Teacher Work
Sample
First Grade Plant Unit
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Philosophy Statement
“As a teacher, I possess tremendous power to make a child’s life miserable or joyous. I
can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration. I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal. In
all situations it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated, and
a child humanized or dehumanized.”(Dr. Hiam G. Ginott)
The role of a teacher is someone who understands the authority and power they possess,
and tries on a daily basis to honor it with respect and diligence, while educating children from
the ages of 3 all the way through their college years. I believe that teachers should be able to
help the children they teach to explore and interpret not just the classroom, but the world around
them. Teachers should be able to understand the idea that different types of children learn by
different types of ways, and you need to be prepared as well as able to accommodate the ways
that all children learn, not only the ways that you are most familiar with. I know that the
students who I teach will not just leave the classroom as children who go to school they will
leave my classroom as an overall well rounded individual.
As a teacher, I want to be the one who is able to spark a young mind, or challenge old
beliefs while I am forming stronger ones. I want to give the students in my classroom the drive
and desire to continue learning, even if it gets hard at times, and I know from experience that it
will. Elementary schools should focus on the techniques that they are teaching young minds, the
skills they need to use those techniques, and the form in which those techniques and skills are
needed. There needs to be more interactive learning centers, group demonstrations, and plenty
of discussions. Who better to learn from than your peers?
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Vygotsky has a great perspective on learning which is that learning takes place through
social interaction. Therefore the classroom should be a place that lets the students gain many
experiences through different activities that get done throughout the day. By having maximum
socialization with their peers in the classroom, I believe that the students that I teach will not
only learn something from myself, or their peers, they will learn something about themselves as
well. Learning about oneself might be the most important thing that a teacher can teach a child
to do on their own.
So, what is my teaching philosophy? Why do I want to teach? These are questions that I
have asked myself everyday since the third grade. I have spent years in the classroom being the
student, and only a few months in the classroom as the teacher, but yet I still want to do this.
I want to be a teacher, I want to be remembered by at least one student of mine as the “best
teacher I have ever had” because I can still recall every teacher I have ever had, not just my
favorites. I am satisfied with teaching 7 year olds the same things year in and year out, as long
as at least one child is able to go home to their parents with a sparkle in their eyes, saying “I
want to be a teacher”.
I know I will be satisfied, because I too want to be a teacher.
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Contextual Factors
Rahway N.J., is home to four diverse schools, Franklin, Madison, Roosevelt, and
Cleveland. The school that I am doing my student teaching at is Grover Cleveland, and it is
located on East Milton Avenue. 27, 393 people populate this city, and since 1990 the population
has grown 8%. The median age of people living in Rahway is 37.37 years old. The highest level
of education received by most of the community would be high school leading the way with
22.66%, bachelor’s degrees in second place with 12.39%, and graduate degrees with 4.53%. The
average household income is $70, 447, with the average household net worth being, $515, 855.
The total crime index is 70 with 100 being the national average.
(http://www.clrsearch.com/RSS/Demographics/NJ/Rahway/)
Rahway is an extremely diverse town and these are some of the leading ethnicities that
you may find. White 55.63%, Black 28.7%, Hispanic 18.03%, Asian or Pacific Islander 4.38%,
and Other 6.69%. About 30.58% of people work white collar jobs, while 10.27% of people work
a blue collar job, and the leading job that people have is listed under the title of Services with
about 15.96% of people working that type of job. Like any other city in this country Rahway is
no different when it comes to crime. The total crime risk index is 70, with the leading crime
being Robbery with 117, and in a close second Motor Vehicle Theft with 111.
(http://www.clrsearch.com/RSS/Demographics/NJ/Rahway)
The classroom that I am in is shaped like a rectangle and has two entrances/exits. When
you walk into door 1 you are immediately surrounded by all of the artwork that each student has
done over the course of the year. There are mobiles hanging from the ceiling, a gigantic
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fishbowl cutout with student made fish of all shapes and sizes, and tons of pictures that are
written to Ms. Vollero as well as Ms. Alice with love from all of the students. There is a large
rectangular carpet near the windows surrounded by bookshelves as well as a dry erase board, this
is where most of the classes transitioning time is done throughout the day. The desks are set up
in four different teams with each team having five desks in it. The desks are arranged in such a
way where the below level students are grouped together in front of the room closest to the paraprofessional, then as each group gets closer to the back of the room the student’s skills get higher
and higher.
The schedule for any given day goes like this, school begins at 8:36am. The class is
sitting in the auditorium before that and then when the bell rings Ms. Vollero goes to pick up her
class. The students sit at their desks and wait patiently while their teacher calls the quietest
teams to put their jackets and backpacks away. Each student takes out their homework folder at
this time and Ms. Alice collects them. Morning announcements from the principal are usually
done at 8:55. After the announcements the class will begin the day with a short morning activity
or they will move to the carpet to begin their day of learning. Language arts are done from 9:00
until 11:00 every morning. While Language Arts are being done, the basic skills teacher will
come into the room and work with her group of assigned students for that day.
From 11:00 until 12:00 lunch begins and ends. Every Monday Ms. Vollero will do lunch
duty, she takes her lunch from 11:00 until 11:30, then at 11:30 she goes into the auditorium and
watches over her class with some of the lunch aids. At 12:30 the teacher will do a read aloud
and while she reads she will assign teams to go to the bathroom. From 12:30 until 1:30 everyday
math is done. At 1:30 on certain days Social Studies, Science, or Computer Lab is done. While
the daily schedule goes on every day, there are some days where the class goes to an assigned
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special. These specials range from gym class all the way to Library. On Monday afternoons
from 1:15-1:50 the class goes to art, on Tuesdays from 1:50-2:25 the class has gym, on
Wednesdays the class usually does a science lesson as well as computer lab for half an hour, on
Thursdays the class has library from 12:30-1:00, and on Fridays the class attends music class
from 12:00-12:30 and then from 1:15-2:00 the class will go to the computer lab.
In all there are 19 students, one teacher, one para-professional, one basic skills teacher for
two hours a day, and one intern being myself in this classroom everyday. 11 of the students are
boys, while 8 are girls. Two of the students have just turned 6 while the other 17 students are all
7 years old. There is one child who is classified and is assigned a para-professional, in this case
it is Ms. Alice, one child has a 504 plan, 2 children are foster children, 10 children receive free
lunch, and 2 children receive reduced lunch. Five students are Spanish, and fourteen students are
Black. There are no English Language Learners in the classroom. While looking at the 2007
NCLB Report I have seen that in the area of Language Arts the state standard is 75% proficient,
out of all of the students in Grover Cleveland Elementary School 56.1% are proficient while
42.3% are partial. When it comes to the area of Mathematics the state standard is 62%
proficient, in this school 56.1% of students are proficient, and 30.1% are partial. The scores may
be why most of the students learning time is based solely on Language Arts and Mathematics,
while the areas of Science and Social Studies are only done one time a week.
(http://education.state.nj.us/rc/nclb07/reports/39/4290/39-4290-090.html)
Although in this particular classroom there are no English Language Learners it is
important for any teacher to understand how to accommodate them. If there were an ELL
student who entered into this room in the middle of school year they would be accommodated by
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pictures that accompany many of the English words the teacher is teaching. They say that
pictures are worth a 1000 words, and when it comes to teaching ELL students nothing teaches
better than accompanying words with pictures. A child who may have a special need and is
classified may be accompanied with a one on one para-professional, the child might also be
placed by the teacher in the below level reading group and therefore see the basic skills teacher
during center time, when the student is given any type of test they may be able to listen to the
teacher read the questions outloud to them instead of having to read to themselves, and when it
comes to any type of work they may either be given different work than the rest of the class or be
given extra time to do it. Students who are above level may be accommodated as well, they may
be given more challenging work after they finish their regular work or even be placed in a higher
level learning class.
This information is all very important to any teacher because students that are in their
classrooms all learn in a different way, it is extremely important to figure out how these children
learn so that way their time spent in school is beneficial to them.
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References
http://www.clrsearch.com/RSS/Demographics/NJ/Rahway/
http://education.state.nj.us/rc/nclb07/reports/39/4290/39-4290-090.html
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Learning Goals
A. List of Learning Goals
Miss Vollero’s first grade students will do the following as part of the “plant” unit:
1. List and label the needs of growing plants.
2. Identify the structures and functions of a flowering plant.
3. Describe in their own words or illustrations the changes that occur as plants grow and
develop.
4. Compare and contrast change over time in different kinds of plants.
B. These goals are aligned with the following NJCCCS:
Science-5.1
A.1.2.4.
B.2
5.5
A.1.2.
B.1.2
C.1
Language Arts-3.2
A.1.4.6.
C.1.2.6.
C. These goals have various types and levels.
They types of learning goals listed above are varied. They involve reading, writing,
speaking, scientific reasoning, and making personal connections. As well as being varied they
span over many different levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy. They begin at Knowledge, which is the
lowest level of Bloom’s Taxonomy to Synthesis which is the second highest level of Bloom’s
Taxonomy. At the Knowledge level, students will be able to name, list, as well as define items
that are associated with plant life. At the Comprehension level, students will identify, describe in
their own words, as well as draw a picture to illustrate different types of plant seeds. At the
Application level, students will use their knowledge of plants to describe the different changes
their plants make over time. At the Analysis level, students will compare and contrast the
different characteristics of each plant. At the Synthesis level, students will develop connections
between personal as well as academic knowledge of plants.
D. These goals are appropriate in terms of development, pre-requisite knowledge, skills,
and other student needs.
The learning goals are developmentally appropriate for Miss Vollero’s first grade class.
Prior knowledge has been established through their own personal experiences throughout
their everyday life. From their own personal experiences with plants, students will make
connections in an academic setting and increase their knowledge as well as understanding of
plants in their town of Rahway, New Jersey. The upcoming plant unit will allow students to
gain a deeper understanding of what characterizes a plant and makes it unique when it is
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presented in comparison to other types of organisms, such as people and also animals.
Although there may be many varying developmental levels, all students will benefit from the
plant life academic content, and thus they have will definitely have the opportunity for
success.
For the first grade level the goals that I have chosen do have a certain level of difficulty.
Although it is difficult, these goals can be achieved through many different lessons that will
allow the student to make personal connections with these different activities. Students will
be working with a variety of different materials during each planned lesson which will allow
them to gain many different experiences that will have a lasting effect on their lives.
Students will be introduced to new ideas, concepts, and items that they may have been
previously unaware of before this unit. With the help as well as guidance from Miss Vollero
all nineteen students will be able to complete all four goals within this unit.
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Assessment Plan
The plant unit that I am conducting with Miss Vollero’s first grade class has in total four
learning goals. The first learning goal is to have students list and label the needs of growing
plants. The pre as well as post assessment for this learning goal will be a worksheet where
students will be presented with eight words. Four words are things that plants will need to grow
and the other four words are things that plants do not need to grow. This learning goal will be
assess formatively through discussions with the whole class, as well as in smaller groups, about
the different things plants need to grow. Projects and worksheets will be done along with the
discussions.
The second learning goal is that students will identify the structures and functions of a
flowering plant. The pre and post assessment tool will be a verbal group discussion of the
different structures and functions of the plant. Along with our discussion we will create a web
and chart on chart paper. The web and chart will allow students to see what they know about
plants, their structures, as well as functions. It will also allow the students to make connections
of the functions of the plant with all of its needs from the previous learning goal. The formative
assessment will include hands on classroom activities that will allow students to actually see the
many different structures of a plant.
The third learning goal is that students will describe in their own words or illustrations the
changes that occur as plants grow and develop. As a pre and post assessment I will have
students arrange a series of pictures in chronological order by sorting cutouts by pictures. For
formative assessment the students will illustrate as well as document if they are able to the
changes in their growing and developing plants. Students will also be able to be assessed by
their own personal observations of how their plants are growing. They will be given the chance
to show their findings with myself as well as with their classmates in small and large group
discussions.
The fourth learning goal is that students will compare and contrast change over time in
different kinds of plants. As a pre as well as post assessment I will give students three pictures
of three different pieces of a carrot or radish, the students will glue on their paper the piece of
plant that will grow if it is planted. For the formative assessment the class will plant three
different pieces of a plant, overtime they will illustrate as well as document whether they see
change in any of the planted pieces. Discussions will follow and I will have the class explain
why certain parts of the plant grew and why some did not.
This class does not contain any ELL students but it does contain a student who is
classified as well as one who has a 504 plan. Even though my lessons will be modified in some
areas for them, I will also need to modify my lessons for students who have not had any personal
experiences with plant life, or students who may need more time to accomplish certain goals.
Before beginning each discussion, I will introduce the topic at hand and accompany it with a
book on that topic, or even a poem, or maybe a song of some sort. By doing this I am giving
each student a chance to think about that topic, and think about their own ideas or experiences.
Questions may also be asked in order to help direct conversation. To enhance students’ ability to
connect with, as well as comprehend the material and concepts that are being presented, I will
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introduce the materials but also reinforce them in a variety of different ways that include many
different levels of concentration that can and will be addressed through worksheets, discussion,
and of course many hands on activities.
In the process of conducting and completing the pre-assessments and formative
assessments for my four learning goals, I will gauge students’ comprehension and progress in the
learning about the topic of new plant life. During a lesson if I am able to see that a majority of
students are not where I would like them to be, I will slow down the pace of the lesson. If the
class seems to be interested about moving forward and learning more I will be able to implement
more lessons and activities to challenge their thinking, test their skills, as well as their
understanding. Ideally, I would like to see all students pass the assessments as I had intended but
considering the class and the learners, I would like to see all of the students score at least 85-90%
on the assessment skills. Formative assessment will be conducted each week that the unit lasts
by ways of group and individual discussions and the learning centers visited each day that will
cover academic areas in science, and language arts.
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Learning Goal
Assessments
Learning Goal 1
Pre-Assessment
List and label the
needs of growing
plants.
Formative
Assessment
Post -Assessment
Format of
Assessments
Worksheet where
students are presented
with eight words.
Four words are words
that are needs of
plants; four are words
that are not needs of
plants.
Discussions with the
whole class, as well as
in smaller groups,
about the different
things plants need to
grow. Projects and
worksheets will be
done along with the
discussions.
Worksheet where
students are presented
with eight words.
Four words are words
that are needs of
plants; four are words
that are not needs of
plants.
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Adaptations
Give directions that
are brief and simple.
Repeat directions
more than one time, I
will say it once, I will
call on a student to
repeat it once, and
then the whole class
will say it together.
Repeat directions
throughout
assessment.
Review words and
pictures on worksheet.
Provide extra time for
students who may not
be able to finish on
time.
Have another activity
ready for students
who finish early.
Learning Goal
Assessments
Learning Goal 2
Pre-Assessment
Identify the structures
and functions of a
flowering plant.
Formative
Assessment
Post-Assessment
Format of
Assessments
Large group
discussion of the
different structures
and functions of the
plant. Create a web
and chart on chart
paper, which will
allow students to see
what they know about
plants, their
structures, as well as
functions. Then a
worksheet will be
given for the students
to label the parts of
the plant.
Hands on classroom
activities that will
allow students to
actually see the many
different structures of
a plant. Example:
Growing their own
plant.
Large group
discussion of the
different structures
and functions of the
plant. Create a web
and chart on chart
paper, which will
allow students to see
what they know about
plants, their
structures, as well as
functions. Then a
worksheet will be
given for the students
to label the parts of
the plant.
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Adaptations
Give directions that
are brief and simple.
Repeat directions
more than one time, I
will say it once, I will
call on a student to
repeat it once, and
then the whole class
will say it together
Repeat directions
throughout the entire
assessment.
Extra time will be
provided for students
who do not finish at
the same time as the
other students to
finish the pre and post
assessment
worksheet.
Learning Goal
Assessments
Learning Goal 3
Pre-Assessment
Describe in their own
words or illustrations
the changes that occur
as plants grow and
develop.
Formative
Assessment
Post-Assessment
Format of
Assessments
Students will arrange
a series of pictures in
chronological order
by sorting and gluing
cutouts by pictures.
Adaptations
Give directions that
are brief and simple.
Repeat directions
more than one time, I
will say it once, I will
Students will illustrate call on a student to
as well as document if repeat it once, and
they are able to the
then the whole class
changes in their
will say it together
growing and
developing plants.
Students will also be
Repeat directions
able to be assessed by throughout the entire
their own personal
assessment.
observations of how
their plants are
growing. They will
Extra time will be
be given the chance to provided for students
show their findings
who do not finish at
with myself as well as the same time as the
with their classmates
other students to
in small and large
finish the pre and post
group discussions.
assessment
worksheet.
Students will arrange
a series of pictures in
chronological order
by sorting and gluing
cutouts by pictures.
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Learning Goal
Assessments
Learning Goal 4
Pre-Assessment
Compare and contrast
change over time in
different kinds of
plants.
Formative
Assessment
Post-Assessment
Format of
Assessments
Students will be given
three pictures of three
different pieces of a
carrot or radish; the
students will glue on
their paper the piece
of plant that will grow
if it is planted.
The class will plant
three different pieces
of a plant, overtime
they will illustrate as
well as document
whether they see
change in any of the
planted pieces.
Discussions will
follow and I will have
the class explain why
certain parts of the
plant grew and why
some did not.
Students will be given
three pictures of three
different pieces of a
carrot or radish; the
students will glue on
their paper the piece
of plant that will grow
if it is planted.
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Adaptations
Give directions that
are brief and simple.
Repeat directions
more than one time, I
will say it once, I will
call on a student to
repeat it once, and
then the whole class
will say it together
Repeat directions
throughout the entire
assessment.
Extra time will be
provided for students
who do not finish at
the same time as the
other students to
finish the pre and post
assessment
worksheet.
Design for Instruction
In this unit, the class will be doing plant related activities. The students will learn about
the needs of growing plants, they will be identifying the structures and functions of a flowering
plant, they will describe in their own words or illustrations the changes that occur as plants grow
as well as develop, and they will compare as well as contrast change over time in different kinds
of plants. These activities cover various subject areas such as science and language arts. For
every learning goal, I have created the activities based on the results of the students’ preassessment testing. If the students performed disappointingly, I knew that more than one day of
activities on the topic was needed. For the most part, I could tell who would need more help on a
specific subject, just by the pre-assessment alone.
Before beginning the lesson, the class created a web documenting what they knew
currently about plants and plant life. We used a large sheet of paper, markers, and words to
make our web, which is hung up in the classroom for display and reference purposes. Using
their words as well as previous knowledge students offered what they know about the different
types of plants, what their functions are, the structures of a plant, as well as what happens to
plants overtime. They knew that when the weather was becomes warmer plants begin to grow,
and when the weather gets colder plants start to die. They also knew that plants were pretty, and
they needed things like water, and even sun to grow. Based on the response of students to the
group pre-assessment of the plant-themed unit, I found that the majority of students have a basic
concept of what plants are but not a direct correlation from the activities to the functions of
plants themselves because they did not know how exactly plants grew, and many of the other
things they needed besides water and sun to grow.
During each lesson, there may be times when there are students who have a clear
understanding of what the lesson is about, while there may be other students who do not
understand the lesson clearly at all. At these times there has to be a way for me to keep the
understanding students interested while learning something new about the concept that they
understand, while I teach the same lesson to students who are just beginning to learn about the
concept. In times like this, I will have different sets of activities for those students who I feel
know and understand the concept. The students who know about the idea of my lesson may be
moved to another table to do different more challenging work, while the other students who are
just beginning to learn about the concept may begin learning about the lesson by doing basic
work. If I am teaching a lesson and I come to find that students partially know about the
concepts I may find out what exactly they know about the lesson, and then change the lesson in
order to challenge them, and get them to think in terms of higher order thinking. Students who
know little about the subject at all may be shown real life visuals, so that way they are able to see
something that can give them a concrete understanding of that particular topic. Of course visual
aids will be used for all lessons and they will be shown to all students, not just those who need
extra accommodations.
On day one of the plant unit, the topic of plants, as well as seeds will begin in a wholeclass activity of growing their own plants. Using the materials provided of seeds, dirt, plastic
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cups, water, and the greenhouse structure, students will plant their own plant. Each morning
students will observe and write down their findings in their science journals until the end of this
plant unit. Each morning after their observations, a group discussion will take place and we will
address why the plants are or are not growing. The class will also discuss what they are doing to
keep their plants growing. They will write all of their findings in their science journals.
On day two of the plant unit the class will read the book What Do Plants Need?, the
children will complete the “What Do Plants Need” activity. For this activity, the children will be
provided with a sheet of paper, pencils, and crayons. With these materials, students will list what
plants need to grow. Students will then illustrate a picture for each sentence about plants that
they have written. When finished each child will read their sentence in the small group and
share their picture with their classmates.
On day three of the plant unit, the class will sprout seeds by placing them in clear plastic
bags, and a wet paper towel. Discussions of what the class thinks the seeds need to grow will
take place; estimations will be made on how long each student thinks their seed will take to
germinate. Every student will chart their plant growth on a daily basis. After their seeds
germinate, the students will be able to take them home to plant in their own garden. They will
also write a prediction about what kind of plant they believe that they have. The class will then
learn the song called “Green Plants” which is sung to the tune of “Row, Row, Row Your Boat”.
They will write in their science journals about what plants need to grow.
On day four of the plant unit, The Tiny Seed, written and illustrated by Eric Carle, will be
read to the class during story time. After the completion of the book, students will be asked to
offer some ideas about the book and what they learned from the book. This will take place in a
large group discussion. Then the class will go over what they have previously told me during the
pre-assessment about all the parts of the plant, as well as their functions. After the discussion the
class will go back to their desks and complete their “Watch It Grow” booklets. They will color,
cut, and label all of the parts of the plant.
On the fifth day of the plant unit, the students will create their own flowers using
different materials such as construction paper, yarn, and straws. After they create their flower
they will label all of the parts such as stem, leaves, flower, and root. These will also be
displayed around the room or in the hallway for everyone to see.
On day six of the plant unit, the students will discuss what they have learned from the
two previous days. The discussion topic will be what plants need in order to grow. After some
suggestions, four main components will be written on the board. The students will then create
plant banners which will be placed around the room for all to see
On the seventh day of the plant unit, we will begin to discuss what other parts of a plant
will grow if they are planted. We will grow over the roots, stems, leaves, and seeds. A picture
sort will be done with the whole class, and then another sort will be done individually as well.
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On day eight students will get the opportunity to see many different types of seeds first
hand. They will be able to compare and contrast the seeds by what makes the different from
each other physically- shape, outline, anatomy, and etcetera. They will also compare the
different types of plants that grow from each seed, and then they will sort the seeds on
construction paper. The class will learn the song “Parts of a Plant” which is sung to the tune of
“The Wheels on the Bus.”
On day nine of the plant unit, the topic of plant structures and functions will be
continued. Each student will create a “Sunny Circle” wheel, which will continue their knowledge
of a growing, flowering plant. Each student will receive 2 paper plates, and a flower life cycle
worksheet. Each child will cut and color the worksheet, and then they will cut each part of the
life cycle and glue it to the wheel. After they are finished creating their life cycle wheel they will
all spin their wheel and then write about which part of the life cycle they have landed on. They
will write in their science journals about what types of plant structures they have learned about.
On the tenth day of the plant unit, students will work in their teams and plant three
different pieces of carrot or radish, the leaves, stem, or root. Each team will have three cups
which will be labeled, leaves, stem or root. Over time each team will observe and investigate the
changes that each of their plants has made.
On the eleventh day of the plant unit, we will once again have a discussion about plant
roots. A “Going Up” activity will be done with the entire class. A long celery stalk will be cut
in half, one side will be placed in red dyed water, and one side will be placed in clear water.
Over a couple of days students will observe the changes that occur when the celery is left in each
cup. They will document it and then predict why they believe this happens, and then the actual
answer will be given.
On the twelfth and final day of the plant unit, the whole class will partake in individual
post-assessments. The results of the assessments will show me what they have learned over the
course of my unit, if the results are better than the post-assessment than I know that I have done
my job in teaching these children about plants.
Technology will be used during this unit plan although there are only two computers in
the classroom; the class has ample time twice a week in the technology laboratory. The
computers will be used for research purposes in the classroom, and the computers that we have
access to in the technology lab will be used for typing purposes as well as illustrating pictures of
plant life. Although a hands-on approach is the main focus of most of the lessons, the
technology that will be used is sufficient because it expands the student’s knowledge of
technology itself. As well as using technology in the classroom, I have also used technology in
preparing for each lesson, creating assessment plans, finding websites, finding sources for
multiple information on plants, and as well as the New Jersey’s Core Content Curriculum
Standards.
19
UNIT PLAN VISUAL ORGANIZER
DAY TOPIC
1
LEARNING GOAL
ACTIVITY TITLE
Introduction to Plants
Seeds
Plant Life
#1/2/3
Planting Seeds
#1
What do plants need to survive?
Plant Parts
#1/2
Bean Sprouts
Plant Parts
#2
Watch It Grow Booklets
Flower Parts
#2
What A View
2
3
4
5
Plant Parts
#2
Plant Banners
6
7
Plants We Eat
#2/4
A Feast of Plant Parts
8
9
10
Seeds
Life Cycle
Other Plant Parts
#2/3
#1/2/3
#4
Seed Sorting
Sunny Circle Wheel
Planting Roots, Stems, and Leaves
11
Dyeing Plants
#4
Going Up
12
Post-Assessments
#1/2/3/4
Post-Assessments
20
Lesson Plan 1
Objective:
Students will identify what 4 things plants need to grow then they will plant their own plants
using those 4 things.
Anticipatory Set:


Who knows what plants need to grow?
Explain what they do.
Learning Activities:
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Students will sit on the carpet.
I will ask questions about the things plants need to grow.
We will make a web on the board.
Students will explain what they think the four things mean.
After our discussion, students will go back to their desks and plant their own seeds.
Over time, the plants will grow, the students will keep a journal of their plants growth.
Assessment Activity:

In order to assess the student’s ability to identify the 4 things plants need in order to
grow, I will give the students a pre-test. After the pre-test I will give my lesson about
what plants need to grow. After the lessons are finished, I will give a post-test. The
results of my post-test should be totally different from the results of the pre-test. If the
student’s do well, then I know that they understand the material, if they do poorly I know
that they do not understand the material, and I will have to give more lessons about the
four things plants need to grow.
NJCCCS:

5.5(Characteristics of Life)A.1.2
B.1
21
Lesson Plan 2
Objective:
Students will describe in their own words what plants need to grow by creating their own plant
booklets.
Anticipatory Set:


Who remembers what plants need to grow?
Tell me what they are.
Learning Activities:
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Students will sit on the carpet.
I will engage the students with my anticipatory set.
After we discuss and review what the plants need in order to grow, I will show the class
the type of book that they will be making.
I will write down what 4 things plants need and place them on our plant word wall.
Students can refer back to this wall as they perform the activity.
Each student will receive four pieces of paper with four sentences.
The students have to write the correct word in the sentence.
The word that they will be writing will be one of the four things that plants need in order
to survive.
Assessment Activity:

In order to assess the student’s ability to describe in their own words what plants need to
grow, by observing what words each student places in their sentences. I will keep a
checklist where I can write down where I feel the student stands in his or her level of
thinking. It will be based on the terms beginning, developing, or mastered.
NJCCCS:

5.5(Characteristics of Life)A.1
22
Lesson Plan 3
Objective:
Students will demonstrate their knowledge of what plants need to survive, by sprouting seeds in
plastic bags.
Anticipatory Set:


Plants need what to survive?
How many things did we talk about?
Learning Activities:
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We are going to do an interesting activity today.
Plants are very interesting. They do need water, air, light, and soil to survive.
Did you know that you could take away one of those things and the plant will survive?
Which thing do you think we could take away from our plants?
I will proceed to go over each suggestion, and then I will explain how you can take soil
away and the plant will still survive.
Each student will get a wet paper towel, two bean seeds, a plastic bag, and a green house.
Students will create their own green house.
The houses will hang from the windows.
Overtime, students will make prediction about what kind of plant is growing, and how
big the plant will get.
Each prediction will be written down in their plant journals.
Assessment Activity:

In order to assess the student’s ability to demonstrate their knowledge of what plants need
in order to survive, I will listen and observe their suggestions. At this point in time most
of the students should understand the concepts of what plants need. I will keep a record
of what I observe, it will be a checklist and on the checklist I will write down if the
student is beginning, developing, or mastered.
NJCCCS:


5.3(Mathematical Applications)A.1.2
5.5(Characteristics of Life)A.1.2
23
Lesson Plan 4
Objective:
Students will use their knowledge of what plants need to survive by creating their own “Watch It
Grow” booklets.
Anticipatory Set:


Now we are all scientific experts, so you can probably tell me what plants need in order
to survive?
What are they?
Learning Activities:

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We are going to be making books.
These books are called “Watch It Grow” booklets.
Inside there are four pictures.
On each picture there is one sentence about what plants need in order to survive.
You are going to choose which word goes into the blank.
Then you have to put the sentences in order.
After the sentences are in order you can create your booklet.
Each booklet will be colored and then cut.
After the books are finished the students can keep them at their desks and they can be
used as a reference tool for future lessons.
Assessment Activity:

In order to assess the student’s ability to use their knowledge of what plants need to
survive I will be observing who is able to write the correct word in the appropriate blank.
Then the students will read me what word they put in their sentences. I will keep a
checklist of who can put the correct word in the appropriate blank without any help.
NJCCCS:

5.5(Characteristics of Life)A.1.2
24
Lesson Plan 5
Objective:
Students will break the plants anatomy into its many parts, then they will explain in their own
words what each part does in a large group discussion.
Anticipatory Set:


Who remembers what happened to our seeds after they began to grow?
Does each part of the plant have a name?
Learning Activities:

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In a large group discussion, student’s will explain their knowledge of the plant and it’s
many parts in their own words.
We are going to do something that will show me that you are all experts when it comes to
plants.
I will proceed to take out a piece of poster board with Velcro on it.
I will explain the activity.
Volunteers will get plant parts, they have to Velcro it on the correct spot on the board.
After each part is put in the correct place, more volunteers will be asked to place the
definitions of the parts in the correct spot.
At their desks students will create their own plants out of various materials.
Each student will receive a plastic bag full of “plant parts”.
Assessment Activity:

In order to assess the student’s ability to break the plants anatomy into its many parts, I
will be listening to what they students have to say. If they reference back to our previous
lessons on plants I know that they understand the concept of plants. I will assess the
student’s individually by keeping a checklist, this checklist will help me to determine if
the student’s skills are beginning, developing, or mastered. I will determine their skill
level by observing where they place their plant parts, how they label them, as well as how
they describe their functions.
NJCCCS:

5.5(Characteristics of Life)B.1.2
C.1
25
Lesson Plan 6
Objective:
Students will draw pictures to illustrate each plant part, they will create their own plant banner,
and label each part of the plant on the back of the banner.
Anticipatory Set:

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I will have a picture of a plant on the carpet.
Then I will ask: Who can tell me what this plant part is called?
Learning Activities:
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Students will sit on the carpet.
We will go over all of the parts of the plant.
Students will tell me what they think each plant part is.
Then we will discuss the functions of each part.
Students will each get a piece of paper that is “accordion folded”.
The paper will be folded into 4 different sections.
In the first section students will draw the petals and seeds.
The second will be the stem.
The third will be the leaves.
The fourth will be the roots.
After the class draws their pictures, they will label each part on the back of each section.
Assessment Activities:

In order to assess the student’s abilities to draw pictures that illustrate each plant part, I
will observe what each student has to say. I will see who can tell me what plant part is
which and what it does. Then I will observe how the students draw their plant parts
within each section. For example: the first part should be the petals and seeds, the
second should be the stem, etc. Then I will observe who writes the correct part on the
back of each section, not only will I be looking for each part to be labeled correctly, but I
will be looking to see who is able to write each word correctly. For example: spelling,
and capitalization.
NJCCCS:

5.1(Scientific Processes)A.1.2
26
Lesson Plan 7
Objective:
Students will rearrange in a new form, different types of plant parts, by sorting vegetables by
their features.
Anticipatory Set:
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
Who can tell me what plants are?
Are they just flowers?
Learning Activities:
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Students will sit on the carpet.
I will do the anticipatory set.
After the set, I will write down each of the student’s suggestions about what plants are
and if plants are just flowers.
I will explain that vegetables are plants too.
We will go over different types of vegetables.
The class will do a veggie sort.
We will sort the vegetables, by if they are considered roots, leaves, stems, or seeds.
After the classes veggie sort, the students will go back to their desks.
Each student will receive a worksheet with different types of vegetables.
They will color the vegetables, then cut them out.
After all of the vegetables are cut, the students will receive their own sorting paper.
They will sort their own vegetables, by roots, seeds, leaves, or stems.
For example: beets, turnips, and carrots will be sorted into the root category, corn, beans,
and peas will be sorted into the seed category, lettuce, cabbage, and spinach will be in the
leaf category, etc.
Assessment Activity:

In order to assess the student’s ability to rearrange vegetables by parts, I will observe
each student’s ability to categorize their vegetables. As I observe I will have each student
tell me why each vegetable is placed under each category. If they are able to do this
activity, I will label their skills as beginning, developing, or mastered.
NJCCCS:

5.5(Characteristics of Life)C.1
27
Lesson Plan 8
Objective:
Students will compare and contrast different types of seeds and where they come from, by doing
a seed sort.
Anticipatory Set:
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
What kinds of seeds did we use when we planted our flowers?
What did they look like?
Learning Activity:
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Students will sit on the carpet.
I will do the anticipatory set.
After the set, I will show the class different types of seeds.
The seeds will range from, wildflower seeds, to lima bean seeds.
I will explain what each seed is.
Then I will pass around each seed individually.
I will create a web on the dry erase board, of all of the suggestions that each student gives
me.
After we create the web, each student will get their own bag full of seeds.
The students will sort the seeds by size, and texture.
The categories will range from, large and smooth, to small and rough.
Assessment Activity:

In order to assess the students ability to compare and contrast different types of seeds, I
will walk around the room and observe which category the students put their seeds. I will
also observe how each student described the seeds as they were passed around.
NJCCCS:

5.5(Characteristics of Life)A.1.2
28
Lesson Plan 9
Objective:
Students will demonstrate their knowledge of the flowers life cycle, by putting each stage of the
cycle in order.
Anticipatory Set:

Who can tell me what a life cycle is?
Learning Activities:
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Students will sit on the carpet.
I will ask my anticipatory set question.
Then the class will do a life cycle game.
Students will have the opportunity to put each stage of the life cycle in order.
We will go through the cycle one part at a time.
After we discuss the life cycle of the flower, the students will do their own life cycle
wheels.
They have to color each part of the life cycle.
Then they have to cut each part out, and put it in order on a paper plate.
After they put the stages in order, they can glue them to the plate.
After they glue the stages in the correct order to the plate, they will get another paper
plate and fasten it to the top of the other paper.
They will spin the wheel, and then write down which stage it lands on.
Then they will describe what happens during each stage.
Assessment Activity:

In order to assess the student’s ability to demonstrate their knowledge of the flower life
cycle, I will observe where each student puts each stage of the cycle on their paper plate.
After my observations I will determine if the student’s skills are beginning, developing,
or mastered.
NJCCCS:

5.1(Scientific Processes)A.3
29
Lesson Plan 10
Objective:
Students will describe in their own words what will happen if they plant different parts of a
vegetable, such as the roots, stems, or leaves.
Anticipatory Set:
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
What did we plant to grow our flowers?
What else could we plant to make plants grow?
Learning Activities:
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Students will sit on the carpet.
I will do the anticipatory set.
After the anticipatory set, I will show the class three different parts of a plant.
The roots, the stem, and the leaves.
The class will estimate which part they believe will grow.
I will make a bar graph.
The class will plant the three parts.
Overtime the class will observe which parts grown and which parts did not grow.
They will keep track in their plant journals.
Later, they will check to see if their predictions were right.
Assessment Activity:

In order to assess the student’s ability to describe in their own words what will happen if
they plant different parts of a vegetable, I will observe which plant part each student
picks as their prediction. I will also ask them why they chose that part without giving
away the answer. If most of the class picks the correct answer I can take safely say that
they understand why that part will grow. If the class does not pick the right part, I know
that I have some more explaining to do about the plant parts and their functions.
NJCCCS:

5.5(Characteristics of Life)C.1
30
Lesson Plan 11
Objective:
Students will compare and contrast what will happen to a stalk of celery if half is placed in
water, and the other half is placed in water that is mixed with food dye.
Anticipatory Set:
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
What is this plant called?
Is it a stem, root, leaf, or bean?
Learning Activities:
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The students will sit on the carpet.
After my anticipatory set, I will show the students the food dye.
I will ask the students what they think we will do with the food dye.
I will take a pair of scissors and cut the celery stalk in half, leaving the top of the celery
connected.
Then I will take two cups of water, one with regular water, and the other with water
mixed with red food dye.
Each half of the celery will be placed in each of the two cups.
The students will keep journals of what is happening to the celery.
Overtime one half of the celery should turn red, and the other should stay green.
Assessment Activity:

In order to assess the students ability to compare and contrast what will happen to a stalk
of celery, I will keep track of their journal writing. Not only will I observe their
observations, but I will also be keeping track of their writing skills as well. I will be
looking for things such as proper capitalization, proper punctuation, and correct sentence
structure.
NJCCCS:

5.4(Nature and the Process of Technology)C.1
31
Instructional Decision- Making
When I think of a time during my Plant Unit when a student’s response caused a
modification of the original design for instruction I think of my third lesson. During this lesson
the class made “greenhouses” out of plastic zip-lock bags, wet paper towels, lima beans, and
construction paper. The class was really engaged early on by this lesson, but as the lesson
continued I was able to see that some of the student’s were giving me responses to my questions
that were really making no sense at all. The whole point of this lesson was to show the class the
process of germination, but as I described what would happen overtime to the seed, the class
became really confused. The entire beginning of this unit was based on the four things that
plants need in order to survive, soil, water, light, and air. For this lesson I was taking away the
soil aspect, but the plants would still continue to sprout.
The class really misunderstood this concept, because they were so used to the belief that
plants need soil to grow. I really had to change this lesson, in order for the class to understand
this process of germination. First I stopped the lesson completely, and then I took all of the
materials we were using to create the “greenhouses”. I took out the seed first, I asked the class
what it was, and all of the basics about seeds. They completely understood about seeds so I
knew that I was able to move on. Then I wet the seed a little bit, and I took it apart, piece by
piece. As I stripped the seed of its seed coat, then its shell, I was able to show the class what the
inside of a seed looks like. Inside of the seed, there was a little green seedling that was ready to
sprout. I had each student go back to their desks and take apart their own seeds.
After the class took apart their seeds, we re-grouped back to the carpet to talk about the
student’s findings. I chose to have the students take apart their seeds, because I felt that it made
the concept of seedlings as a more concrete thing, and it really seemed to work. After the class
took apart their seeds, and they were on the carpet, I took out the wet paper towel and the plastic
bag. I explained that the seedling, they saw as they took apart their seeds would come out
without soil, as long as it was placed in a wet paper towel, and zipped up tight in a plastic bag.
Then I explained that the bags should be taped to the window because the sunlight will help the
seedlings sprout. The students really seemed to understand the concepts better after they used a
manipulative to discover the seedlings.
This very minimal modification, proved to be the one thing that the entire class really
benefitted from, not only those who were having trouble understanding the concept of
germination. Through the weeks, the students observed what happened to their lima beans,
which were hung along the window. As their beans sprouted, they seemed to have a really good
understanding of why, and they really proved their knowledge to me through their journal entries
on the subject.
32
When I think back to another time when I had to modify one of my lessons during this
unit, I really think about lesson number five. This lesson was based on the plant parts. During
this lesson the class had a large group discussion about each part of a flowering plant. We
focused on, the seeds, petals, leaves, stem, and roots. Each student had a really good
understanding of each part and its function during the discussion, but when it came down to
actually performing the activity on their own there were some problems.
If I should ever have to teach this lesson again, I will definitely make sure that I give
enough instruction before I hand out any materials. I feel as if I had given out more instruction
before the materials there would be less acting out. As I passed out the bags which were full of
materials such as, seeds, flower petals, a pipe cleaner, felt, and yarn, I thought that it would be
good for the students to have a couple concrete items in front of them, so that way they were less
confused. This was definitely not the case. As I passed out the materials I was noticing that a
couple of students began to open their bags, and even begin to talk. I let it go for a while, and
then by the time I got the last group the class was really talkative and really fooling around with
their materials.
Instead of trying to talk over the class, I casually took the bags away from each student.
This seems like a simple modification to the lesson, but it proved to work. As soon as I took the
bags away the class automatically became silent and all of their focus was on me. Instead of
continuing with the lesson as if nothing had happened, I took this as an opportunity to discuss
with the class how we act when we are doing a science lesson. They obviously knew and
understood the point that I was trying to make because while I passed out the bags for a second
time, the class was silent, and really didn’t touch their bags until further instruction. Although
every child in the class did not act out, I feel like it did help the other students as well because
from time to time every child has a moment where they don’t follow the classroom rules. Going
over the rules occasionally, during a lesson really helps the entire class without making those few
students who are acting up feel like they are out casted from the rest of the class.
33
Analysis of Student Learning
Whole Class:
The differences between pre and post test scores for this unit is vast. Pre-test scores for
Learning Goal #1 came out to out of 16 students, 5 of the students got all 8 questions correct,
while 7 students got 6 questions right, 3 student got 4 questions right, and 1 student got 2
questions right. Post-test scores for Learning Goal #1 were astounding, 13 students got all 8
questions correct, 1 student got 7 questions correct, and only 1 student got 6 questions right.
The differences between the pre and post test scores for Learning Goal #2 were quite
surprising. Pre-test scores for Learning Goal #2 came out to out of 15 students, 6 of the students
got all 5 questions correct, 6 students got 3 questions correct, 2 students got 2 questions correct,
and 1 student got none of the questions right. Post-test scores for Learning Goal #2 looked like
this: Out of 15 students all 15 got the worksheet correct. That’s a 100% success rate for
Learning Goal #2.
Scores for Learning Goal #3 were just as dramatic as the first two Learning Goals. Pretest scores for Learning Goal #3 came out to this; out of 16 students not 1 student was able to get
all 5 questions on the pre-test correct, but 4 students got 3 questions correct, 6 students got 2
questions correct, and 6 students did not get any questions correct on the pre-test. Post-test
scores for Learning Goal #3 looked like this; out of 16 students, 12 students were able to get all 5
questions correct, while 4 students got 3 questions correct.
For Learning Goal #4 scores for the pre-test went like this: out of 16 students, 7 students
did not get any of the questions correct on the pre-test, and 9 students only got 1 question correct
on the pre-test. Post-test scores for Learning Goal #4 were much better, out of 16 students, 14
students had gotten all 3 questions correct, while only 2 students had gotten only 1 question
wrong.
Subgroup:
Learning Goal #4 had the largest disparity in test scores for socio-economic status.
Learning Goal #3 addressed the concept of changes and plant growth. 10 of the students who
had gotten the pre-test wrong came from families with either one parent, or who attended some
type of after care program. 4 of the students who had gotten the pre-test right, came from
families where there were two parents, and who did not attend the after care program. It was
hypothesized that some of this disparity could be because the students who came from the
families with one parent did not get that “life experience” that the students who come from two
parent households do often receive. Students who had two parents and did not attend the after
school programs seemed to understand and generally know more about plants, than the students
who come from one parent households. The concept that students who have one parent, do not
get the experiences that other students have because their parents are constantly trying to support
them. Whereas students who have two parents are able to get that life experience because one
34
parent may be home to spend more time with their children, and can therefore teach them all of
the “little” things that life has to offer.
Individual:
Student A is a male below average performing student. He has problems following oral
directions. The problems with following oral directions, has slowed him down substantially
during this unit, because most of the directions were given orally. Any time there was an activity
with directions that had to be read silently he seemed to excel. For all of the pre as well as post
assessments there were written directions, I believe that is why he was able to understand these
concepts and scored well on the post assessments. He scored poorly on the pre-assessments not
because of oral directions, but because he did not know or understand any of the concepts. In
order to help him as well as all of the other students with the lessons, each child was paired up
with someone who was either on level with them or below level. When student A was paired up
with someone who had no problem in understanding oral directions, his scores seemed to
increase.
Student B is a female above average performing student. She doesn’t have any trouble in
any of the content areas and seems to be the complete opposite of student A. When I look at her
pre and post assessments for all 4 Learning Goals, there is a definite increase with her scores.
Although she did not get a few of the pre-assessments right, I believe that this was because she
did not have the knowledge she needed to choose the correct answers. By doing different
lessons for each Learning Goal, student B was able to have an increase in her scores for each
post-assessment. (See examples of both students work in the Appendices).
35
Whole Class Analysis
Learning Goal 1: Pre-Test & Post-Test: Number of Questions Correct
Learning Goal 2: Pre-Test & Post-Test: Number of Questions Correct
36
Learning Goal 3: Pre-Test & Post-Test: Number of Questions Correct
Learning Goal 4: Pre-Test & Post-Test: Number of Questions Correct
37
Subgroup Analysis
Learning Goal 1: Two Parent Households: Pre & Post Test Questions Correct
Learning Goal 1: One Parent Households: Pre & Post Test Questions Correct
38
Learning Goal 2: Two Parent Households: Pre & Post Test Questions Correct
Learning Goal 2: One Parent Households: Pre & Post Test Questions Correct
39
Learning Goal 3: Two Parent Households: Pre & Post Test Questions Correct
Learning Goal 3: One Parent Households: Pre & Post Test Questions Correct
40
Learning Goal 4: Two Parent Households: Pre & Post Test Questions Correct
Learning Goal 4: One Parent Households: Pre & Post Test Questions Correct
41
Individual Comparison of Pre-tests: Questions Incorrect
Individual Comparison of Post-Tests: Questions Correct
42
Reflection and Self Evaluation
As I look back on my Teacher Work Sample I am able to reflect on all of the success that
most of my students had. The specific learning goal that I found the students to be the most
successful was Learning Goal 1. For Learning Goal 1 the goal was that students will list and
label the needs of growing plants. When the Pre-Test was first given 12 students had the wrong
the answers, while 5 students were correct. After all of my lessons that had to do with Learning
Goal 1, I had given the class the post-test. After I reviewed the results of this test, 15 students
got every question correct, while 2 students got 1 question incorrect. Even though the results for
the post test were not the best out of all of the rest of the post-tests. I still feel like this Learning
Goal was the most successful.
All throughout this unit we have talked about plants, and discussed their various needs.
The topic of the needs of growing plants, seemed to have come up in not just the lessons that had
to do with it, but all of my plant lessons. Learning Goal 1 was constantly reiterated, over and
over again without me or the class even really realizing it. This is most likely the reason why
this learning goal was so successful. Even though the post test results weren’t 100% ideal to me,
I am able to see the successfulness of this learning goal through the daily conversations within
the classroom from day to day.
When I reflect back on all of my learning goals I can see that some goals were more
successful, while others were not. Since this is a learning experience for myself as well as the
students that I teach, I believe that it was okay and acceptable for myself to have an unsuccessful
learning goal. The goal that I found the students to be the least successful was Learning Goal 4.
For Learning Goal 4 the goal was that students will compare and contrast change over time in
different kinds of plants. When the pre-test for this learning goal was given the results were as
follows; 17 out of 17 students had incorrect answers. After my lessons which were based on this
learning goal were given, each student received a post-test. The results for the post-test looked
like this; 15 students had correct answers, while only 2 students had incorrect answers. The
results were not the reason why I feel like this learning goal was the least successful. I feel like
the students were least successful with this learning goal because, after all of the lessons that had
to do with this learning goal, the student really never talked about it.
To me, a learning goal is most successful when you can get the entire class interested and
talking about it. Even though the results of the post-assessment were good, I feel like the class
was truly not interested in this learning goal. When I look back, I feel like a couple of things
could have been done differently in order to keep the class interested, and in turn this learning
goal would be more successful. Instead of having two cups in which each had a piece of celery,
and either water, or food dye, I would have each of the students be able to have their own pieces
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of celery and cups of food dye. I believe that if each student was able to have their own
manipulative to observe, there would be more interest among that class and therefore, this would
become a more successful learning goal.
Two professional learning goals that have emerged from my insights and experiences
with the Teacher Work Sample are: Skills and Knowledge, and Improvements.
Skills and Knowledge:
The Teacher Work Sample has helped me to evolve my skills and knowledge of teaching
as a craft, not just as a job or career. The amount of work and analysis that I have put into this
one science unit would not normally be done by a veteran teacher, but because I took my time
and thought about what I investing in this, I have realized that I have learned a lot about the
importance of assessment, as well as the importance of carefully planning your assessments
ahead of time. I believe that I have learned the many different techniques of carefully planning
each step of a lesson, but I have also learned that it is okay to leave room for improvisation, and
spur-of-the-moment practices. To me, these are the most important skills, that a beginning
teacher could receive, and possibly the most valuable.
Improvements:
I have learned quite a bit from my student teaching, as well as from my teacher work
sample. Even though I have learned a substantial amount of information, beginning with how to
decorate my classroom, and ending with assessments, I still feel like I have only broken the mold
and I still have so much to learn. I feel like my greatest area of struggle is assessment. I like
most other new teachers, have never really dealt with the area of assessment and it is a skill that I
have yet to perfect. This is the one skill that I feel really does come with time and experience,
and like most things in life this skill needs practice to perfect. Although I have struggled with
assessment and how truly important it is, I can safely say that I have a respect for it. Without
assessment, you cannot be organized, have knowledge, and you will not be a careful planner, and
without these things I believe that you cannot be a successful teacher. Although the area of
assessment is something that I still have to work on, I believe that I am stronger in most of the
other areas of development, such as having a great rapport with the students in the classroom, as
well as other faculty members, and also an ease in front of the classroom.
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