Early Childhood

Task 2: Instruction Commentary

TASK 2: INSTRUCTION COMMENTARY

Respond to the prompts below (no more than 6 single-spaced pages, including prompts) by typing your responses within the
brackets following each prompt. Do not delete or alter the prompts. Commentary pages exceeding the maximum will not be
scored. You may insert no more than 2 additional pages of supporting documentation at the end of this file. These pages
may include graphics, texts, or images that are not clearly visible in the video or a transcript for occasionally inaudible portions.
These pages do not count toward your page total.

1. List the learning experience(s) you have selected for the 2 video clips you are
submitting. Identify the learning experience(s) by plan day/number.
[For Video Clip 1 and Video Clip 2, I have selected from learning experience 2 on measuring
pumpkins. Video Clip 1 is a nine-and-a-half-minute video that shows whole class or large group
instruction. The large group instruction is focusing on the process of estimating how tall the
pumpkin provided will be using a nonstandard unit of measurement, cubes, and figuring out
whether or not the students need to take away, add, or keep the number of cubes they guessed
the same. At the beginning of this video, I read How Big Could Your Pumpkin Grow? and we
discussed different size pumpkins. To build on the measurement of pumpkins, I showed the
students how to estimate or guess the correct number of cubes tall that I thought the pumpkin
would be. Video Clip 2 is four-and-a-half-minutes and shows a small-group instruction with the
two focus students I have chosen. Student A is shown on the left side in Video Clip 2, the pre-
kindergartener girl, and student B is shown on the right, the pre-kindergartener boy. Student B
has an IEP. During this small-group instruction, I provided the students with instruction on how
to record the number of cubes they estimated, drawing the cubes and writing the number, and
recording their new number after taking away or adding cubes.]
2. Promoting a Positive Learning Environment
Refer to scenes in the video clips where you provided a positive learning environment.
a. How did you demonstrate mutual respect for, rapport with, and responsiveness to
children with varied needs and backgrounds, and challenge children to engage in
learning?
[In Video Clip 1, starting at 8:00, I gave directions on how we were going to measure the
pumpkin using a nonstandard unit, cubes. I then showed the students how to stack a tower of
cubes. I guessed a number of cubes to equal the height, counted them, and put it next to the
pumpkin to measure. When it was too tall, I asked the students if I should take away or add
some; I took some away because they guessed correctly and then measured it next to the
pumpkin again to see if they equaled the height of the pumpkin. By showing students how
something is done before they do it, this gives them a better understanding of how to build a
tower of cubes to measure how tall the pumpkin was. Not all students learn in the same way
and those who learn better visually or by seeing something done first, helps them to complete a
task on their own better and keeps the students engaged in their own learning. At 9:00, I
demonstrate responsiveness to students with varied needs by providing all the students with the
opportunity to stack cubes into a tower on their own, at their own pace. They choose cubes from
a bucket on their side of the carpet for measuring the pumpkin provided. I chose two students at
a time to go to the bucket of cubes in case one needs help, the other student could provide their
peer with assistance. Students demonstrate a mutual respect for each by taking turns building
their cube towers to measure the pumpkin. They took turns coming up to the front to hold their
cube tower in front of the pumpkin and determined if they needed to add or take away cubes to
equal the height of the pumpkin. For specific students with a learning need, for example at
11:00, I prompted them with more questions and comments to guide them to the correct number
of cubes. Student A and B were called to go at the same time because Student A is always

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 Early Childhood
Task 2: Instruction Commentary

trying to help her peers succeed and Student B needs extra assistance to complete a task so I
wanted him to have that peer assistance if needed before coming to me for help. I used my
hand as a visual for Student B to be able to determine if he needed to take away or add cubes.
The cubes were directly under my hand at the top of the pumpkin so he was able to see through
a visual that he needed more to reach the top of my hand or to equal the height of the pumpkin.
In Video Clip 2, starting at 28:04, the students were working with me in a small-group to record,
draw and write, in their journals the number of cubes they estimated and the new number of
cubes they determined the height of the pumpkin was by taking away or adding cubes.
Throughout both video clips, I provide a positive learning environment by calling students by
their names each time they are addressed. This shows the students that they are respected and
cared for which in return encourages students to want to learn and succeed in school.]
3. Engaging Children in Learning
Refer to examples from the video clips in your responses to the prompts.

a. Explain how your instruction engaged children in

 language and literacy development, AND
 active, multimodal learning
[In order to engage children in language and literacy development, I focus on prompting
students with questions to encourage their comprehension skills. Prior to the footage in Video
Clip 1, I read How Big Could Your Pumpkin Grow and asked questions to encourage the start of
students using reading comprehension skills and strategies. I had the students predict,
visualize, summarize, and connect their prior knowledge to the size of pumpkins. I also engaged
students in their language and literacy development by reinforcing academic language I have
seen them use in past learning experiences. I reinforced the terms estimate and equal to the
students by having them estimate or guess how many cubes tall the pumpkin would be and had
them equal or make the same height as the pumpkin. I use questions to help the students come
to the right answer or conclusion. At 8:08, I ask the students, “Should I take away some or
should I add some?” I wanted to give the students a chance to use their communication skills.
At 8:21, to reinforce classroom rules and to have a variety of students answer, I called on
students who were following directions. I discussed with the students the measurement of
pumpkins through a variety of ways, engaging them in active, multimodal learning. Starting at
9:00, students are actively engaged in their learning using a nonstandard unit, cubes, to
measure the pumpkin provided at the front of the classroom. I used scaffolding and the “Show
Me, Help Me, Let Me” rule to explain so students could have verbal instructions and show the
students what they are going to doing before they move on to measuring the pumpkin on their
own so students could have visual instructions as well. The students would come up to the
pumpkin and I asked them questions on their own measurements to help them figure out
whether or not they needed to add cubes or take cubes away to equal the height of the
pumpkin. The space provided on the carpet helped students to be engaged in their active
learning. I arranged students in a rectangle before the lesson started to save time during in
order for students to stay focused on the lesson and what I was saying. In Video Clip 2,
students used their cube measurements, the original estimation and the number after they took
away or added to their tower of cubes, and took them a step further to record the number in the
art/writing center.]

b. Describe how your instruction linked children’s development, prior learning, and
personal, cultural, and community assets with new learning.

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 Early Childhood
Task 2: Instruction Commentary

[The pre-kindergarteners have a play based, hands-on environment within the classroom and
students are used to working in large and small groups or even inquiring on their own on a topic
during center time. My instruction on measuring pumpkins linked the student’s prior learning on
an apple learning segment to new learning on measuring a pumpkin. The terms estimate and
equal were used in the past to measure themselves using apples. They estimated how many
apples tall they would be and I used estimation in my learning experience 2 which helped to
develop the specific concept of estimating. The students measured the height of a pumpkin in
this learning experience but took it one step further and used a hands-on material to do their
estimation using cubes and then equaled the height of the pumpkin with their cubes. They used
the term equal to determine how many apples tall they actually were after estimating how many
they thought it would be originally. At 9:00, I had to focus on my knowledge of the student’s
social and emotional development. Pre-Kindergartners are learning to take turns and to be
patient while they are waiting. I know that these specific students enjoy being able to watch their
classmates complete a task and are excitedly awaiting a turn of their own. I had two students
build their cube tower at a time so that I could focus on individual students to see how well they
were understanding measuring the pumpkin. I encouraged the students to learn by using hands-
on activities and using hands-on materials that I know they enjoy using to be able to engage in
their own learning.]
4. Deepening Children’s Learning during Instruction
Refer to examples from the video clips in your explanations.

a. Explain how you elicited and built on children’s responses to promote children’s
language and literacy development through active learning.
[When discussing in Video Clip 1 at 8:15 if I should take away cubes or add cubes, the students
answers varied. Usually when answering a question, I reinforce “crisscross applesauce, bubble
in your mouth” which ensures that students are sitting nicely and quietly, waiting their turn. To
build on the response at 8:28 that I should take off cubes, I said there was too many so that they
know when the height of their cube tower is taller than the pumpkin, they need to take some
cubes away. At 10:10 when a student suggested they had too little of cubes when their cube
tower was well above the correct height, I reiterated the response for the student to hear and
reiterated the question to see if her answer would change. At 11:25, a student with a too tall
tower suggested that the pumpkin did go up to the height of his tower. A separate student next
to him said helped him out and told him that the pumpkin did not go all the way up to his stack of
cubes so I built on the response of his peer to help him understand that he had too many cubes.
I often build on the children’s responses by prompting them with further questions to come to an
answer we can both agree upon. At 16:43, another student responded they thought their tower
was the same when it was too tall. I then responded, referring to his cube tower, “You think it’s
the height of the pumpkin?” He then went on to say he needed to add some cubes. I asked and
provided a visual with my hand, “You think it is taller than this?” When he was able to come to
the right conclusion and answered no, I responded with, “So you need to take away, right?” I
wanted the students to still feel like they were answering each question even if I was prompting
them to get there. After Student B answered that he thought he had the correct height of the
pumpkin, I used my hand as a visual, and asked the question again, “Do you think you need to
add or take away?” He was able to tell me that he needed to add only one more to his tower to
equal the height.]
b. Explain how you made interdisciplinary connections in ways that deepen children’s
development of language and literacy.
[I used language, literacy, and mathematics in learning experience 2 to provide the students
with interdisciplinary connections. I started the lesson, prior to Video Clip 1, reading about the

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 Early Childhood
Task 2: Instruction Commentary

different sizes of pumpkins to show that reading and mathematics can be used together to learn
something new. To connect the activity of mathematics to language, I had them record in their
journals in small groups, shown in Video Clip 2. They drew the number of cubes tall they
estimated the pumpkin to be and then wrote the corresponding number above their cubes. In a
second column, they drew the number of cubes tall the pumpkin actually was after determining
if they needed to add or take away cubes.]
5. Analyzing Teaching
Refer to examples from the video clips in your responses to the prompts.

a. What changes would you make to your instruction to better support children’s learning
related to the central focus? Be sure to address the needs of all children, including those
who need greater support or challenge.

Consider the variety of learners in your class/group who may require different
strategies/supports (such as children with IEPs or 504 plans, English language learners,
children at different points in the developmental continuum, and/or gifted children).
[The central focus for my learning segment is for Pre-Kindergarten students to apply inquiry
skills through the exploration of pumpkins using science, literacy, math, and art. To better
support children’s learning related to the central focus, I would have spent more time on the
concept of adding and subtracting cubes. I used whole class instruction and made students sit
for too long when I should have put them into separate small groups to work together to
estimate how tall they thought the pumpkin would be. There are three students with an IEP and
seven students all together, including those students with an IEP, who have a speech delay.
These specific students could have especially benefited from having small-group discussions to
put their towers together because it also would have allowed them extra time to ask questions
or to put their cube tower together. I would have the students count their cube towers before
coming up to measure against the pumpkin to save time and I would remember to begin writing
down their estimations in case they do not remember later on when recording. A helpful tool
when recording could have been for the students to keep their towers for a representation to
draw their cubes in their journals. I would have also provided a number line for the students to
see and count to their number in order to have a visual for writing in their journals. One last
change I would make is when comparing their towers to the pumpkin, I could have involved the
whole class to make a decision on whether the students needed to add or subtract cubes so
they the idea is being reinforced every time so they better understand what is being done and
asked of them. The students love working together and helping each other succeed so including
them in each other’s responses would have been beneficial.]
b. Explain why you think these changes would improve children’s learning. Support your
explanation with evidence of children’s learning AND principles from developmental
theory and/or research.
[I believe spending more time learning the concepts of adding and subtraction would improve
the children’s learning because by the end of the learning experience not every student
understood what it meant to take away or add cubes to their towers. Showing them multiple
different times, building the tower too tall and building the tower too short, would show that when
the cube tower is taller than the pumpkin, they need to pull cubes off of their tower and when the
cube tower is shorter than the pumpkin, they need to put more cubes on their tower. In Video
Clip 1, you can see the students in the background becoming distracted and bored. I would split
the children up into smaller groups on the carpet because students often work more efficiently in
smaller groups because they have a peer to discuss it with or help them with building their
tower. They would also be involved in the learning process the entire time rather than sitting

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 Early Childhood
Task 2: Instruction Commentary

around for too long of a period. By counting their towers before coming up to measure would
help improve the children’s learning because they would already have an idea of the number
they are adding or taking away from before comparing it to the pumpkin. By allowing the
students to use their cubes and a number line as a representation, it would have saved time
when recording in their journals. At 29:00, student B is seen drawing a square around his whole
page rather than drawing a stack of cubes or squares on his paper. By having that
representation next to them they would have seen what they were meant to be drawing by
copying their cube tower. At 30:12, Student A is heard saying, “I don’t know how to write an 8.”
If a number line would have been provided for them, they would not have had to ask how to
write an 8, they could have counted up to their number to see how to write that specific number.
When involving the whole class in a discussion, this would have given the students a chance to
form an overall consensus on whether the towers were too tall or too short.]

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