Overview of Teacher Work Sample

This work sample was produced by Maddie Owens while student teaching during the
Spring 2020 Semester. This work sample was taught to 7th grade English Language Arts (ELA)
students at Auburn Middle School in Auburn, ME. This work sample focuses on Block C, which
was taught on Maroon Days. This means that these students were only seen for ELA every
other day. This sample is five consecutive lessons from February 25, 2020 to March 06, 2020.
This series of lessons focused on the topics of central idea and the introduction of formal style in
writing. The final day is a Book Talk Friday. Students were pre-assessed on central idea in late
January. The assignment that students worked on during this work sample was the summative
for that pre-assessment. Students were pre-assessed on formal style in writing during this work
sample. For central idea, students were asked to craft a central idea statement and identify
three pieces of textual evidence. For formal style in writing, students were asked to identify
formal style and transfer informal style in writing to formal writing style. The Book Talk Friday
asks students to present a book that they’ve read recently and identify the title, author, genre, a
connected learning target and explain a brief summary and how their learning target connects.
This works towards different learning targets than central idea and formal style, but is an
ongoing target throughout the year.

Integration of CFA Data

To aid in informing this work sample, data collected for the Contextual Factors Analysis
(CFA) was used. Data from this CFA helped to inform lexile decisions for students, how
instruction should be based and who the students were. Despite not having any identified ELL
students in Block C, care was taken to make lexiles below grade level available. This means
that students who are identified as special education, or with a 504, have access to materials
needed. By understanding how students learn best, from asking them directly, instructional time
could be split between their preferences: reading, talking, and hands on. During all of the
lessons, students had a chance to do at least two of the three, if not all three. By doing this,
students recognize their input matters to instructional decisions, and they are able to learn more
effectively in a style that works for them.

Figure One: Overview Chart

Figure one shows, in bulleted form, the goals and objectives, the activities, and the different types of
assessments present in this work sample.

Goals and Objectives Activities Pre-Assessment Formative Summative

Assessments Assessments

- Students will be able - Central - Formal Style - Central Idea - Book Talk
to create an Idea Pre- Organizer - Central
accurate central Organizer Assessment (“Selfie Idea
idea statement from (“Selfie Organizer”) Organizer
Organizer” (pre-correction (post
a given article.
- Exit s) corrections
- Students will be able Ticket(s) - Central Idea )
to choose at least - Corrections Organizer
 three pieces of - Pass The (“Selfie
evidence to support Ball Organizer”)
their central idea - CLOZE Corrections
statement. Notes - Exit Ticket
- “Informal - Pass The Ball
- Students will
vs Formal” - (Self) “Formal
accurately complete - PB&J vs Informal”
their “selfie Instructions worksheet
organizer”, - Book Talks - PB&J
completing any Instructions
corrections deemed - Book Talk
necessary. Conference
- Students will be able
to recall and define,
identify, and record
characteristics of
formal writing style.
- Students will be able
to differentiate
between formal and
informal writing style
and translate
informal to formal
writing style.
- Students will be able
to identify the title,
author, and genre of
their chosen book.
- Students will be able
to accurately
connect their chosen
book to a previous
learning target.
- Students will be able
to present their work
to the class in a
clear and precise
manner.