Grades 3-5 Observations

Here are examples of lessons I observed in Vietnam that were in Grades 3-5. I have labeled different parts of the lesson with their SAMR designation.


Grade 5 English


  1. Sentences shown on screen conjugating verb work (Substitution)

  2. Students write their own sentences in their notebook

  3. Activity called "Let Me Guess" Each S gets paper

  4. Make a Like/fancy column and a dislike/don't fancy column

  5. Teacher reads a list of items incuding food, games, activities, subject. Students guess what their partner would answer

  6. Compare answers with partner to see if they guessed what they fancy and do not fancy


What I noticed:

  • Teacher constantly moving around checking in with students

  • Kids actively involved, answering, and collaborating

  • Students actively engaged, responded well when corrected

  • Technology would not have enhanced this lesson. It would have only been at a substitution level, typing answers so non tech was better for this lesson

Grade 5 English


  1. PowerPoint of lesson/ NatGeo book pages displayed for kids to follow (Substitution)

  2. Play stop the bus picker wheel with letter write words learned in each of the areas they studied when they have all categories, call stop the bus then share aloud (Augmentation)

  3. Read textbook lesson: music in our lives

  4. Textbook video to explain lesson words (Augmentation)

  5. Cut and order music from favorite to least favorite and be able to explain why you ordered, give examples of songs and bands

  6. Tic tac toe gane: words in boxes kids throw sticky ball whatever it lands on they use in a sentence or explain to earn the x or o


What I noticed:

  • Pronunciation corrected, vocabulary encouraged, like using the word genre and not just "type of music"

  • Kids were very excited to practice words and discuss music

  • Teacher moving around, checking in with students, offering feedback and redirecting and explaining how to complete the fill ins and order of favorite music

  • Could have been enhanced with videos/audio of each type of music, but this could have been done in previous lesson before my visit

Grade 5 Math

  1. Uses Class Dojo to get kids set up and ready for class

  2. Students use white boards to complete math problems

  3. Teacher shows workbook page on screen calls out a number from the problems and kids work in teams to solve , one person does the writing but all in group work to solve problems (Substitution)

  4. Use ladder method just learned teacher walks around to assist as needed encouraging participation and self checks

  5. Check homework answers on board kids check teacher walks around to answer questions keep on track (Substitution)


What I noticed:

  • Additional technology was not needed to enhance this lesson

  • Students worked cooperatively with whiteboards, encouraging each other in the problem solving time

  • Language was reinforced as lesson was being taught

Grade 3 Science

  1. Show directions on screen for creating a weather chart comparing DaNang and London weather (Substitution)

  2. Teacher shows white paper to demo drawing lines using ruler to separate into the rectangles needed for weather chart

  3. Explains how each day they will look up weather in both places to track and compare

  4. Today's lesson is on desert animals, watch video of desert animals (Augmentation)

    • Jambo

    • Fennec fox

  5. PowerPoint with information on the animals in the lesson (Augmentation)

  6. Next step is to research desert animals, discuss how they could do this activity


What I noticed:

  • Computer used as model for how to draw lines

  • Student technology was not needed during lesson, but would have helped with the research portion that was the next step

  • Students were excited to learn about London and thought it was very cold, the teacher is from London

Grade 5 ESOL


  1. Display Graphic Novel with a story about robots on screen (Substitution)

  2. Practice pronunciation, using emotion in reading

  3. Students look through pages, underlining unknown words or phrases

  4. Group discusses meanings, relate them to workds known

  5. Practice performing scenes from novel in groups and then perform


What I noticed:

  • Students were very excited to practice and sha we share their reading

  • Additional technology would not have enhanced this particular lesson

Grade 4 ESOL


  1. Interactive game on screen with paddles for answers must mustn't for each scenario shared (Augmentation)

  2. Textbook showed n screen with things to do and not do in a museum (Substitution)

  3. Teamwork discuss and write what must your do in class and what mustn't you do in class write on white boards

  4. Share with class


Things I noticed:

  • Teacher walks to group to review and remind talk before write help form sentences, reminded student to not speak in Vietnamese

  • Studentss enjoyed learning and were offering answers eager to be a part of lesson

  • In this case kids could play this game if they had their own devices after the intro in class, but it wasn;t necessary as the paddles made the game fun

Grade 5 STEM (taught in Vietnamese)


  1. Video on the screen repeatedly showing for how to make hinges

  2. Kids work in small groups cutting cardboard and making designs


What I ntoiced:

  • Productive struggle helps them learn what doesn't work, Teacher never corrects asks questions and watches team

  • Teacher moves to each group giving feedback and testing, refers to set up on screen

  • Some kids watched and followed directions, some worked on their own, Teams that worked together got more done throughout class

  • Ss clean up at end, storing projects for continuing the work next week

Grade 4 STEM (taught in Vietnamese)


  1. Making puppet/marionette

  2. Groups reviewed what they already completed

  3. Groups figuted out who would do what work and started creating.

  4. Teacher moved to groups listening and offering supplies, like string, cardboard, scissors and pointed at model on the screen (Substitution)

  5. As groups tie final string T demos arms and legs to see if they are natural looking. This is all in Vietnamese but this is what I understand through actions

  6. String too short arms or legs are up, demo with body, problem solve

  7. Groups who finish practice making their puppet dance

  8. When all complete, Teacher has student with puppet line up and another student gives movements for puppets to mimic

  9. Students clean up as they go through lesson


What I noticed:

  • Students helped each other when they got stuck if Teacher not available

  • All groups acted differently

    • each person in a group working on different actions, cut color, string in

    • one person working others watch…as time goes on more take on roles and jobs, not just watching

    • some groups are almost silent some are loud.

  • Teacher let's groups work at first then moves to groups checking in as needed

  • Some groups constantly checks with image on screen for string placement, others never check in

  • Vietnamese historically have used puppets water puppetry, great tie in for historical reference

  • Science tie in due to string connections are all joints


Saw this lesson at two different schools in different classes with different teachers. The second time, students were just starting on the parts of the body, cutting out and drawing/tracing


Grade 3 Math


  1. Slides with lesson outlibne and problems (Substitution)

  2. Math review questions from previous lessons

  3. Interactive Hundred Square that teacher manipulates while asking questions (Substitution)

  4. Questions with missing multiples, students answer on their dry erase boards

  5. Teacher used chalkboard to demonstrate answers and show problem solving

  6. Students complete workbook pages

  7. Teachers move around answering individual questions


What I noticed:

  • Students were participating, calling out or raising hands as Teacher directed

  • The hundreds chart activity would have been Augmentation if students had been using it instead of the teacher)

Grade 3 English


  1. Game on screen for naming music instruments (Augmentation)

  2. Teams competed against each other to name instruments

  3. Kids pick a number, card flips asks questions or gives challenge

  4. Practicing kindness with some of the options like switch scores, give 10 points

  5. Students practice saying sentences about the instruments


What I noticed:

  • Game would not be effective with individual devices as kids were just learning words

  • They were making percussion instruments after this part of lesson

  • Kids were actively participating, excited to learn and encouraging others