5 Themes of Geography Reflection
Although this lesson did not go as planned, I learned and will definitely grow from this experience. I felt very prepared, even over prepared, upon entering this lesson. I felt that I knew the material and I was confident of the students’ background knowledge on this topic. I figured that since they were in 5th grade they would know what geography was and probably would have used this concept in previous grades. I should not have assumed anything because they struggled right off the bat with this topic. I realized once I was doing the web on geography, that the students had very little background knowledge on geography and what it is all about. I was happy that I added the web into my lesson because this was a good way to introduce this topic and get them thinking about what geography really means.
After stating to the students that geography was organized in 5 groups I had them brainstorm what they thought each of the 5 themes means to them, with a partner. I felt that asking them to do all five was a little too much to ask all at once. I should have told them to do one theme at a time with their partners and then we would fill in the organizer one by one as a group. I felt that this would have focused them more and I would have gotten more thoughtful responses. However, I thought it was really beneficial to the students how Mrs. Pagan and myself went around and listened and contributed to the students’ conversations. This was an effective way to informally assess them on their conversation skills and to evaluate the level of background knowledge they have on the topic. Also when I was filling it in my chart, after the conversations, I realized that it was way too small. I should have either completed the chart on the smartboard slide that I made for this part of the lesson or I should have made a bigger chart so that all the students could see the organizer and read it accordingly. This would have just made the organizer more of a resource to them because they would have been able to read it when they went back to their seats.
Another part of the lesson that I would have modified would have been when the students were watching the brain pop video. I would have still made them listen to the video the first time and then take notes the second time but I would have paused the video to give the students time to take notes in between the 5 themes. This would have helped them take notes since they struggle in this area. After they took their notes, I asked them to help me come up with the correct definitions and I wrote them on in the chart on the smartboard. I felt that this was good because I didn’t want them to give them the definitions; I wanted them to figure them out. I thought that this was a great way to get them thinking and also it forced them to listen to the information in the video. However, I should have added a compare and contrast portion to this part of the lesson. I should have written “what I think it means?” and “what it actually means?” next to each other on the smartboard and then I should have asked the students to compare and contrast the two. This way I could have started a grand conversation with the students.
The students were then asked to complete a graphic organizer about the geography of North America, using their trade books. I modeled how to use the trade books and also asked them to recall what they previously learned about text features, which was a good start. I should have used the goose-neck projector to model how to fill the information into the organizer. This would have been a better visual for the students and helped the students in understanding how to use the organizer more efficiently. Another improvement should have taken place while the students were completing the graphic organizers. By the time I gave them their independent work they only had about 10 minutes to complete it. This was not even close to enough time for them to complete this activity. However, 5 minutes into the activity I could see a struggle. The students had a lot of trouble extracting the information from the trade books. I should have redirected the students and guided the students in the first couple of themes. This guided practice might have helped them to eventually be able collect the information on their own. However, I believe that this lesson was good for them because they need to master their note taking skills for the state test in the spring. This was a perfect lesson to practice this skill. Guiding them in this lesson would have probably led to a more successful outcome.
After completing the lesson, I realized that I had way to many parts included in this lesson. After talking to my cooperating teacher, we both agreed that I could have turned this lesson into two different lessons. I could have taught the students what the 5 themes were and then we could have had a grand conversation about the themes and I could have asked them to come up examples of each of the themes based on where they live. Then I could have done another lesson using the trade books to gather information about North America. I felt that by splitting this up into two different lessons, the students would have better understood the 5 themes because they would have been relating them to their own lives. They could then use the information they already knew to apply it to North America. This would have definitely been more effective.
In conclusion, I am very happy with how the lesson went. I felt that I learned a lot from this experience and that I grew from it. I am excited to continue the lesson next week to practice using some of the ideas that I added to this reflection. In order to become a successful teacher you must constantly reflect on what you have done and by how the students responded. Mrs. Pagan definitely helps me learn how to effectively practice this because she talks to me after her lessons, during prep periods, and we reflect together on what went well and what we still need to do to get through to these students. I feel like I am growing everyday and I am learning strategies that I can use for the rest of my career.
After stating to the students that geography was organized in 5 groups I had them brainstorm what they thought each of the 5 themes means to them, with a partner. I felt that asking them to do all five was a little too much to ask all at once. I should have told them to do one theme at a time with their partners and then we would fill in the organizer one by one as a group. I felt that this would have focused them more and I would have gotten more thoughtful responses. However, I thought it was really beneficial to the students how Mrs. Pagan and myself went around and listened and contributed to the students’ conversations. This was an effective way to informally assess them on their conversation skills and to evaluate the level of background knowledge they have on the topic. Also when I was filling it in my chart, after the conversations, I realized that it was way too small. I should have either completed the chart on the smartboard slide that I made for this part of the lesson or I should have made a bigger chart so that all the students could see the organizer and read it accordingly. This would have just made the organizer more of a resource to them because they would have been able to read it when they went back to their seats.
Another part of the lesson that I would have modified would have been when the students were watching the brain pop video. I would have still made them listen to the video the first time and then take notes the second time but I would have paused the video to give the students time to take notes in between the 5 themes. This would have helped them take notes since they struggle in this area. After they took their notes, I asked them to help me come up with the correct definitions and I wrote them on in the chart on the smartboard. I felt that this was good because I didn’t want them to give them the definitions; I wanted them to figure them out. I thought that this was a great way to get them thinking and also it forced them to listen to the information in the video. However, I should have added a compare and contrast portion to this part of the lesson. I should have written “what I think it means?” and “what it actually means?” next to each other on the smartboard and then I should have asked the students to compare and contrast the two. This way I could have started a grand conversation with the students.
The students were then asked to complete a graphic organizer about the geography of North America, using their trade books. I modeled how to use the trade books and also asked them to recall what they previously learned about text features, which was a good start. I should have used the goose-neck projector to model how to fill the information into the organizer. This would have been a better visual for the students and helped the students in understanding how to use the organizer more efficiently. Another improvement should have taken place while the students were completing the graphic organizers. By the time I gave them their independent work they only had about 10 minutes to complete it. This was not even close to enough time for them to complete this activity. However, 5 minutes into the activity I could see a struggle. The students had a lot of trouble extracting the information from the trade books. I should have redirected the students and guided the students in the first couple of themes. This guided practice might have helped them to eventually be able collect the information on their own. However, I believe that this lesson was good for them because they need to master their note taking skills for the state test in the spring. This was a perfect lesson to practice this skill. Guiding them in this lesson would have probably led to a more successful outcome.
After completing the lesson, I realized that I had way to many parts included in this lesson. After talking to my cooperating teacher, we both agreed that I could have turned this lesson into two different lessons. I could have taught the students what the 5 themes were and then we could have had a grand conversation about the themes and I could have asked them to come up examples of each of the themes based on where they live. Then I could have done another lesson using the trade books to gather information about North America. I felt that by splitting this up into two different lessons, the students would have better understood the 5 themes because they would have been relating them to their own lives. They could then use the information they already knew to apply it to North America. This would have definitely been more effective.
In conclusion, I am very happy with how the lesson went. I felt that I learned a lot from this experience and that I grew from it. I am excited to continue the lesson next week to practice using some of the ideas that I added to this reflection. In order to become a successful teacher you must constantly reflect on what you have done and by how the students responded. Mrs. Pagan definitely helps me learn how to effectively practice this because she talks to me after her lessons, during prep periods, and we reflect together on what went well and what we still need to do to get through to these students. I feel like I am growing everyday and I am learning strategies that I can use for the rest of my career.