Teacher Induction Program

Pre/Observation/Post Cycle Form (POP)

Revised 4.20.23

Directions for Preparation for POP Cycle

1. New Teacher (NT) and Mentor (ME) identify date for lesson observation and set dates/times for pre- and post-observation conferences.
2. Minimum three days before lesson delivery, NT prepares POP Cycle Form.
3. NT completes Section 1: New Teacher Information, lesson plan, and Section 2, Part A NT Reflection.
4. NT emails POP Cycle Form and Lesson Plan to ME.
Directions for Pre-Observation
5. Minimum 48 hours before lesson delivery, ME reviews Lesson Plan and Section 2, Part A: New Teacher Reflection; completes
Section 2, Part B: ME Feedback.
6. ME shares feedback with NT during pre-observation conference. Lesson plan is adjusted as needed and finalized for delivery.
Directions for Observation and Preparation for Post-Observation Conference
7. During lesson delivery, ME completes Section 3A: ME Observation of Lesson Delivery, noting both Teacher Actions and
Student Actions.
8. Prior to Post-Observation Conference, NT reflects on lesson outcomes and completes Part 3B: NT Reflection on Lesson Delivery.
Post Observation Conference Directions:
9. Within 48 hours, NT and ME share notes; discuss lesson observations and outcomes; complete Section 4. All parts
should be transcribed into one document and submitted to course instructor. Information is used for ILP.

Section 1: New Teacher Information

New Teacher Email Subject Area Grade Level

Nicholas Nguyen nnguyen@pacificacademy.o Science - Biology High School (9th)

rg
Mentor Email School/District Date

Marilyn Leuer mleuer@fullerton.edu Pacific Academy/Irvine Private 10/10/2023

Content Standard Lesson Objectives Unit Topic Lesson Title

HS-LS2-2. Use mathematical Students will design and Ecosystems, Adaptation, and “Elephant Poop” Lab
representations to support and conduct a controlled experiment Interactions
revise explanations based on to compare the germination
evidence about factors affecting rates of seeds from different
biodiversity and populations in sources.
ecosystems of different scales.
HS-LS2-6. Evaluate claims, Students will identify and apply
evidence, and reasoning that the the concepts of control,
complex interactions in variables, and experimental
ecosystems maintain relatively design.
consistent numbers and types of
organisms in stable conditions, Students will connect individual
but changing conditions may experimental findings to
result in a new ecosystem. broader ecological concepts,
HS-LS2-8. Evaluate evidence for specifically the role of elephants
the role of group behavior on in shaping ecosystems through
individual and species’ chances to seed dispersal.
survive and reproduce.
CSTP Element(s) Focus for POP Cycle (In semesters 2, 3, 4, copy pertinent elements from ILP for POP Cycle focus.)

1 - Emerging 2 - Exploring 3 - Applying 4 - Integrating 5 – Innovating

 NT pedagogical skills
are newly formed and
just coming into
prominence
Skills are developing Skills are applied as Skills are refined as NT Skills are polished as
as NT investigates NT makes combines elements NT expands ability to
and examines increased relevant into a cohesive and add new methods and
pedagogical and suitable use unified pedagogical strategies into
practices of pedagogical repertoire pedagogical repertoire
choices

CSTP Initial Rating Rating Description (Identify both teacher and student rating for
Element CSTP 1 and 2.)
1.5 Promoting critical thinking through Exploring Teacher: Includes questions in single lessons or a sequence of lessons
1
inquiry, problem solving, and reflection. that require students to recall, interpret, and think critically.

Student: Students respond to varied questions or tasks designed to

promote comprehension and critical thinking in single lessons or a
sequence of lessons.

Students respond to questions and problems posed by the teacher and

begin to pose and solve problems of their own related to the content.

2 2.2 Creating physical or virtual learning
environments that promote student
learning, reflect diversity, and
encourage constructive and productive
interactions among students.
Exploring Teacher: Experiments with adapting the physical and/or virtual learning
environments that support student learning.
Structures for interaction are taught in single lessons or sequences of
lessons to support student learning.
Students: Students use the resources provided in learning environments
and interact with each other to understand and complete learning tasks in
single lessons or sequence of lessons.
Section 2: Pre-Observation Conference

Focus Students Focus Student 1: English Learner
Summarize critical
needs and how you
will address them ● Struggles with
during this lesson. communicating complex
ideas clearly in English,
especially in specialized
science vocabulary.
● Sometimes hesitates to
participate in class
discussion due to fear of
miscommunication.
● Difficulty in
understanding written
instructions or reading
comprehension tasks in
English or with
unfamiliar academic
vocabulary.
● The lab graphic
organizer and
instructions will provide
a bilingual glossary of
essential terms related
to the lab. This glossary
will serve as a quick
reference guide for the
student, aiding in both
comprehension and
Focus Student 2: Student
w/ILP/504
● Exhibits behavioral
problems such as
emotional outbursts and
impulsive reactions.
● Has episodes where
she disconnects or
"shuts down" from her
surroundings.
● Strong preference to
work alone and resists
group activities or team
projects.
● Recognizing her
preference to work
alone, allow flexibility in
participation. For the lab
activity, while other
students work in
groups, she will have
the option to perform
the task independently.
Aspects of the lab that
require collaboration will
be broken down such
that all students have
clear, structured roles.
Focus Student 3: Your Choice
● Tends to overextend
oneself, leading to
occasional burnouts.
● High self-expectations
sometimes result in
undue stress and
anxiety.
● Struggles to say "no"
to additional
responsibilities, trying
to please parents,
teachers, and peers.
● Often feels pressured
to maintain the
high-achieving image,
fearing any perceived
failure.
● Recognizing the
student's tendency to
overextend, offer
flexible deadlines or a
staggered assignment
structure. This allows
the student to balance
their academic and
athletic commitments
 vocabulary building.
● He will be partnered
with a classmate who
speaks his native
language (Chinese).
This buddy system
ensures that he has
someone in his group to
discuss the steps with,
ask questions, and
clarify misconceptions.
● Before starting the lab
activity, all students will
be provided a
step-by-step
demonstration of the
procedures and
equipment (video and
images) to make the
instructions tangible.
Part A: NT Reflection
Use questions to guide reflection on the lesson
plan.
● Additionally, the
lesson's objectives will
be broken down into
smaller, more
manageable tasks. This
"chunking" of activities
can help prevent
feelings of being
overwhelmed.
● Using regular check-ins
and positive
reinforcement strategies
to acknowledge and
praise appropriate
behaviors and
successful task
completions alongside a
check-list. This can help
in building self-esteem
and motivation and
reducing anxiety.
Part B: ME Feedback
Provide feedback on lesson plan reflection.
without compromising
on quality.
● Affirm the student's
value beyond
accomplishments.
Regularly acknowledge
their efforts, resilience,
and dedication in both
academics and
athletics, emphasizing
intrinsic qualities like
perseverance,
curiosity, and
teamwork.
● Provide extension
activities or questions
to provide enhanced
challenge where
appropriate.

Inquiry Focus/Special The primary inquiry focus is on

Emphasis understanding the impact of real-world
● What is your inquiry focus simulations. Examining, through the "It’s
and/or special emphasis? in the Poop" lab, students' grasp and
● How will you incorporate application of the scientific experimental
the inquiry focus and/or
inquiry processes. Additionally, the
special emphasis into the
lesson?
emphasis extends to discovering
● What specific feedback do strategies to adapt this methodology to
you want from your ME? accommodate diverse learners in the
classroom.

By initiating the lesson with the "It’s in the

Poop" lab, students are immediately
introduced to a tangible, real-world
scenario. This establishes relevance and
importance, fostering a more interest in
the scientific inquiry process.

I provide alternate resources like videos,

audio explanations, or tactile models to
cater to visual, auditory, and kinesthetic
learners.

Group students heterogeneously so they

can benefit from peer teaching and
learning. For instance, while working in
pairs during the seed collection, ensure a
mix of abilities to promote mutual
guidance.

Allow students to choose from a range of

tasks or questions, permitting them to
select the one they resonate with the
most, encouraging ownership of learning.
 Break down the lab activities into
manageable steps, providing support or
additional resources for students who
might need it.

Incorporate regular checkpoints

throughout the lesson for students to
reflect on their understanding and the
real-world implications of their findings.
Also, use these points to assess where
adaptations might be needed for diverse
learners and implement those in real-time.

Does the real-world scenario genuinely

enhance students' understanding and
enthusiasm? Are there suggestions for
other real-world connections that might be
just as or more effective?

How well are the diverse learning

strategies working in the classroom? Are
there observed gaps in the engagement
or understanding of any specific group of
students?

Are there areas in the lesson that seem

too complex or too simple?
Recommendations for tools, resources, or
strategies that might further cater to
diverse learners would be invaluable.

Feedback on the appropriateness and

effectiveness of the pre-assessment,
formative, and summative assessments in
gauging both understanding of content
and skill application.
Inquiry Focus/Students Could you provide feedback on how
● What specific feedback effectively I'm addressing the needs of
regarding your focus these focus students?
students do you want from
your ME? How do you perceive the focus students'
engagement with the content, their peers,
and with me?

Did you notice any peer dynamics or

classroom factors influencing these focus
students' participation or behavior?
Specific Feedback As you observe my lesson on the
● What additional specific "Elephant Poop" experiment, could you
feedback do you want provide feedback on the pacing and
from your ME regarding sequence? Did it feel fluid and logical to
lesson implementation? you?

I'm aiming for high student engagement

throughout the lesson. Can you note
moments where students seem
particularly engaged or disengaged?
 I've tried to integrate various concepts into
this lesson, from ecosystem implications
to the scientific method. Do you feel these
concepts were seamlessly incorporated,
or were there moments of disconnect?
Given the unique nature of this lesson, I'm
keen to know if you felt students grasped
the core ideas. Were there any points of
confusion or misconceptions you
observed?
Instructional Planning The lesson begins with a video clip of Dr.
● How is the lesson Pringle discussing fecal sampling
structured (opening, techniques to extract plant DNA. This
body, and closing)? serves as the initial hook to engage
● What varied teaching students' interest and curiosity. To guide
strategies and their thinking, I've incorporated some
differentiated
instruction will help
leading questions such as “What does the
students meet lesson poop tell us about the ecosystem?” and
goals? “Why does he need to be sure about
● What progress where the poop originated?”
monitoring strategies
will be used? How will Students will then design elements of their
results inform lab with their groups. The experiment will
instruction?
task them to collect and compare seeds
from two different sources: soil and
"elephant poop". During this, they set up
Petri dishes, discuss variables, controls,
and experimental setups, and begin the
germination process. A main focus here is
to ensure students understand the
scientific method and its application.

After the hands-on activity, students

reconvene to discuss their findings. They
return to the lab to collect data on what
sprouted, discuss types of data
(quantitative vs. qualitative), and compare
their findings. Towards the end, there's an
option to delve deeper into the role of light
in seed germination, offering an avenue
for extended learning.

Using the Dr. Pringle video clip caters to

visual learners and provides real-world
context to the experiment.

The practical aspect of seed collection

and observation allows for kinesthetic
learning and engagement.

Grouping students up allows for

collaborative learning, ensuring they can
bounce ideas off each other, especially
beneficial for ELL/ELD students.
For students who might find the activity
challenging, I've considered providing
more structured templates for recording
 their observations. For high-achievers,
I've added the extended exploration on
the role of light in germination.

Throughout the lesson, I'll be observing

students' engagement, their ability to
follow instructions, and their interactions
during the hands-on activity. This will help
me gauge their understanding in
real-time.

The responses to the leading questions,

both at the beginning and end of the
lesson, will give insight into their grasp of
the core concepts as formative
assessment.

Students' ability to collect, record, and

interpret data will be crucial. Their
findings, comparisons, and discussions
will indicate their understanding and
application of scientific methodology.

Based on these monitoring strategies, if I

notice certain concepts weren't grasped
fully, I can revisit them in subsequent
lessons. It'll also allow me to tailor future
lessons based on their strengths and
areas of need.

Student Engagement/Learning Understanding that our classroom is

● How will you make the diverse, the video clip of Dr. Pringle
lesson relevant to all showcases science in action in an African
the students? setting. This not only provides a a
● How will students show real-world perspective but also exposes
progress towards master
students to a culture science they might
of lesson objectives?
not be familiar with, making the lesson
more inclusive.

The theme, "Elephant Poop," although

initially amusing, provides a tangible
connection to real-world ecological
studies. By emphasizing the importance
of elephants in ecosystems and how their
diets impact biodiversity, students can
appreciate the broader environmental
implications.

During the experimental design and data

collection phase, students have some
autonomy in choosing which seeds they
want to focus on or which variables they'd
like to delve deeper into. By providing
them with choices, I'm hoping to foster
greater ownership and engagement in the
learning process.
One of the overarching questions, "What
does poop tell us?" is not just restricted to
elephants. It's a fun way to get students
thinking about waste in general and how it
can be a treasure trove of information.
The familiarity and curiosity about the
subject make it relevant to their everyday
life.

How I plan to assess progress towards

the lesson's objectives:

Throughout the lesson, I've structured

opportunities for students to discuss their
observations, findings, and thoughts.
Their ability to articulate scientific
concepts, draw connections, and ask
probing questions will be indicative of their
understanding.

The seed collection and observation

process will be a tangible indicator of
students mastering the concept of
scientific inquiry. Successful identification
of variables, controls, and proper
experimental setup will show their grasp
of the core concepts.

Students will be tasked with interpreting

the data they collect. Their ability to make
valid conclusions, differentiate between
quantitative and qualitative data, and
compare their findings with peers will be a
strong measure of their progress.

At the end of the lesson, students will be

given a reflection sheet where they can jot
down their key takeaways, areas of
struggle, and thoughts about the lesson.
This self-assessment tool will provide
insights into their perceived mastery and
areas they feel they need more support.

A few days after the lesson, a short

extension will be administered, focusing
on the lesson's core concepts and
interpretation of their data/results. This will
provide a clearer picture of knowledge
retention and application.

By combining these approaches, I aim to

ensure that students are not just passively
absorbing information but actively
engaging with and internalizing the
content.
Classroom Management I'll begin by setting clear expectations for
● How will you maintain a behavior and respect, highlighting the
positive learning importance of understanding and
environment with a following our classroom norms. I'll remind
welcoming climate of students that just as we are studying
caring, respect, and
biodiversity, our classroom itself is
fairness?
● Identify specific classroom diverse, and every individual brings value.
procedures and strategies
for preventing/redirecting I'll make it a point to actively listen to each
challenging behaviors. student's viewpoints and queries, thereby
modeling the kind of attention and respect
I expect them to show their peers.

I'll frequently acknowledge efforts, not just

results. Positive reinforcement, like
praising a student for their innovative
approach or dedication, can motivate
others and set a constructive tone.

At the start of the lesson, we'll

collaboratively establish a few 'classroom
norms.' This could be things like "One
speaker at a time" or "It's okay to make
mistakes." Having these norms serves as
a reminder and can be referred back to if
needed.

Before beginning any activity, I'll provide

clear and concise instructions. By setting
clear expectations right from the start,
there's less room for confusion or off-task
behavior.

I'll use classroom cues to communicate

common instructions (e.g., “quiet coyote”
a raised hand for silence, a circling motion
for group gathering). This minimizes
disruptions and keeps the flow of the
lesson.

Simply moving closer to a student or

group that's getting off track can often
deter disruptive behavior. It's a subtle,
non-confrontational way to refocus them.

To ensure I'm not consistently interrupted

during discussions or explanations, I'll
instill the "3 Before Me" rule, where
students must try three methods to find an
answer (e.g., think for themselves, ask a
peer, consult their notes) before
prompting me for guidance.

Regular check-ins as an opportunity to

discuss any potential challenges and
celebrate successes.

By having a mix of proactive strategies

 and reactive solutions, I aim to ensure the
classroom remains a conducive
environment for all students to learn and
thrive.
Closure I'll begin by summarizing the main points
● How will you close your of the lesson, reiterating the importance of
lesson? elephant dung in biodiversity and
● How will you assess ecosystem balance.
student learning and
prepare them for the
next lesson?
I'll invite students to share one thing
they've learned, found interesting, or are
still curious about. This not only allows me
to gauge their understanding but also
provides them an opportunity to process
the information.

I've planned a short, engaging activity

called "Fact or Fiction." I'll state various
statements related to the lesson, and
students will indicate if they think it's fact
or fiction. This will be a fun way to
reinforce the day's learning.

I'll distribute "exit tickets" where students

will jot down an answer to a specific
question related to the day's topic. This
provides a quick snapshot of their
understanding and can inform any
adjustments needed for the next lesson.

Before concluding, students will be paired

up to discuss and share their primary
takeaways from the lesson. This
peer-to-peer interaction can often help in
clarifying doubts and reinforcing concepts.

I'll provide a brief teaser of the next

lesson, creating anticipation. For instance,
"Today, we learned about the role of
elephants in their ecosystem. Next time,
we'll dive into another unsung hero of the
wild, and you might be surprised by who it
is!"

By ensuring a comprehensive closure and

assessment strategy, I aim to bridge the
lessons effectively, keeping the students
engaged and building on their knowledge
incrementally.

POP Cycle, Teacher Induction Program (FOTIP), 2017. Adapted from CSU Fullerton Titan EDUCATOR Project, 2017. Page 1 of 3
 Part 3A: ME Observation of Lesson Delivery Part 3B: NT Reflection on
Lesson Delivery
Teacher Actions Student Actions

EXAMPLE
CSTP 1:
Engaging All
Students  In
what ways
were students
engaged?

Specific
Feedback
 What
information
can you
provide the
NT
regarding
requested
special
feedback?

CSTP 1:
Engaging All
Students
 In what ways
were students
engaged? How
were
students not
engaged?
 How did
students
contribute to
their learning?
 How did
teacher and/or
students
monitor
learning? 
How were the
focus
students engaged
and
supported
throughout the
lesson?

CSTP 2:
Effective
Learning
Environment
 How did
students and
teacher
contribute to an
effective
learning
 environment?

CSTP 3:
Organizing
Subject Matter
 What actions
of the NT
contributed to
student
assimilation of
subject
matter?
 How did
students
construct
knowledge of
subject
matter?
 What
misconcepti
ons did
students
have and
how
were they
addressed by
the teacher?

CSTP 4:
Learning
Experiences
 How were
students
supported
through
differentiated
instruction?
 How did
students
participate?
 How did the
NT contribute
to student
learning?

CSTP 5:
Assessing
Student
Learning
 How did
students
demonstrate
achievement
of lesson
objectives?
 In what
ways did
students
struggle or
demonstrate
limited
understanding
?
 What teacher
actions
contributed to
student
achievement?

Section 4: Post Observation Conference

POP Cycle, Teacher Induction Program (FOTIP), 2017. Adapted from CSU Fullerton Titan EDUCATOR Project, 2017. Page 2 of 3
To what degree
did students
achieve lesson
objectives?

To what degree did Focus Student 1: English Learner Focus Student 2: Student Focus Student 3: Your Choice
focus w/ILP/504
students achieve
lesson
objectives?

What would you do

differently next
time?

What were three

top Lesson
Strengths?

What were three

top areas for
improvement?

What are next steps?

Other Comments/Notes

All parts of this form should be transcribed (typed; not hand-written) into a single document
and submitted to course instructor. Information from this POP Cycle should be summarized on
the NT ILP as appropriate.

POP Cycle, Fullerton Online Teacher Induction Program (FOTIP), 2017. Adapted from CSU Fullerton Titan EDUCATOR Project,
2017. Page 3 of 3