NATHANBEGANCLASSASFOLLOWS:

5minuteOralWarmUp:Inasmuchdetailaspossiblewithoutusingreferences,describethe
processinwhichabillbecomesalaw?

Studentswerequicktobeginworkingontheprompt.Studentsclearlyrecognizethisas
dailyprocedure.Nathanpowerfullycommandedtheattentionoftheclasswithalong
silence,togetthestudentsfocusedonthepromptandthenrepeatedthewarmup
questiononcemore.

Nathansecondprompt:Now,discusstheprocesswithoneanothertoseewhocomesclosest
todescribingtheprocess.

Nathancorrectedastudentfortextinginclassandrefocusedherattentiononsecond
prompt.Nicejobwithclassroommanagement!

NextStep(Methodical):Afterstudentsexplainedhowabillbecomesalaw,Natereinforcedto
studentstheimportanceofreviewinghowabillbecomesalaw.Expectationsareclearto
students.StudentsclearlyunderstandNatesthoughtprocessforreinforcingtheirlearning.

MajorClassActivity:Numberedclassintofourgroups.Requestedgroupstocreatereview
projectsonConstitution,FederalismandAntiFederalismtoteachthosestudentswhowere
awayat9thgradefieldtrip.Nateintentionallyannouncedthathegavefewrulesfortheproject
Projectsmustbecreativeandunique!CanusePowerpointandPrezitocreatetheprojectsbut
discouragedtousethetechnologyinnormal(passive)ways.

Excellentreinforcementofproblemsolving,forcingstudentstousetheircreativityand
criticalthinkingskills.

NOTE:After15minutes,NatelefttheroomtoobserveAndrew.Icontinuedtowalkaroundthe
classtoseeifstudentsremainedengagedwiththeproject.Iquestionedeachgrouptoseewhat
theywereplanning,andsomestudentsstruggledwithmovingbeyondjustcreatingapassive,
lecturebasedpresentation,usingPreziorLucidcharts.Iencouragedthesestudentstothink
abouthowtheirpresentationscouldchallengetheirclassmates(audience)tothinkcritically
abouttheConstitution,FederalismandAntiFederalism.Onegroupwasnotusingtheirtime
effectively,sitting,doodling,waitingfornewsoftwaretoloadononeoftheirgroupmembers
computers.Iencouragedthesestudentstotakeonteamroles,suchasresearcher,sothey
wouldhavetheinformationavailableoncetheywerereadytoputtheprojecttogether.Ithenleft
thegroupsalonefortherestoftheperiodtodeveloptheirprojects,offeringsometechnology
helphereandthereiftheyrequestedit.

MYOVERALLIMPRESSION:

Thereisaclearorganizationandstructuretotheclass,andstudentsunderstandthe
expectationswithminimalpromptingorcorrection.Forthemostpart,studentsremained
engagedwiththeprojectandworkedtogethercollaboratively(a21stCenturySkill).Itwas
awesometowitnessyoureducationpedagogyinaction,givingmeadifferentperspective.The
lessonwasverystudentcenteredandprojectbasedwithminimallecturing.

ONLYRECOMMENDATION:Perhapsaddanadditionalguidelinethattheteachable
lessons/presentationsmustencourageclassmatestoengageinproblemsolvingandcritical
thinkingincreativeways.

THANKSFORSHARINGTHISEXPERIENCEWITHME,NATE!