Melissa Oliver

Math

1/26/16, 10:20-10:50
Fifth grade, Lincoln

The student will be able to find the act common denominator and use it to compare, add, and subtract
fractions.

Students switched classes for math. This class had nine students. Students write the fraction from the front
board and were told to find equivalent fractions. Students shared how to do it by saying you multiply the
bottom by two. Teacher asked is all that we do? Students replied with the rest of the process. Teacher asked
for questions but there twere none. Students worked on equivalent fractions for another fraction. Students
opened their math journals as the teacher opened the same page on the SMART board. There was a hiccup
getting the marker to work, but you vey calmly solved it. Students were drawing on models of fractions to make
equivalent fractions. The teacher called on a student for another fraction and asked why he knew it was that
answer. Fractions with unlike denominators were on the board. Students explained the process of finding act
denominators. Another problem of two fractions was put on the board and students practiced. Teacher walked
around to check their work on some students. A one-on-one conversation happened to support a student.
Whole group, a student was stuck, the teacher scaolded the problem for him without providing too much help.
Students worked with a partner to solve another problem. The answers were reviewed whole group.

Include more open ended questions.

You were confident with the technology - any small issue didn't throw you o, as
you calmly resolved it.
As you asked student E about a fraction, you asked why he knew that - that pushes
their depth of understanding.
Spending the time to activate the prior knowledge set your students for success
with today's topic.
You readily used students' names which contributes to a positive climate.
A student was stuck converting 7/8 and you scaolded it for him by providing help
without providing too much help. Perfect!

In what ways were you checking to make sure all of your students were
understanding the concepts throughout the lesson?

How might the thinking level be raised and more student voice be included in the
lesson?

Students could work on a problem as a group, write the process, and explain their
process on a poster. They would then look at other groups and compliment the pats
they did well and provide constructive feedback for ways they could improve their
process and/or explanations on their posters. This would have a lot of students
actively engaged, thinking critically, and having a lot of student voice.

Melissa Oliver
Reading

2/11/2016, 2:30-3:00
Grade five, Lincoln

The students will be able to identify the main idea of a text and summarize it in their own
words.

Students sat on front carpet and read chorally the learning objective from the front board.
Then a short video was shown on main idea and topic, it was paused periodically and
discussed. The points for pausing the video were clearly well thought-out. Then, a text on
Barbie's new look was displayedf on the screen. Students shared some background
knowledge about Barbie. The text was read as a class with the cloze reading technique. As
a class, students and the teacher highlighted the topic sentence with supporting details.
Students were preassigned groups of two to three students per group, were given articles
and highlighters, and practiced doing the same skill. Sentence frames were displayed on
the board for students to use as they worked collaboratively on the article. As students
discussed the article, there were some powerful conversations occurring. Some students
who struggled more had teacher support. The teacher scaolded the activity appropriately
by using guiding/open-ended questions instead of providing too much help. The
independent practice was explained. Teacher asked if they understand by showing thumbs
and students showing thumbs up.

Explore technology to integrate into the lessons.

Using a video at the end of the day can help engage your students when it is a more challenging time for behaviors.
Pausing the video throughout ensured they were getting the information from the video that you wanted them to get.
Some students were sharing background knowledge about Barbie prior to reading it.
Having the text on the SMART board, reading it as a class, and discussing the main idea helped clarify what you were
asking the students to do.
Students were trying to go to their seats before the teacher wanted them to go and you did a great job calling them
back to their spots.
Having the students already assigned to groups helped to use the time more eciently.
The fact that you asked your students for feedback on a lesson and used it shows an impressive reflectiveness, regard
for student perspectives, and response to feedback. Way to go!

As students were sharing what they thought the main idea was from
the video, how might they be able to share their mentally processes
by explaining how they arrived at their answers?
Many of the questions went to the entire class, students raised their
hands, and one student was called on to answer. How might the
instructional dialogue be more distributed?
How were the groups chosen?

Rather than calling on students with hands raised, trying Numbered

Heads together by giving the question to a group, the students are
numbered o within each group, and then a number is randomly
chosen and those individuals share with the whole group their ideas.

Melissa Oliver
Math

3/2/2016

Grade 5/Lincoln

Add mixed numbers with unlike denominators by finding

an equivalent fraction.

The learning objective was posted on the front board. Students read it
chorally. Various fractions/mixed numbers were displayed as a warm up
and as students solved them, they self-assessed their comfort with it.
The teacher then went through a process to convert mixed numbers to
improper fractions. Then the process for adding mixed numbers with like
denominators was shown and explained. Students were provided with a
problem to practice this process. Then mixed numbers with unlike
denominators were shown and the process was discussed. Students
showed thumbs up, sideways, or down for their understanding with it.
Students were given a practice problem for this situation. Sentence
frames were provided for students to turn and talk to explain the process.

One or two higher level questions will be planned for

small group math rotations by next week.

Walking around, watching them solve the warmup fractions gave you a clear picture for how
much they are understanding.
Showing the picture of the fractions was a helpful way to let your students see how certain
fractions are equivalent.
When a student did the problem correctly, you provided specific feedback saying that is good
and I like how it is in simplest form.
There was a lot of positive comments and encouragement.
There were numerous opportunities for you to monitor their understanding and adjust as needed.
Additionally, using their practice as the informal assessments is a seamless practice!
Providing students the sentence frames for a turn and talk explaining the process was stellar!

What do you feel is the trickiest part for

your students? What do you think your
students need in order to be more
successful with it?
How might you increase the level of thinking
required to help your students develop a

Asking students to justify/defend their explanations, asking other students if they

agree/disagree and why, providing non-examples and asking students to
compare/contrast these.