2020

LESSON OBSERVATION
PRESERVICE TEACHER DATE
Madeleine Green 07/09/2020
SCHOOL/SITE NAME AND ROLE OF OBSERVER:
Grange Primary School Skye Baldwin – Mentor Teacher
NUMBER IN CLASS/GROUP YEAR/GROUP/ABILITY INFORMATION
60 students (shared class) Year 4 – Mainstream Education
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE COURSE WEEK OF PLACEMENT:
Four Third
OBSERVATION FOCUS (STANDARDS/TARGET(S))
LESSON/TOPIC FOCUS
Standard 4
Science – Friction across different surfaces investigation.
Focus Area 4.2

link to Graduate Standards (AITSL):

Standard 4: Focus Area 4.2: Manage Classroom Activities

Establish and maintain orderly and workable routines to create an environment where student time is spent on learning
tasks.
OBSERVATION Links: APST
focus areas
What went well:
• Waiting for hands to be raised to comment on the friction question. Thinking time
• Having students read out the information about Friction
• Choosing people, you have not heard from to speak – really emphasised that you wanted to hear from
different people. Standard 4: Focus
• Used a variety of ways to explain friction – pictures and video, written information
Area 4.2: Manage
• Recapping on the video – having students explain what they noticed and learnt. This is great as you’re
getting them to do all the thinking, instead of recapping yourself.
Classroom Activities
• Used a student example so students know what it should look like – good modelling
• Modified the task as you went, changing groups from 3 to 2 after thinking about the logistics of the Establish and
task with each group. maintain orderly and
• Linking the storyboard science activity to procedure writing – cross curricular. workable routines to
• Reminded students to bring all their equipment outside with them to ensure no one forgot. create an
• Reminded students what language features and sentence structure to have for their storyboard. environment where
• Exit slip was a good idea – good way to see where to plan next for the lesson. student time is
Standard observation comments spent on learning
• Monitoring behaviour and not allowing others to take over the lesson and call out to ensure the tasks.
discussion continues to flow.
• Provided directions downstairs line the line up about where they needed to be seated once entering
the room. This saved time as students moved quickly to where they needed to be.
• Organised the setting up of the task first with the table. Preparing all students first with the recording
table before beginning the task. This was very explicit as they knew exactly what the table needed to
look like and the sizing. This was managed so they could then be successful in recording their data in
the investigation.
• Organised students well in transitioning between task – Complete the drawing of the table, then find
a partner and sit on the floor. Encouraged promptness with this so that students were not wasting
time.
• Kept a tight time schedule so that students moved through the testing of the 2 objects inside
promptly.
• Checked students to make sure they have all equipment before leaving the classroom.
Things to work on:
• Watch students when viewing a video - make sure they are all watching the video (Lilla and Clayton).
There were some students who were playing with their books and drawing something in their books.
This was monitored well during discussion time however missed during the video.
• A demonstration of the task particularly the measuring part to ensure accuracy. Remember Science
experiments do need to be accurate so that the data can be analysed and compared fairly.
• Make sure you walk around and check how students are ruling the table.
• Would they use a pen ? A few students ruled the lines for the table in pen, which could have been
problematic if an error occurred. Remember to think about all instructions, even the simple ones with
what pen/pencil to use.
• Knowing the students- focus on the students who you know who may find using a ruler to create a
table difficult. Hover near them to see if they need assistance – Makayla, Connor, Logan, Oliver, Koen.
• Linking this science task with procedure writing – you will need verbs, as Oliver explained as they are
the key words a procedure requires. This was dismissed a little quickly when he knew that procedure
writing requires verbs.

Things to consider for forward planning

• When conducting an experiment, the first part of this would be – ‘What are you investigating?’ This
can then be answered at the end of the experiment. Refer to the Primary Connections investigation
planner pg 31.
• Could have they used the same object (constant) and then changed the surfaces (variable) so that the
results can be compared fairly? This would have helped with the storyboard for later on.
• Could some predicting before the experiment take place? Particularly with experiments it’s good to
get students to predict what will occur and have them thinking about what will happen and why they
think this.
• Scientific diagrams – labelling, drawing in lead pencil
• Reflection questions on the results, this would help check for their understanding about friction and
force.
What did the results tell you about friction?
Why were certain surfaces harder/easier to move an object on?
How did the force impact on the distance the object travelled?
Did your prediction occur? Explain