ODU Student Observation Form

Lesson Topic: AP Physics – Gravitational Force Teacher: _Mr. Caja_________ Date: _2/23/24
Grade: _10-12______ # of students in class: _8_______

Answer the following questions/descriptions for each section:

ACTIVITIES:
Provide a brief description of activities in lesson and the approximate time for each activity
Mr. Caja begins class by giving a short overview of gravitational force. He hands out an assignment sheet
that he calls “4 thoughtful questions.” This assignment is designed to provoke group discussion, but he
allows students to work on it individually. The students seemed to work individually, as I did not hear
any discussion. He gave the students 15 minutes initially but added another 5 to allow them to complete
all 4 questions. He then went over the questions, breaking down the gravitational force formula to answer
the 1st, and had videos queued up to explain the other 3. He also allowed for class discussion throughout
the explanations.

STRATEGIES:
Describe the teaching style(s) used
Mr. Caja almost exclusively used guided discovery in this lesson. He allowed the students to discuss
together and would add information as he needed to guide the students to the answers.

How does the teacher help students internalize essential knowledge? (ask questions, have student re-state
information, give examples)
Mr. Caja asks guiding questions to lead students to the right answer.

How does the teacher encourage critical thinking through emphasizing accuracy and clarity? (Link
information to prior knowledge)
Mr. Caja makes the questions fun, like “If the Earth were hollow, how much gravity would you feel
anywhere inside the Earth?” This allows students to think critically about what it is that is causing the
gravitational force we feel at the surface.

MANAGEMENT:
Describe how the teacher organized and prepared the classroom prior to class.
Mr. Caja had the assignment ready to hand out at the start of class.

What stop/start signals are used?

Mr. Caja used a timer on the Smart Board so the students would know how much time they had left.

How are transitions between activities organized and implemented?

N/A

EQUIPMENT:
How is equipment distributed and collected?
Mr. Caja handed out the assignment while explaining what the assignment was and his expectations for
it.

STUDENTS’ BEHAVIOR:
How does the teacher help students develop a sense of comfort and order?
Mr. Caja stops students from saying negative things about other’s thoughts when they are in the group
discussion portion of the class.

To what extent do students demonstrate that they feel positive about themselves, their peers, their
instructor, and the tasks they are assigned?
Every student was involved in the group discussions and willingly added to the conversation.

What characteristics does the teacher possess that makes the entire lesson an enjoyable, productive
experience for the students?
Mr. Caja seems to have a good relationship with the students and ties things into the discussions that may
be relevant to their interests, like Dungeons and Dragons and video games.