Observation
Instructional Lesson
Classroom: Social Studies Room
Grade: 4
Curriculum Area: Social Studies -
Government
What I notice
Teacher reads aloud passages on
worksheet to accommodate
students IEP needs
Students are working on a
government choice board that is
all about government
Students must complete 4
activities on the top part, 3 in
the middle, and 2 on the bottom
by the end of the week
Students complete activities that
are in their textbooks, find
information on the internet, and
complete worksheets regarding
the US government and NCs
government
Students have free choice about
what they choose and are
interested most in
Word choice options:
4 top that all students must complete:
- watch video on branches of
government and complete
matching vocabulary sheet
- read pages out of textbook and
answer questions in complete
sentences
- read pages out of a textbook and
answer questions in complete
sentences
- read about the 3 branches of
government in a passage and
answer corresponding questions
Students choose 3 of the following:
- go to a website and create a
comic strip illustration the steps
an idea must go through to
Observer: Taylor McClellan
Date: 3/15/2017
Time: 9:10-10
Thoughts, Questions, Connections to
Methods Classes
It seems like there is no explicit
instruction for this unit
whatsoever. Is there a difference
in grades/understanding when
activities are done online and
through worksheets rather than
typical explicit instruction?
Students are able to choose their
activities that they want to
complete do some students
choose more easy assignments
over others? Or are the activities
about the same (not harder or
easier)
Teacher incorporates non-fiction
to help integrate reading as well
as for EOG practice
Teacher uses UNWRAP
strategies for math like they do in
reading, to incorporate those
skills into other subjects so
students see how they can be
related
Always incorporating other
subjects into the lesson so they
are able to strengthen their skills
 become a law in NC
- go to a website and read about
the US constitution and answer
corresponding questions
- read a passage about the
general assembly and complete
a matching sheet
- create a tri-fold and have it
outline each branch of
government. Each fold should
include 3 facts about the branch
of government
Students choose 2 of the following:
- draw a government tree
including the roles and
responsibilities of each branch
- write a poem to help remember
the key roles and responsibilities
of each branch of government
- answer questions regarding to
why we need a government and
why it is so important
- create a new branch of
government. Include who would
be in charge and the important
jobs within the branch. Each
question needs to be a
paragraph

Reflection

I think integrating technology is great in a classroom and this teacher used it very well in
this classroom. I really liked the idea of the choice board. Students had choice in
activities that they wanted to complete but were also able to get the main idea of the
lesson. The teacher told me how she switches off on explicit teaching and using choice
boards for teaching so that they are able to get both exposures. Students had a week to
complete all of their activities and had an hour of social studies each day. The teachertied
inreadingpassagesintotheunitsothatstudentsareabletogetmorepracticeforthe
readingEOG.Ididhavetwoquestionsthoughusingachoiceboardmethod:

1.Isthereadifferenceingrades/understandingwhenactivitiesaredoneonlineand
throughworksheetsratherthantypicalexplicitinstruction?
2.Studentsareabletochoosetheiractivitiesthattheywanttocompletedosome
studentschoosemoreeasyassignmentsoverothers?Oraretheactivitiesaboutthe
same(notharderoreasier)?

I think choice boards are great but should be used in moderation. I think I would use this
option in my classroom but with fewer activities. To me, it seemed like a lot to get done
in one week and not all students finished every week (teacher came into the classroom
the following week asking if they had finished yet). Throughout the two weeks I didnt
see any explicit teaching during social studies, so maybe she had done that prior to me
coming. In my classroom I would like 60% explicit teaching and 40% technology use. I
think technology is a great way to help learn about social studies because there are so
many resources but I still feel like students really benefit from explicit teaching,

I really liked how the teacher used the UNWRAP reading skill that they have to use in
their reading class. This is reinforcing the students and giving them more practice with
the skill so they are able to master it when using it on the EOG.