Video Observation

Notetaking Tool
Observers name:

Kristen Fuller

Lesson observed: Michelle Lawless -- Fractions

Purpose: To provide a framework for reflection and collaborative conversations about

teaching and learning.
Directions: Read over the guiding questions below. As you view the video, jot down notes
about what you see and hear. Note any examples or evidence to support answers to the
questions.
Student Engagement/Classroom
Involvement
1. How are students involved in the
lesson?
What is the extent of student
involvement?

Notes
The students were asked several questions during
the reading of the book. This kept them engaged
and thinking while the book was being read. They
were also sitting close to the teacher as she read,
which made them more engaged and interested.
The students were involved in the lesson because
they were able to decide whether the circle would
represent a cake or a pie they got to make this
decision.
The students were able to count out loud as the
teacher drew the tick marks on the number line.

The teacher made sure to call on students to

answer questions that had not had the
opportunity to answer a question yet.
The teacher had 8 students come to the front to
create a more visual representation of fractions.
These 8 students pretended to be the 8 pieces of
pie.
The teacher had a student come stick the sticky
note on the board to represents 3/4th.
During the lesson, Michelle asked Does anyone
have any questions about this? She encouraged
them to ask her questions if they were confused.
She then proceeded to answer their questions and
clear up the confusion.

2. Were there opportunities for

students to
ask questions? What kinds of
questions
were they asking?
How did the teacher help students
make connections to what they
One way that the students were able to make
were learning?
connections was by talking about the different
reasons they use number lines (to add, to
subtract, etc.). This allowed them to connect their
use of number lines for comparing fractions to
ways that they had used number lines in the past.
3. Describe the interaction in the
Students were given the opportunity to talk and
classroom.
participate during the lesson. They were not just
talked to. Instead, they were actively involved in
the lesson. There was a very positive classroom
environment, and the teacher made sure that all

students were included.

Student Learning
1. What evidence do you see that
indicates student learning?
2. Was the learning outcome
explicitly conveyed to the
students?

Notes
I only saw the engagement and teaching portion
of this lesson, but I saw the students grow in their
understanding of fractions during the lesson.
The students were told at the end of the
engagement portion that they were going to learn
about how fractions can get bigger or smaller by
using a number line, but they werent told how
they were going to be assessed.

3. What evidence did you see that

the learning goals were achieved?
4. How did the teacher monitor
student progress?

I did not see the assessment part of this lesson, so

I did not see how the learning goals were
achieved. However, I saw where they learned. The
students went from being confused about
fractions to having a better understanding of
fractions.
One way that the teacher monitored student
progress was by asking the students if they had
any questions. This allowed her to see who
understood and who was confused.

Instruction
1. What is the teacher doing?
(Facilitating, lecturing, colearning, etc.)
2. How was content/concepts
presented to students? Was there
adequate explanation of the
concepts to ensure student
learning?

The teacher is presenting information to students.

She is not just lecturing the students because the
students were actively involved in the lesson.
This content was presented to the students
visually both through a number line and through
physical representations. This is a MCREL strategy
(Non-linguistic representations). The content was
also presented auditorally because the teacher
explained the content using words.

Yes, the teacher adequately explained the

content. She explained the content and reexplained it to students who were confused and
had questions. She made sure that the students
understood before moving on.

3. What kinds of questions did the

teacher ask?
What questions provided
opportunities for students to
explain, defend, compare,
evaluate?
Did the teacher wait for
responses? Probe for deeper
understanding?

4. What tasks are students doing?

Did the students have the
opportunity to practice their new
knowledge or skill? Did the

The teacher asked many questions. She asked

questions during the engagement, and she asked
questions throughout the teaching. She asked
questions like does anyone know why we use
number lines? and can anyone tell me where I
should put this 1/4th?
One way that the students were given the
opportunity to explain their thinking was by
placing the sticky note on the door and saying
whether they agreed or disagreed.
Yes, when they teacher asked a question, she
waited for students to raise their hands, and she
called on one to answer.
During the teaching, the students did tasks such
as answering questions, sticking the sticky note
on the board, and representing the cake.

practice help support the learning

outcome?
5. How did the teacher manage the
learning environment?
(Procedures, securing attention,
time on task, etc)

Yes, the students had the opportunity to practice

what they had learned with a partner. I did not see
this part of the lesson, but I saw where the
teacher placed the students in groups and began
to give instructions.
One way that the teacher managed the learning
environment by giving clear instructions. The
students were very well-behaved and obeyed the
teachers instructions.
Feedback
3-2-1

3 Affirmations based on the observations and evidences above

I love the book that you used during the engagement. Using
childrens literature that relates to the content is a wonderful way
to begin the lesson. This book went great with your lesson, and the
students seemed to enjoy it.
I loved when you had the student come up to represent the pieces
of the cake. This helped the students have a more concrete picture
of fractions. You saw that some of the students were confused, so
you adjusted your lesson by adding this. This shows great
flexibility! Well done!

 I like how engaged the students were. You constantly had them
answering questions, asking questions, or doing something.
2 Questions for Consideration
How might you have the students take notes during the lesson?
(maybe you could give them a simple notetaking guide)
Did you set up any rewards/consequences beforehand?
1 Recommendation
After reading the book you explained what the students were going
to learn, but I recommend that you explicitly state this as the
learning goal by telling them how they will be assessed. This was a
great lesson!!!