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 * Teacher Observation Case Studies - Case Study 5**

Ms. Hsu is an eleventh grade Science teacher in a high school with approximately 800 students. She has been teaching for five years. Her class has 36 students. The school has two computer labs as well as two mobile laptop carts and several Smartboards. Students are currently taking a technology class and Ms. Hsu has been talking with the technology teacher about collaborating on a project. Ms. Hsu’s class performed adequately on NYS exams last year.

As you enter the class, you take note of how the room has been organized. The desks are arranged in rows somewhat haphazardly. One small bulletin board, designated for Ms. Hsu has some student tests displayed on it and several science projects which show tables and graphs of data.

Ms. Hsu begins the lesson with a demonstration using data collection probes, her laptop and a projector. She pours a glass of cola and asks the students what would happen if she put a penny in it and left it over night. Many students call out that the penny would dissolve. She then asks the students why. The students call out a variety of answers, some humorous. Using a probe designed to test for ph, Ms. Hsu tests the ph of glass of cola and asks the students to predict what will happen over time. As the data is collected, a red line appears on a graph that has been projected on the Smartboard. Ms. Hsu explains to the class that the numbers and graph represent the ph of the soda and its changes over time.

Next, Ms. Hsu asks the students to read two pages in the text about ph and complete questions on the handout she has distributed. While the students are working, she cleans up from her demonstration. As time runs out for the period, Ms. Hsu explains the homework that evening is for students to complete problems in chapter 3 in the textbook. She repeats her question about the penny and the soda as students leave the classroom.

//How would you advise Ms. Hsu?//