Standards+Alliance+System+(SAS)

The Pennsylvania Standards Alliance System also known as SAS is a product of reasearch that has identified six practices that establish, "...schools and districts a common framework for continuous school and district enhancement and improvement. Much research has been conducted as to what makes a great school. There are many intangible components; however, research supports the notion that great schools and school systems tend to have six common elements that ensure Student Achievement: Clear Standards, Fair Assessments, Curriculum Framework, Instruction, Materials & Resources, and Interventions" ([|www.pdesas.org]). When a teacher is completing a lesson plan they should also consider the big ideas, the concept they are teaching, the skills the students should be able to complete, and questions that will connect the SAS framework with the big ideas. With these six elements in mind, I have created a comprehensible evaluation as to whether or not the lesson plan has successfully met components.

﻿I have also completed a lesson plan to be submitted to SAS 

Below is my evaluation of a third grade lesson on the Water Cycle and the original lesson can be found [|here].


 * Background Information **
 * **//Lesson Title: //** || == Water cycle == || **//Lesson URL: //** |||| == http://www.lessonplanspage.com/ScienceMathLATheWaterCyclePlan34.htm == ||
 * **//Grade Level: //** || Third || **//Subject Area: //** |||| Science ||
 * **//PA Standards Addressed: //** |||||||| **3.3.3.A4:** Connect the various forms of precipitation to the weather in a particular place and time. ||
 * **//Name(s) of Reviewer //** || Meghan Lynch |||| **//e-Mail for each Reviewer //** || Lynchm22@scranton.edu ||


 * == Dimensions == || == Rating  ==

//0 1 2 3 4 5 6 //
|| == Suggestions for Improvement == ||
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Times','serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Validity ** || 3 || The lesson does not teach the water cycle, rather it insinuates that the students already have an idea of what it is. Instead the class should have a lesson strictly on the water cycle before they focus on the terrarium. ||
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Times','serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Reliability ** || 3 || Once again, in order for the students to learn about the water cycle they should spend more time reviewing what the water cycle is, the different aspects, and how the cycle progresses. Then the students will be more comfortable and prepared when they are completing the activity. ||
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Times','serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Authenticity ** || 5 || When I read the lesson I could tell that it was something that someone had dreamed up in his or her head. The lesson does sound authentic and shows a lot of creativity. This lesson would also require a lot of time, effort, and materials. It was last updated April 26, 2010. ||
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Times','serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Challenge ** || 5 || The lesson expects the students to be well versed in the subject matter beforehand because otherwise the students would fall behind during many of the activities and worksheets. This lesson requires a lot of time and patience as students are required to build a terrarium as well as record any activity in their terrarium, describe and understand the water cycle, and complete worksheets. ||
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Times','serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Clarity of Task and Assessment Criteria ** || 2 || I feel that the lesson has too much going on between the questions, the readings, building the terrarium, analyzing it, and completing worksheets. I think the teacher should focus on one large thing in one lesson and maybe two smaller activities in another class so the students are not overwhelmed. ||
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Times','serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Important Content ** || 5 || This lesson truly does focus on important subject matter because the water cycle is something that continues to present itself throughout the students schooling. ||
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Times','serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Feasibility ** || 3 || <span style="font-family: 'Times-Roman','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Overall I do feel that this lesson can be completed however I feel that it is too much to take on in one or two class periods. I think that it would cause confusion and stress for some students because the instructions were not always clearly defined. This lesson would need some cleaning up before implemented. ||
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Times','serif'; font-size: 10pt;">High Level Processes ** || 4 || There is some higher level thinking that is exhibited in the lesson. For example the students are required to independently analyze their terrariums and form thoughts and answer questions on what they have observed. ||
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Times','serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Differentiation ** || 0 || There is no differentiation in the lesson as all of the students are completing the same thing at the same time and the curriculum never changes. The only possible mention was to assist children with special needs when the teacher was walking around the room. I feel that the lesson should be varied on how the students complete their work, i.e. less worksheets as well as how the information is presented to them (more videos, books, handouts, power points). ||
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Times','serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Technology Use ** || 1 || <span style="font-family: 'Times-Roman','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">This lesson severely lacks the use of technology/ For instance during the suggested fifty minutes that this lesson should take, the students only use technology to read a short story at a computer screen. I feel that technology could be implemented rather easily by simply watching a short video on the water cycle or reviewing with a power point presentation. ||