.
*Responsive Instruction Pathway: One of the stations for review will be sitting in a group with
me (groups will be assigned beforehand) to instruct/reteach/explain concepts students may not
understand or need extension on. This instruction will be based on each group’s ability level or
area they need the most help on. I will choose groups based on an exit ticket survey given the
class beforehand on what the students most need help with.
Independent Learning /Assessment: Students will complete an exit ticket analyzing the
principles of government (separation of powers, checks and balances, etc.) for their impact on
individual rights and the power of the government.