Field Experience Reflection

Field Experience Reflection

1. How many hours did you complete?

I completed the 6 hours that were required for this course.

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

     I had the opportunity to observe Mrs. Cary who is a forth grade teacher at Summit View Elementary.  I spent most of the day in Mrs. Cary classroom which was a little over 6 hours. I was very impressed with her organization and positive classroom environment. As soon as the students entered the classroom Mrs. Cary greeted them with a hello and a smile. The morning work assignment was written on the board and students knew exactly what to do. The students who finished early were able to silent read at their desks. Mrs. Cary had a wonderful classroom library stock with a variety of books. Her library also had comic books, brochures from different places, and magazines which many of the students enjoyed. Mrs. Cary had many of the books listed in the textbook for this class in her classroom library. Her library was organized by lexile and the students each had a bookmark with their lexile level on it. Students picked a book from their lexile level and they could pick another book of their choice for their "book bags" which they kept at their desks.

     After they reviewed the morning work they had their numeracy block in which they switch to different classes. There are a total of six fourth grade classrooms at Summit View and they put the students into groupings for math in advanced, on-level, and progressing. After the numeracy block was literacy block. Mrs. Cary divided the students up into 4 groups. In these groups students rotated between four different centers. I was very interested to see the centers in the literacy groups because I use literacy centers in my own classroom and it is always nice to see new center ideas. Mrs. Cary had a fluency center, comprehension center where students completed choice boards, technology center where students completed activities for their learning path on the computer, and a cross-curricular center where students complete different activities for science, math, and social studies (on the day I was observing they worked in groups completing a math activity on the smartboard).


3. How did the experience help you to strengthen at least one Kentucky Teacher Standard?
     Observing  the students in centers helped me to strengthen my knowledge of Kentucky Teaching Standard 2: the teacher designs and plans instruction. What I noticed most about Mrs. Cary's centers is that every student was engaged and seemed to enjoy the activity at the center. The organization of the  centers helped to make the students more self-sufficient and they were able to figure out their problems instead of having to ask the teaher. Mrs. Cary did a wonderful job reaching many of the Kentucky Teaching Standards but the standard I enjoyed seeing the most was Kentucky Teaching Standard 3: the teacher creates and maintains learning climate.
Her classroom environment was very fun to be in. Mrs. Cary and her students have a mutual respect for each other which is so important especially with older students who begin seeing school as something not as fun as it use to be.

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

From observing Mrs. Cary's forth grade classroom I learned that it is essential to be organized and to create a warm classroom environment for students. If materials are organized and the students know what is expected of them most students will be engaged and things will go much smoother.
I had a wonderful time observing Mrs. Cary and her forth grade students at Summit View Elementary and I am glad I got the opportunity. It was nice to get out of the classroom and see others doing a job with the same passion I have for my students.

Book List and Wiki Checklist

Genre / Titles you read
             I.      Non-fiction/Informational (1 reflection required on blog)
1)   The Magic School Bus Explores the Senses (Joanna Cole)
2)  For Boys Only: The Biggest, Baddest Book Ever

          II.      Poetry (1 reflection required on blog)
1)     What My Mother Doesn’t Know (required for discussion)
2) Where the Sidewalk Ends (Shel Silverstein)
3) If the Shoe Fits (Laura Whipple)

       III.      Modern Fantasy (1 reflection required on blog)       
1)      Babe the Gallant Pig (required for discussion)
2) Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (J.K. Rowling)
3) The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (C.S. Lewis)
4) Charlotte’s Web (E.B. White)

       IV.      Historical Fiction (1 reflection required on blog –can be a picture book)    
1)      Al Capone Does My Shirts (required for discussion)
2)  Bud, Not Buddy (Christopher Curtis)

          V.      Multicultural/Traditional (2 reflections required on blog – one can be a picture book)       
1) Henry's Freedom Box: A True Story from the Underground Railroad (Ellen Levine)
2) Rosa (Nikki Giovanni)
3) Grandfather’s Journey (Allen Say)
4) The Snowy Day (Ezra Jack Keats)
5) Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People’s Ears (Leo Dillon)

       VI.      Realistic Fiction (1 reflection required on blog)
1)  Laugh Until you Cry  (required for discussion)
2)  Clementine (Sara Pennypacker)
3)  Clementine’s Letter (Sara Pennypacker)
4) Harriet the Spy (Louise Fitzhugh

    VII.      Picture Books (8 reflections required on blog)
1)      Knots on a Counting Rope (required for discussion)
2) The true story of the three little pigs! (J, Scieszka) 
3) The sweetest fig. (C, Van Allsburg)
4) Golem. (D., Wisniewski)
5) No, David! (David Shannon)
6) Officer Buckle and Gloria (Peggy Rathmann)
7) Where the Wild Things Are (Maurice Sendak)
8) Faithful elephants (Y. Tsuchiya)
9) Click, Clack, Moo: Cows that Type (Doreen Cronin)
10) Olivia (Ian Falconer


Wiki Checklist

__1__ Social Studies
____ Science
_1___ Math
____ Music
_1__ Art
_2__ Reading/Language Arts
____ Physical Education
____ Other

The Magic School Bus Explores the Senses

Cole, J. (2001). The magic school bus explores the senses. New York: Scholastic.

The Magic School Bus Explores the Senses by Joanna Cole is a fantastic informational story that many students would find intriguing. This book includes all the famous characters from the Magic School Bus tv series. The most fascinating character is Mrs. Frizzle who is a very eccentric teacher who takes her students on the best field trips. In the book The Magic School Bus Explores the Senses the assistant principal Mr. Wilde and crew go through a human eye, tongue, and dog's nose to explore the different senses. The illustrations for this book are cartoon like and a great visual to draw a young reader in. The characters even use thought and conversation bubbles to add facts and discussion to the story. This book covers all the senses which makes it a wonderful book to use to introduce the 5 senses.

Big Questions:
What was the most interesting fact from the book and why?
What field trip would you want to go on with the Friz?

A Book Talk for Bud, Not Buddy

Curtis, C.P. (1999). Bud, Not Buddy. New York: Delacorte Press.

“As soon as I got into the library I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I got a whiff of the leather on all the old books, a smell that got real strong if you picked one of them up and stuck your nose real close to it when you turned the pages. Then there was the smell of the cloth that covered the brand-new books, books that made a splitting sound when you opened them. Then I could sniff the paper, that soft, powdery, drowsy smell that comes off the page in little puffs when you're reading something or looking at some pictures, kind of hypnotizing smell.” (Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Curtis) Bud, not Buddy written by Christopher Curtis is a book that I would highly recommended because of the inspiring main character. This story is about a young boy named Bud whom is an orphan living in Flint, Michigan during the great depression.

“A bud is a flower-to-be. A flower in waiting. Waiting for just the right warmth and care to open up. It's a little fist of love waiting to unfold and be seen by the world. And that's you.” (Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Curtis.) Bud, the main character in the story is an orphan who is looking for his birth father. Bud is a very determined young boy who doesn’t give up. All Bud wants is a home and a real family which is what most people have but often take for granted. Throughout the story Bud has many adventures and takes the lessons he learns from them. Mr. Calloway is a band leader and Bud’s grandfather. Mr. Calloway at first found it difficult to accept Bud but in the end begins to welcome him into the family.

This book would be a wonderful read aloud for intermediate children. There are many life lessons weaved throughout the story that would be good for students to hear. Bud has many setbacks in the story but he stays determined to find his father. Many people step in to help Bud on his journey. I highly recommend this book to all readers.  

Clementine

Pennypacker, S. (2006). Clementine. New York: Hyperion.

Clementine is a very humorous relastic fiction story written by Sara Pennypacker. The story goes through a week in the life Clementine a young 3^rd grader. The main character is a fun loving and high energy. The setting in the story is Clementine's school and home. The conflict in this story would be self to self because when trying to help others she tends to get herself into trouble with her efforts.

This book reminded me of the book series Junie B. Jones by Barbara Park. The main character resembles an older version of the main character in Park's books Junie B. Jones with her humorous adventures and somewhat impulsive personality. Clementine is always getting in trouble for not paying attention or for not paying attention to what she is supposed to. Another character in this story is Clementine's friend Margaret. Margaret is the total opposite of Clementine which is a great addition to the story.

This book would be enjoyed by the students in my class. I think the characters in the story are very relatable to students and they would find the adventures they go on entertaining. Clementine finds it hard to behave in school and has a difficult time staying out of trouble. Clementine thinks she is "allergic to sitting still" which many students can relate to. 

Big Questions:

-Does Clementine remind you of anyone you know?

- How would you help Margaret?

Where the Sidewalk Ends

Silverstein, S. (1974). Where the sidewalk ends.  New York: HarperCollins Publishers. Where the Sidewalks Ends by Shel Silverstein is a wonderful collection of poems. This was a book that I remember reading and enjoying as a child. As a child I thought all poems had to rhyme because those were the only poems I had really been exposed to prior. I had never really had a huge interest in poetry until hearing the poems from this book in 3rd grade. The illustrations in this book are a black and white and speak to the reader.  This book would be a wonderful book to help introduce students to poetry because of the variety of poems it has within it. The poems vary in length and structure, some of the poems rhyme and some do not. This book would be a wonderful tool to teach poetry because of the variety of poems. Many students believe that all poems have to rhyme and this book has several that are free verse. Students would love this book  because of the relatable poems and humorous illustrations. 

Henry's Freedom Box

Levine, E. (2007) Henry's Freedom Box. Scholastic Press.  Henry's Freedom Box is based on the true story of Henry  Brown who was a slave who actually mailed himself to freedom. After witnessing  his family being sold at auction Henry knew he had to do something for his own freedom. With the help of some friends in the story Henry had to courage to mail himself to freedom. The illustrations in the story help add to the mood of the story by the media of watercolors and oil. The illustrations show the hardships Henry had to go through throughout his journey at times even showing Henry upside down in the pictures.  I first heard this book when my students and I had a field trip to the Freedom Center in Cincinnati, Ohio. The students got to hear the story of Henry Brown and also sit inside a model box that was around the same size as the shipping box Henry made his voyage to freedom in. This is a wonderful story to  help illustrate importance of their freedom and the depths that people were willing to go to get their freedom.  Big Questions: Why is your freedom important? Describe Henry in one word? Would you have the courage to go on a voyage for your freedom?

American Tale Tales

Osborne, M.P. (1991) American tall tales. New York: Random House Children's Books.  American Tall Tales by Mary Pope Osbourne is a wonderful collection of tales from famous tall tale heroes. Some of the characters in this book include Paul Bunyan, Davy Crockett, Johnny Appleseed, and Pecos Bill just to name a few. Mary Pope Osbourne does a wonderful job at making the characters in the story come alive. The tales in this book are close to the originals with just a little twist from the author. There are not many illustrations in this book but the few that there are really add the the story because they create a clearer picture of the famous tall tale heroes. The illustrations in this book are wood carving pictures which is very unique.   I think the tales and characters in this book would be great to use when teaching students perseverance and goal setting. American Tall Tales would be a wonderful book to introduce students to tall tales. This book would also be a good book to teach hyperbole and exaggeration. A fun activity for this book would be to have students create and share their own tall tales. 

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

The Harry Potter series is a wonderful fantasy chapter book series listed in our textbook. I love this series because J.K. Rowling immerses you into the magical world of Hogwarts with the peculiar characters and her wonderful writing. Harry Potter is definitely a book series for older students because of the length, concepts, and also the word difficulty.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone is the first book of this series. This story begins with a somewhat typical family life of the Dursleys and their nephew Harry Potter. It soon becomes very clear why this book is a fantasy chapter book when Harry is whisked away by an oversized character named Hagrid. Harry is soon immersed into a magical world and finds that he himself has magical powers. Throughout the book Harry goes on various adventures with his newfound friends Ron and Hermione.

The magical world that J.K. Rowling creates includes wizards, wands, trolls, a three headed dog, talking pictures and many magical creatures just to name a few. This series would be a wonderful series to encourage imaginative writing in older students. J.K. Rowling does a wonderful job at making the characters in the story come alive with her descriptions and word choice. “Nothing like this man had ever been seen in Privet Drive. He was tall, thin and very old, judging by the silver of his hair and beard, which were both long enough to tuck into his belt. He was wearing long robes, a purple cloak which swept the ground and high-heeled, bucked boots. His blue eyes were light, bright and sparkling behind half-mooned spectacles and his nose was very long and crooked, as though it had been broken at least twice. This man's name was Albert Dumbledore.” (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, pg. 12)

Big Questions:

What magical power do you wish you had?

Would you like to visit Hogwarts? Why?

Where the Wild Things Are

Sendak, M. (1963). Where the wild things are. New York: Harper & Row Publishers.

Where the Wild Things Are is a story about a mischievous boy named Max who is always getting into trouble. Max gets sent to his room because of mischief and that very night his room grows into a forest and Max finds himself in the land of the “wild things”. Max explores this world, finds some friends, and becomes “King of the Wild Things” along the way.   

Where the Wild Things Are is a story that I enjoyed hearing and reading when I was a little kid. I remember that the illustrations were my favorite part because they made me feel that I was in the forest myself because of the rich colors. The media is child like because it is in colored pencil. The illustrations have texture which help to portray a roughness to the story.

This story is a wonderful book to read to students because it lets their imagination go wild I have read this book several times to my students and it is very appealing to boys. I think a lot of students can relate to the main character Max and can see themselves in the story. Even though the story itself is simple the concepts allows students to imagine themselves in the story and sparks their interest.

Questions:

What would you say to a “wild thing” if you could meet one?

Do you wish you could go to the land of the Wild Things?

The Mixed-Up Chameleon

Carle, E. (1984). The Mixed Up Chameleon. New York: Harper Collins Publishers.

The Mixed-Up Chameleon is a great story written by Eric Carle. It is a fantastic story about a chameleon who wants to be anything and everything but himself. The chameleon did not live a very interesting life until he saw a zoo and changed into the many different animals. Throughout the story the chameleon says that he wishes to be many animals because of the different traits and abilities they have. In the end the chameleon realizes that he is unique in his own way and can do things that the other animals can’t do which is what makes him not so boring.

This story is a great resource to use when teaching students the importance of being themselves. The chameleon changes into different animals throughout the story but in the end realizes that being himself is good enough. Children in the primary grades would benefit from hearing the story because they might see themselves as boring but this story helps to teach that being yourself is always the best in the end.   

The illustrations in the story give a child like perspective with vivid bright colors and a colored pencil like media. The illustrations have a lot of texture because of the media that is used which helps to set a whimsical “mixed-up” mood to the story. The bright colors and simple lines are very attractive to young readers and get them excited to read more.    

Questions:

Have you ever wanted to be someone else? Why?

How would you persuade the Chameleon that being himself is always best?

The Polar Express

Van Allsburg, C. (1985). The Polar Express. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.

The Polar Express is a wonderful story that makes one believe in magic again. In the story an old steam engine arrives on Christmas Eve night to take children to the magical city of the North Pole. On the train the children see many wonderful things and are given many fabulous treats to eat. When they arrive at the North Pole the children are greeted by elves and are shown the magic of Christmas. The main character in the story is chosen by Santa Clause himself to pick the first present. The present he receives is a bell that only rings for those who believe in the magic of Christmas.

The illustrations in this book have to be some of the best in a children’s picture book I have seen. The colors are bold and seem to pop off the page. There are a lot of line combinations of both heavy and light lines which give the illustrations depth and dimension. The illustrations look almost like photographs which give a realistic style and draw in the reader.    

I love reading this book to my students because the author’s choice of words encourages students to use their senses and really picture the story in their heads. The author does a brilliant job of describing the setting, characters, and plot with his word choice. This book is a great resource to use when teaching students to use descriptions in their own writing. I read this book to my students every December right before break and they love it! On the day when I read The Polar Express I have them all wear their pj’s to school and they get to drink hot cocoa when I am reading the story. I love seeing the eyes of the students when they hear the story because most students around the age range I teach still believe in Santa and the students who were questionable often believe again after hearing the story. Even my third graders this year were glued to each page while I was reading aloud.

Questions:

Would you hear the bell ring? Why or why not?

What would you do if the Polar Express came to pick you up?

Golem

Wisniewski. D (1996). Golem. New York Clarion Books

Golem is a story set in Prague and is about persecution of Jews and other people because of their religious beliefs. A rabbi created a giant made out of clay to protect the Jews. The giant was made for only one purpose and then was destroyed. I choose this book because it is a very dramatic picture book in which the illustrations help to tell the story. The conflict in the story is person-vs-person.

The illustrations are done by David Wisniewski the author and are very abstract. The illustrations look as if they are collages of paper placed on the page. I believe the darker tones and texture of the illustrations help to capture the intense mood of the story and help to convey the author’s purpose. This story has a very strong plot that could be too intense for younger readers. I would probably feel more comfortable reading this to older students rather than primary because the content and storyline might be hard for them to understand. Some of the vocabulary would also be very difficult for younger readers. This story would be good for older readers to discuss author’s purpose, plot, and conflict.

Questions:

Did the rabbi do more harm than good by creating Golem?

What is fair for the rabbi to create Golem then destroy him?

The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs

Scieszka, J. (1989). The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs By A. Wolf. New York:  Scholastic.

The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs is a wonderful spin on the classic tale of the Three Little Pigs. The story is told by the “Big Bad Wolf” and gives his point of view of what really happened. The wolf feels he has been misunderstood and would like to tell his side of the story. Throughout the story the wolf gives his reasoning for all the events that happen in the classic tale. The story shows the wolf as a kind character that has been misunderstood.

This story fits into the genre of the week because it is a wonderful picture book for students of both primary and intermediate. The illustrations done by Lane Smith really capture the reader’s attention and add to the storyline. The illustrator uses a cartoon like artistic style with lots of texture and darker tones which I believe help to create the mood of the story for the reader.  

I have read this book several times to the students in my class at various grade levels and they all have loved it. I believe this book really sparks the interest of the students and gets them talking about literature. I have had whole group and small group book talks of this book with students from 1^st grade to 3^rd grade and all students were excited to give their opinion on this book. This is a great story for students to hear because it helps them to realize that every story has two sides.     

Questions:

What is the author’s purpose for the story?

I wonder what reaction the three little pigs would have to wolf’s side of the story?

Introduction to me

Hello! I am a teacher in Northern Kentucky. I have taught for 5 years and love it! I have taught grades 1st-3rd, I am currently teaching 3rd grade. My favorite thing about being a teacher is seeing my students faces when they learn new things. I enjoy doing experiments and hands-on activities in my classroom. I am half way through the Master's program at the University of the Cumberlands and I am excited for what I am going to learn in this class. I have a newborn named Riley who is 3 weeks old. My husband and I couldn't be more thrilled about her and are looking forward to this exciting time in our lives! We also just built a new home which is very exciting. I love spending time with my family, being outdoors, traveling and shopping! I enjoy reading at home and also to my students. I recently read the book "How to Steal a Dog" to my students and they loved it.