Komal Gidda Portfolio s3

29
MSED ELEMENTARY
Section Three: Teacher Candidate Artifacts
Introduction
In this section of the portfolio, I will present artifacts to showcase my pedagogical
knowledge, skills, best teaching practices, professional dispositions, and attitudes to prove that I
am a qualified and competent educator. Through these artifacts, you will see that I am truly
competent in planning, instructing, engaging, assessing, classroom management, using
technology, being culturally responsive, making learner accommodations, professional
development, and lastly, connecting to curriculum and professional standards. I will present a
total of 8 artifacts which will be accompanied by a rationale and connections to curriculum and
professional standards.
Curriculum and professional standards are put in place in order to ensure consistency and
reliability in any profession. As a future teacher of Ontario or New York State, it is crucial to
adhere to the following standards: Interstate New Teacher Assessment Support Consortium
(INTASC) Standards, NYS Code of Ethics for Educators, Ontario Ethical Teacher Standards,
NYS Common Core Learning Standards for ELA, Math and Social Studies, NYS Learning
Standards, Ontario Curriculum Standards, Ontario Ministry of Education Expectations, Teacher
Education Accreditation Council (TEAC)/ Council for Accreditation for Educator Preparation
(CAEP), International Society for Technology Education for Teachers and Students (ISTE), and
the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC). As mentioned above, each artifact presented will be
supported by these standards.
I will begin by showcasing a mathematics unit plan consisting of 5 lessons about
Operations and Algebra for grade 1 students. The artifacts to follow will be an author study using
SMART software, a guided reading lesson and a virtual field trip. All of these artifacts will
30
MSED ELEMENTARY
showcase my planning, instructing, assessing, and engaging skills, all while being culturally
responsive, making accommodations for various learners in the classroom, and using technology
in the classroom. As coined by Marc Prensky, we live in and will be teaching in age full of
digital natives those who are native to the digital language of computers, the Internet and
video games (Prensky, 2001). Therefore, it is crucial for teachers to adapt to new technologies
and bring them into the classroom as this is what most of our students are exposed to from a very
young age. Next, will be a link to my Weebly teacher website with some screen shots of what the
website entails. Communication is key for teachers and having a class website is a great way to
keep in touch with students, but importantly with students families. This artifact and my next
artifact, which is a Level 1 SMART training certificate, showcase my willingness and ability to
embrace technology. The certificate also displays professional development which is essential
for me to grow as an educator and truly be a lifelong learner.
The next artifact is an annotated bibliography on a research article related to inclusion. It
is very important for me to be familiar with current research in the field of education and to be
able to apply it effectively in a classroom, which is displayed through this artifact. Lastly, I have
included my Dignity for All Students Act training certificate because above all else, I have a
responsibility to ensure that each of my students is learning in a safe and supportive environment
and this certificate proves that I fully understand this. All the above mentioned artifacts will be
showcased in detail below.
31
MSED ELEMENTARY
Artifacts & Rationales
Artifact one: Mathematics unit plan.
Overview.
I have always had a love for math but many teacher candidates and even some teachers
that I have come across seem to be afraid of math and have trouble teaching it. Math is a core
subject that needs to be a part of learning from a very young age in order for students to have
good foundational skills and knowledge. This is extremely beneficial for students because it will
help them build on these foundational skills and not be afraid of math. Also, problem solving
and thinking critically and logically are huge components of math, which, as mentioned earlier,
are skills that I believe should be instilled in our students from day one. As advocated by John
Dewey, a curriculum that builds critical thinking skills will benefit not only the learner, but
society as a whole (Dewey, 1910).
I have included a unit plan that consists of 5 lessons about number sense and numeration,
specifically operational sense, for grade 1 students as my first artifact. This artifact shows my
knowledge and understanding of the math curriculum and my ability to instruct in an effective,
engaging manner. Keeping Gardners Multiple Intelligences Theory in mind, I have made sure to
pluralize in order to cater to each and every one of my students learning styles (Gardner, 2011).
This is done through the use of videos, manipulatives, flash cards, posters, group work, and
problem solving. Usage of the Gradual Release of Responsibility method is also evident in my
math lessons to help students grasp the knowledge and to instruct at a pace that is appropriate for
all learners, including those with special needs. I also keep students engaged by giving them a
role with contextual problems to solve. For example, in lesson 4 Solving Addition and
Subtraction Problems of Whole Numbers to 20 Using Object students are detectives solving
32
MSED ELEMENTARY
mysteries. This makes learning fun which not only captures students attention but keeps them
engaged, resulting in meaningful learning.
I believe that planning and organization skills are what make successful teachers and this
unit plan demonstrates my short and long term planning abilities. Each lesson in the unit is
planned with culturally responsive teaching and learner accommodations in mind. Also, planning
lessons involves planning appropriate assessments. The assessment plans of each individual
lesson in the unit are outlined in order to gauge student understanding on an ongoing basis. This
allows me to reflect upon and modify my teaching methods accordingly. It is evident that this
math unit plan showcases my readiness to be a qualified teacher as it showcases many of the
necessary competencies that a qualified teacher should possess. Next, the professional and
curriculum standards that support this unit plan will be outlined.
Connections to standards.
INTASC standards.
There are several INTASC standards that apply to this unit plan. The first being Standard
#1: Learner Development: The teacher understands how learners grow and develop, recognizing
that patterns of learning and development vary individually within and across the cognitive,
linguistic, social, emotional, and physical areas, and designs and implements developmentally
appropriate and challenging learning experiences. This is shown throughout the unit with the
different learner accommodations. I have a flexible understanding of math concepts as required
by Standard #4: Content Knowledge: The teacher understands the central concepts, tools of
inquiry, and structures of the discipline(s) he or she teaches and creates learning experiences that
make the discipline accessible and meaningful for learners to assure mastery of the content. In
the unit, math is taught by making connections to real life situations, making Standard #5:
33
MSED ELEMENTARY
Application of Content: The teacher understands how to connect concepts and use differing
perspectives to engage learners in critical thinking, creativity, and collaborative problem solving
related to authentic local and global issues applicable to this artifact. Standard #7: Planning for
Instruction: The teacher plans instruction that supports every student in meeting rigorous
learning goals by drawing upon knowledge of content areas, curriculum, cross-disciplinary skills,
and pedagogy, as well as knowledge of learners and the community context and Standard #8:
Instructional Strategies: The teacher understands and uses a variety of instructional strategies to
encourage learners to develop deep understanding of content areas and their connections, and to
build skills to apply knowledge in meaningful ways are also applicable as the unit plan
demonstrates long term planning with lessons that use multiple instructional strategies.
NYS code of ethics for educators.
Principle 1: Educators nurture the intellectual, physical, emotional, social and civic
potential of every student and Principle 2: Educators create support and maintain challenging
learning environment for all are both applicable to the unit plan. This is demonstrated by giving
activities that involve problem solving individually and in group settings.
Ontario ethical teacher standards.
As with all of my lessons, the ethical standard of Care, which includes compassion,
acceptance, interest and insight for developing students' potential where members express their
commitment to students' well-being and learning through positive influence, professional
judgment and empathy in practice is applicable.
NYS P-12 common core learning standards.
The unit plan addresses the following NYS Common Core Standards for grade 1 and 2 math:
1. Domain: Operations and Algebraic Thinking 1.OA
Grade: 1
34
MSED ELEMENTARY
Cluster Heading: Add and subtract within 20
Standard Number and Statement: 6. Add and subtract within 20, demonstrating fluency
for addition and subtraction within 10.
Grade: 1
Standard Number and Statement: 5. Relate counting to addition and subtraction.
Grade: 1
Cluster Heading: Represent and solve problems involving addition and subtraction.
Standard Number and Statement: 1. Use addition and subtraction within 20 to solve word
problems involving situations of adding to, taking from, putting together, taking apart, and
comparing, with unknowns in all positions.
4. Domain: Measurement & Data 2.MD
Grade: 2
Cluster Heading: Work with time and money.
Standard Number and Statement: 8. Solve word problems involving dollar bills, quarters,
dimes, nickels, and pennies, using $ and symbols appropriately.
Ontario curriculum standards.
This unit plan addresses the following Ontario curriculum standards for grade 1 math:
1. Domain: Number Sense and Numeration
Grade: 1
Cluster Heading: Operational Sense
Standard Number and Statement: solve a variety of problems involving the addition and
subtraction of whole numbers to 20, using concrete materials and drawings.
Grade: 1
Standard Number and Statement: solve problems involving the addition and subtraction of
single digit whole numbers using a variety of mental strategies.
Grade: 1
Standard Number and Statement: add and subtract money amounts to 10, using coin
manipulatives and drawings
TEAC/CAEP claims.
35
MSED ELEMENTARY
TEAC claims number 1 and 2 apply to this artifact as the unit and lesson plans show my
knowledge of the subject matter (math) and lesson content. I also meet the needs of diverse
learners through using a variety of instructional methods.
CEC standards.
Standard 1.5 Participate in the selection and use of effective and culturally responsive
instructional materials, equipment, supplies, and other resources appropriate to their
professional roles is applicable as the materials used to teach addition and subtraction and
the objects in the word problems are quite common in all cultures and universal.
36
MSED ELEMENTARY
Artifact.
Unit Plan Project Final
I.
UNIT DATA:
Teacher Candidates First & Last Name: Komal Gidda

Subject/Content Area: Mathematics
Grade Level(s): Grade 1
Unit Topic: Number Sense and Numeration Operational Sense (Ontario Curriculum) /
Operations and Algebraic Thinking (NYS Standards)
E. Unit Title: Introduction to Addition and Subtraction
F. Duration of Unit Plan: 5, 45 minute lessons:
9 Lesson Plan #1 Title: Addition of Whole Numbers to 20
9 Lesson Plan #2 Title: Subtraction of Whole Numbers to 20
9 Lesson Plan #3 Title: Introduction to Mental Math Strategies to Solve Single Digit
Word Problems
9 Lesson Plan #4 Title: Solving Addition and Subtraction Problems of Whole Numbers
to 20 Using Objects
9 Lesson Plan #5 Title: Introduction to Addition and Subtraction of Money Amounts to
10 Cents
G. Materials: white board, dry erase marker, red magnetic counters, blue magnetic counters,
computer with internet access, projector, numbers 1 10 flash cards, Doubles Facts poster,
counting cubes, chart paper, regular markers, sticky notes, and penny, nickel and dime coin
manipulatives.
A.
B.
C.
D.
37
MSED ELEMENTARY
H. Table of Contents
Unit Description.....4
Introduction/Significance of Unit4
Central Focus...5
General Objectives...5
Assessment...6
Anticipatory Set...7
Classroom Management..7
Lesson 1 Addition of Whole Numbers to 20...9
Lesson 2 Subtraction of Whole Numbers to 20.....12
Lesson 3 Introduction to Mental Math Strategies to Solve Single Digit Word Problems16
Lesson 4 Solving Addition and Subtraction Problems of Whole Numbers to 20 Using Objects 20
Lesson 5 Introduction to Addition and Subtraction of Money Amounts to 10 Cents...24
38
MSED ELEMENTARY
II.
UNIT DESCRIPTION
A. Introduction/Significance of Unit
Number sense and numeration is about understanding numbers and the relationship
between numbers. This unit will focus on operational sense where students will be introduced to
two operations, addition and subtraction. They will learn about the relationship among single and
double digit numbers up to 20. They will learn how to represent a number up to 20 by using
addition and subtraction. They will then learn how to apply addition and subtraction to everyday
life through simple word problems. Addition and subtraction will also be applied to money an
amount which is another way for students to apply their knowledge to real life situations.
This is a very crucial unit for children as it sets the foundation for addition and
subtraction. These basic, foundational skills are very important for students to master because
they will be expected to build on these skills for years to come. For example, when entering
grade 2, students will be expected to know the basics of addition and subtraction of numbers up
to 50. This unit will help prepare them for computing more complex addition and subtraction in
grade 2. Students often struggle with math and find it difficult, however, having good, solid
foundational knowledge helps ease that struggle. Only once they grasp the concepts from this
unit will they be able to excel and build on their operational sense in grades to come.
This unit is also very significant for students and society as a whole because it applies
math to everyday life. We use math every day of our lives and students need to realize this as
early as possible. This unit will slowly help them understand that numbers are everywhere. They
will learn that addition and subtraction can be applied to everyday situations, such as with
money. Another significance of this unit for students and the larger society is that it will help
students to start thinking logically while solving addition and subtraction word problems. In the
39
MSED ELEMENTARY
long run, this logical thinking can be applied to solve many different types of problems that may
or may not be related to math.
Number Sense and Numeration Operational Sense is a very important unit for students
in grade 1. It will set the foundation of addition and subtraction, it will help them understand and
apply math to real life situations and it will help build their logic and problem solving skills. It is
definitely an essential part of their long lasting mathematics journey.
B. Central Focus
This unit is about number sense and numeration with a focus on operational sense. The
focus of this unit is to get students to understand basic addition and subtraction using single and
double digit numbers up to 20. This will be done through a variety of mental strategies and
through the use of drawings and concrete objects. Students will use their prior knowledge of
numbers (counting and reading of numbers) to compute simple word problems involving
addition and subtraction of whole numbers up to 20. This unit also has a focus on money
amounts. Once the students learn and grasp the concept of addition of subtraction of whole
numbers up to 20, they will be introduced to addition and subtraction of money amounts. They
will use their knowledge of simple mathematical concepts and procedures and relate it to
everyday concepts, in this case money. The focus for this part of the unit will be money amounts
up to 10 cents. Students will use drawings and coin manipulatives to compute these addition and
subtraction problems.
C. General Objectives
The overall objective of this unit is to lay the foundation of simple addition and
subtraction. Students will gain the foundational knowledge and skills of addition and subtraction
40
MSED ELEMENTARY
to compute simple word problems. They will also apply this knowledge to money amounts and
make connections to everyday life. By the end of this unit, students will be able to:
1. Add whole numbers up to 20 using a variety of strategies.
2. Subtract whole numbers up to 20 using a variety of strategies.
3. Solve addition and subtraction problems involving single digit whole numbers up to 20 using
mental strategies.
4. Solve word problems involving addition and subtraction of whole numbers up to 20 using
concrete objects and drawings.
5. Add money amounts up to 10 cents through the use of coin manipulatives and drawings.
6. Subtract money amounts up to 10 cents through the use of coin manipulatives and drawings.
D. Assessment:
Throughout the unit, students understanding of concepts will be assessed heavily through
teacher observation. Keeping in mind that this unit is for grade one students, both formative and
summative assessments will be done by observing students while solving problems in groups or
individually, by asking questions and reviewing during lessons to check for understanding, by
having explanation and discussion sessions to hear students thought processes and through
observing students participation during lessons and activities. Formative assessment will also be
done by checking homework sent home with students to work on with their parents, siblings or
guardians. The teacher will be checking mainly for completion to ensure students are practicing.
Summative assessment will also be done by having students individually complete and hand
in an addition and subtraction equations worksheet after lesson 2. The assessment is like a test,
however students are free to walk around the classroom to use anything they need to answer the
questions. The same type of assessment will be given after lessons 4 for addition and subtraction
41
MSED ELEMENTARY
word problems involving whole numbers up to 20 and lesson 5 for addition and subtraction of
money amounts up to 10 cents.
E. Anticipatory Set/Student Engagement
To start off the unit and get students engaged, the teacher and students will play a game of
Bingo. The Bingo cards will have numbers 1 20 and every card will have all 20 numbers on it.
This will also serve as a review of numbers and number recognition. The point of doing this is to
show students that they can have fun with numbers. After the game, the unit will be introduced
by telling students that we are going to learn how we can play around with numbers playing
around basically meaning learning how to add and subtract numbers. This is a great way to
motivate students and have them look at math as being something fun and exciting. After all, this
is one of their first exposures to an actual math lesson. From there, Lesson 1 Addition of
Whole Numbers to 20 will begin.
F. Classroom Management:
Effective instruction will be managed in the classroom firstly using the expected rules and
procedures of the classroom. On the first day of school, the teacher and students collectively
made a list of rules and expectations of the classroom that need to be followed every day.
Examples of rules that may apply are: be respectful, raise your hand when you want to speak, do
not speak when others are speaking, sit with your legs crossed on the carpet, keep your hands to
yourself, treat others the way you want to be treated etc. Secondly, some subtle disciplinary
interventions may also be used to manage the classroom such as non-verbal and verbal cues. For
example, using a clapping pattern that needs to be repeated if the classroom is too noisy, making
eye contact with students who are being disruptive during lessons, and separating 2 or a group of
students who are having their own conversation that is unrelated to the lesson. Any disciplinary
interventions beyond this would only be used in extreme cases however the rules and procedures
42
MSED ELEMENTARY
and subtle disciplinary interventions outlined should be more than enough to manage the
classroom.
43
MSED ELEMENTARY
Lesson 1
I.
LESSON DATA
Grade Level(s): 1
E. Lesson Topic: Addition of Whole Numbers to 20
F. Duration of Lesson: 45 Minutes
G. Materials: White board, dry erase marker, blue and red colored magnetic counters
A.
B.
C.
D.
II.
INSTRUCTIONAL PROCESS
A. NYS Standards:
Domain: Operations and Algebraic Thinking 1.OA
Grade: 1
Ontario Standards:
Domain: Number Sense and Numeration
Grade: 1
B. Central Focus: The main focus of this lesson is to introduce and demonstrate the concept of
addition by joining 2 groups together, and to familiarize the students with math symbols
(plus and equals sign). The addition will focus on whole numbers up to 20 to align with the
New York State and Ontario standards for grade 1 mathematics.
C. Objective: By the end of the lesson, students will be able to solve addition equations
involving whole numbers up to 20 by counting and using concrete materials.
D. Assessment Plan: The teacher will formatively assess the students ability to solve addition
equations by observing student participation during the teacher guided lesson and by
observing students as they work in partners to solve 3 equations given by the teacher.
E. Opening/Anticipatory Set: In order to capture the students attention and get them thinking
about addition, the lesson will start off with an interactive and engaging demonstration. The
steps are as follows:
1) Tell the students you need help telling a story. Start by having a group of 5 girls come up to
the front. Ask the students to count out loud the number of girls at the front.
2) Choose 2 boys to come up to the front and stand apart from the girls and ask the class how
many boys are at the front.
3) Ask the class to count the total number of students at the front (students should count 7).
44
MSED ELEMENTARY
4) Ask the class what did we do when we counted all of the children at the front? (encourage
students to say we added/joined a group of girls to a group of boys)
5) Repeat steps 1-4 two times and gradually increase the number of students that come to the
front. Choose a group of 7 and 4, and then 10 and 5 students.
F. Main Body/Procedure:
The demonstration from above will lead to explicit instructions as follows:
1) Demonstrate the same concept from the Opening/Anticipatory Set on the white board using
blue and red colored magnetic counters. Use the same numbers as the examples from the
Opening/Anticipatory set. Start with 5 red counters and ask students to count the number of
red counters. Write the number 5 under the red group.
2) Put up 2 blue counters and ask students to count the number of blue counters. Write the
number 2 under the blue group.
3) Ask the class to count the total number of counters on the board (students should count 7).
Write the number 7.
4) Ask the class what did we do when we counted all of the counters on the board?
(encourage students to say we added/joined a group of red counters to a group of blue
counters)
5) Repeat steps 1-4 from this section two times using a group of 7 and 4, and then 10 and 5
counters.
6) Tell students that we can show how we added 10 and 5 and got a total of 15 by using math
symbols. Draw a plus sign between 10 and 5.
7) Say this is a plus sign. It tells us we are adding. Ask students to make a plus sign in the air
using their fingers.
8) Draw an equal sign between the equation and answer. Say this is an equal sign. It tells us
that the amounts on both sides are equal or the same. Ask students to make an equals sign in
the air using their fingers.
9) Write 2 + 3 = 5 on the board and have students come up and demonstrate it using the
counters.
10) Put 3 new equations on the board (3 + 4, 6 + 7, 11 + 2) and pair students up to solve the 3
equations. Students can use any objects in the classroom as counters. Students must write out
the complete number sentence using their new knowledge of the plus and equals signs.
11) Have the students discuss and explain to the whole class how they solved the equations.
12) Give students 5 equations to practice at home:
1. 2 + 2 =
2. 5 + 7 =
3. 13 + 3 =
4. 17 + 4 =
5. 12 + 15 =
Accommodations:
- Peer grouping: pair stronger students with any student with a learning disability/IEP or an
ELL
45
MSED ELEMENTARY
-
When observing, pay close attention to the pairs that include students with a learning
disability/IEP or ELL to ensure that both students are participating and not just strong
students
Assign struggling students a couple of extra practice questions for homework
G. Closure/Ending: After students have shared their ideas and explained how they solved the 3
equations, do a review of the math symbols (plus and equals). Ask the students what the
symbols mean (+ means to add, = means amounts on both sides are equal/the same). Ask the
students what it means to add/how we add (joining 2 groups).
III.
REFLECTION
1) CRT: This lesson respects the cultures and various groups in the class because I plan to
choose a mix of male and female student volunteers during the demonstration and students of
different races, ethnicities, religions, weight, socioeconomic classes etc. I also ensured that
the homework questions can be done at home easily without the students families having to
use or purchase extra resources. The addition questions are also quite standard and can be
understood by families from various cultural backgrounds. Therefore, they should not run
into any difficulties while assisting the students with their homework.
2) Accommodations: The language used in this lesson will be very simple so that all students,
including ELL students will be able to understand. Group work is involved so that the
students with learning delays/IEP and the ELL students can benefit from working with some
of the stronger students in the class. This will also allow the stronger students and any gifted
students to show mastery of the skills they learned by being able to explain it to their peers.
Also, the lesson will use a mix of body movements, visuals, and manipulatives to cater to
different types of learners. Lastly, any students that seem to be struggling will be assigned a
few extra questions for homework to ensure that they get extra practice.
3) Prerequisite Skills: To help with being successful in this lesson, student should already be
able to: read and recognize numbers to at least 20; write numbers to at least 20; and count by
1s up to at least 20.
4) Anticipated Misconceptions: Students may think that the sum of an addition question is just
simply the 2 numbers put together, for example 1+2 = 12. In order to overcome this and not
even let it come to mind is to start the lesson off broad and then focus in on the fact that
addition is being taught. Addition will be introduced with objects (student volunteers and
then magnetic counters), before introducing numbers and math symbols which should
eliminate this misconception.
5) Academic Language: The lesson will use academic language that is appropriate for grade 1
students. The only content specific vocabulary that is central to this lesson is addition and
equals along with the corresponding math symbols.
46
MSED ELEMENTARY
Lesson 2
I.
LESSON DATA
Grade Level(s): 1
E. Lesson Topic: Subtraction of Whole Numbers to 20
G. Materials: White board, dry erase marker, red colored magnetic counters
A.
B.
C.
D.
II.
A. NYS Standards:
Grade: 1
Ontario Standards:
Grade: 1
B. Central Focus: The main focus of this lesson is to introduce and demonstrate the concept of
subtraction by separating 2 groups, and to familiarize the students with math symbols
(minus/subtraction and equals sign). The subtraction will focus on whole numbers up to 20 to
align with the New York State and Ontario standards for grade 1 mathematics.
C. Objective: By the end of the lesson, students will be able to solve subtraction equations
involving whole numbers up to 20 by counting and using concrete materials.
D. Assessment Plan: The teacher will formatively assess the students ability to solve
subtraction equations by observing student participation during the teacher guided lesson and
by observing students as they work in partners to solve 3 equations given by the teacher.
E. Opening/Anticipatory Set: In order to capture the students attention and get them thinking
about subtraction, the lesson will start off with an interactive and engaging demonstration.
The steps are as follows:
1) Tell the students you need help telling another story. Start by having 5 girls and 2 boys come
up to stand at the front. Ask the students to count out loud the total number of students at the
front. (students should count 7)
2) Say now count backwards from 7 every time I touch someones shoulder to sit down.
47
MSED ELEMENTARY
3) Touch each boys shoulder one by one and tell them to sit down so that children count 7, 6,
5.
4) Ask, how many students are left standing? (students should count 5)
5) Ask, is 5 bigger than 7 or smaller? (students should say smaller)
6) Ask the class what happened when the 2 boys sat down? (encourage students to say we
separated or took away the group of boys from the group of girls and that there were less
people left standing)
7) Repeat steps 1-6 two times and gradually increase the number of students that come to the
front. Choose a group of 7 and 4, and then 10 and 5 students.
The demonstration from above will lead to explicit instructions as follows:
1) Demonstrate the same concept from the Opening/Anticipatory Set on the white board using
red colored magnetic counters. Use the same numbers as the examples from the
Opening/Anticipatory set. Start with 7 red counters and ask how many pieces are on the
board? (students should count 7) Write the number 7 under the red counters.
2) Say now count backwards from 7 every time I move a piece over (slide 2 counters to the
right one by one so students count 7, 6, 5).
3) Ask, how many pieces did I move over? (students should say 2) Write the number 2 under
the 2 counters on the right.
4) Ask, how many counters are left? (students should count 5) Write the number 5 to the far
right.
5) Repeat steps 1-4 from this section two times using a group of 7 and taking away 4, and then
10 taking away 5 counters.
6) Tell students that we can show how we took 5 away from 10 and were left with 5 by using
math symbols. Draw a minus sign between 10 and 5.
7) Say this is a minus or subtraction sign. It tells us we are taking away. Ask students to
make a minus sign in the air using their fingers.
8) Draw an equals sign between the equation and answer. Ask who remembers what this
symbol is called? (students should say equals sign)
9) Ask, what does an equals sign mean? (encourage students to say amounts on both side are
equal or the same)
10) Ask students to make an equals sign in the air using their fingers.
11) Write 5 3 = 2 on the board and have students come up and demonstrate it using the
counters.
12) Put 3 new equations on the board (9 4, 13 5, 11 2) and pair students up to solve the 3
equations. Students can use any objects in the classroom as counters. Students must write out
the complete number sentence using their new knowledge of the minus and equals signs.
13) Have the students discuss and explain to the whole class how they solved the equations.
14) Give students 5 equations to practice at home:
6. 4 2 =
7. 8 3 =
8. 13 10 =
9. 17 4 =
10. 12 5 =
48
MSED ELEMENTARY
Accommodations:
- Ability grouping: pair stronger students with any student with a learning disability/IEP or an
ELL
- When observing, pay close attention to the pairs that include students with a learning
disability/IEP or ELL to ensure that both students are participating and not just strong
students
- Assign struggling students a couple of extra practice questions for homework
G. Closure/Ending: After students have shared their ideas and explained how they solved the 3
equations, do a review of the math symbols (minus and equals). Ask the students what the
symbols mean (- means to take away, = means amounts on both sides are equal/the same).
Ask the students what it means to subtract/how we subtract (separating/taking away from a
group).
III.
REFLECTION
1) CRT: This lesson respects the cultures and various groups in the class because I plan to
choose a mix of male and female student volunteers during the demonstration and students of
different races, ethnicities, religions, weight, socioeconomic classes etc. I also ensured that
the homework questions can be done at home easily without the students families having to
use or purchase extra resources. The subtraction questions are also quite standard and can be
understood by families from various cultural backgrounds. Therefore, they should not run
into any difficulties while assisting the students with their homework.
2) Accommodations: The language used in this lesson will be very simple so that all students,
including ELL students will be able to understand. Group work is involved so that the
students with learning delays/IEP and the ELL students can benefit from working with some
of the stronger students in the class. This will also allow the stronger students and any gifted
students to show mastery of the skills they learned by being able to explain it to their peers.
Also, the lesson will use a mix body of movements, visuals, and manipulatives to cater to
different types of learners. Lastly, any students that seem to be struggling will be assigned a
few extra questions for homework to ensure that they get extra practice.
3) Prerequisite Skills: To help with being successful in this lesson, student should already be
able to: read and recognize numbers to at least 20; write numbers to at least 20; and count
backwards and forwards by 1s up to at least 20.
4) Anticipated Misconceptions: Students may still add instead of subtract because they are
used to counting forwards. Therefore, I have made sure to remind them to count backwards
many times throughout the lesson. This will help students associate counting backwards with
subtraction, hence decreasing the chances of students adding when they should be
subtracting.
49
MSED ELEMENTARY
5) Academic Language: The lesson will use academic language that is appropriate for grade 1
students. The only content specific vocabulary that is central to this lesson is
subtract/subtraction, minus, and equals along with the
50
MSED ELEMENTARY
Lesson 3
I.
LESSON DATA
Grade Level(s): 1
E. Lesson Topic: Introduction to Mental Math Strategies to Solve Single Digit Word Problems
G. Materials: Computer with internet access, projector to play YouTube videos, numbers 1 10
flashcards, white board, dry erase markers, and Doubles Facts poster.
A.
B.
C.
D.
II.
A. NYS Standards:
Grade: 1
Standard Number and Statement: 5. Relate counting to addition and subtraction.
Ontario Standards:
Grade: 1
Standard Number and Statement: solve problems involving the addition and subtraction of
single digit whole numbers using a variety of mental strategies.
B. Central Focus: The main focus of this lesson is to introduce students to mental math
strategies in order for them to compute basic addition and subtraction problems with speed
and accuracy. Students will practice counting forwards to 100 and backwards from 20. They
will also learn how to use strategies such as doubles and one more than and one less than.
The mental strategies will have a focus on single digit whole numbers to align with the
New York State and Ontario standards for grade 1 mathematics.
C. Objective: By the end of this lesson, students will be able to understand the concept of one
more than, one less than, and doubles.
D. Assessment Plan: Student understanding will be assessed through observation during the
teacher guided lesson. Students will also be given word problems to work on in partners and
these will also be used to formatively assess student understanding.
E. Opening/Anticipatory Set: The lesson will begin with using the mental strategy of counting
forward and backward, which will serve as a review of counting for the students. Students
will watch 2 YouTube videos and count and exercise along. The steps are as follows:
1) Say, boys and girls, today we are going to learn some number tricks to help us add and
subtract faster. We will start by practicing counting to 100. Everyone please follow along
with the video.
51
MSED ELEMENTARY
2) Play video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TgLtF3PMOc
3) Say, now lets try counting backwards from 20.
4) Play video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShqXL-zfLxY
F. Main Body/Procedure: After the counting review, the lesson will go right into using the
next 3 strategies: one more than, one less than, and doubles. The steps are as follows:
1) Say, What do you think one more than means (encourage students to say plus one).
2) Say, When you hear one more than a number think of the next number.
3) Hold up flashcard 2 and say for example, one more than 2 is 3 (hold 2 and 3 flashcards
beside each other).
4) Ask students why this is true (encourage students to say 2 plus 1 is 3 and that 3 is the next
number after 2).
5) Repeat steps 3 and 4 using the numbers 5 and 6.
6) Ask what is one more than 3? (Students should say 4 hold up corresponding
flashcards)
7) Repeat step number 6 using the numbers:
9 and 10
1 and 2
7 and 8
8 and 9
6 and 7
4 and 5
8) Say, if one more than means to add 1, what do you think one less than means?
(encourage students to say take away 1)
9) Say, when you hear one less than a number, think of the number before.
10) Hold up flashcard 3 and say one less than 3 is 2 (hold 2 and 3 flashcards beside each
other).
11) Ask students why this is true (encourage students to say 3 take away 1 is 2 and that 2 is
the number before 3).
12) Repeat steps 10 and 11 using the numbers 6 and 5
13) Ask what is one less than 4? (Students should say 3 hold up corresponding
flashcards).
14) Repeat step number 13 using the numbers:
10 and 9
2 and 1
8 and 7
9 and 8
7 and 6
5 and 4
15) Get students to work with a partner to solve the following problems:
Rob has 4 brothers. I have one more brother than him. How many brothers do I have?
Beth has 10 goldfish. I have one less goldfish than her. How many goldfish do I have?
16) Get students to share their answers with the class and discuss.
52
MSED ELEMENTARY
17) Ask, who can tell me what the word double means? (Encourage students to say the
same number repeated twice, 2 of something etc.)
18) Say, when you double a number, you add the number together. For example, 1+1, 2+2,
3+3 (write these on the white board).
19) Ask students to give more examples of doubles equations.
20) Show a Doubles Facts poster for students to get a visual representation of doubles.
21) Pair students and give them the following problem to solve and draw the answer:
There are 4 apples on a tree and double the amount of apples on the grass. How many
apples are on the grass?
22) Get students to share their answers with the class and discuss.
G. Closure/Ending: Finish off with a summary and review of the lesson. Ask the class:
1) What does one more than mean? (Encourage students to say plus/add one, the next
number etc.)
2) Can someone give me an example? x 3
3) What does one less than mean? (Encourage students to say, minus/subtract one, the
number before etc.)
4) Whats an example of one less than? x 3
5) What does double mean? (Encourage students to say the same number repeated twice,
2 of something etc.)
III.
REFLECTION
1) CRT: This lesson respects the cultures and various groups in the class because all
students will be chosen to participate, no matter what gender, race, ethnicity, religion,
weight, socioeconomic class etc.
2) Accommodations: The language used in this lesson will be very simple so that all
students, including ELL students will be able to understand. The problems will be read
aloud to ensure that all students understand the question. The lesson will use various
methods such as interactive videos and visuals to cater to the diverse needs of the class.
Students will also work in pairs so that the students with learning delays/IEP and the ELL
students can benefit from working with some of the stronger students in the class.
3) Prerequisite Skills: To help with being successful in this lesson, student should already
be able to: read and recognize numbers to at least 20; write numbers to at least 20; count
backwards and forwards by 1s up to at least 20; and add and subtract single digit
numbers.
4) Anticipated Misconceptions: Students tend to struggle with counting backwards, which
is why there will be a video shown for review. Students may think that double means the
number 2 and will add 2 to a number instead of doubling it. The Doubles Facts poster
should eliminate this misconception.
53
MSED ELEMENTARY
5) Academic Language: Content specific vocabulary that will be used in this lesson
includes one more than, one less than, doubles, addition, subtraction, plus, minus
54
MSED ELEMENTARY
Lesson 4
I.
LESSON DATA
Grade Level(s): 1
E. Lesson Topic: Solving Addition and Subtraction Problems of Whole Numbers to 20 Using
Objects
G. Materials: Chart paper, regular markers, counting cubes, white board, and dry erase marker.
A.
B.
C.
D.
II.
A. NYS Standards:
Grade: 1
Cluster Heading: Represent and solve problems involving addition and subtraction.
Standard Number and Statement: 1. Use addition and subtraction within 20 to solve word
problems involving situations of adding to, taking from, putting together, taking apart, and
comparing, with unknowns in all positions, e.g., by using objects, drawings, and equations
with a symbol for the unknown number to represent the problem.
Ontario Standards:
Grade: 1
subtraction of whole numbers to 20, using concrete materials and drawings (e.g., pictures,
number lines).
B. Central Focus: The focus of this lesson is to build on the knowledge acquired from lessons
1-3 of this unit. Students will apply their knowledge of addition and subtraction learned from
these lessons to solve various word problems, using objects. The word problems will focus
on whole numbers up to 20 to align with the New York State and Ontario standards for grade
1 mathematics.
C. Objective: By the end of this lesson, students will be able to solve word problems involving
the addition and subtraction of whole numbers to 20, using concrete materials and drawings.
D. Assessment Plan: The teacher will observe students and take notes as they work in pairs to
solve problems and as they share their answers and ideas with the class. Students are to work
in pairs but hand in individual answers for the teacher to review and assess student
understanding.
E. Opening/Anticipatory Set:
55
MSED ELEMENTARY
1) Before starting the lesson, write each of the following words/symbols/phrases on a sticky
note and place them around the classroom (these will be the math clues for the
scavenger hunt):
add
plus
together
in all
more
double
altogether
total
+
subtract
minus
less
take away
remain
left over
2) Say today we are going to solve math mysteries! First, lets start with a scavenger hunt.
I need everyone to be a detective and find the math clues around on the classroom on
sticky notes.
3) Tell students to look for sticky notes and bring them to the carpet.
4) Make a t-chart on the chart paper with the headings Addition on the left and
Subtraction on the right.
5) When students return to the carpet, choose a student one by one to read their clue, and
say whether it is related to adding or subtracting. Ask the student for an explanation and
make necessary clarifications. Fill in the columns on the chart paper.
6) Say now we know what our clues mean. These are the clues we need to look for in our
math mysteries to help us solve them. Lets practice together.
1) Demonstrate how to solve 2 word problems with counting cubes and by drawing a
corresponding picture. Write the related number sentence. Underline the clue word(s) in
the problem. Do the first one yourself and ask for students help with the second.
Jen baked 12 cupcakes. 7 cupcakes go missing! How many cupcakes are left over?
Ryan has 8 toys in his room. He comes back and finds 3 more toys. How many toys
does he have now altogether?
2) Give students 3 problems to work on in pairs using counting cubes and pictures,
underlining the clue words, and writing the related number sentence, just as the teacher
demonstrated.
Jaspreet and her sister have 9 teddy bears each. How many teddy bears do they have in
total?
There are 16 frogs in a pond. 5 frogs hop away. How many frogs remain in the pond?
56
MSED ELEMENTARY
There are some apples in a basket. 4 more apples are added to the basket. Now there
are 9 apples. How many apples were in the basket before more were added?
3) Have students share their answers with the class.
G. Closure/Ending: Finish off the lesson by taking up the answers to the word problems with
the class, similar to the demonstrations at the beginning of the lesson. Encourage student
participation to check for understanding.
III.
RELFECTION
weight, socioeconomic class etc. Also, the objects used in the word problems (i.e. apples,
toys, frogs etc.) are quite universal and common in all cultures. The world problems also
include names from different genders and cultures.
2) Accommodations: The problems will be read aloud to ensure that all students, including
ELL, understand the questions. The lesson will use various methods such as
manipulatives and drawings to cater to the diverse needs of the class. Students will also
work in pairs so that the students with learning delays/IEP and the ELL students can
benefit from working with some of the stronger students in the class.
3) Prerequisite Skills: To help with being successful in this lesson, student should already
be able to: read and recognize numbers to at least 20; write numbers to at least 20; count
backwards and forwards by 1s up to at least 20; and add and subtract whole numbers to
20.
4) Anticipated Misconceptions: Students may struggle with associating words with the
correct operation, for example using subtraction when the question asks how many
altogether?
5) Academic Language: Content specific vocabulary that will used in this lesson includes:
add
plus
together
in all
more
double
altogether
total
subtract
minus
less
57
MSED ELEMENTARY
take away
remain
left over
58
MSED ELEMENTARY
Lesson 5
I.
LESSON DATA
Grade Level(s): 1 (Ontario) / 2 (New York)
Operations and Measurement & Data (NYS Standards)
E. Lesson Topic: Introduction to Addition and Subtraction of Money Amounts to 10 Cents
G. Materials: Computer with internet access, penny, nickel and dime coin manipulatives, white
board, and dry erase marker.
A.
B.
C.
D.
II.
A. NYS Standards:
Domain: Measurement & Data 2.MD
Grade: 2
Cluster Heading: Work with time and money.
Standard Number and Statement: 8. Solve word problems involving dollar bills, quarters,
dimes, nickels, and pennies, using $ and symbols appropriately. Example: If you have 2
dimes and 3 pennies, how many cents do you have?
Ontario Standards:
Grade: 1
B. Central Focus: The main focus of this lesson is to get students to apply their addition and
subtraction skills to money. The addition and subtraction will involve coins up to 10 cents to
align with the New York State and Ontario standards for grade 1/2 mathematics.
C. Objective: By the end of this lesson, students will be able to add and subtract coins to 10
cents by using coin manipulatives and numbers.
D. Assessment: Students will be formatively assessed through observations. The teacher will
observe students working with coin manipulatives on the carpet and take anecdotal notes.
Students will also be observed during the teacher guided lesson.
E. Opening/Anticipatory Set: The teacher will start off with a review of coins by playing the
following video on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVpcZ5obmsM
1) Ask how many ways can you make 10 cents?
2) Listen to all possible answers.
59
MSED ELEMENTARY
3) Explain that you can treat the value of money like numbers. Say For example, what is
the value of a nickel? (5 cents) 5 cents is just like the number 5.
4) Write the following on the white board: 5 + __ = 10 and ask students to fill in the blank
(5).
5) Ask What is the value of a dime? (10)
6) Say So that means 5 + 5 = 10 OR 1 nickel + 1 nickel = 1 dime (write this on the board
and model with coin manipulatives).
7) Review the value of a penny, nickel, and dime.
8) Pair up the students and ask them to make 10 cents in 2 other ways.
9) Take up the answer with the class
10) Ask what happens if I want to buy something for 5 cents but I only have a dime? Does
that mean I cant buy what I want? (encourage students to say you will get change or
money back)
11) Say I can use subtraction to find figure out how much change I will get back
12) Say So, if something costs 5 cents and I give you 10 cents, that is like asking what is 10
5? (write equation on board and model with coin manipulatives)
13) Ask if something costs 8 cents but I give you 10 cents, how much change to do I get
back? (give students time to work with their partner to solve this)
14) Take up the answer
15) Ask if something costs 4 cents but I give you a nickel, how much change to do I get
back? 6 cents and a dime? (give students time to work with their partner to solve these)
16) Take up the answers.
G. Closure/Ending: End the class with a challenge question that applies both addition and
subtraction to serve as a review. Ask John buys 2 apples. Each apple costs 3 pennies. He
pays with a dime. Will he get change back? How much?
III.
REFLCTION
weight, socioeconomic class etc.
2) Accommodations: The lesson will use various methods such as manipulatives,
modelling, and a video to cater to the diverse needs of the class. Group work is involved
so that the students with learning delays/IEP and the ELL students can benefit from
working with some of the stronger students in the class.
3) Prerequisite Skills: Students should recognize and know the value of at least a penny,
nickel and dime, and compute addition and subtraction of whole numbers to 10.
4) Anticipated Misconceptions: When working with coins, students may think that
because it is one object, it represents the number 1. For example, they may use the coins
60
MSED ELEMENTARY
as counters so a nickel will be considered 1, not 5. In order to avoid this confusion, the
teacher will model examples to show the difference between a coin and a counter.
5) Academic Language: Content specific vocabulary that will be used in this lesson is
penny, nickel and dime.
[Back to Table of Contents]
61
MSED ELEMENTARY
Artifact Two: SMART author study.
Overview.
The second artifact that I have included is an author study that I did on childrens author
Rosemary Wells. This author study was all done using SMART software to present on a SMART
board. The study was geared towards grade 1 students and involves cross curricular lessons.
Aside from using literature for just ELA, the books were used to teach lessons in health and
physical education, math and visual arts. Creating these lessons involved a lot of planning and
creativity. The lessons could only be created by first doing research on Rose Mary Wells and
reading through books she wrote to try and find connections to other subjects. After extensive
research, I was able to narrow it down to 5 books and create interactive and engaging, cross
curricular lessons using 3 of the books. Using books and literature to teach subjects other than
ELA is a great best practice as it allows children to make connections to things they are learning
in other subjects and brings everything together. It also gets students thinking as they will
continue try to make connections to other subjects and the real world when they read on their
own. Throughout the lesson, there are multiple, interactive activities for students to participate in
which helps me formatively assess them while they stay engaged. Students get opportunities to
use the SMART board and play games that I have created, all while learning. This author study
truly showcases my ability to instruct meaningful lessons that are motivating and engaging.
Most of all, this author study displays my technology skills and ability to use the SMART
board effectively. We will be teaching students who are immersed in technology from the day
they are born. As stated by Prensky, todays learners are different and it is incorrect to assume
that the same teaching methods that worked for us will work for them (Prensky, 2001).
Therefore, being able to integrate technology into lessons is a crucial skill for educators to
62
MSED ELEMENTARY
master. Creating this author study and accompanying lessons using SMART software provides
evidence that I am a tech savvy educator who is willing to adapt to new teaching methods for this
new age of learners.
INTASC standards.
Standard #5: Application of Content: The teacher understands how to connect concepts
and use differing perspectives to engage learners in critical thinking, creativity, and collaborative
problem solving related to authentic local and global issues and Standard #7: Planning for
Instruction: The teacher plans instruction that supports every student in meeting rigorous
learning goals by drawing upon knowledge of content areas, curriculum, cross-disciplinary skills,
and pedagogy, as well as knowledge of learners and the community context are applicable.
They are applicable here due to the cross-curricular nature of the lessons. Standard #6:
Assessment: The teacher understands and uses multiple methods of assessment to engage
learners in their own growth, to monitor learner progress, and to guide the teachers and learners
decision making also applies because a variety of activities such as sorting, word problems, and
writing are used.
As with all of my lessons, the ethical standard of Care, which includes compassion,
acceptance, interest and insight for developing students' potential where members express their
commitment to students' well-being and learning through positive influence, professional
judgment and empathy in practice is applicable.
63
MSED ELEMENTARY
This lesson addresses the following NYS Common Core Standards for grade 2 math:
1. Domain: Measurement and Data 2.MD
Grade: 2
Cluster Heading: Work with time and money
Standard Number and Statement 8. Solve word problems involving dollar bills, quarters,
dimes, nickels, and pennies, using $ and symbols appropriately.
NYS learning standards.
The following NYS learning standards are addressed in this author study:
1. Family and Consumer Science Elementary Standards:
1. Students will use an understanding of the elements of good nutrition to plan
appropriate diets for themselves and others. They will know and use the appropriate tools
and technologies for safe and healthy food preparation
2. Subject: Learning Standards for the Arts Elementary
Heading: 3 Responding and Analyzing Works of Art
Topic: Visual Arts:
Standard Number and Statement: 3a. Explain their reflections about the meanings,
purposes, and sources of works of art; describe their responses to the works and the
reasons for those responses.
The following Ontario curriculum standards are addressed in this lesson:
1. Subject: Math
Grade: 1
2. Subject: Health and Physical Education
Heading: C. Healthy Living
Grade: 1
Specific Expectation: C2. Making Healthy Choices
Standard Number and Statement: C2.1 describe how the food groups in Canadas Food
Guide (i.e., vegetables and fruit, grain products, milk and alternatives, meat and alternatives)
can be used to make healthy food choices [CT]
64
MSED ELEMENTARY
3. Subject: The Arts
Heading: D. Visual Arts
Grade: 1
Specific Expectation: D2. Reflecting, Responding, Analyzing
Standard Number and Statement: D2.1 express their feelings and ideas about art works
and art experiences
TEAC/CAEP claims.
Being a multi subject, cross-curricular lesson, this author study demonstrates that I have a
good understanding of the subject matter. This is in line with TEAC Claim 1: "Medaille College
graduates know the subject matter in their certification area(s).
ISTE standards.
ISTE standards 1b. Engage students in exploring real-world issues and solving authentic
problems using digital tools and resources, and 2a Design or adapt relevant learning
experiences that incorporate digital tools and resources to promote student learning and
creativity both apply to this artifact. They are demonstrated by the use of the SMART
Board.
65
MSED ELEMENTARY
Artifact.
66
MSED ELEMENTARY
67
MSED ELEMENTARY
68
MSED ELEMENTARY
69
MSED ELEMENTARY
70
MSED ELEMENTARY
71
MSED ELEMENTARY
Artifact #3: Guided reading lesson.
Overview.
The third artifact that I have showcased is a guided reading lesson created using the story
Goldilocks and the 3 Bears. Creating a guided reading lesson involves extensive planning
because not only do you have to plan for the group of students you are working with, you have to
ensure that the rest of the class is engaged in their own, individual tasks. As for the lesson itself,
you must cover all 5 pillars of reading in a short span of about 20 minutes and being able to do
this involves proper planning, and not to mention, good classroom management skills. Guided
reading lessons also require a teacher to be able to multitask because the teacher is constantly
assessing students throughout the lesson and making anecdotal notes. Therefore, aside from
planning and instruction, this lesson shows my assessment capabilities. This lesson also
showcases my ability to make accommodations for learners by differentiating instruction.
Guided reading involves assessing students and grouping students with peers who are at the same
reading level as them. This allows for successfully maximizing students individual potential. As
mentioned by expert Carol Ann Tomlinson, to differentiate instruction, then, is to become a
more competent, creative, and professional educator (Tomlinson, 2000). This lesson
demonstrates my readiness to be a qualified educator as it involves important competencies such
as planning, instruction, assessment, engagement, and learner accommodations.
INTASC standards.
There are a few INTASC standards that apply to this guided reading lesson. Guided
reading involves diagnostic testing to put students in groups with their peers which is
developmentally appropriate for them. For this reason, Standard #1: Learner Development: The
72
MSED ELEMENTARY
teacher understands how learners grow and develop, recognizing that patterns of learning and
development vary individually within and across the cognitive, linguistic, social, emotional, and
physical areas, and designs and implements developmentally appropriate and challenging
learning experiences is applicable. This also ties in with planning which is supported by
Standard #7: Planning instruction: The teacher plans instruction that supports every student in
meeting rigorous learning goals by drawing upon knowledge of content areas, curriculum, crossdisciplinary skills, and pedagogy, as well as knowledge of learners and the community context.
Guided reading also involves assessment of all 5 pillars of reading, which is supported with
Standard #6: The teacher understands and uses multiple methods of assessment to engage
learners in their own growth, to monitor learner progress, and to guide the teachers and learners
decision making.
Principle 2 states Educators create support and maintain challenging learning
environment for all. This supports the guided reading lesson as guided reading involves
planning for multiple groups of students who may be working on different tasks. These tasks
must be developmentally appropriate and challenging enough to keep the students engaged while
you are with the guided reading group.
Working with small group at a time shows is in line with the ethical standard Care: The ethical
standard of Care includes compassion, acceptance, interest and insight for developing students'
potential. Members express their commitment to students' well-being and learning through
positive influence, professional judgment and empathy in practice.
73
MSED ELEMENTARY
The NYS Common Core ELA standard for grade 1 addressed in this lesson is:
Standard Strand: Reading Standards: Foundational Skills (K-5)
Grade: 1
Topic: Phonics and Word Recognition
Item Number and Statement: 3. Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis
skills in decoding words. g. Recognize and read grade-appropriate irregularly spelled words.
The Ontario Curriculum Language standard for grade 1 addressed in this lesson is:
Standard Strand: Reading
Grade: 1
Topic: Reading with Fluency
Item Number and Statement: Reading Unfamiliar Words - 3.2. Predict the meaning of and
quickly solve unfamiliar words using graphophonic (phonological and graphic) cues
TEAC/CAEP claims.
TEAC claims number 1 and 2 apply to this artifact as guided reading lesson show my
knowledge of the subject matter (ELA 5 pillars of reading) and lesson content. I also meet the
needs of diverse learners through using a variety of activities for each pillar.
74
MSED ELEMENTARY
Artifact.
I.
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
G.
II.
Guided Reading Lesson Plan

LESSON DATA
Subject/Content Area: Reading
Grade Level(s): 1
Unit Topic: Guided Reading
Lesson Topic: Guided Reading with focus on ight words
Duration of Lesson: 30 Minutes
Materials: 5 copies of Goldilocks and the 3 Bears level I, white board, and dry erase
markers in 2 different colors
A. NYS Standards:
Standard Strand: Reading Standards: Foundational Skills (K-5)
Grade: 1
Topic: Phonics and Word Recognition
Item Number and Statement: 3. Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis
skills in decoding words. g. Recognize and read grade-appropriate irregularly spelled words.
Ontario Standards:
Standard Strand: Reading
Grade: 1
Topic: Reading with Fluency
Item Number and Statement: Reading Unfamiliar Words - 3.2. Predict the meaning of and
quickly solve unfamiliar words using graphophonic (phonological and graphic) cues (e.g.,
blending and segmenting of individual sounds in words; visual features of words such as
shape and orientation; sound-letter relationships for initial, final, and medial sounds; onset
and rime; common spelling patterns; words within words)
B. Central Focus: The main focus of this lesson will be on phonics. The focus is to get students
to read and recognize irregular words specifically those ending in ight. The lesson will also
briefly touch on the short /o/ sound, and homophones.
C. Objectives: By the end of this lesson, students will be able to recognize and read words
ending in ight.
D. Assessment Plan: Students will be assessed formatively through observations. The teacher
will make anecdotal notes while observing the students read and complete the ight words
recognition activity.
75
MSED ELEMENTARY
E. Opening/Anticipatory Set: start with a preview of the book by looking at the front and back
cover and then read aloud to the group. The steps are as follows:
1) Say today we are going to read a new book called Goldilocks and the 3 bears.
COMPREHENSION (7 mins)
2) Say: take a look at the front and back cover. What do you see? Who are the characters in
the story?
3) Ask what do you think is going to happen in the story?
4) Read the book aloud and ask students to follow along silently.
5) Discuss whether or not the predictions were correct.
FLUENCY (3-5 mins)
1) Say now lets read the book together. (choral reading)
VOCABULARY (5 mins)
2) Tell students to turn to page 6 and read aloud the sentence this chair is too big.
3) Ask what does too mean? (encourage students to say more than enough or very)
4) Tell students to turn to page 14 and read aloud the sentence Goldilocks never again went
to the home of the 3 bears.
5) Ask what does to mean in this case? (encourage students to say at a certain place)
6) Write the words too and to on the board and ask What do you notice about the words too
and to? (students should notice that they sound the same but are spelled differently)
7) Say these type of words are called homophones. What other word can you think of that
sounds like to? (number two)
PHONEMIC AWARENESS (5 mins)
8) Say Goldilocks used the word hot. Hot. Repeat after me: hot. What vowel sound do you
hear? (encourage students to say short /o/)
9) Say She also used the word knocked and soft. Repeat after me: knocked, soft (stress the
short /o/ sound).
PHONICS (10 mins)
10) Say we always here Goldilocks say things are just right. Lets look take a look at this
word (write the word right on the board with r in a different color than ight).
11) Say ight is a word pattern or word family. We can look at these letters as one chunk and
use it to read other words with this pattern.
12) Cover the letter r and say repeat after me: ight
13) Uncover r and say repeat after me: right
14) Underline the r and circle ight
15) Write The bright fireworks light up the night sky on Canada Day on the board and
have students write it down. Instruct students to circle ight and underline the initial
sound.
16) Tell students to read the sentence out loud.
76
MSED ELEMENTARY
G. Closure/Ending: End the lesson by having students make a list of at least 3 different ight
words.
III.
REFLECTION
1. CRT: This lesson respects the cultures and various groups in the class because all students
will be chosen to participate, no matter what gender, race, ethnicity, religion, weight,
socioeconomic class etc. Also, clarification will be made of words that may not be common
to all cultures such as porridge.
2. Accommodations: This lesson will use a variety of strategies such as visuals (each students
has their own book), reading aloud by the teacher, and the use of colors to distinguish
between ight and the beginning sound in order to accommodate for different learning styles.
3. Prerequisite Skills: Students should be able to read and recognize letters and common high
frequency words (e.g., of, the, she, is etc.). Students should also be able to distinguish
between long and short vowel sounds.
4. Anticipated Misconceptions: Students may not know or think that gh in ight is silent
and will therefore pronounce ight as igt.
5. Academic Language: Some vocabulary that is specific to the content in the book is:
Goldilocks, porridge, knocked, answered, returned, medium and youngster. There will be a
focus on the words to, too, hot, soft, knocked, right, bright, light, and night.
77
MSED ELEMENTARY
Artifact #4: Virtual field trip.

Overview.
The fourth artifact that I have included is a virtual field trip around the world that I
created as a grade 3 social studies assignment. Living in a multicultural country, it is important
for students to become aware of the various cultures that their peers come from. In adulthood,
students will be working in environments rich with diverse cultures and backgrounds. As a future
educator, I myself will be teaching students who come from different walks of life and cultures
all around the world, therefore culturally responsive teaching is a must. Geneva Gay, an expert in
culturally responsive teaching, states in her book Culturally Responisve Teaching: Theory,
Research, and Practice that teaching is most effective when factors such as cultural
backgrounds, community settings, and ethnic identities of both the teacher and students are
implemented (Gay, 2010). This field trip is a perfect example of culturally responsive teaching as
it includes countries that are relevant to students in the class based on their ethnicities and based
on current events in the news. This assignment will also help with eliminating negative biases
and misconceptions students may have about particular cultures and countries. The virtual field
trip is also another example of my willingness to embrace and use technology in the classroom.
In order to take this virtual field trip, students are required to use Google Earth and with a click
of a button, they can travel the world.
INTASC standards.
This lesson is supported by Standard #2: Learning Differences: The teacher uses
understanding of individual differences and diverse cultures and communities to ensure inclusive
78
MSED ELEMENTARY
learning environments that enable each learner to meet high standards because the countries
choses to explore will be based the various cultures and backgrounds of students in the class.
Ontario Ethical Teacher Standards
As this virtual field trip around the world displays culturally responsive teaching, it is in
line with the Respect standard which states Intrinsic to the ethical standard of Respect are trust
and fair-mindedness. Members honor human dignity, emotional wellness and cognitive
development. In their professional practice, they model respect for spiritual and cultural values,
social justice, confidentiality, freedom, democracy and the environment.
NYS learning standards.
This artifacts addresses the following NYS Social Studies standards:
1. Strand: Communities Around the WorldLearning About People and Places
Grade: 3
Topic: Communities around the world
Content Understandings:
People of similar and different cultural groups often live together in world communities.
Families in world communities differ from place to place.
Beliefs, customs, and traditions in world communities are learned from others and may differ
from place to place.
2. Strand: Communities Around the WorldLearning About People and Places
Grade: 3
Topic: Physical, human, and cultural characteristics of world communities
Content Understandings:
The physical, human, and cultural characteristics of different regions and people throughout
the world are different.
This artifact addresses the following Ontario Social Studies curriculum:
1. Strand: People and Environments: Global Communities
Grade: 2
Topic: Application: Variations in Global Communities
Item Number and Statement:
79
MSED ELEMENTARY
B1.1 compare selected communities from around the world, including their own community,
in terms of the lifestyles of people in those communities and some ways in which the people
meet their needs.
2. Strand: People and Environments: Global Communities
Grade: 2
Topic: Inquiry: Natural Environments and Ways of Life
Item Number and Statement:
B2.2 gather and organize information and data about some communities locations, climate,
and physical features, and the ways of life of people in these communities.
80
MSED ELEMENTARY
ISTE Standards.
While on this virtual field trip, students are learning how to locate and analyze
information on the internet using Google Earth. This connects with ISTE standard 2d. Model
and facilitate effective use of current and emerging digital tools to locate, analyze, evaluate, and
use information resources to support research and learning.
CEC Standards.
This virtual field trip is also supported by CEC standard 1.4 Create safe, effective, and
culturally responsive learning environments which contribute to fulfillment of needs, stimulation
of learning, and realization of positive self-concepts.
81
MSED ELEMENTARY
Artifact.
Virtual Field Trip
I believe that, in order to properly understand and embrace a culture, one must be immersed
into the culture, where they experience living with the people of that culture, eating their food,
listening to their music, wearing their clothes and hearing the language they speak. Wouldnt it be
great if we could take our students on a trip around the world? Fortunately, with the technology
available to us today, we can go around the world with just a click of a button. Using Google Earth,
I would create a virtual field trip to countries around the world to explore their location, people,
culture, important landmarks, infrastructure, and any other interesting facts related to the culture
of that country.
This field trip would be designed for students in grade 3 as a Social Studies assignment.
This is when students begin to learn about communities around the world so it is a perfect time to
incorporate a field trip like this (see below for specific curriculum connections). I would design
the field trip like a scavenger hunt. Students would be paired up and given a hand out with clues
about a country. When choosing countries, I would choose those that are relevant to students in
my class based on the various ethnicities in the class. This will give the opportunity for students
to learn more about each other and respect each others differences. I would also choose countries
that have been seen in current events on the news and media. Many times, countries are portrayed
negatively in the media which causes us to be bias towards them. For example, countries like Iraq
are portrayed as dangerous, poor places where there is no freedom and lots of violence. Therefore,
choosing countries like this will help with eliminating these biases. Countries in current events
could also be, for example, a place where a natural disaster recently occurred. This may spark
student interest because theyve been hearing about the event so much. Also, I would be sure to
82
MSED ELEMENTARY
choose countries from each continent. I would also make sure that students get the opportunity to
explore a country of their own interest. This could be a country they want to visit, something
theyve seen in a movie or TV show, somewhere that a family member lives, somewhere that a
friend is from, etc.
When the students are given the hand out, their first task would be to guess which country
the clues are associated with. Then, they would use books in the classroom or the internet to find
out which countries the clues are about. Finally, they would use Google Earth to locate the
countries and learn more about them. This can be done by using the Search tool in Google Earth
and flying to each country. Using the tools under the Layers section, students can learn new
things about each location. They can use tools such as the National Geographic tool and the
Travel and Tourism choice to view pictures, watch videos, and learn interesting facts about each
location. Students would also be given a graphic organizer to take notes on each country. After
travelling, students are to compare their guesses to the actual answers and reflect on their findings.
Some possible questions to ask are: Why did they make that guess? Was it right? What did they
learn? What did they find interesting? Lastly, students would get the chance to fly to a country of
their choice and share their findings about the country to the class.
As mentioned above, this field trip is designed for a grade 3 classroom but it can be applied
to higher grades as well. As future teachers of New York or Ontario, it is very likely that we will
be teaching in multicultural schools. A virtual field trip like this can be very helpful in making
students aware of the cultures of their peers. This will help reduce possible discrimination and
bullying in and outside of school based on culture/ethnicity, which will make for a safer school
environment. Having a safe school environment, free of bullying, discrimination, harassment, etc.,
is exactly what DASA aims to do.
83
MSED ELEMENTARY
Curriculum Connections
NYS P-12 Common Core/NYS Standards:
Social Studies
x Strand: Communities Around the WorldLearning About People and Places
x Grade: 3
x Topic: Communities around the world
x Content Understandings:
People of similar and different cultural groups often live together in world
communities.
Families in world communities differ from place to place.
Beliefs, customs, and traditions in world communities are learned from others and
may differ from place to place.
x
Strand: Communities Around the WorldLearning About People and Places

x Grade: 3
x Topic: Physical, human, and cultural characteristics of world communities
x Content Understandings:
The physical, human, and cultural characteristics of different regions and people
throughout the world are different.
Ontario Curriculum Standards:

Social Studies
x Strand: People and Environments: Global Communities
x Grade: 2
x Topic: Application: Variations in Global Communities
x Item Number and Statement:
B1.1 compare selected communities from around the world, including their own
community, in terms of the lifestyles of people in those communities and some ways
in which the people meet their needs.
x
Strand: People and Environments: Global Communities

x Grade: 2
x Topic: Inquiry: Natural Environments and Ways of Life
x Item Number and Statement:
B2.2 gather and organize information and data about some communities locations,
climate, and physical features, and the ways of life of people in these communities.
84
MSED ELEMENTARY
Artifact #5: Weebly website.
Overview.
My Weebly website (http://msgidda.weebly.com/) was designed for a mock grade 1 class
in order to keep in touch with parents and for students to use as a resource outside of the
classroom. Communicating with families is key because when they are not with us, students are
with their families and naturally, we can learn a lot about our students from their families. It is
also important to keep parents informed about what is happening in the classroom and the school
as a whole so that they can provide the proper support their child needs. Aside from
communicating, parents can refer to the website for: links to helpful resources, useful apps and
cyber safety tips. For students, the website will serve as a tool to refer to for further development
and extra-curricular activities. For example, the Resources page includes links to educational
games for students to access on their free time at home. Designing a website and keeping it up to
date involves extensive planning and research, and creativity. Undoubtedly, it also demonstrates
an understanding of technology.
INTASC standards.
The INTASC standard that connects with my Weebly website is Standard #10:
Leadership and Collaboration: The teacher seeks appropriate leadership roles and opportunities
to take responsibility for student learning, to collaborate with learners, families, colleagues, other
school professionals, and community members to ensure learner growth, and to advance the
profession. Having a website is not required for teachers which shows that I took the
opportunity to create a website to collaborate with families.
85
MSED ELEMENTARY
For the same reason mentioned above, Principle 5: Educators collaborate with parents
and community, building trust and confidentiality also applies to my Weebly website.
The ethical standard of Trust: The ethical standard of Trust embodies fairness, openness
and honesty. Members' professional relationships with students, colleagues, parents, guardians
and the public are based on trust also connects to this artifact. The website provides a means of
communication for parents which strengthens relationships. It also acts as a trusted tool for
parents to use for links to helpful resources.
TEAC/CAEP claims.
Claim 3: Medaille College graduates are caring educators is supported by this artifact
as it shows that I am a caring educator who takes time to provide students with tools for extracurricular learning and keep the website up to date for both students and parents.
ISTE Standards.
Providing students with online, extra-curricular resources also connects with ISTE
Standard 2b. Develop technology-enriched learning environments that enable all students to
pursue their individual curiosities and become active participants in setting their own educational
goals, managing their own learning, and assessing their own progress. The website
demonstrates technology skills which is supported by Standard 3a. Demonstrate fluency in
technology systems and the transfer of current knowledge to new technologies and situations.
Standard 3b. Collaborate with students, peers, parents, and community members using digital
tools and resources to support student success and innovation, is also demonstrated through the
Weebly website. Lastly, the Cyber Safety and Digital Citizenship webpage is supported by
86
MSED ELEMENTARY
Standard 4a. Advocate, model, and teach safe, legal, and ethical use of digital information and
technology, including respect for copyright, intellectual property, and the appropriate
documentation of sources.
CEC Standards.
The communication factor of the Weebly website connects with Standard 6.3: Maintain
communications among parents and professionals with appropriate respect for privacy,
confidentiality, and cultural diversity.
87
MSED ELEMENTARY
Artifact.
88
MSED ELEMENTARY
89
MSED ELEMENTARY
90
MSED ELEMENTARY
Artifact #6: Annotated bibliography.

Overview.
There is a vast amount of research and study that happens in the field of education. Being
able to critically assess these professional writings for their value and relevance is an
instrumental skill for educators to have. It is also important to be able to effectively apply the
relevant research in your own classroom. It demonstrates a teachers ability to reflect on
pedagogical practices and to stay updated on changes that occur on the field of education. Not
only does it show the teachers ability to stay up-to-date, it also demonstrates professional
growth as educators look to scientific research to improve their teaching methods. Therefore, I
have included an annotated bibliography as an artifact in which I critically assessed an article
about making accommodations in the classroom for students with autism. Working with students
with special needs is not something that I have a lot experience in which is why I do a lot of
research on this subject. This demonstrates my willingness to professionally grow and improve
my teaching methods to be a well-qualified educator, and to be a lifelong learner.
INTASC standards.
INTASC Standard #1: Learner Development: The teacher understands how learners
grow and develop, recognizing that patterns of learning and development vary individually
within and across the cognitive, linguistic, social, emotional, and physical areas, and designs and
implements developmentally appropriate and challenging learning experiences, applies to the
annotated bibliography as the article was meant to help educators understand learner growth and
development of autistic children. The annotated bibliography demonstrates professional learning
91
MSED ELEMENTARY
which is connected to Standard #9: Professional Learning and Ethical Practices: The teacher
engages in ongoing professional learning and uses evidence to continually evaluate his/her
practice, particularly the effects of his/her choices and actions on others (learners, families, other
professionals, and the community), and adapts practice to meet the needs of each learner.
The professional learning demonstrated by this artifact is also connected to Principle 3:
Educators commit to their own learning in order to develop their practice.
Conducting research in the area of special needs demonstrates the ethical standard
of Care which includes compassion, acceptance, interest and insight for developing students'
potential. Members express their commitment to students' well-being and learning through
positive influence, professional judgment and empathy in practice.
TEAC/CAEP claims.
Claims 2: Medaille College graduates meet the needs of diverse learners through
effective pedagogy and best teaching practices, and 3: Medaille College graduates are caring
educators are connected to the annotated bibliography because it demonstrates an understanding
of classroom adaptions and best practices that can be applied for students with autism.
ISTE Standards.
Conducting research in the area of special needs also connects with ISTE standard 5c.
Evaluate and reflect on current research and professional practice on a regular basis to make
effective use of existing and emerging digital tools and resources in support of student learning.
CEC Standards.
92
MSED ELEMENTARY
CEC standards 7.2: Actively support and engage in research intended to improve the
learning outcomes of persons with exceptional learning needs, and 7.4: Interpret and publish
research results with accuracy both support the annotated bibliography.
93
MSED ELEMENTARY
Artifact.
Annotated Bibliography
Article Reference:
Barton, E.E., Reichow, B., Wolery, M., & Chen, C. (2011). We can all participate! Adapting
circle time for children with autism. Young Exceptional Children, 14(2), 2-21. doi:
10.1177/1096250610393681
Objective/Purpose:
The purpose for writing this article is to inform teachers about ways in which young
children with autism can be included in circle time. Sometimes it may seem like taking the easier
route removing the autistic children from circle time is the best route to take because there
will be less disruption. However, when looking at the big picture, this is actually the last thing a
teacher should do because it will not help the child develop necessary communication and social
skills. This article outlines different strategies and adaptions that teachers can use to keep autistic
children engaged during circle time.
Target Population/Participant Number:
Throughout the article there are references made to a case study about an autistic child
named Perla and the different strategies her teacher used to include her in circle time. Perla was
the only participant in the study. She was a 4 and a half year old student in a child care center
class of 12. She was the only student in the class with autism. She communicated by using very
simple, 3 to 4 letter word sentences and was able to follow simple verbal instructions. Perla did
not interact with her peers unless prompted to. When it came to circle time, she was very
disruptive and disliked being there.
94
MSED ELEMENTARY
Research Method:
The research method used in this article was qualitative, specifically a case study. The
main goal of the study was to determine which adaptations to apply in the classroom in order to
make circle time engaging and meaningful for Perla. To determine the adaptations, Perlas
teachers first used a checklist to assess her functional needs and expectations for circle time. The
checklist listed the different circle time activities and the social skills necessary for circle time.
Perlas teachers observed her and compared what she did to what her peers did. After observing,
they were able to determine which social skills Perla needs improvement in, which activities she
enjoyed and disliked, and which activities were motivating and challenging for her. Before any
changes can be made, the teachers must plan and collaborate with the childs team (parents,
doctors, therapists, etc.) to ensure that the most effective changes are being implemented. The
teachers shared their findings from the assessment with Perlas parents and speech therapist to
come up with strategies and essentially adaptations to apply in the classroom to benefit Perla.
The adaptations were applied slowly and were observed for several months. Collaboration is also
required during the course of the changes to determine the childs progress and what needs to be
improved. Perlas teachers continuously communicated with her parents and doctors to assess
her progress.
Article Summary:
The article outlines a list of 6 adaptations that can be applied during circle time along with
numerous examples and scenarios of each to help teachers include autistic children in circle time.
These adaptations are: temporal, physical, material, activity, expectation and assistance
adaptations. This list ranges from the least to the most intrusive change. Temporal adaptations
are making changes to the schedule so that the schedule is predictable, for example starting with
95
MSED ELEMENTARY
the same song every time. Physical adaptations are changes to the environment, for example rearranging furniture so that circle time can be in a quiet, empty area of the classroom to avoid
distraction. Material adaptations mean incorporating visuals and props, for example having
picture schedules or using props while telling a story. Activity adaptations include doing
activities the child prefers, for example using his/her favorite song in an activity. It also includes
giving the child a choice, for example a choice of which song they want to sing out of a list of 23 songs. Both of these strategies will help with keeping the child engaged and promote
participation. Expectation adaptions mean giving the child a defined role, such as being schedule
helper. This also promotes participation. Lastly, and most intrusively, assistance is having
individualized adult and/or peer support.
Results/Outcome:
By the end of the school year, Perlas participation in circle time greatly increased due to
applying the adaptations above. One example of a change applies was that Perlas teachers
incorporated her 2 favorite songs in some of the activities which helped her focus. Perla rarely
tried to escape circle time and the amount of disruptions decreased. Her teachers were able to
slowly fade away some adaptations over time while continuing to keep her focused and engaged.
This study was very important for Perla, her teachers and her team. They were very pleased with
her progress but more importantly, Perla was better prepared for her transition to kindergarten.
This study is also useful and significant to the field of education because it shows that if the time,
effort and attention is truly put forth, inclusion can be an option.
This article explained the 6 adaptations very thoroughly and provided many examples of
each adaptation. Many of the examples provided were simple and can be easily implemented in
classrooms. The article also provided images of some of the examples. Aside from the general
96
MSED ELEMENTARY
examples, Perlas case was outlined in detail in the article which gave real life examples of the
strategies being applied. The article also emphasized the fact that every case is unique and that
being successful requires careful planning and collaboration. In terms of limitations of the
article, it did not provide much context of Perlas classroom. There is no mention of
demographic variables of her classmates such as gender, race, and socioeconomic status. This
information should be provided in order to improve upon this limitation because these are all
very important factors that influence teaching and learning.
One of the strengths of Perlas case study was that it was very well planned out, thorough and
detailed. Another strength is that there was constant assessing of progress through collaboration
between the teachers and between the teachers and Perlas team. This ensured that the most
beneficial adaptations were being implemented for Perla. For example, without collaborating
with Perlas parents, her teachers would not have known what her favorite songs were. Knowing
this information and incorporating it in circle time was very helpful. The biggest limitation to
this kind of case study is that it is very time consuming and requires a lot of detail and planning.
A classroom teacher alone would not be able to conduct such a study. There would definitely
need to be a team of teachers/assistants in the classroom to do this and unfortunately, some
classrooms simply do not have these resources. Also, this type of case study is very
individualized. Just because Perlas case study was successful does not mean everyone will be as
successful. What works for one child may not work at all for another. Modifications must be
made for every participant and again, many teachers do not have the time or resources to do this.
In order to move forward with this work, one must keep in mind that every child is different,
whether they have a disability or not. If any teacher or parent wants such a case study conducted
97
MSED ELEMENTARY
on their child, they need to prepare themselves for the planning, assessment and overall time
required to do this successfully.
Classroom Application:
As educators, it is our duty to ensure that every student, no matter what, has equal
opportunity to learn and grow. Children with disability should have the same opportunities to
learn as their peers. This article is very important in the field of education as it provides
strategies for including autistic children in not just circle time but any classroom activity. Many
of the less intrusive adaptions can be used to get all children engaged. For example, giving
children a choice of song can be used with any child who may seem like they are losing interest.
I used to volunteer at a learning centre in the evenings and I noticed that there was always a set,
predictable schedule that was placed on the wall for the morning Little Readers students (pre K
K) which in this article is an example of a temporal adaptation. This again shows that many of
the strategies from this article can be used in any classroom with all types of children. Many of
the strategies and adaptations in this article are also very easy to implement. Making these small,
easy changes will go a long way for not only children with autism, but all children having
difficulties engaging and focusing.
98
MSED ELEMENTARY
Artifact #7: SMART certification.
Overview.
Throughout this section I have made numerous references about my technology skills.
My SMART Level 1 Training certificate provides material evidence of my proficiency in using
technology, specifically using SMART software and the SMART board. Many districts, schools
and classrooms are rapidly changing to keep up with todays technology. Classrooms now come
equipped with technologies such as projectors, SMART Boards and iPads to name a few. As
mentioned earlier, we are teaching children of a new era whom we can call Digital Natives
(Prensky, 2001). Prensky (2001) sates that for educators, this means that there is a need for major
translation and change of methodology, and for new content and thinking. This does not
however, mean that technology is a substitute to teaching; technology should be used to support
and enhance instruction. For example, teaching a science lesson on the parts of a plant can be
interactive if done using the SMART board instead of only filling in a worksheet. The SMART
board enhances instruction as it keeps students engaged because the lesson has been adapted to
the language of these Digital Natives. It is important to understand that Digital Natives are used
to receiving information really fast. They like to parallel process and multi-task. They prefer
their graphics before their text rather than the opposite (Prensky, 2001). What needs to be
understood by educators is that technology is here to stay and therefore, should be embraced and
applied in the classroom. This certificate is proof that I understand the need for and importance
of embracing technology. Also, as an educator, I believe that it is my duty to continuously learn
about new practices and technologies to serve my students better. Therefore, aside from
highlighting my technology skills, this certificate also displays professional development.
99
MSED ELEMENTARY
INTASC standards.
This certificate demonstrates training and professional development which is in line with
Standard #9: Professional Learning and Ethical Practices: The teacher engages in ongoing
professional learning and uses evidence to continually evaluate his/her practice, particularly the
effects of his/her choices and actions on others (learners, families, other professionals, and the
community), and adapts practice to meet the needs of each learner.
For the same reason mentioned above, Principle 3: Educators commit to their own
learning in order to develop their practice supports this artifact.
TEAC/CAEP claims.
Through professional development, TEAC Claim 2: Medaille College graduates meet
the needs of diverse learners through effective pedagogy and best teaching practices connects
with this SMART certification as is allows me to use new, different methods to meet the needs of
diverse learners.
ISTE Standards.
This certificate demonstrates fluency in using SMART software, which is supported by
ISTE Standard 3a. Demonstrate fluency in technology systems and the transfer of current
knowledge to new technologies and situations.
100
MSED ELEMENTARY
Artifact.
101
MSED ELEMENTARY
Artifact #8: DASA certificate.

Overview.
The last artifact that I have included in the Elementary Portfolio is my certificate
confirming the completion of DASA training. This artifact provides material evidence of my
understanding of DASA. This demonstrates that I am a caring educator who is dedicated to
providing a safe and supportive environment for all students. Without a comfortable
environment, students will be unable to perform to the best of their potential which hinders
learning. I must also be culturally responsive to all in order to ensure that the environment is free
from discrimination and harassment for all students. Every student has the right to equal
education and understanding and adhering to DASA will help achieve this.
INTASC standards.
The DASA certificate is supported by INTASC Standard #3: Learning Environments:
The teacher works with others to create environments that support individual and collaborative
learning, and that encourage positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and selfmotivation.
Creating a positive environment for students connects with Principle 1: Educators
nurture the intellectual, physical, emotional, social and civic potential of every student.
TEAC/CAEP Claims.
Adhering to DASA demonstrates TEAC Claim 3: Medaille College graduates are caring
educators.
102
MSED ELEMENTARY
CEC standards.
The DASA certificate is also supported by CEC Standard 3.2 Maintain current
knowledge of procedures, policies, and laws relevant to practice.
103
MSED ELEMENTARY
Artifact.
104
MSED ELEMENTARY
Conclusion
In section 3 of the Elementary Portfolio Project, you were presented with 8 artifacts
which showcased my pedagogical knowledge, skills, best teaching practices, professional
dispositions, and attitudes to prove that I am a well-qualified and competent educator. The
artifacts presented were: a Mathematics Unit Plan, a SMART Author Study, a Guided Reading,
Lesson, a Virtual Field Trip, my Weebly Website, an Annotated Bibliography, my SMART
Certification, and lastly, a DASA Certificate. Each artifact was accompanied by a rationale and
was then connected to curriculum and professional standards. Through these artifacts, you were
presented with evidence that I am truly competent in planning, instructing, engaging, assessing,
classroom management, using technology, being culturally responsive, making learner
accommodations, and professional development. The artifacts provided you with a well-rounded
view of my capabilities as a professional educator. Next is section 4 of the Elementary Portfolio
Project where the curriculum and professional standards outlined in section 3 will be reinforced.
The standards will be defined and connected to each specific artifact that they apply to.

Komal Gidda Portfolio s3

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Komal Gidda Portfolio s3

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

29

Teacher Candidates First & Last Name: Komal Gidda

[Back to Table of Contents]

[Back to Table of Contents]

Guided Reading Lesson Plan

[Back to Table of Contents]

Artifact #4: Virtual field trip.

Strand: Communities Around the WorldLearning About People and Places

Ontario Curriculum Standards:

Strand: People and Environments: Global Communities

[Back to Table of Contents]

[Back to Table of Contents]

Artifact #6: Annotated bibliography.

[Back to Table of Contents]

[Back to Table of Contents]

Artifact #8: DASA certificate.

[Back to Table of Contents]

[Back to Table of Contents]

You might also like