Analysis of a Lesson Plan Page |1

Analysis of a Lesson Plan

Kerriebah Bedonie

College of Southern Nevada

Author Note:

This research paper was prepared for Educational Psychology (EDU 220), Section, which is

instructed by Mark Kenney, Ed. S., School Psychologist.

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The Lesson Plan:

The title of the lesson plan is Introduction to Patterns, which was created by Agnes

Meyer. The subject area and grade level is Pre-kindergarten math. The purpose of the

lesson is to introduce patterns to Pre-kindergarten students. It will be followed by lessons

where students use what they have learned about patterns to create their own patterns

from pattern blocks. Main objectives of the lesson are that students will become aware of

patterns in their lives and learning. In addition, students will gain an understanding of

basic patterns and how they can be stretched out more.

Another objective is students will repeat a pattern made by the teacher. The last

objective is that students will make a pattern of their own. The prior knowledge that is

needed for this lesson is that the students are able to names of colors, knows letters A and

B, and will be able to follow rules of how materials are used in a classroom. The materials

for this lesson are Books (Food Patterns, Animal Patterns, and People Patterns), LCD

projector, document projector, pattern blocks, and pictures of patterns.

The procedures go on by three parts introduction, main activity, and the conclusion.

In the introduction: using a document projector, the teacher read the books listed over a

period of a week. Then discuss the books as read and after reading the book. The teacher

and students discuss and compare the books as they are reading. Allow time for students to

play with their peers using what they learned.

Use examples from the book and talk about how these items repeat a shape or color.

In the main activity: using the projector the teacher show students a checker board, a
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photo of a row of shoes, etc. and ask them how these items repeat shapes or colors. The

teacher allows students time to explain their answers. Still using the projector the teacher

show students a simple pattern made with pattern blocks and ask them to how the blocks

repeat. Then place pattern blocks out for students to use and show them the colors and

shapes.

Allow the children 3 - 4 minutes to explore the blocks and create something of their

own; quickly have a look and value what everyone has made. Teacher demonstrates a

pattern and asks children to recreate it. Repeat as needed. Ask students to make their own

pattern and explain why think about why it is that type of pattern. Finally in the conclusion:

Have students shared their pattern with a partner. Bring group back together and have 2-3

students explain their patterns. Finally, the teacher can do an assessment by observation

the teacher will look for evidence of the ability to make a pattern and the ability to explain a

pattern made by student.

Developmentally Appropriate:

I believe that Introduction to Patterns is indeed developmentally appropriate but to

an extent because according to the theory of Piaget’s Stages of Cognitive Development

believed that knowledge is primarily self-constructed and discovery oriented. Piaget also

believed that hands-on, sensory-rich play provides valuable practice for later adult like

behavior. Based upon his observations, he concluded that children were not less intelligent

than adults were; they simply think differently. Also according to Nevada’s Pre-

kindergarten standards young children are naturals in mathematical learning .Children

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naturally look for patterns and shapes, make comparisons, and explore relationships

within their environment. In the early childhood, children need to be actively engaged in

meaningful and focused activities. These activities should make use of children’s natural

curiosity and need to understand the world around them. Young children should be

involved in activities that help them develop the use of mathematical concepts, language,

and courses.

These activities should allow children to grow their understanding of numbers,

shapes, size, and patterns as it has meaning in the world around them.

Instructional Model:

The instructional model come that are being used is direct instruction. Direct

instruction is an approach to teaching. It is skills-oriented, and the teaching practices it

implies are teacher-directed. It emphasizes the use of small group, face-to-face instruction

by teachers and aides using carefully planned lessons in which cognitive skills are broken

down into small units, sequenced intentionally, and taught clearly. Direct Instruction is a

specific teaching style originally developed at the University of Illinois then later at the

University of Oregon.

Direct instruction has the following attributes: Homogeneous Skill Grouping,

Scripted Class Sessions, Constant Student Interaction, Teaching to Mastery. Homogeneous

Skill Grouping (where children are grouped according to their levels of ability) If you are

going to teach the same material to a group of children, they will benefit most if they are all

able to follow the material. Scripted Class Sessions (where teachers use pre-designed
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scripts when teaching. The scripts are based on extensive research based on the student

retention, and every aspect of every script is based upon results that were demonstrated

through research)The great advantage of this approach is that every teacher using the

script becomes the beneficiary of that research and will probably teach much more

effectively than on their own devices.

Constant Student Interaction(where the scripted sessions consist primarily of

sequences of stimulus/response pairings, wherein the teacher stimulates the class with a

description of a concept, an illustration of the concept through an example, and finally a

request that the class repeat the example. The class responds orally, usually as a group.)

Teaching to Mastery (The group does not move on until everyone in the group understands

the material)

Levels of Objectives:

The instructional objectives are also known as behavioral objectives. The

instructional objective is a statement of skill or concepts that students are expected to

know at the end of the lesson. In 1956, Benjamin Bloom led a group of educational

psychologists who developed a classification of levels of academic behavior important in

learning. Based on Benjamin Bloom’s taxonomy of educational objective the levels that are

being used in this lesson plan are knowledge, comprehension, analysis, evaluation.

Examples of some of the given objective are that students will become aware of patterns in

their lives and learning (analysis).

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Another objective is students will gain an understanding of basic patterns and how

they can be stretched out more (comprehension). Another objective is students will repeat

a pattern made by the teacher (knowledge).The last objective is that students will make a

pattern of their own (evaluation).

Modification of Lesson Plan:

The lesson plan could be modified to accommodate all of the following:

gifted, remedial, ELL, and exceptional students. In the introduction, the teacher read the

books listed over a period of a week. Then discuss the books as read and after reading the

book comparing and allow time for students to play with their peers using what they

learned. Then use examples from the book and talk about how items repeat a shape or

color ask the children to show the examples they see for themselves. In the main activity

the teacher show students a checker board, a photo of a row of shoes, etc. and ask them

how these items repeat shapes or colors.

The teacher allows students time to explain their answers. The teacher shows

students a simple pattern asks them to repeat. Then have each student show a pattern to

the class. Allow the children 3 - 4 minutes to explore the blocks and create something of

their own; quickly have a look and value what everyone has made. Teacher demonstrates a

pattern and asks children to recreate it.

Ask students to make their own pattern and explain why think about why it is that

type of pattern. Finally in the conclusion: Have students shared their pattern with a

partner. Bring group back together and have 2-3 students explain their patterns. Finally,
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the teacher can do an assessment by observation the teacher will look for evidence of the

ability to make a pattern and the ability to explain a pattern made by student.

The modification for the gifted students (is an intellectual ability higher than

average) are just adding information, more advance examples for student to explore and

learn off. The modification for the remedial students (needs to be continually reassured

that they are not stupid, they are smart; their troubles are the fault of the method used to

teach them to read, not anything they have done) are they need more one-on-one time and

encourage them to do their best and not give up and just play around. The modification for

the ELL student (a student learning English as a second language) is to have a more time to

show and explain the lesson to the student with or without an interpreter. The

modification for the exceptional students (children who have special learning needs are

called exceptional students. Exceptional students include children who are gifted and

children who have disabilities. Children who are considered gifted are those children with

superior intellectual development and who are capable of high performance) are to take

each step by step slowly to allow the student to expand and discover their needs in the

lesson so that that the student will find a connection and learn better.
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Bibliography:

 Barnett, W. S. (2002). Early childhood education. School reform proposals:

The research evidence, 1-26.

 Bruce, Tina. Early childhood education. Hodder Education, 2011.

 Bauer, K. S. (n.d.). Guidebook for teachers in Mathematics. In Nevada's Pre-

Kindergarten standards Guidebook for teachers. Retrieved April 3, 2013,

from http://www.nevadaregistry.org/fb_files/MathTeacher.pdf

 Research Regarding Direct Instruction. The National Education Association

(NEA), n.d. Web. 3 Apr. 2013.

<http://projectpro.com/icr/research/di/summary.htm>.

 (2006). In Bloom's Taxonomy. Retrieved April 3, 2013, from

http://ww2.odu.edu/educ/roverbau/Bloom/blooms_taxonomy.htm