TPN2602 Assignment 50
(Portfolio) Memo
(COMPLETE ANSWERS)
Due 23 September 2025
FOR ASSISTANCE CONTACT
EMAIL:
,Independent Lesson Plan (Appendix E)
This page provides the format and requirements for your independent lesson plan, as Appendix E
of your teaching portfolio. It covers every aspect of a lesson, from objectives to evaluation,
and illustrates your pedagogical practice.
Question Two – Contextual Questionnaire
This survey is utilized to collect information on the teaching environment and context in which
you are teaching. Your answers provide you with information on the school, classroom,
and students that will inform your lesson planning and teaching.
School Profile: Maplewood Elementary is a suburban public school serving approximately 450
students from Kindergarten to Grade 5. The school prides
itself in having a highly emphasized focus on community, providing support for inclusive
learning and building a growth mindset for students and staff alike. Collaboration, critical
thinking, and respect for diversity are emphasized.
Classroom Environment: My placement is in a Grade 4 class of 28 students. Physical setup
includes flexible seating configurations (small group tables,
individual workspaces, reading nook filled with beanbags). Materials include an interactive
whiteboard, a class set of Chromebooks, a well-stocked classroom library, and a range
of manipulatives for math and science. Norms of everyday classroom life are mostly positive,
with students accustomed to group work and independent projects. A few
students require constant redirection and guidance in order to stay on task.
Student Demographics: The class consists of 15 boys and 13 girls aged between 9 and 10
years. Learning skills vary broadly, with three identified students with mild learning disabilities
(dyslexia, ADHD) who receive pull-out, and two identified as gifted who require extension
activities. Previous knowledge differs considerably between subjects; for example, in
science, there are some students with a wealth of background from home experimentation, while
others have very little exposure. There is a mixed learning style with equal numbers of visual,
auditory, and kinesthetic learners.
Curriculum Context: This "Fractions: Equivalent Fractions" lesson is one of the activities in
the Grade 4 Mathematics curriculum unit, Numbers and Operations.
It specifically develops upon students' prior learning of basic fractions (naming a part of a whole,
numerator/denominator) and will serve as the foundation for future lessons on comparing and
ordering fractions and eventually adding and subtracting fractions.
The provincial curriculum guidelines are being adhered to in the school.
Question 3 – Observing Experienced Teachers
This part describes what I have witnessed of experienced teachers, focusing on
their instructional techniques, classroom management techniques, student engagement methods,
and assessment techniques. I examine my findings and how I
, can implement them in my practice.
Observation Dates and Teachers:
October 26, 2024: Ms. Evelyn Reed (Grade 5 English Language Arts)
November 2, 2024: Mr. David Chen (Grade 3 Science)
Major Strategies Observed:
Ms. Reed: Think-pair-share
used to great effect as a pre-reading activation and post-reading discussion.
Her asking strategies were particularly effective, moving from recall through analysis and
synthesis to encourage richer thinking. She also used a "gallery walk" writing peer
feedback activity that promoted student independence. Good work.
Mr. Chen: Excellent hands-on inquiry-based instruction. He provided clear, concise instructions
for experiments and then allowed students to work through it on their own, only stepping
in when absolutely necessary. His use of visual timers on the interactive
whiteboard to indicate transitions was highly effective in classroom management.
Student Engagement:
Ms. Reed: Students were highly engaged in class discussions, actively listening to each other and
building on their ideas. The gallery walk encouraged active engagement and constructive
criticism.
Mr. Chen: Students were obviously interested and focused during the science experiment. The
freedom to investigate within set boundaries maintained them active. His constant, high-
pace stop-ins maintained momentum.
Reflection: My ability to facilitate rich student-led discussions is one that I am aiming to build
upon. I will make more of an effort to write more open-ended questions
and provide adequate wait time. Mr. Chen's blunt matter-of-fact classroom management style,
particularly the visual timers, is something I will introduce right away in a bid to improve
transitions and student attention throughout my own lessons. Both observations reinforced
the necessity for clear expectations and providing students with possibilities to
actively build their own understanding.
Question 4 – Mentor-Teacher Activities
This segment outlines the collaborative activities undertaken with my mentor-teacher, Ms. Sarah
Jenkins. These activities have formed the heart of my professional
development, showcasing active learning and learning from her experience.
(Portfolio) Memo
(COMPLETE ANSWERS)
Due 23 September 2025
FOR ASSISTANCE CONTACT
EMAIL:
,Independent Lesson Plan (Appendix E)
This page provides the format and requirements for your independent lesson plan, as Appendix E
of your teaching portfolio. It covers every aspect of a lesson, from objectives to evaluation,
and illustrates your pedagogical practice.
Question Two – Contextual Questionnaire
This survey is utilized to collect information on the teaching environment and context in which
you are teaching. Your answers provide you with information on the school, classroom,
and students that will inform your lesson planning and teaching.
School Profile: Maplewood Elementary is a suburban public school serving approximately 450
students from Kindergarten to Grade 5. The school prides
itself in having a highly emphasized focus on community, providing support for inclusive
learning and building a growth mindset for students and staff alike. Collaboration, critical
thinking, and respect for diversity are emphasized.
Classroom Environment: My placement is in a Grade 4 class of 28 students. Physical setup
includes flexible seating configurations (small group tables,
individual workspaces, reading nook filled with beanbags). Materials include an interactive
whiteboard, a class set of Chromebooks, a well-stocked classroom library, and a range
of manipulatives for math and science. Norms of everyday classroom life are mostly positive,
with students accustomed to group work and independent projects. A few
students require constant redirection and guidance in order to stay on task.
Student Demographics: The class consists of 15 boys and 13 girls aged between 9 and 10
years. Learning skills vary broadly, with three identified students with mild learning disabilities
(dyslexia, ADHD) who receive pull-out, and two identified as gifted who require extension
activities. Previous knowledge differs considerably between subjects; for example, in
science, there are some students with a wealth of background from home experimentation, while
others have very little exposure. There is a mixed learning style with equal numbers of visual,
auditory, and kinesthetic learners.
Curriculum Context: This "Fractions: Equivalent Fractions" lesson is one of the activities in
the Grade 4 Mathematics curriculum unit, Numbers and Operations.
It specifically develops upon students' prior learning of basic fractions (naming a part of a whole,
numerator/denominator) and will serve as the foundation for future lessons on comparing and
ordering fractions and eventually adding and subtracting fractions.
The provincial curriculum guidelines are being adhered to in the school.
Question 3 – Observing Experienced Teachers
This part describes what I have witnessed of experienced teachers, focusing on
their instructional techniques, classroom management techniques, student engagement methods,
and assessment techniques. I examine my findings and how I
, can implement them in my practice.
Observation Dates and Teachers:
October 26, 2024: Ms. Evelyn Reed (Grade 5 English Language Arts)
November 2, 2024: Mr. David Chen (Grade 3 Science)
Major Strategies Observed:
Ms. Reed: Think-pair-share
used to great effect as a pre-reading activation and post-reading discussion.
Her asking strategies were particularly effective, moving from recall through analysis and
synthesis to encourage richer thinking. She also used a "gallery walk" writing peer
feedback activity that promoted student independence. Good work.
Mr. Chen: Excellent hands-on inquiry-based instruction. He provided clear, concise instructions
for experiments and then allowed students to work through it on their own, only stepping
in when absolutely necessary. His use of visual timers on the interactive
whiteboard to indicate transitions was highly effective in classroom management.
Student Engagement:
Ms. Reed: Students were highly engaged in class discussions, actively listening to each other and
building on their ideas. The gallery walk encouraged active engagement and constructive
criticism.
Mr. Chen: Students were obviously interested and focused during the science experiment. The
freedom to investigate within set boundaries maintained them active. His constant, high-
pace stop-ins maintained momentum.
Reflection: My ability to facilitate rich student-led discussions is one that I am aiming to build
upon. I will make more of an effort to write more open-ended questions
and provide adequate wait time. Mr. Chen's blunt matter-of-fact classroom management style,
particularly the visual timers, is something I will introduce right away in a bid to improve
transitions and student attention throughout my own lessons. Both observations reinforced
the necessity for clear expectations and providing students with possibilities to
actively build their own understanding.
Question 4 – Mentor-Teacher Activities
This segment outlines the collaborative activities undertaken with my mentor-teacher, Ms. Sarah
Jenkins. These activities have formed the heart of my professional
development, showcasing active learning and learning from her experience.
