2. Identifying the Topic You Will Teach and Its Relationship to the Larger Curriculum:

Rationale:

There are many factors that a teacher must take into account when selecting a topic to teach. Some factors that you will want to consider in selecting your topic are:

• goals of the curriculum

• what the learners already know

• needs and characteristics of the learners

• school district, state, national, and subject matter standards

• educational research on best practices

• everyday matters such as availability of equipment and supplies, the season of the year, or alterations in the school schedule

Directions:

For the purposes of the Teaching Cycle Project, you need to select a topic that can be taught in the allotted time that you are given. A good guideline is to choose a topic that you can teach in 3-5 lessons (though you can choose a longer lesson if you would like). If you are teaching multiple classes, select one class with whom you will complete this project. Sit down with your cooperating teacher, reflect on all the issues that you face (consider those listed above), and select a topic to teach.

Some successful topics used in previous Teaching Cycle Projects have been:

• Dribbling a basketball

• Using a microscope

• Using prediction strategies while reading

Checklist:

The items to include in this section of the report are:

• the title of the topic you have chosen

• a brief description of the process you went through in selecting a topic and a list of all the factors you took into account when making your decision

• a brief description of how the topic you chose relates to the larger curriculum the students receive

• a list of the standards used to select the topic