Running head: CONTENT KNOWLEDGE

Content Knowledge
Candice Milam
Regent University

In partial fulfillment of UED 495 Field Experience ePortfolio, Spring 2015

CONTENT KNOWLEDGE
Introduction

Its important for teachers to provide content rich lessons to their students in order
to achieve student growth. Although students will be tested on the information, the end
goal is always student achievement. The state standards are there for teachers as tools to
focus their instruction. Learning is most effective when teachers use the standards as
frameworks for their instruction while still meeting their students needs.
Rationale for Selection of Artifacts
Its important to create lessons that cover the standards of learning and still reach
Mrs. Barbours students needs. They sometimes require me to cover a lesson for two
days because they may not understand the content. I have to choose my activities wisely
or they might get bored and the content will not stick with them.
The first artifact is a content rich lesson plan on the battles of Virginia during the
American Revolution. The standard is the student will demonstrate knowledge on the role
of Virginia in the American Revolution by identifying the importance of the Battle of
Great Bridge, the ride of Jack Jouett, and the American victory at Yorktown (VS.5c). I
took the essential understandings and created or picked activities that would help students
meet the objective. I handed out maps and had a map on the Promethean board for
students to come and find the important places pertaining to the standard.
The second artifact was an activity or worksheet for the same lesson. I chose this
because it is a great study tool for students. It meets every part of the objective and then
some. Students were able to use this organizer to write down the important dates,

CONTENT KNOWLEDGE
description, and location. They needed to know who was apart of each army and who
won. It also included the outcomes, results, the effects, the importance the event had to
the war. I modeled for the students how to find the information they need using their

history book for the Battle of Great Bridge. To promote collaborative learning, I allowed
them to work with a partner to find the other two. Afterwards, we checked them and they
put the worksheet in their notes to study.
Reflection on Theory and Practice
If a teacher does not know the needs of her students and plans solely on the
standards then the lesson will not be as effective. Content is important, but effective
instruction is not exclusively content based. Sara Powell (2012) states, Standards help
organize and guide teaching and learning in the classroom (p 97). Regent has taught me
not to teach only the standards, to try and include character building and other things not
normally taught. Although my students must know the standards, that is second to me. I
use the standards as a tool to help frame my instruction. I want to see my students
succeed on their standardized tests but the most important thing is that my students know
I care about them and that my students leave my class better people. The standards are
there to help my students and I set educational goals. Its important for students to have a
clear idea of what theyre supposed to be learning. Regent has also taught me to use
standards as a way to assess my students.

References
Powell, S. (2012). Your Introduction to Education: Explorations in Teaching (2nd ed.).
Boston: Pearson.

CONTENT KNOWLEDGE