Student Teaching Evaluation of Performance (STEP)

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Table of Contents

STEP Standard 1 - Contextual Factors: Knowing Your School and Community.....3

STEP Standard 2 - Writing Standards-Based Measurable Objectives and the
Learning Goal............................................................................................................4
STEP Standard 3 - Assessment and Data Literacy....................................................5
STEP Standard 4 - Unit and Lesson Planning...........................................................7
STEP Standard 5 - Implementation of Instructional Unit.......................................11
STEP Standard 6 - Analysis of Student Learning...................................................12
STEP Standard 7 - Reflecting on Instruction to Improve Student Progress............14

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STEP Standard 1 - Contextual Factors: Knowing Your School and
Community
Student Teaching Evaluation of Performance (STEP) is the process for preparing and
implementing a unit of instruction.
By understanding the community, school environment, and the makeup of the classroom, you
will be able to strategically meet the overall needs of your students.
By analyzing the student demographics, environmental factors, and student academic factors,
you will be able to strategically meet the overall needs of your students. In the first two weeks of
student teaching, you should focus on learning about the students you will be working with.

Part I: Community, District, School, and Classroom Factors

You will be completing this portion of the STEP document using the following link:
STEP Standard 1, Part I
After completing the e-doc portion, submit the PDF you receive into the Learning Management
System (LMS).

Part II: Demographic, Environment, and Academic Factors

You will be completing this portion of the STEP document using the following link:
STEP Standard 1, Part II
After completing the e-doc portion, submit the PDF you receive into the Learning Management
System (LMS).

Please note, that in order to submit this assignment, you must:

1. Complete each section of the STEP Standard 1
 Note: Closing your internet browser before the signing process is completed will
result in a loss of your work. If you will be completing this document in multiple
sittings, it is highly recommended to save and back up your work on another
document.  When you are ready to make your final submission, copy and paste your
responses into this document. The data from this electronic document will not be
saved until you complete the signing process.
2. Complete the signing process by entering your name, selecting “Click to Sign,” and
entering your email address. 
 An initial email will be sent to you to confirm your email address. 
 A completed copy of the document will be emailed to you within minutes of
confirming your email address.
3. After completing the e-doc portion, submit the PDF you receive into the Learning
Management System (LMS).

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STEP Standard 2 - Writing Standards-Based Measurable Objectives
and Learning Goals
Part of the planning process is to identify overall learning goals for a unit or lesson, as well as the
lesson’s specific learning objectives. Goals and objectives should be aligned not only to
standards, but also to student pre-assessment data.
The unit you are planning should be one you are preparing to teach during Weeks 5-7. The
standards and objectives need to align with your pre- and post-assessments and objectives.
Note: You will not teach this unit until you get feedback from both your instructor and your
mentor teaching on this STEP.

Unit Topic: Social Studies

Unit Title: Arizona History

National or State Academic Content Standards: PO 6. Recognize state symbols of Arizona

(e.g., bird, flower, tree, flag)

Learning Goal: For students to understand their state’s history and identify its symbols that
make Arizona unique.

Measurable Objectives: SWBAT identify the state symbols of Arizona and explain their
significance/uses. *Each day will have a specific symbol that supports the objective.

If you would like feedback on your pre-assessment for alignment prior to administering, copy it
in here.

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STEP Standard 3 - Assessment and Data Literacy
Pre- and post-assessments are used to assess the learning that takes place from participating in a
learning activity. The pre-assessment is given to students before instruction, in order to
determine their prior knowledge of the topic, or inaccurate knowledge, which is sometimes the
case. After students have participated in the unit, they are given the post-assessment, which can
be the same as the pre-assessment, a modified version, or something comparable that measures
the same concepts.
Formative assessment is acceptable, work with your mentor teacher to determine the best way to
collect data in your classroom.

Pre-Assessment - Copy and paste the pre-assessment you plan to use to assess the students’
knowledge of the topic prior to implementing the unit lessons. Include the scoring criteria used
to determine whether the student is Highly Proficient, Proficient, Partially Proficient, Minimally
Proficient when it comes to meeting the learning goal and measurable objectives.

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 Name: ___________________________

AZ History Pre-Check
1. On what holiday did Arizona become a state?

a. Christmas

b. Easter

c. July 4th

d. Valentine’s Day

2. What is the name of Arizona’s state bird?

a. Elf Owl

b. Cardinal

c. Cactus Wren

d. Eagle

3. How many colors does the state flag of Arizona have?

a. 3

b. 1

c. 5

d. 2

4. What is the most common type of cactus found in Arizona?

a. Saguaro

b. Prickly Pear

c. Jumping Cholla

d. Barrel cactus

5. What is the name of the state capital of Arizona?

a. Flagstaff

b. Gila Bend

c. Fountain Hills

d. Phoenix

6. What national park is found in Arizona?

a. Yosemite National Park

b. Glacier National Park

c. Grand Canyon National Park

d. Yellowstone National Park

#7 did not show up on here, but it is supposed to say: Name the 5 C’s of Arizona.
The pre-assessment I plan to give to my students will help me to be able to see how much the

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 students already know about Arizona.
Highly Proficient: Student is able to correctly answer all the multiple-choice questions correctly
without any assistance from the teacher.
Proficient: Student is able to answer 6 out of 7 of the multiple-choice questions correctly without
any assistance from the teacher.
Partially Proficient: Student is unable to answer 5 out of 7 of the multiple-choice questions
correctly.
Minimally Proficient: Student is unable to answer 0-4 out of 7 of the multiple-choice questions
correctly.  

Pre-Assessment Data: Whole Class - Once you have assessed your students’ knowledge on the topic,
collect and analyze the pre-assessment data to determine if you will need to modify the standards,
learning goal, or measurable objectives that will be addressed during instruction.

Number of Students

Highly Proficient (90%-100%) 0

Proficient
(80%-89%) 2

Partially Proficient
(70%-79%) 11

Minimally Proficient
(69% and below) 15

Pre-Assessment Analysis: Whole Class

Overall, most of the students struggled with this pre-assessment. I had two students in the proficient
spectrum, and this was great to see what they already knew about Arizona. I had 11 in the partially
proficient spectrum and 15 that were minimally proficient. I thought they did a good job considering we
had not covered any of this so far in the classroom. They did a great job of trying their best and using any
prior knowledge they may have had. This data allowed me to see where the students were struggling and
what information I needed to hit. All of my students got the last question wrong that asked them to name
the 5 C’s of Arizona. Many students did well on question 4 & 6.

Post-Assessment – Copy and paste the post-assessment you plan to use to assess the students’
knowledge of the topic after implementing the unit lessons. The post-assessment can be the same
as the pre-assessment, a modified version, or something comparable that measures the same
concepts. Include the scoring criteria used to determine whether students are Highly Proficient,
Proficient, Partially Proficient, Minimally Proficient when it comes to meeting the learning goal

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 and measurable objectives.

Name: ___________________________

AZ History Quiz
1. What month/day did Arizona become a state?
a. March 12th
b. February 14th
c. January 2nd
d. July 1st
2. What is the name of the state bird?
a. Cactus Wren
b. Mourning Dove
c. Cardinal
d. Elf Owl
3. What are the three colors of the state flag?
a. Red, white, blue
b. Pink, purple, white
c. Red, blue, black,
d. Red, blue, copper
4. What is the name of the state flower?
a. Saguaro Cactus Blossom
b. Sunflower
c. Rose
d. Daisy
5. What is the state capital of Arizona?
a. Scottsdale
b. Flagstaff
c. Phoenix
d. Prescott
6. What is Arizona’s nickname?
a. Palo Verde State
b. Desert State
c. Grand Canyon State
d. Saguaro Cactus State
7. Name the 5 C’s of Arizona.
1. ________________
2. ________________
3. ________________
4. ________________
5. ________________

Above is the post-assessment I plan to give to my students to access their knowledge of the AZ
history unit. The scoring criteria is very similar to the pre-assessment criteria as it is a similar
assessment.
Highly Proficient: Student is able to correctly answer all the multiple-choice questions correctly
without any assistance from the teacher.
Proficient: Student is able to answer 6 out of 7 of the multiple-choice questions correctly without

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 any assistance from the teacher.
Partially Proficient: Student is unable to answer 5 out of 7 of the multiple-choice questions
correctly.
Minimally Proficient: Student is unable to answer 0-4 out of 7 of the multiple-choice questions
correctly.  

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 STEP Standard 4 - Unit and Lesson Planning
During the design phase, you will carefully construct activities that are geared toward improving learning outcomes in your specific
disciplines. Each activity should align to instructional goals and demonstrate your understanding of the pre-assessment data results,
contextual factors, student learning needs, and management strategies.

Collaborate with your Cooperating Teacher/Mentor to design a unit of instruction that aligns to state content standards. Be sure to
include technology integration and demonstrate how you will differentiate your lessons to meet the needs of individual students.

Note: When implementing the unit of study, you will be choosing one of these activities to video record, review, and reflect on your teaching in
the STEP process.

Grade Level: 1st

Unit/Subject: AZ History

Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5

National/State Learning
Standards
List specific grade-level
standards that are the focus
of the lesson being presented.
PO 6. Recognize state PO 6. Recognize state PO 6. Recognize state PO 6. Recognize state PO 6. Recognize state
symbols of Arizona symbols of Arizona symbols of Arizona symbols of Arizona symbols of Arizona
(e.g., bird, flower, (e.g., bird, flower, tree, (e.g., bird, flower, tree, (e.g., bird, flower, tree, (e.g., bird, flower,
tree, flag) flag) flag) flag) tree, flag)
1.H4.1 Explain and 1.H4.1 Explain and 1.H4.1 Explain and 1.H4.1 Explain and 1.H4.1 Explain and
explore origins of key explore origins of key explore origins of key explore origins of key explore origins of key
American symbols, American symbols, American symbols, American symbols, American symbols,
documents, documents, landmarks, documents, landmarks, documents, landmarks, documents,
landmarks, holidays, holidays, and leaders as holidays, and leaders holidays, and leaders landmarks, holidays,
and leaders as well as well as their as well as their as well as their and leaders as well as
their importance from importance from the importance from the importance from the their importance from
the past to the present past to the present in past to the present in past to the present in the past to the present
in our country. our country. our country. our country. in our country.

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Specific Learning
Target(s)/Objectives
Based on state standards,
identify what is intended to be
measured in learning.
Academic Language
General academic
vocabulary and content-
specific vocabulary included
in the unit.
Unit Resources,
Materials, Equipment,
and Technology
List all resources, materials,
equipment, and technology to
be used in the unit.
Depth of Knowledge
Lesson Questions
What questions can be posed
throughout the lesson to
assess all levels of student
understanding?
 Level 1: Recall
 Level 2: Skill/Concepts
 Level 3: Strategic
Thinking
 Level 4: Extended
Thinking
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• Symbols include • Symbols include • Symbols include
• Symbols include Arizona state symbols. Arizona state symbols. Arizona state symbols. • Symbols include
Arizona state symbols. Arizona state symbols.
SWBAT identify the SWBAT identify the SWBAT identify SWBAT identify the SWBAT identify the
state tree and explain state flower and the homes for desert birds state flag and its colors five 5 C’s of Arizona
its uses. saguaro cactus and and explain their and explain the and explain their
explain its significance. unique features. meaning behind each significance.
color on the flag.
*We will go over the
five C’s briefly.
Palo Verde Saguaro Cactus Wren Beam Cotton
Pods Cactus blossom Elf Owl Ray Cattle
Mourning Dove Landscape Citrus
Gila Woodpecker Copper production Climate
Saguaro – review Copper
*colors on flag – red,
blue, copper
AZ History Packet AZ History Packet AZ History Packet AZ History Packet AZ History Packet
PowerPoint Crayons PowerPoint Video of the flag Overhead projector
Pencils Cut up pieces of paper Crayons Pencils 5 C’s worksheet +
Crayons Glue Scissors Crayons cutouts
Worksheet for ending Comparison worksheet Glue Class flag – paper, Markers
activity glue, cardboard Scissors
Sticky notes Paper Glue
Cotton balls
 What does Palo  Can you identify  Can you recall any  How many colors  Can you recall the
Verde mean? the state flower of of the birds you are there on the 5 C’s of Arizona?
 Have you ever Arizona? saw in the puppet state flag?  Can you explain
seen a Palo Verde  What do you notice show?  What do each of the significance of
tree before? about the state  How do the birds the color mean on each C?
 How are Palo flower? make their homes the state flag?  How do the 5 C’s
Verde trees  How does saguaro in the desert?  Why is the state relate to Arizona?
similar/different cactus blossom  *If the saguaro flag of Arizona
from other trees? compare/contrast cactus has spines important? Why
 Why do you think to other flowers? to protect it from do you think this?
the Palo Verde animals, how are
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Anticipatory Set
How will students’ prior
knowledge be activated as
well as gain student interest
in the upcoming content?
Multiple Means of
Representation
Describe how content will be
presented in various ways to
meet the needs of different
learners.
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tree is the state certain desert birds
tree of Arizona? able to land
Why? on/nest in the
 What are the cactus? Why do
different uses of you think this?
the Palo Verde
tree?
I will ask students to Students will have We will discuss the We will talk about I will ask students
come outside to gone to a puppet show puppet show again and what students know what they remember
observe/examine a that covered the students will write on about the flag by about the 5 C’s and if
Palo Verde tree. We saguaro cactus blossom their whiteboards the having them discuss it they can name them
will talk about it and I so they will have some different birds they with their shoulder all as we briefly went
will see if any of the exposure to it remember from the partner and working over them on day 2.
students have noticed beforehand. I will have show and swap their together to draw what I will have students do
this tree before or seen them write down what whiteboard with their they think the flag their best to name all
somewhere. They will they remember or shoulder partner and looks like. Then, we five C’s.
write what they know maybe if they have discuss their answers. will discuss it as a
about this type of tree seen one before in real class.
on a sticky note and life and then a do a
we will discuss it. snowball fight and
discuss.
Presentation of Content
I will bring students Students will discuss I will have students I will present the I will provide students
outside to actually see with their classmates walk through the content to the students with a worksheet that I
a real Palo Verde tree what they know about PowerPoint with me to through direct made on the five C’s
that is on campus and the cactus blossom show them close-up instruction and along with a work
have them touch it and through participating in photos of the different throughout showing a page in their AZ
observe it. I will show a snowball fight. They birds and their homes picture. We will also history packet.
a PowerPoint with lots will learn about the in the desert. They will look over their sheet in Students will have the
of pictures and explain flower more and see do a cut-and-paste their packet that tells opportunity to write,
the trees uses. pictures of it online. activity in their AZ more about the state cut-and paste, and
Students will write They will complete a packet for their flag. Students will color in this lesson. I
about what they know compare/contrast activity. They will work on sheet in the will show students
about the Palo Verde worksheet. Lastly, they color after they have packet and will create pictures of the five C’s
tree. They will get to will create their own finished. a “class Arizona flag”. along with having cut
color the tree in their cactus blossom using out pictures/drawings
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 AZ packet. They will cut up paper and glue. of them. For cotton,
go back outside and specifically, I will
analyze the tree even have cotton balls for
more and answers them to be able feel it.
questions on a
worksheet and work
with their shoulder
partner.

Multiple Means of  English  English  English  English  English

Representation Language Language Language Language Language
Differentiation Learners (ELL) Learners (ELL) Learners (ELL) Learners (ELL) Learners (ELL)
Explain how materials will be – Having – visuals and a – Having – visuals; – Having
differentiated for each of the pictures will be hand-on activity pictures and a hands-on pictures will be
following groups: helpful for along with coloring activity; helpful for them
 English Language them; they will working with activity; can ask collaboration  Students with
Learners (ELL) work with their classmates classmate for with peers – special needs –
 Students with special shoulder partner  Students with assistance if working I have a few
needs on analyzing special needs – I needed together on students on
 Students with gifted the Palo Verde have a few  Students with project IEP’s and
abilities tree students on special needs –  Students with sentence stems
Early finishers (those who  Students with IEP’s and they will work with special needs – are very helpful
finish early and may need special needs – work with me or me or following along for them along
additional sources/support) I will assist my another student classmate; may with finger as with me coming
students with if they need need assistance we read through over and
IEP’s when we assistance. They using the booklet; assisting them
are working on will work with scissors or help working  Students with
activities. I will their hands when gluing alongside gifted abilities –
also have creating their  Students with classmates on they will have a
sentences stems own cactus gifted abilities – the class flag chance to shine
for students to blossom. they will have a  Students with when I am
use.  Students with chance to work gifted abilities – asking what the
 Students with gifted abilities – with their they will help five C’s are and
gifted abilities – they will create classmates to with creating they will be
my gifted their own cactus further explain the class flag by asked to help
student will blossom so they ideas/thoughts being assigned their classmates
help me scroll can use their or help with the a leadership that may need
down on the skills and apply activity role so they can help with
PowerPoint. those. They will *Those who finish early lead their peers something.

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 They will be assist classmates may help classmates and share their *Those who finish early
able to assist and get to share and/or read; they can ideas. may help classmates
their classmates their thoughts on finish coloring in their *Those who finish early and/or read; they can
as well. the flower AZ history packet. may help classmates finish coloring in their
*Those who finish early throughout the and/or read; they can AZ history packet.
may help classmates lesson. finish coloring in their
and/or read; they can *Those who finish early AZ history packet.
finish coloring in their may help classmates
AZ history packet. and/or read; they can
finish coloring in their
AZ history packet.

Application of Content
Multiple Means of Students will be Students will explore Students will apply Students will complete They will explore the
Engagement exploring the content and apply the content what they have learned page in AZ packet and content through
How will students explore, by coloring the Palo by completing a by completing the then work on creating looking at different
practice, and apply the Verde worksheet in compare/contrast “homes for desert the class flag. pictures of the 5 C’s
content? their AZ packet. They worksheet along with birds” page in their along with doing a
will work with their creating their cactus AZ packet. They will hands-on activity
shoulder partner to blossom flower using cut and paste, match, where they will be
complete a worksheet cut up pieces of paper and color. gluing pictures on the
and go outside to do and glue. They will worksheet. They will
this. color the flower in their also color pictures of
AZ packet. the 5 C’s.
Multiple Means of  English  English  English  English  English
Engagement Language Language Language Language Language
Differentiation Learners (ELL) Learners (ELL) Learners (ELL) Learners (ELL) Learners (ELL)
Explain how materials will be – Pictures will – will have – visuals; – working – pictures will
differentiated for each of the be provided, pictures of the assistance from together with be given to help
following groups: and they will flower up to help classmates classmates and them see what
 English Language work with their them as they are  Students with using hands to the 5 C’s look
Learners (ELL) classmates to creating their special needs – create the flag like
 Students with special complete the own flower. I have a few  Students with  Students with
needs activity.  Students with students on special needs – special needs –
 Students with gifted  Students with special needs – IEP’s they will also working I have a few
abilities special needs – work with me or come to me or with classmates students on
Early finishers (those who I have a few partner to ask classmate and will be IEP’s and
finish early and may need students on complete the for help/support given tasks that sentence stems

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additional sources/support) IEP’s and activities if they  Students with meet their are very helpful
sentence stems need gifted abilities – needs; I will for them along
are very helpful assistance/extra they will have assist them with me coming
for them along support the chance to where it is over and
with me coming  Students with help their needed assisting them
over and gifted abilities – classmates with  Students with while working
assisting them; help classmates the activity if gifted abilities – on the activities
they will work and show their needed and will they will be  Students with
with a shoulder skills through answer the given the leader gifted abilities –
partner creating. starred question role – they have they will have a
 Students with *Those who finish early as well. the opportunity chance to shine
gifted abilities – may help classmates *Those who finish early to take charge when I am
they will work and/or read; they can may help classmates and guide their asking what the
alongside finish coloring in their and/or read; they can classmates and five C’s are and
another AZ history packet. finish coloring in their collaborate on they will be
classmate and AZ history packet. ideas on how to asked to help
will have the make the class their classmates
opportunity to flag. that may need
share their *Those who finish early help with
knowledge with may help classmates something.
one another and and/or read; they can *Those who finish early
help their finish coloring in their may help classmates
classmates. AZ history packet. and/or read; they can
*Those who finish early finish coloring in their
may help classmates AZ history packet.
and/or read; they can
finish coloring in their
AZ history packet.

Multiple Means of
Expression
Formative and summative
assessments used to monitor
student progress and modify
instruction.
The formative
assessment will be
them answering
questions I will ask
them as we are
looking at the Palo
Verde outside the
classroom together. It
will give me an idea
Assessment of Content
Formative assessment
– snowball fight; class
discussion
Summative assessment
– compare/contrast
worksheet; cactus
blossom creation
I will have students
think-pair-share for
the formative
assessment on their
whiteboards. Students
will complete their
worksheet in the AZ
packet and turn that in
for a grade.
Students will discuss
with their shoulder
partner what they
know about the state
flag of AZ and draw it
together to see how
much they know. The
final activity will be to
create a “class AZ
A formative
assessment used was
asking students to
name the 5 C’s
together as a class
before we began. A
summative assessment
was given at the end
where the students had

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 on who is familiar *Students will answer flag”. to name the 5 C’s and
with this kind of tree. starred question if they answer what state they
Students will work have finished and want represented. I took this
with a partner to extra credit. for a grade.
complete a worksheet
that further examines
the tree, and this will
be taken as grade.
Multiple Means of  English  English  English  English  English
Expression Language Language Language Language Language
Differentiation Learners (ELL) Learners (ELL) Learners (ELL) Learners (ELL) Learners (ELL)
Explain how materials will be – pictures and – Having the – visuals – Having – pictures were
differentiated for each of the classmate opportunity to  Students with pictures will be given to help
following groups: support create their own special needs – helpful and them recall
 English Language  Students with flower; I will working what the five
Learners (ELL) special needs – classmate support/assist together on the C’s are.
 Students with special I have a few assistance; them if needed flag with help  Students with
needs students on pictures/visuals  Students with them to work special needs –
 Students with gifted IEP’s and  Students with gifted abilities – alongside their my few students
abilities sentence stems special needs – I they will classmates and on IEP’s will
Early finishers (those who are very helpful have a few answer the extra hopefully feel have sentences
finish early and may need for them along students on credit question more stems given to
additional resources/support) with me coming IEP’s and they on the back of comfortable answer the
over and will be able to their worksheet collaborating. questions.
assisting them work with me in *Those who finish early  Students with  Students with
along with their the back or with may help classmates special needs – gifted abilities –
classmates a classmate; and/or read; they can students on they will be
 Students with sentences frames finish coloring in their IEP’s will be able to share
gifted abilities – will be given on AZ history packet. working their knowledge
they will be the together with with me on the
able to share compare/contrast their classmates summative
ideas and sheet and will be assessment
knowledge with  Students with given tasks for along with at
their peers gifted abilities – the class flag the beginning
working on the they will be able that will best when they will
activity and to share their meet their needs be naming the
share what they knowledge and not make five C’s as a
already know through doing them feel class.
about the tree at the snowball overwhelmed. *Those who finish early

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 the beginning of fight and  Students with may help classmates
the lesson. through creating gifted abilities – and/or read; they can
*Those who finish early their own cactus they will have a finish coloring in their
may help classmates blossom flower. chance to shine AZ history packet.
and/or read; they can *Those who finish early when working
finish coloring in their may help classmates on the class flag
AZ history packet. and/or read; they can – will be given
finish coloring in their leadership role
AZ history packet. *Those who finish early
may help classmates
and/or read; they can
finish coloring in their
AZ history packet.

Extension Activity and/or Homework

Identify and describe any None None None None None
extension activities or
homework tasks as
appropriate. Explain how the
extension activity or
homework assignment
supports the learning
targets/objectives. As
required by your instructor,
attach any copies of
homework at the end of this
template.

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STEP Standard 5 - Implementation of Instructional Unit
You will implement all lesson activities, correlating formative assessments and the summative
post-assessment. Choose one of the lesson activities to video record a 5-10 minute segment,
review, and reflect on your teaching. Have your cooperating teacher/mentor review the recording
and provide feedback, if possible.

Use an online video platform such as Loom, YouTube, or Vimeo to upload your completed video.
Be sure that others can access and view your linked video prior to submitting.

Video Recording Link: Here are two links to my video. It would not allow me to upload to
YouTube.

https://www.icloud.com/photos/#0UfxFp4ZvDRLgryGm3AMajSBQ
https://1drv.ms/u/s!Atmsu_XStZjKuWyTki3RE0Eeqwe7?e=g80n9N

Summary of Unit Implementation:

This unit was on Arizona’s history, which was a fun topic to teach the students about. It
was great to see them connect things they may have seen or heard of prior to this unit. The
students were very interested in it as well and got excited each day to pull out their AZ History
packets and learn more about their state. The students did not have much of an issue
completing/interacting in the different activities. They quickly understood the expectations I had,
and the different instructions involved. I incorporated different ways in which the students would
be learning about Arizona’s history. I had them go outside to see a real Palo Verde tree, I made
PowerPoints, showed videos, and provided coloring & writing activities. At the beginning of the
unit, the students seemed excited to be learning about the state they live in. They were given an
AZ history packet that they used each day. It had pictures and coloring opportunities for the
students. It also had little statements/overviews about what we were learning about. Throughout
this unit, the students had the opportunity to participate in different activities and they also had
the chance to see a puppet show about Arizona and the different wildlife and cactus that are
native to this state.
On day one of the unit, I introduced what we would be learning about and they were
given the pre-assessment as well. On day two, we learned about the state tree – the Palo Verde
tree – and got to go outside and look at/examine a real Palo Verde. They loved having the
opportunity to get out of the classroom and see what we were learning about in real life. I made a
PowerPoint to show them more up closely what it looks like. On day three, we learned about the
saguaro and the state flower – the cactus blossom. They had gone to the puppet show the day
before, which was great as they had some prior knowledge about the flower and cactus. On day
four, we learned about homes for desert birds, which the students learned about during the
puppet show as well. I was able to explain in more detail the different kinds of birds and homes
they build in the desert. They did a cut-and-paste activity to go along with this lesson. On day
five, the students learned about the state flag and got the opportunity to color one of their own.
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 Overall, I thought this unit was very engaging and provided for great discussions and
hands-on activities. The students learned a lot about Arizona and were even talking about it
outside of the classroom and were making connections. For example, one student saw a
Mourning Dove, which we had learned about and he remembered which bird it was. That was
very neat to see what they had retained and learned from this unit.

Summary of Student Learning:

As I was planning the different activities for this unit, I made sure I looked at each
students’ needs and made sure to accommodate those. I feel as though this was accomplished as
pictures were involved, videos, reading, writing, and collaboration. I wanted to make sure I was
not just standing at the front of the room teaching the students the whole time. I wanted to
incorporate different activities and ways to display the content. The students adapted well to this
and learned much from this unit on Arizona history. One of my students’ main issues is listening
and talking. They are constantly talking to one another and not listening to instructions. This has
been a challenging thing for to manage and for the students that are wanting to learn but are
being distracted by their other classmates. This greatly affects their learning. The students have
seemed to love learning about Arizona and they even got to see a puppet show on campus called
“Hotel Saguaro” where they learned more about the saguaro cactus and the animals that live in
the desert. This was very helpful for them to see/learn from. They were able to apply what they
learned from that puppet show to our in-class activities.

Reflection of Video Recording:

It was interesting watching myself teach on video. I can honestly say it was not my
favorite thing to watch/listen to myself. On the other hand, it was very insightful. As I was
watching the video, I noticed things that I do not normally notice when I am teaching in the
classroom. I found this to be very helpful. I am able to look at those things from a different
perspective and notice which things are going well and where improvement is needed. Positive
things I noticed in my video was that the students were engaged and not as chatty as normal.
They seemed to enjoy the 5 C’s of Arizona activity. One student said he wanted to hang it up in
his room! I was impressed that the students remembered the 5 C’s. One thing I noticed that I
would change is the amount of times I said “alright” or “so”. I did not realize I said that so much
but now I can be mindful of how much I say these words. Overall, I thought the lesson went well
and the students enjoyed it. My mentor teacher had great feedback for me and she thought it
went well too.

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STEP Standard 6 - Analysis of Student Learning
After you have implemented each lesson in the unit, as well as completed the post-assessment,
collaborate with your cooperating teacher/mentor to analyze the results of the post-assessment
and determine student learning. Review your data and whether there is a student or group of
students who have not mastered the objectives and discuss what you will do to further develop
students’ knowledge and skills.

Post-Test Data: Whole Class - Once you have assessed your students’ learning on the topic, collect and
analyze the post-test data to determine the effectiveness of your instruction and assessment.
Number of Students Number of Students
Pre-Test Post-Test
Highly Proficient 0 16
(90%-100%)
Proficient
2 6
(80%-89%)
Partially
Proficient 11 2
(70%-79%)
Minimally
Proficient 15 4
(69% and below)
Post-Test Analysis: Whole Class
The students really learned a lot about Arizona and its history. On the pre-test, there were 0
students who scored in the highly proficient section, and on the post-test, there were 16 who fell
into this category! I was very pleased with the results. Some of the information we learned about
was tricky to remember, so I was very proud of them and felt that they learned a lot. There were 6
students who fell into the partially proficient and minimally proficient on the post-test, and I
would have liked these numbers to have been lower. On the other hand, each question holds a
greater percentage since there are only 7 questions on this assessment, so this had a greater effect
on their scores.
Based on the whole class data, I feel as though I presented the information well and in a way that
was meaningful to them. They seemed to enjoy the content and seemed to soak it all in. They
were very curious and excited and were making connections throughout this unit. For example,
when we were discussing saguaro cacti and the Palo Verde tree, students realized they had seen
those before. One student made the connection that there was a Palo Verde tree right outside of
our classroom. Also, one student saw a bird outside and made the connection that it was a
mourning dove, which we had learned about. This showed me they were grasping the information
being presented to them and this showed on their test scores as well.
Post-Assessment Analysis: Subgroup Selection

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 I am going to focus on the group of students on IEP’S because they are the students that did not
improve much on this unit. I am going to reflect on how I can better teach/support them. I want to
also reflect on differentiation for this group and how I could have done more of this to better meet
their individual needs.
Post-Assessment Data: Subgroup (Gender, ELL population, Gifted, students on IEPs or
504s, etc.)
Number of Students Number of Students
Pre-Test Post-Test
Highly Proficient N/A N/A
(90%-100%)
Proficient
N/A N.A
(80%-89%)
Partially
Proficient 11 2
(70%-79%)
Minimally
Proficient 15 4
(69% and below)
Post-Assessment Analysis: Subgroup

Many of my students who are on IEP’s have ADD, which can make delivering
instruction/information challenging. They have trouble staying focused for long periods of time,
so this was something I had to be mindful of and I had to differentiate my instruction. For
example, I had hands-on activities such as coloring, cutting and pasting, etc., along with going
outside and analyzing an actual Palo Verde tree. These students seemed to especially enjoy this as
they were able to get up, move around, use their hands, etc. I think they learned the information
and were engaged for most of the lessons but struggled applying what they learned on the test and
staying focused.
Based on the data for this particular group of students, I came to the conclusion that I could have
implemented a few more tactics to better support these students and their specific needs in the
classroom. I feel that I presented the content in many different and effective ways, but I feel that I
could have taken it a step farther. I could have used more formative assessments along the way to
see where the students were at. This was not something I did too often due to time, but next time I
want to find formative assessments I could use even when we are on a time crunch. In addition,
my classroom management is still something I am working to improve on. This definitely effects
the students’ learning as they need structure, routine, and consistency to help them stay focused
and in line.

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 Post-Assessment Data: Remainder of Class

Number of Students Number of Students

Pre-Test Post-Test
Highly Proficient 0 16
(90%-100%)
Proficient
2 6
(80%-89%)
Partially
Proficient N/A N/A
(70%-79%)
Minimally
Proficient N/A N/A
(69% and below)
Post-Assessment Analysis: Subgroup and Remainder of Class

The remainder of the class improved very much on this unit. They showed positive test results in
comparison to the pre-test. The students also enjoyed this unit and soaked it all up. Their
understanding of the content showed on their test scores. The different ways I was able to present
the content was helpful to the students as students learn in many different ways. The data of the
subgroup and of the remainder of the class was quite different. Many students improved and
jumped from being in the partially and minimally proficient category to highly proficient. Many
students in the subgroup stayed in the same range/category. Based on this comparison in data
results, I feel that I presented the information well, but there are areas in which I can improve
upon.
Based on the students’ learning, my first step would be to incorporate more formative
assessments through the lessons/unit. I would also differentiate my instruction even more than
before. I would take more time to analyze my students’ specific needs and implement activities
that would better meet those needs. I would want the students to do more investigating of their
own on Arizona’s history. An idea would be for them to create a poster board, video, etc., about
what they found about Arizona (must be something we had not already covered in class). This
gives them the freedom to choose and be creative/express themselves in different ways. An
objective I would include for this would be: SWBAT create/design a poster board or video that
identifies and explains a new fact about Arizona and its history.

STEP Standard 7 – Reflecting on Instruction to Improve Student

Progress
Improved Practice Based on the Unit of Study
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Based on the experience of developing and delivering your instructional unit, list three short-
term goals to improve specific areas of your teaching practice based on the unit of instruction
and describe your plan to reach each short-term goal.

Plan to Reach the Goal (i.e., professional

Short-Term Goal development, research on the Internet,
observation of a veteran teacher, etc.)
1. Improve my behavioral management Observe and talk with veteran teachers to
skills gain knowledge of their classroom
management strategies and implement those
in my student teaching classroom.

2. Gain a better understanding of how to Research ideas on the internet and talk with
differentiate in the classroom (small different teacher in different grades about
groups, whole group, etc.) their strategies.

3. Gain new strategies that foster classroom Try new strategies that I have learned in
engagement classes in my student teaching classroom as
well as research new strategies.

Long-Term Goals: Teachers who are dedicated to their profession and to improving the lives of
students will continually look for ways to grow and learn. The best way to ensure that learning is
prioritized is to create a long-term goal. Create one long term goal that is specific and
measurable. Make sure to discuss the following:
Long-Term Goal: To have a set classroom management plan in place and implement it
by the first day of school.
Rationale: Why did you choose this goal? This is an area of teaching that I feel I need
How do you expect it to improve the the most improvement on. This will improve
outcomes of your future students? the outcome of my future students by creating
an environment that allows students to learn
and grow.
End Date: By when do you expect to I except to accomplish this goal by the first
accomplish this goal? day of school having my own classroom.
Action Timeline: What steps will you take to This summer, I will diligently to create this
complete this goal, and by when will you take classroom management plan. I will be
them? Example: finished with this plan by the first day of
school.
1/31/18: Join AACTE

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 Resources: What resources are available to I will utilize online resources as well as
assist you in accomplishing your goal? veteran teachers.

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