Field Experience Reflection

1. How many hours did you complete? 

 I completed 5 hours of field experience

2. In a short paragraph or bulleted list, how did you spend your time?

• observed Kindergarten teacher teach a reading lesson
• helped teacher monitor and assist students with assignments
• collaborated with teacher about the KTIP lesson plan
• taught reading/science lesson to class over wind measurement

3. How did the experience help you to strengthen at least one Kentucky Teacher Standard? (be sure to name the standard)

I strenghtened KTS 8 (The teacher collaborates with colleagues, parents and others). 

Although I collaborate with the other third grade teacher in my school, I found it helpful to collaborate

with a teacher from a different grade level.  She had some really good ideas and cooperative learning

activities that I can modify and use in my 3rd grade classroom.

4. Talk a little about one thing you learned because of this field experience.

I learned how different it was to teach Kindergarten.  I am use to my students in third grade being independent.  I also found out how structured the daily routine must be, but there also needs to be alot of flexibility. 

Reading Log and Wiki Posts

Reading Log for 30 books

Genre / Titles you read

             I.      Non-fiction/Informational (1 chapter book or photo essay book reflection required on blog)

1)      How Animals Live – Bernard Stonehouse and Ester Bertram

2)      Frontier Kentucky – Robert A. Powell

3)      Danger! Earthquakes – Seymour Simon

          II.      Poetry (1 chapter or picture book reflection required on blog)

1)      Hate that Cat by Sharon Creech. (required for discussion – do NOT use on blog)

2)      Poetry for Young People – Langston Hughes

3)      Dirt on my Shirt – Jeff Foxworthy

4)      Falling Up – Shell Silverstein

       III.      Modern Fantasy (1 chapter book reflection required on blog)          

1)      Tuck Everlasting – Natalie Babbit

2)      Where the Wild Things Are

3)      The True Story of the Three Little Pigs – Jon Scieszka

4)      Jumanji – Chris Van Allsburg

5)      Hunger Games – Suzanne Collins

6)      Amos & Boris – William Steig

       IV.      Historical Fiction (1 reflection required on blog –can be a picture book)     

1)      The Teacher’s Funeral by Richard Peck. (required for discussion – do NOT use on blog)

2)      A New Coat for Anna – Harriet Ziefert

3)      Dreaming of America: An Ellis Island Story – Eve Bunting

          V.      Multicultural/Traditional (2 reflections required on blog – one can be a picture book)         

1)      Hiroshima: A Novella by Laurence Yep (required for discussion – do NOT use on blog)

2)      Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People’s Ears – Verna Aardema

3)      Pepita Talks Twice - Ofelia Dumas Lachtman

4)      Lon Po Po – Ed Young

5)      Aunt Flossie’s Hats (and Crab Cakes Later) – Elizabeth Fitzgerald Howard

       VI.      Realistic Fiction (1 chapter book reflection required on blog)

1)      Baby by Patricia MacLachlan. (required for discussion – do NOT use on blog)

2)      Bridge to Terebithia – Katherine Patterson

    VII.      Picture Books (5 reflections required on blog during the first two weeks of class. There should be a total here of at least six.)

1)      The Wednesday Surprise by Eve Bunting. (required for discussion – do NOT use on blog)

2)      Officer Buckle and Gloria – Peggy Rathman

3)      A Story A Story – Gail E. Haley

4)      Piggies – Audry Wood

5)      Johnny Appleseed and the Bears – David Novak and David Wenzel

6)      A Tree is Nice – Janice Udry

7)      Polar Express – Chris Van Allsburg

Wiki Checklist

Instructions: Write the number of entries for each category you posted into on the Course Wiki (requirement is four total posts, in four different categories)

__1__ Social Studies

____ Science

____ Math

____ Music

____ Art

___1_ Reading/Language Arts

____ Physical Education

____ Other

How Animals Live



Stonehouse, B. and Bertram, E. (2004).  How animals live.  New York: Scholastic Inc.

     If you are interested in animals this non-fiction, illustrated, biological informational, book is the book for you! Throughout this book's five chapters you will learn things like "Starting Out in Life - Strange Beginnings", "Sharing", and "Defenses - Keep Away", just to name a few.  This wonderfully illustrated book gives facts and information about creatures great and small that live in different habitats.

       The illustrations by John Francis exhibit many different uses of artistic media such as painting, drawings, and some digital art.  The realistic illustrations of the animals are colorful and vibrant and would easily hold children's attention.  The doublespread page design of this book helps the animals come to life on the page, and the hardcover binding helps it last through the several readings it is sure to have if it is put on your classroom bookshelf.  The back matter of the book contains a glossary that helps to make it easy for the children to look up scientific terms that they may not understand.

     The illustrations would make this book fun for all ages, but the text of this book is more for students ages 9-12.  This book would be very useful in science class during a unit on animals, but I think students would find it engaging at any time during the school year.

Dreaming of America: An Ellis Island Story book talk (historical fiction)

Bunting, E. (2000). Dreaming of America: an Ellis Island story.  New Jersey: BridgeWater Books.


     Imagine being fourteen years old and going on a big trip with two little brothers.  Now imagine leaving the only home, family, and friends that you have ever known.  How would you feel?  Now imagine doing this all on your own, without any grown ups to help you.  Would you be afraid? I sure would.
     In the story, Dreaming of America, that's what Annie had to do. Her parents had moved to America and left Annie and her brothers with their Auntie and uncle.  Annie's parents worked hard to earn enough money to send for the children. She left her home in Ireland with her two younger brothers, Anthony and Phillip, to come to America.  They had to travel on a big ship with lots and lots of other people and it was very crowded on the ship.  It was noisy and hot and when they hit bad weather, and people got very seasick and threw up alot because the weather made big waves that made the ship move all over. They were on the ship for a very long time.  They even spent Christmas on the ship so there was no Christmas tree or delicious dinner.  There were no presents either.  Will Annie and her brothers make it to America to find their parents? Will she ever see Ireland and her family and friends again?  You'll have to read Dreaming of America: An Ellis Island Story to find out! 

Bridge to Terabithia book talk

Paterson, K. (1972).  Bridge to terabithia.  New York: HarperCollins Publishers.


My name is Jesse Oliver Aarons, Jr., but everyone calls me Jess. My life use to be on the boring side, until I met Leslie.  She moved into a house just down the road from me.  She wasn't like other girls that I know, especially not like my annoying sisters, thank goodness.  In fact, Leslie wasn't like anyone that I had ever known. She could run faster than me, and I am the fastest kid in fifth grade! She didn't even have a television, cause her mom and dad were the creative types, and thought that television was a waste of time. Can you imagine not even having a t.v.?  She was full of ideas, and colors, and songs and imagination. I could  be myself around her.  She didn't make fun of me for liking to draw pictures! We made our own special place, called Terebithia, in the woods behind our houses.  We were the rulers there and we fought giants and other scary things. Our castle was grand.  My life was so much better since Leslie came.  Until the unthinkable happened.  If only it hadn't rained for days. If only I hadn't gone to the Smithsonian with Miss Edmunds.  So many "if only"s.  Now what am I gonna do? How am I ever gonna get over this?

This book is so much fun to read!  It has a little something for all readers.  The fantasy world that Jess and Leslie created is amazing and I would love to visit there.  It will take you on a journey that you will be reluctant to return from.  As we follow Jess and Leslie through their adventure, we see and do the same things that they do.  This is excellent fun, and you will enjoy it every step of the way.  Well except for the sad part, but you will have to read it to find out what happens.

Poetry for Young People

Hughes, L. (1994).  Poetry for young people.  New York: Sterling Publishing Company, Inc.



 

The poems in this collection are all written by a single poet, Langdon Hughes.  The collection features narrative poems, with intriguing titles, such as "The Negro Speaks of Rivers" and "Walkers of the Dawn".  Many of Hughes's poems talk of slavery and the struggles of African Americans throughout history.  Hughes uses simile in many of his poems.  One example comes from his poem "The Negro Speaks of Rivers" where he writes "My soul has grown deep like the rivers".  He also uses dialect in his writing by using the word "I's" which means I have or I am, and also "de" for the, and "ma" for my because that is the way the characters in his poems would actually speak.  His poems are mainly written in free verse,
but one example of rhyme is "Genius Child", on page 32, in which it says "This is a song for the genius child. Sing it softly, for the song is wild". 

 

Hughes's poetry is sometimes dark and moody, reflecting the struggle he sometimes felt.  His poems reflect the African American culture, and he was probably the best know African American  poet from the 1920's until his death in 1967.  Because his poems are mainly written in free verse, I would recommend this book for older students between grades 7-12.  I feel that this would not hold the attention of younger readers, although the illustrations are great.

 



A Tree is Nice

Udry, J.M. (1956).  A tree is nice.  New York: Harper & Row, Publishers.
                                      


This 1957 Caldecott Award winner explains the importance and uses of trees.  The illustrations are impressionistic and the natural appearances add understanding to the text.  The illustrations use simple lines and the simplicity of the drawings go well with the theme of this story.  The author uses personification in this story to help younger children to better understand the theme and to also make the trees seem more real.  An example of this is where Udry writes "The leaves whisper in the breeze all summer long", and "A tree is nice because it makes shade".  This was a very cute little book and I think that children pre-K through third grade would enjoy this book and be able to comprehend its meaning.