Economics Lesson

 

WHAT?

During this lesson, I taught a third-grade class about economics. The lesson included a variety of activities to engage students, including vocabulary practice, examining pictures of businesses from the past and present, writing about how they would want to make money in the future, discussing ways to support local businesses, playing a Kahoot game, and ending with a short session of Monopoly.

I incorporated collaboration and communication by working closely with my teaching teammates to plan and deliver the lesson, ensuring everyone was on the same page. I practiced social awareness by keeping my voice at a level where my group could hear me without disrupting other groups. I demonstrated professionalism through appropriate dress and respectful communication with both students and co-teachers. I also showed adaptability when the computer lost internet connection; I helped come up with solutions and adjusted the lesson by moving on to the next activity.

The Monopoly game went especially well, as students were highly engaged and excited to participate. My team adapted the instruction by choosing to play Monopoly after the Kahoot to ensure we had time for all planned activities. The only minor challenge was the temporary internet issue, but it did not significantly impact the lesson.

By the end of the lesson, all students demonstrated a solid understanding of economics concepts. On the Kahoot, two students scored 60%, and one scored 70%. While no students exceeded the objectives, all met the learning goals. Upon reflection, I could improve differentiation by reviewing key topics throughout the lesson, as some of the questions students missed were only briefly covered at the beginning.

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SO WHAT?

From this experience, I learned that some lessons can go extremely well when students are engaged, activities are interactive, and teamwork is strong. This lesson helped me grow professionally by increasing my confidence as a teacher. I observed how effective collaboration with my peers and thoughtful planning can lead to a successful, enjoyable learning experience for both students and teachers.

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NOW WHAT?

This experience will influence my professional identity by showing me the value of strong teamwork and thoughtful lesson design. Moving forward, when I feel discouraged about teaching, I can reflect on this lesson as an example of how effective collaboration, engagement, and planning can result in a highly successful lesson. This will guide how I plan, teach, and assess in the future, reminding me to include interactive activities, review key concepts, and work closely with my teaching team to maximize student learning.