Teach to Columbus Evaluation Analysis

Title of Lesson / Judges / 4th graders / Total / Comments
Rap it Learning / 65 / 48 / 113 / The lesson focused on the importance of repetition when studying a subject. The teacher created a rap song that emphasized the concept and made a point early on in the lesson about the affective factors related to getting good grades. A rap song was used to help students learn facts about Abraham Lincoln and a posttest was given to check comprehension. The 4th graders loved the lesson, as it was very entertaining, however the judges marked off for not challenging students to be creative, issues with posture and eye contact, and overall effectiveness. The judges felt that the student was well prepared for the lesson and effective in getting the point across.
Chem-mystery / 83 / 45 / 128 / The lesson started with a picture of a beautiful beach and a pitcher of lemonade that was mixed in front of the students. Then a picture of a beach that was polluted by an oil spill. The lecture went on to demonstrate how oil and water don’t mix by pouring oil into a fish tank, and how the difference in density between the substances contribute to the situation. This contrasted with how water, sugar, and lemon juice could be mixed together. The judges felt that posture, lack of eye contact, and overall effectiveness teaching the material were detriments. They appreciated the creative component of the lesson and the students understanding of the content. The 4th graders gave high marks, but one of the 4th graders didn’t think it was particularly fun to learn.
Do You Feel Lucky? / 78 / 46 / 124 / This lesson on probability centered on a homemade roulette wheel with removable discs of different colors. The point was to ask students to predict what color would be indicated by the pointer according to the format of the color scheme. The 4thgraders enjoyed the lesson, as it had the feel of a game show, however, one student did not feel that the content related to her life. The judges felt the student was well prepared and held good posture and eye contact, however marks were deducted for effectiveness.
Hue are You / 64 / 41 / 105 / The object of the lesson was to teach how drawing can be used to reflect feelings that different types of music evoke. The teacher demonstrated making a drawing as music was playing on a youtube video and then the 4th graders were asked to make drawings to music that evoked happy and then sad feelings. Details about choice of colors and content were discussed and how they related to emotions. The 4th graders gave poor marks for being interested in the lesson and sensing the relevance to their lives. Judges were critical of how well the students prepared for the lesson, poor eye contact, and lack of effectiveness.
Express Yourself – A Spark of Confidence Theatre Game Style / 83 / 48 / 131 / The lesson presented activities that students could do to relax and prepare for public presentations. The 4th grade students were actively involved in a call and response warm up that was fun and engaging and gave consistently high marks. Overall judges liked the lesson but were most critical in the categories of creativity and effectiveness.