Here you can find links to a range of work samples including lessons for both general education and special education, as well as a brief description. Visit this page for links to professional and academic writing samples.
Science Lesson: How is Sound Made?
In this lesson, I brought in a guest speaker to demonstrate the science of sound. This lesson was the second in a unit on light and sound that I helped co-plan. Students used guided notes as a framework for learning, explored the different aspects of sound with their voices, and saw it in action on the guest speaker's cello. The guest speaker helped explain and demonstrate the concepts of pitch and amplitude as they relate to frequency and vibration, which students had learned in the previous lesson. If I were to do this lesson over, I would change several things, but I am proud of taking advantage of my resources and finding an exciting, engaging way to bring the science of sound to life. Click the links to the right to view lesson and unit materials:
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Math Lesson: Introduction to Angles
I taught this lesson in my 4th grade PDS placement. In the mini-lesson, we learned about the definition of an angle and the three types of angles. In the must-do/may-do workshop time, there were two main tasks. One was finding real-life angles in the classroom and classifying them in a Keynote presentation, and the other was an independent practice packet. The may-do activities included Greg Tang math puzzles and a memory game. This lesson highlights my ability to plan a full workshop, differentiate materials, and get students excited about math in real life. Click here to view the lesson plan.
Writing Lesson: Brainstorming & Planning
This is a lesson I wrote for my learning support PDS placement. In this quick mini-lesson, we practiced brainstorming a topic together and planning using graphic organizers. In the second follow-up lesson, students actually wrote the paragraphs they planned. The lesson plan showcases my ability to differentiate and accommodate for diverse learning needs. My biggest strengths when I taught this lesson were keeping students engaged, managing challenging behaviors, and my instructional delivery in a tight time constraint. Click here to view the lesson plan.
Math Lesson: Solving Word Problems
I taught this lesson to my 4th grade PDS placement. The grade level team identified word problems as an area of need at the beginning of the school year, so we worked to include lessons on math vocabulary and literacy in math. This lesson was the start of a unit on identifying key words in word problems, both knowing what they mean and what to do with that knowledge. I also continued the unit by creating word problems with operation-specific key words for morning work, which are included in the folder. This lesson showcases my ability to integrate literacy into math, draw students in with an engaging anticipatory set, make math relevant, and differentiate. Click the links below to view the lesson materials:
C.U.B.E.S. Folder
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Science Lesson: Igneous Rocks
This lesson was one of three lessons introducing each type of rock as part of a unit I helped co-plan on rocks and minerals. In the lesson, students read about igneous rocks, took notes on a graphic organizer, watched a music video about igneous rocks, and demonstrated their learning through an activity on their iPads. In this lesson, I am most proud of how I integrated literacy with science, used principles of UDL, and tried something new. Not all parts of this lesson went according to plan, but I took a risk and learned a lot about integrating technology. Click the links below to view materials from this lesson.
Writing Lesson: Thanksgiving PoemsThis is one of my favorite lessons from my PDS placement. In this lesson, students brainstormed things they were thankful for using graphic organizers and wrote poems based on a mentor text.
I used two reading mini-lessons to build up to this lesson: one reading a book about thankfulness, and one reading the mentor text. I chose a poem written by a family friend's 6th grader. I also drafted my own poem which we revised together during the mini-lesson. By combining reading and writing poetry, using a student-written poem for a mentor, and writing with my students, I created an authentic, meaningful literacy experience. Also, by using reading lessons as buildup and integrating student choice, I built anticipation. When we finally wrote our poems, my students were so thrilled to write and publish that engagement was extremely high. Click the links to the right for this lesson's materials. |
Thanksgiving Writing Folder
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Writing Lesson: Identifying Complete Sentences
This is a lesson I wrote for my learning support placement as a writing activity. Instead of introducing new content, this lesson reinforces skills and knowledge we have been consistently working on from the beginning of the school year. Two learning support classes are split into random teams to play a Family Feud-style game identifying complete sentences. I was especially proud of this lesson because it is evidence of my growing skills in co-planning and co-teaching. It also showcases my ability to take something like grammar instruction and make it engaging, as well as my ability to create a thought-out plan while remaining flexible and responsive in the moment. Click here to view the lesson plan.