I set out to teach a review lesson on three-dimensional shapes, as the content had already been addressed, Miss Cook and I set out with the goals to collect data on my inquiry students in mathematics and make the lesson engaging so the students would remember what was being taught. My inquiry focuses on how to differentiate instruction for on, above and below level students. Miss Cook and I started out with our Kindergarten team's rough planning guide and got to work brainstorming. I had come up with the idea of having students help to fill out a classroom butcher paper chart that included the names of the shape, how many faces, vertices, and edges. Miss Cook had the brilliant idea to take the game ZAP (a game the students play to review sight words) and modify it to our purposes by using wooden manipulatives. Through this I observed my three students and noted their levels of engagement and monitored their comprehension.
What did you learn from your conversations with your partner?
Throughout this experience, I learned what it is like to plan with a peer. Miss Cook and I have worked together on a couple projects together and therefore have a strong rapport. I have also learned the importance of having someone there to (kindly of course) say, "hey that's not really the best idea, maybe go in a different direction." The saying really is true, two heads are better than one.