Video Analysis 2

1) In the lesson "Looking at an Angle", Mrs. Sanchez teaches her 7th graders about angles. She begins the lesson by taking the students outside to look at the angles a ladder makes. This type of teaching connects to the real world and allows the students to relate. Back in the classroom, the students do activities that relate to angles, height and distance ratios. Students work together in small groups to determine angle measurements and height to distance ratios as well as plotting a graph. The lesson is all connected to the ladder and what angle is needed in order to it to be safe to use.

2) I saw many process standards demonstrated throughout this lesson. The process standards that stood out to me were communication, connections, and problem solving. Communication was demonstrated by having the students work in groups and with partners to solve problems and work together. The students then had to communicate as a whole class in order to plot the graph with all of the angle measurements. Making connections was demonstrated throughout the entire lesson because the concept of measuring the angle of a ladder automatically made a connection with the students. The students were using real life angles and real life scenerios to solve problems. The students felt connected to this math problems because they were determining if the ladder was safe to use. The students also demonstrated problem solving when they worked in partners and small groups in order to figure out different measurements. The students were only given certain numbers, either the angle or the height and distance, and had to figure out the opposite by problem solving. The students then had to determine if these measurements would be safe for the ladder.
I saw many of the Standards of Mathematical Practice being demonstrated throughout these video clips. The three standards that stook out most to me were make sense of problems and persevere in solving them, use appropriate tools strategically and model with mathematics. The students make sense of problems and persevere in solving them by working together to solve the problems, understand the different approaches to the problem, and understand the effects that are involved. The students use appropriate tools strategically when using their protractors and compasses to measure angles. The students model with mathematics when connecting the measurement of angles to the placement of ladders and using real life scenerios.

3) I thought the lessons in the video clips was very engaging and well planned. The concept of the lesson I thought was a great idea and really got the students interested in the topic of angles. Since they know a purpose for measuring angles they got more excited about it. I liked how the students worked with partners and small groups to continue measuring angles and height and distances. I also thought the teacher was well organized and liked her direct instructions. She had guided questions that helped the students along, yet it was no obvious. I also liked that the videos also gave a script of what the teacher and students were saying, it was easy to follow.