Ms. Lynsey doing compare and contrast chart!

 

History of Spain!

    Ms. Lynsey and I took equal parts responsibility for both the development and teaching of our history lesson. We began by reviewing our behavior agreements as well as our visual agenda. I mentioned to students that they can expect to follow the same itinerary each time we are together. Next, we did an ice breaker that had the students rate their moods on a Sponge Bob scale, tapping into the SEL competency, self-awareness.Then, we primed them for the lesson by introducing some words they would hear often throughout instruction. We decided to use Quizlet flashcards to incorporate a technological element into the lesson as it is widely used. We asked the students to take turns reading the words and their definitions aloud, and modeled what that should look like. We then created a timeline of several key historical events in Spain and explained each, pausing often to allow students to process the information and ask questions. We tied these events into primary and secondary sources, using examples of each from these events and explained the difference between them. To further enhance understanding students worked collaboratively to create a compare and compare and contrast chart for both sources, and wrapped up that portion of the lesson with a quick video. Before closing the lesson, we asked students to complete an exit ticket prompting them to reflect on one thing that happened in Spanish History and describe its effects on the people who lived there. In the remaining time, students were able to participate in a Halloween Kahoot!

    Reflecting on our objectives, I feel we covered everything we intended to. Students were able to describe and organize significant events in Spain’s history by arranging events in a timeline. Students were able to describe the difference between primary and secondary sources by making observations and discussing the differences. Students were able to respond thoughtfully throughout the lesson. When given an exit ticket, students will be able to respond to the given questions, in reference to the evidence from the lesson, using written expression. Overall, I am pleased with the results of our second lesson. 

    Going forward, despite high levels of engagement, I feel there is more we could have implemented to make the lesson more fun. I am thinking that next time, and in my future classroom, that I will try and incorporate a more multimodal approach.

Class agreements also align with best practice guidelines and having students sign at the bottom serves as a promise!

 

Visual agendas align with best practice guidelines for creating a structured learning environment!

 

Student locating Spain on the globe!

 

Ms. Peyton (me)

 

First Lesson on Spain’s Geograpy!

 Today, Ms. Lynsey and I successfully completed our first lesson. It went great! We have agreed to take turns leading the group. The focus was on exploring the geographical features of Spain and how they shape the lifestyle and work habits of its inhabitants, all centered around the concept of freedom. I must say that I was pleased with how smoothly the lesson unfolded. We managed to cover all the planned activities within the allocated hour and twenty minutes. Although my feedback on this lesson is mainly positive, I do acknowledge that there is always room for growth and enhancement. Looking ahead, my aim is to incorporate more hands-on exercises that allow students to actively apply the knowledge we share with them.

   Reflecting on our objectives, I am content that we met most of them. The only setback we encountered was the technical glitch with the Padlet, which prevented its use. However, we adapted quickly and engaged the students in a stimulating activity involving identifying different flags using Blooket.

    From this experience, I recognized the significance of providing students with ample opportunities to practice newly acquired concepts as it significantly aids in long-term retention and understanding. Such interactive practices are essential elements in effective teaching strategies and will be a focal point in our future lessons and in my future classroom.