Mrs. Lewis teaches biology and AVID at Nile C. Kinnick High School. She arranges her classroom differently depending on the class, using pods or groups of 3-4 for biology to allow student collaboration, and seating students with similar questions together for AVID. Materials and supplies are kept on one side of the room for student access as needed. Mrs. Lewis checks in frequently with each student in biology to monitor their progress. She has also connected with most students on a personal level. Her AVID classes follow consistent procedures each day, beginning with turning in assignments and binder checks, then discussing upcoming work or individual progress before starting tutorial sessions.

1. Classroom Case Study
Service Learning
Akari Yarrell
ED 285 Cawdery
Spring 2014

2. Nile C. Kinnick
High School
Mrs. Angie Lewis
Biology/ AVID

3. Observation + Analysis

4. Physical Space
Seating Arrangement: At the beginning of the year, Mrs. Lewis had the classroom set
up in single rows that took up the whole classroom. In the classroom, she always had
different seating arrangements depending on the assignment and class. For her
biology classes, she often had pods or grouped up in 3’sor 4’s. This was so the
students can interact and help each other on biology work. For her AVID classes, she
would have the students sit with classmates that had similar tutorial questions so
they can work together on the same subject.

5. Physical Space
Student Learning Supplies: Mrs. Lewis used one side of the classroom for class
materials and supplies. All of the textbooks, pens, pencils, construction paper,
scissors, etc. This is also where she kept her “turn-in” baskets for the students to turn
in assignments. These baskets were separated by class period.
Instead of the student asking her for materials each time, she allowed them to grab
whatever was necessary anytime during class instruction.

6. Sociocultural Space
Student/Teacher Interaction: Communication is presented very well in Mrs. Lewis’s
classroom. In her biology class, she always spends time checking up with each student
to be aware on their progress. Because the demographics of the biology are mostly
freshman students, she does a good job on guiding them through time management
and answer any questions while in class. Mrs. Lewis has her door open early in the
morning and late after school. From observing her classroom for almost a whole
school year, I can say that she has connected with most of her students in all of her
classes on a personal level.

7. Sociocultural Space
Procedures and Routines: This idea is presented very well in her AVID classes. In this
class, she requires the students to do similar procedures and activities almost every
class.
Once you walk in at the beginning of class, there is a tutorial turn in box or pile.
Then herself and a few tutors will conduct a brief binder/planner check.
After that she will discuss any upcoming assignments with the class or have one on one time about
progress in other classes.
After debriefing, she would begin her tutorial sessions.

8. Interview + Dialogue

9. Reflection

10. Service Learning
Verification