Teacher Work Sample

by
Brenna Kennicker
ED688 Fall 2018
Table of Contents
TWS 1 – 2
TWS 2- 4
TWS 3- 6
TWS 4- 8
TWS 5- 14
TWS 6- 15
TWS 7- 18

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 TWS 1
Contextual Factors

University Park Elementary school is located in the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District

in the city of Fairbanks. The Fairbanks North Star Borough School District encompasses 18 elementary

schools, eight secondary schools, and eight schools of choice. It services over 13,000 students. 25% of the

district student body has military connections, and the graduation rate is 77%. 1

In 2016 the FNSBSD unveiled a districtwide shift towards Personalized Learning, which rolled

out at the elementary level during the 2017-2018 school year. Personalized Learning is a 4-part, student-

centered program, the goal of which is to, “create a student-centered environment that engages, inspires

and empowers all learners based on their unique needs and strengths.” 2 The four elements being used in

all FNSBSD elementary schools this academic year are targeted instruction, data driven decision making,

student reflection and ownership, and flexible content and tools.

School Breakdown

University Park Elementary school (U-Park) is a Pre-K through grade 6 school located near the

University of Alaska Fairbanks campus. U-Park is a Title 1 school with 41% of students being classified

as “economically disadvantaged.” The student population is currently 503. 53% of teachers hold a

Master’s degree. Using data from the University Park Elementary School Report Card grades 3-6

produced by the FNSBSD, U-Park’s demographic breakdown is: 3% African American; 10% Alaska

Native; 2% Asian; 57% Caucasian; 4% Hispanic; and 23% having two or more races. 4% of students are

from active duty military families, and 8% of students are migrant ED.

U-Park also has a dedicated HOH (deaf and hard of hearing) program.

Classroom Breakdown

1 Fairbanks Northstar Borough School District Website https://www.k12northstar.org/Page/5435

2 https://www.k12northstar.org/personalized-learning

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 This year our class is the only one in the school to be experimenting with flexible seating. We

currently have 11 different seating options and 8 styles of desks. These range from a traditional desk and

chair, to lap desks and pillows for the floor. Becaused of a marked height difference in students, tables are

positioned at various heights. Seating options are also at various levels to give students comfortable

options. For our students who struggle to remain still we have rocking chairs, wobble stools, and standing

desks. All classrooms in building have window seats, which we are also utilizing as student work space.

After an introductory period where we moved students daily to a new seat, students are now allowed to

pick their own work space at the beginning of the school week. Our classroom attempts to utilize

technology as part of the district wide push towards individualized learning. We have a set of 6 classroom

Chromebooks, as well as 4 older Mac desktop computers for student use. U-Park elementary also has 2

laptop carts which can be checked out and brought into the classroom. Our classroom has a specialized

smart projector, which eliminates the need for a Promethean board and an ELMO desktop camera. To

assist our HOH student, the classroom has also been wired for a bluetooth microphone system which also

connects to their cochlear implant.

Student Factors

I am placed in a 4th grade classroom of 22 students. Though the average class size for our school

is 25, the entire 4th grade is quite small. There are 12 boys and 10 girls, ranging in age from 9 to 10 years

old. 6 of my students have IEPs, 2 are receiving ELL services, 3 are in ELP (extended learning program)

and 1 student is HOH and has an ASL interpreter in class with them. 1 student is in migrant ED, and 3 of

my students have at least one parent who is an active duty member of the military. MAP scores show

40% of students are at or above level in reading and 54% are at or above level in math. The class makeup

seems to be either high or low, with very few students sitting firmly at the instructional level. Students get

along well, lean towards more collaborative activities, and enjoy group work but, can be rather chatty.

Because of the wide range of abilities in our classroom and the districts push to Individualized

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Learning, lesson planning will require a bit of creativity. We have already moved towards a balance of

flexible grouping for certain subjects and independent work tailored to each student. Assessment is also

taking more of a one on one workshop type of feel to it, with students being involved in the planning of

rubrics and setting expectations for projects. I am thinking project based assessment will be the best way

for me to see what students are learning and how they are synthesizing the information they receive in

class.

TWS 2
Goals

Grade 4 Social Studies Unit

Duration: 3 Weeks
Topic: US Geography- NE and SE states3

Goals :
Students will...

Identify states of the Northeast and Southeast regions

What are the defining physical characteristics of the NE and SE

regions of the United States? (EQ4.3)

Objectives

 Develop knowledge of the locations of the continents, oceans, the NE and SE US

states and their capitals as a foundation for asking geographic questions. (EQ 4.1-
6 GY A1)
 Identify characteristics of states using resources such as landmarks, models,
maps, photographs, internet, video, and mental mapping. Locating the physical
regions of the US (EQ 4.1-3 GY B1,5)
 Interpret information presented visually, orally, or quantitatively (maps, graphs

3 Standards taken from the Alaska State Standards and the FNSBSD 4 th grade US physical and cultural
geography Social Studies curriculum guidelines

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 etc.) (RI 4.7)
 Use spatial perspective to study NE and SE Regions by making, comparing, and
interpreting maps and globes. (GY A1, 2)

This unit is the first part of a year long series of social studies units on the various regions of the

US and their corresponding states. It is adapted from our districts social studies curriculum, focusing on

geography. In third grade my students were introduced to Alaska geography and the skills needed to

understand and synthesize data from maps. There are several students in my classroom who have never

been outside Alaska, and this unit will serve to introduce them to parts of the country they may not know

exist. Given this information, as well as the overall wide range of student ability in my class, I feel this

unit will be a good set up for future social studies units later on in the year.

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 TWS 3
Assessment Plan

Social Studies Unit- NE and SE States and Regions

Learning Goals Assessments Format Adaptations

Goal 1 Pre-Assessment P- Blank Map quiz Students who need
Students will be given additional time to
Identify states of the a blank map of the NE /SE complete the assessments
Northeast and Southeast Formative US with borders and will will be given additional
regions be asked to identify each time to finish.
state
Students may have
F- NE and SE information directions read to them or
Summative packets directions clarified
(see attachment)
Model and repeat
directions as necessary,
S- Blank Map Quiz provide think time during
Students will be given Q&A
the same blank map of the
NE /SE US with borders Provide all worksheets and
and will be asked to assessments to ASL
identify each state interpreter prior to doing
them in class

Goal 2 Pre-Assessment P- Pre-reading T/F quiz Same as above

(see attachments)
What are the defining For Kahoot quiz students
physical characteristics of Formative may choose the device
the NE and SE regions of F- Kahoot Quiz they use for the quiz
the United States? (Chromebook, laptop, or
Summative S- tablet)
Post-reading T/F quiz
NE and SE Information
Packet

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 For Goal one, my plan is to have the student's pre-assessment and summative assessment be the

same map quiz. I want to be able to measure student growth on identifying and locating states, and I feel

like this is the most straightforward way to do so. Our formative assessments will also give me snapshots

between the assessments to see which states are giving students trouble, or if there are specific students

who need additional help.

For goal two, I'm curious to see what students already know about the regions, and where their

interests lie. Our packets contain a lot of information and I'd like this part of the unit to be a little more

student lead. In our class we use Kahoot! A lot for review, so I'd like to continue to use that format to quiz

students on their knowledge. They're comfortable using it and it engages them in the review process. The

information packet will be the biggest artifact of student work I'll have this unit and will not only show

me what they've learned over the course of the unit but will also show how well they are incorporating the

strategies for reading non-fiction they are learning in language arts.

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 TWS 4
Unit Design

Student Name: Brenna Kennicker Intended Grade Level of Unit

Grade 4

Theme of Unit Content Area:

States of the Northeast and Southeast Regions Social Studies

Classroom Demographics:
23 students, 1 ELL student, 3 ELP students, 5 IEP students (math/reading)

Alaska Content Standards:

GY A1,2 B1,5, RI 4.7

Transfer Goal(s) - Unpacked Standards

Students can-
Identify states of the Northeast and Southeast regions

BIG IDEA of the Unit:

The US is a nation made of 50 unique states with their own defining characteristics

STAGE 1 – Essential Questions and Enduring Understandings (Bank of EUs and EQs for Unit)
Enduring Understanding(s) Essential Questions to be Considered:

The US is comprised of 5 regions. What are the defining physical characteristics of the NE
and SE regions of the United States?
In total there are 50 states in the US

Each state has its own defining characteristics

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STAGE ONE: (Bank of Objectives for Unit) STAGE TWO: (Bank of Assessments for
Unit)
Objectives/Learning Targets: Assessments Sources of Evidence of Learning
Knowledge and Skills: K & S ____________________________

Students will: Pre- assessment:

 Develop knowledge of the Blank map quiz, Pre-reading T/F quizzes
locations of the continents,
oceans, the NE and SE US states Formative: NE and SE informational packets
and their capitals as a foundation Regional Kahoot! Quizes
for asking geographic questions.
(EQ 4.1-6 GY A1) Summative: Blank Map quiz
 Identify characteristics of states Post-reading T/F Quiz
using resources such as NE and SE Information Packet
landmarks, models, maps,
photographs, internet, video, and
mental mapping. Locating the
physical regions of the US (EQ
4.1-3 GY B1,5)
 Interpret information presented
visually, orally, or quantitatively
(maps, graphs etc.) (RI 4.7)
 Use spatial perspective to study
NE and SE Regions by making,
comparing, and interpreting
maps and globes. (GY A1, 2)

STAGE TWO: Culminating Performance Task

Culminating Performance Task -

Students will create a map of the United States showing the defining characteristics of each region

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STAGE THREE: Learning for Understanding/ Instructional Activities
(Make only as many lessons as are appropriate for your Unit)
Pre-Requisites for the entire unit: What
are the prior knowledge and skills students Students must understand basic geographic vocabulary (continent, country,
have to have in place before starting this region, state, capital)
Unit of Study?
Students must identify basic landforms and bodies of water (mountains, plain
lake, ocean, river etc.)

Students must be able to use a map key to identify objects within a map

Unit Overview/Introduction/Main Hook

(Make a connection with students’ The SE region of the US, compared to Alaska is one of the most different, ye
backgrounds using an authentic situation there are still some similarities.

Action/ Mini-hook for each lesson: Process:

Lesson connection to prior learning/knowledge Teacher does/ Student Does
Product:
Do a mini review of the NE region and tell Assessment/ Evidence of Learning
students we are moving a bit further Lesson closure
south.

Materials for lesson #1: KWL Chart, Discovery Ed video clip, SE reading packet, SE states practice
Objectives and Essential Questions for packet
lesson #1:
Standards/Content areas covered in lesson Objectives- Students will identify the states of the SE region of the US
#1:
Standards- GY A1

Lesson 1
Title Put up KWL chart and go through as a class. Assessment- Exit ticket
For K, write down everything, even if
Introduction students are unsure if they are 100% correct.
to the SE
Pass out packets and give students a few
minutes of exploration before showing the
introductory video clip. Allow a 3 minute
TPS (think pair share activity) where students
discuss things in the video clip that caught
their eye, and any additional questions they

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 may have about the SE region. Add questions
to the KWL chart

Pass out exit ticket and have students fill out

and turn in before ending class
Materials for lesson #2: SE states packets, SE online map quiz
Objectives and Essential Questions for
lesson #2: Obj- Students will identify states in the SE region
Content areas covered in lesson (from
standards) #2: S- G A1

Lesson 2
Title Pass out blank SE map and give students Assessment- SE states map pre-assessment
Let's Learn time to fill in any states they know. Best “Landmarks” Pre-reading T/F quiz
the States! guess spelling is acceptable. Tell students this
is a snapshot to see what they already know,
and will not go in the grade book.

Have students open packets to “landmarks”

and have them fill out the 2 T/F BEFORE
questions. Use popcorn reading strategy to
have class read the section. Students will
likely recognize when a question has been
answered, so give them time to go back to the
T/F quiz and let them check their answers as
they come up in the text. As each landmark
is introduced in the text, show a
corresponding image or google map street
view of the location (Kennedy Space Center,
St. Augustine, World of Coca-cola, Georgia
Aquarium)

Fill out State study guide together with

students, teaching mnemonic devices as we
go (MAGS, Louisiana L, W. Virginia W etc)

If there is time remaining, have students play

the SE states quiz as a class. Blind call
students by pulling name sticks.

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Materials for lesson #3: SE packets, SE state cards, online SE state quiz
Objectives and Essential Questions for
lesson #3: Obj- Students will identify the SE states
Content areas covered in lesson (from Students will identify characteristics of states
standards) #3:
Standards- G A1, B1, 5
Lesson 3 Split students into pairs and pass out 1 set of Assessment- Pre-reading T/F quiz “Climate”
SE and SE state cards. Have students spread them Video exit ticket
Climate face down and explain the rules of memory.
Have students play one round, reminding
students to say the name of the state as they
turn the card over.

Clean up and have students get out their

packets. Turn to “Climate” and have students
complete the pre-assessmemt. Read the
section and pull of the daily weather from the
following locations:
Miami Florida, New Orleans LA, Nashville
TN, Charleston WV) compare the data to the
weather for FBKS.

Show pt 2 of the discovery ed video and

pause to discuss the geographic connections
between the NE and SE regions

If time, have students play the online state

quiz

Materials for lesson #4: SE packets, State cards, highlighters

Objectives and Essential Questions for
lesson #4:
Content areas covered in lesson (from
standards) #4:

Lesson 4
Title Have students complete the “land and water” Assessmemt- Pre-read T/F quiz
pre-read T/F quiz, and pre-read questions.
Use pop-corn reading strategy for students
and allow students to pause and highlight
important information, and check their
answers to the T/F quiz. When finished, go

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 back over the questions and allow students
time to write answers using the information
they highlighted.

Materials for lesson #5: SE states test, SE packet, individual KWL charts
Objectives and Essential Questions for
lesson #5:
Content areas covered in lesson (from
standards) #5:

Lesson 5
Test day Give students 5 minutes to review their Assessment- blank states quiz
study packets before having them turn them SE states packet
in. Pass out blank SE states test. Remind
students before they start that since the test
contains a word bank with the correct
spellings of the state names, misspellings will
be marked ½ .

Students who finish the test early will

complete an individual L for the KWL chart.

Unit Closure: Bring it all together with

the focus of the lesson and the Objective. Show students a map of the US and point out that they now know every state
Tie the closure for each lesson in with the in the Eastern US. Reflect on some of the differences and similarities between
Main Hook, the Objective, and the AK and the Eastern US. Have students guess which region we will focus on
Essential Question. next.

UNIT REFLECTION Cultural Capital:

Discuss how this Unit increases your
students’ access to “Cultural Capital.”

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 TWS 5
Instructional Decision Making

As I began to teach my social studies unit on the northeast and southeast regions of the United

States it became very clear that although my students had told me they had learned geography in third

grade; they had retained very little of it. Students had difficulty identifying many major landforms and

bodies of water. I couldn't continue the unit with this gap in place. So, consulting with my host teacher

and the textbook I created a series of introductory geography lessons focusing on landforms and bodies of

water. As we continued I grew wary that my students could perhaps also have gaps in their knowledge of

map reading as well (another subject they had insisted they completed last year). This proved to be

correct as what was planned as a single day review of how to read a map became a 2-day additional

lesson. Lesson learned, while students may have studied a topic during a previous academic year, it does

not mean that they retained or understood the material. This caused my original unit to be pushed back

almost two weeks as I worked to catch students up.

In this case, I both was grateful for and regretted pre-assessments. It was through the first

formative assessment that I discovered these gaps, and I'm glad it was caught so soon. However, had I put

a more formal pre-assessment on the very basics out on day one, this would have immediately come to

light before I ever introduced the concepts. I felt like I was having to backpedal unprepared. I also learned

that it is better to come at a subject as though your students may not have any knowledge and work up

from the foundation they show you than to assume a knowledge base and be proven wrong.

As I finished the first section of the unit and collected student's packets that they had been

working on I discovered that a few students had not used their time effectively and had left entire sections

of the packet blank. This was after giving an additional period of study hall to allow them to do so. I was

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torn. Do I beat myself up for academic negligence or do I let natural consequences follow their course?

After discussing the situation with my host teacher we decided that those students would get to feel the

consequences of their choice (especially after I had given the class the requested time to make up missed

work) and I graded the packets as they were.

I also took steps in the next section of the unit to keep better tabs on student output. Instead of

allowing the students to keep their packets in their book boxes, I collected the packets after every social

studies lesson and read through them. This allowed me not only to catch when a student was slipping and

have them correct it the next day, it also made it easier for me to note who had been absent on any given

day. That way, when I student came to me with a missing section, I knew exactly why it was blank. I

wish I had thought of this beforehand, and perhaps was naive to think I could trust student's with keeping

their own work over more than a day. 4th grade is tricky, they aren't babies and should be expected to have

some level of independence and responsibility for their studies. However, their brain structures are still

being formed, and for some of them they simply aren't at the level where they can be given responsibility

yet. The balancing act continues.

TWS 6
Analysis of Student Learning

In the case of my social studies unit, the pre and post assessments were the same test. On both

occasions students received a blank map of the Southeast United States showing only state borders.

Students then identified the states by writing the state name within its borders. The pre-test actually went

more poorly than expected. I had assumed students would be able to identify at least one state,

particularly Florida given it's unique shape. However, I had several students who couldn't correctly

identify any of the SE states. Those students who had family in the region, or who themselves had lived

there did better than the students who haven't left the state.

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 The post assessment showed vast improvement. Every student improved their score by several

points, with 4 out of the 17 students going from being unable to identify any of the states to being able to

identify them all. In total, 11 of the 17 students scored 100% on the summative assessment and 16 of the

17 students passing it with a C or higher.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Students Raw Raw Pretest Post Test Actual Potential Learning
Score Score percentage Gain Gain Gain
N=17 Percentag
Pretest Post Test Score Score Score
e
Top Top
possible possible
=12 = 12
1 0 12 0% 100% 100 100 1
2 0 12 0% 100% 100 100 1
3 1 12 8% 100% 92 92 1
4 2 11 16% 92% 76 84 .90
5 0 12 0% 100% 100 100 1
6 0 6 0% 50% 50 100 .5
7 1 12 8% 100% 92 92 1
8 0 12 0% 100% 100 100 1
9 2 12 16% 100% 84 84 1
10 1 12 8% 100% 92 92 1
11 0 11 0.00% 92% 92 100 .92
12 0 11 0% 92% 92 100 .92
13 1 11 8.00% 92.00% 84 92 0.91
14 1 12 8.00% 100.00% 92 92 1
15 0 10 0.00% 83.00% 83 100 0.83
16 3 12 25.00% 100.00% 75 75 1
17 1 12 8.00% 100.00% 92 92 1
Average Learning Gain Score 0.94

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Within the initial pre-test the low scores were evenly distributed among both boys and girls, though the 3

highest scoring students were girls. It is important I think to note, the majority of students in this class

were girls due to several male students being pulled out for various services. The 0 to 100 improvement

also tended to skew female, as did the poorest performing students. Boys were fairly solidly in the middle

of the road score-wise.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Students Raw Raw Pretest Post Test Actual Potential Learning
Score Score percentage Gain Gain Gain
N=17 Percentag
Pretest Post Test Score Score Score
e
Top Top
possible possible
=12 = 12
1 0 12 0% 100% 100 100 1
2 0 12 0% 100% 100 100 1
3 1 12 8% 100% 92 92 1
4 2 11 16% 92% 76 84 .90
5 0 12 0% 100% 100 100 1
6 0 6 0% 50% 50 100 .5
7 1 12 8% 100% 92 92 1
8 0 12 0% 100% 100 100 1
9 2 12 16% 100% 84 84 1
10 1 12 8% 100% 92 92 1
11 0 11 0.00% 92% 92 100 .92
12 0 11 0% 92% 92 100 .92
13 1 11 8.00% 92.00% 84 92 0.91
14 1 12 8.00% 100.00% 92 92 1
15 0 10 0.00% 83.00% 83 100 0.83
16 3 12 25.00% 100.00% 75 75 1
17 1 12 8.00% 100.00% 92 92 1

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Average Learning Gain Score 0.94

I want to focus on two students, student 16 and student 10. Both are high performing students, both in

ELP and both were present for all days of the unit. Student 16 was the highest scorer on the pre-test,

being able to identify 3 states (FL, GA, and VA). This student had at one time lived in Georgia and had

traveled extensively in the area. This prior knowledge helped her greatly, and she was able to quickly

learn all 11 of the states. In comparison, student 10 is a lifelong Alaskan who has never left the state. He

was only able to identify 1 of the states (FL). Student 10 had much greater difficulty learning where the

states were located and relied on several mnemonic devices we came up with in class. Though he

experienced more difficulty his improvement was greater.

In all, I feel this graph accurately shows the growth students made throughout the unit and shows

without a doubt that the majority of students were able to fulfill the the unit's goal of developing

knowledge of the SE states and geography.

TWS 7
Reflection

I wasn’t pleased with this social studies unit. The district recently changed the standards for each

grade level and as such the textbook we had wasn’t aligned. This meant I was having to piecemeal my

materials together using existing resources from the previous curriculum and activities my host teacher

and I found on Teachers Pay Teachers. In my attempt to liven up an admittedly dry unit I added

supplementary readings. The problem I discovered fairly quickly was my class doesn’t do well with the

traditional model of classroom reading. They quickly got bored, got off topic, and became distracting to

other students. I attempted strategies like blind pull and popcorn reading, but these were band aids for the

real problem. By the end of the Northeast section I was ready to scrap the readings all together and have

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the students just memorize the states. After attending an in building Kagan training I found a few

strategies I thought might work and attempted them in class.

One such strategy was to break the reading into chunks and assign a group a chunk to read. The

group would become “experts” on their part of the reading and then would present their findings to the

rest of the class. Given my student’s love of collaborative projects this went over swimmingly. The

smaller amount of reading meant my reluctant readers felt less pressure, and giving the groups freedom to

choose how the passages were read meant I had more buy-in from students. Some groups did popcorn

reading, others assigned sentences, and one group had everyone take turns reading the entire passage. As

they read they answered questions on their section and used those answers to do their presentation to the

rest of the class. It was the biggest success of the unit and I wish I had realized it sooner.

If I were able to go back in time and re-teach this unit to this class, knowing what I know now I

would do collaborative activities right off the bat. It’s the student’s preferred method of working and they

have a reason to stay on task. To help with this, I’ll definitely be looking to participate in more Kagan

workshops. The cooperative learning workshop in particular I feel would benefit me greatly in this area.

Overall, this unit was a lesson in how not to plan a unit.

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