Practical Teaching Experience

1
Practical Teaching Experience

• Jesse Morton
• ISTC301
• 5/14/2009

2
Lesson Information

• Title Choosing the Best Job A Lesson in
  Economic Forecasting
• Content Area Data Analysis/Statistics
• Grade Level 9
• Objective Students will be able to infer
  information from data collections and apply such
  inferences to real-world problems.

3
Teacher Preparation, Equipment, Materials

• Sign up for 2 days at the Computer Lab
• Provide manila folders for the students
• Quiz to review GDP, inflation, and unemployment
  rate
• Microsoft Excel spreadsheet template
• Assignment sheet

4
Technology Integration

• Use of the internet to procure data necessary for
  analysis.
• Use of Microsoft Excel to create charts and
  graphs.

5
Instructional Procedures

• Start off by having the students go to
  http//tiger.towson.edu/users/jmorto1/images/Choos
  ing_the_Best_Job.doc. This links to the
  assignment sheet, which has specific directions
  for the students.
• Walk around to make sure that everyone is clear
  on what is to be expected of them.
• In order to test their understanding of these
  three indicators, distribute the quiz regarding
  economic indicators at the end of the first day.
  This should be done toward the end of data
  collection, but before they begin to write the
  summary/analysis.
• Once students have completed the report, have
  them put all the work into a manila folder and
  place his/her name on the folder. If two people
  are partnered, then place both names on the
  report.

6
Discussion Prompts for Critical and Creative
Thinking

• Do you think that examining three economic
  indicators is enough to make a decision?
• Did one economic indicator sway your decision
  more than the others?
• Do you think that the data source may contain
  bias? Explain.
• Based on the economies of the two nations, would
  you say that either nation is really a great
  place to work? Explain.

7
Formative Assessment/Plans for Differentiation

• There will be an ungraded quiz to check their
  understanding of GDP, inflation, and unemployment
  rate.
• Students can either work alone or with a partner.
  If they choose to work with a partner, then they
  can just turn in one assignment with both names
  on it. Each partner must be contributing to the
  work, so walk around and check for this. Monitor
  the students and be ready to help anyone who is
  having trouble finding information or using
  Microsoft Excel.

8
Summary and Lesson Closure

• The teacher should have an overall discussion in
  the class about the subject. He/she should have
  everyone state their opinion and ask them to
  defend it.
• As an extension to the project, the teacher
  should spend one day each week for two months to
  record the GDP, unemployment rate, and inflation
  rate in both the US and Canada to test everyones
  predictions.

9
Assessment Plan

• The assignment will be graded on three things
• There will be five possible points for the
  overall neatness of their charts and graphs.
• There will be five possible points given based on
  the discussion that will be held after the
  assignment is completed. Each student or pair of
  students needs to participate in this.
• The summary/analysis of data will be worth
  fifteen points. This should be graded on whether
  or not they answer every question that was
  prompted and how well they defend their opinions.
  Also, the mastery of economic indicators should
  be included in the ten points.
• There are twenty-five points possible for this
  assignment.