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Jessica Williams

Lesson Reflection
For my social studies lesson I tried to teach students to be able to explain key events that led
to the American Revolution and provide insight on the colonists perspective and how they
reacted to the events. The main idea for my lesson was to have students research nine key events
that led to the American Revolution. The events were: Proclamation of 1763, Quartering Act
1763, Stamp Act 1765, Townshend Act 1767, Boston Massacre 1770, Boston Tea Party 1773,
Intolerable Acts 1774, First Continental Congress 1774, and Lexington and Concord 1774. I
created a PowerPoint and discussed tension between the colonists and Great Britain and I went
over one of the nine key events with them. My cooperating teacher created a worksheet for
students to complete where they fill in the information for what the event was and how the
colonists reacted to it. I modeled the Quartering Act on one of the slides and showed them what
information I wanted them to include on the worksheet.
For the most part yes the students were engaged and paying attention. The students acted
much better when they were being taught by me instead of their normal teacher. I think the kids
like the change and pay attention better when its a new person. While I was talking about the
information on the slides a few students were talkative and I would call them out and they would
stop their conversation and continue to pay attention.
Yes I think the students understood the concept. It was more student led discovery than
me teaching but they understood what I expected from them as far as the worksheet was
concerned. I dont know if the full objective was met because at the end of the lesson students
werent done with the worksheet so the teacher told them they could finish it when they got back
from spring break and she would be counting it for a classwork grade. I cant assess how many

students met the objective because again, they did not complete the worksheet in time and wont
be finishing it until they return from spring break.
When talking about the tensions between Great Britain and the colonists I showed them a
picture of a mother (Great Britain) standing over top of a child (colonists) pointing down at it. I
asked them what they thought that might entail about their relationship. I also asked what they
might be arguing about and what Great Britain might be telling them to do and how that would
make the colonists feel. They responded that the colonists probably didnt like being bossed
around and being told what to do. The kids asked me how the same question I asked them: how
do I think the colonists felt and what they might be telling them to do.
My classroom management was fantastic. I told the children up front my expectations
and my rules for while I was teaching them so they didnt give me much trouble. They
understood and respected me for the most part. When they were taking notes from the
PowerPoint they were complaining about having to write too much but besides that they were
quiet and listened. I gave them opportunity to ask and answer question so they could stay
engaged and get some words out so they wouldnt be disruptive while I talked.
I think the lesson went well. Students were engaged and did the work with their groups
for the most part. This particular group of students is very talkative and it makes it very hard to
put them in groups to work together because they cant focus and do their work without a teacher
over their shoulder telling them to get back on task every five minutes. The most frustrating thing
for me was to walk around and see one group member doing all the work and the rest of the
students copying that child. I would stand there and make the other students turn to the page in
their books and read it out loud to me and tell me what it was about. I dont know how to make it

more successful because even if you make the assignment individual they would still sit and talk
to each other at their seats. I would make the slides with less words so students wouldnt try to
copy everything down from them. The successful part of the lesson would be the part where I
asked questions relating the events back to their own lives. With the Quartering Act example I
did with them I asked the question how they would feel if their parent made them share a room
with their younger sibling and they had to share all their toys as well and they couldnt argue
about it. This got the students thinking and it made a connection for them about how the
colonists must have felt with having to take in all the soldiers and have no say in it. I liked the
lesson layout I chose and think the students will be very successful with it once they get to finish
it when they get back from spring break.
For a younger grade I would have the students only work on one event a day so they
wont get too overwhelmed looking at all nine events at once. For older students I would have
them think deeper about the colonists perspective and once they complete the matrix I would
have them write a paragraph on one event and write it from the colonists perspective and Great
Britains perspective.
I want to improve my time management skills while teaching lessons. I tend to give
students too much time when taking notes instead of moving on. I think instead of making my
students copy notes on the PowerPoints I will create fill in the blank notes that way they really
have to pay attention and keep up. I would also like to improve my basic knowledge of
elementary education so I can better answer students questions and be more helpful in general.
This experience taught me a lot about what it takes to be a teacher and all the hard work it takes.
I am ready to take on this challenge and be the best teacher I can!

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