Social Studies in Action

Social Studies in Action:

 Assessing Students' Learning Video

This video provides an overview of different ways teachers assess their students' knowledge. The two teachers in this video, Ms. Gonzalez & Mr. Rubio, have come up with creative strategies and ways of assessing their students' prior knowledge.

                         

This is Ms. Gonzalez. She is teaching her students about needs and wants.She first makes an connection with her students by providing a diagnostic assessment before starting her lesson. She explains that bread provides nourishment to humans because they need to eat in order to survive. She then connects it to the lifestyle of plants . Plants start off as seeds then need water in sunlight in order to survive and gain their nutrients. So therefore plants need these specific items in order to live. Just like humans, there are certain things we need in order to live, and there are things we want, but dont need them.

-The strategies I observed from Ms. Gonzalez:
1) She makes good eye contact with her audience, and holds their attention by her attitude and facial expressions. 
2) She asks students to think and connect with the questions she is asking in the diagnostic assessment.
3) The assessment is authentic. This means that students are able to make a real-world connection to the topic she is presenting to them.
4) She allows students to work independently and spends time assisting them. She circles the room to make sure everyone is on the right track.
5) She clearly distinguishes the difference between needs and wants to her students. 
6) She used a chart for her students to provide visual learning.
7) Clearly distinguished the goals on how to complete the assignment. 
8)Ms. Gonzalez did not make it evident that to the students that she was assessing them. It was like she was having a general conversation with them.

                                                                                                             Mr.Rubio

This is Mr. Rubio, he is teaching a 4th grade Social Studies lesson. The lesson is on California missions. These are his strategies:
-Asking students: Who, What, Where, When, and Why?
-Lets students work in groups.
-Assigns roles to the groups.
-Makes students think critically.

1. Which of the methods and strategies you have read about or observed are most relevant to teaching social studies? Why?

-I think the diagnostic assessment that both teachers used was the most relevant to teaching social studies. In social studies, it is really important for students to remember facts they have learned so they can connect it with the new information they are learning. Ms. Gonzalez was able to provide her students with authentic assessment, and I think this is another important strategy to use when teaching social studies. Social studies is the study of how civilizations and societies function. Students making history every day  so it is important to connect their life events to what has happened in the past.  

2. What are some ways you can begin to incorporate these strategies/methods into your practice?
-I can start my lessons with a quick activity that would assess prior knowledge.
-Speak clearly with enthusiasm.
-Have students work together.
-Ask the 5 W's
-Create charts.