Cassidy Johnson's Education Exploration

Category: EDCI 402

Chapter 10: Mini Lesson with Reflection

March 22, 2024 / / 0 Comments
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English/Science/Art Cross Curricular:

My experience with the grade 5’s was a unique one. The students were working on a project where they created simple machines out of art and recycled materials. I wish I would have had a chance to see more of the students work process but it was great to connect with them about what they had created! I was also able to get a copy of the teachers handouts and ask questions about the process since this assignment took much more time then the time I spent in the classroom.

The Assignment:

The students were asked to create a park using their knowledge of simple machines. The requirement was for the students to include all 6 of the simple machines they had learned in class.

Part 1: Planning

Students started out by planning their blueprints.

The students started by deciding how they wanted to include each simple machine in their park and wrote down their plans using this simple graphic organizer.

By having students first write out their plans the students are learning to brainstorm before they start doing. This will help students to have a higher quality end product and ensure they are meeting all the criteria.

This style of brainstorming is especially beneficially to Auditory learners who like to hear and talk through their plans using words.

The students were also asked to draw out their planning and have the teacher sign off on the blue prints before building could begin.

By having students draw out their plans the teacher could ensure that all the students are on the right track. This would be a great time to incorporate extra lessons or support if students were not ready to move forward on this content.

This type of planning is especially beneficial to Visual learners who like to see their plans

By having all students do both types of planning the teacher is able to have students experience different types of learning. At this stage most children do not know their learning style, or their learning style may still change.

Part 2: Building

Next the students built their planned parks. I was amazed by the creativity these children had bringing their ideas to life! Most of the students told me they had a lot of fun doing this part of the assignment, one kid even said “it was nice to get a break from school work” but this was school work my friend!!! Take a look at their creations:

………………

Part 3: The Write Up

After creating their works of arts the students wrote a description of their park and what each of their simple machines does. The goal of this write up was to be advertisement to try to get people to come to their water park.

BC Curriculum Links:

*** all links for both subjects are made to the grade 5 curriculum

Core Competency:

  • Creative Thinking: I get ideas that are new to my peers. My creative ideas are often a form of self-expression for me. I have deliberate strategies for quieting my conscious mind (e.g., walking away for a while, doing something relaxing, being deliberately playful), so that I can be more creative. I use my experiences with various steps and attempts to direct my future work.

(Students demonstrated this competency by trying and using different materials in creative ways to create their simple machines)

Big Ideas:

  • Using language in creative and playful ways helps
    us understand how language works. (ELA: students attempted to use language in creative and playful ways to try to get people to come to their park)
  • Machines are devices that transfer force and energy. (science)
  • Works of art influence and are influenced by the world around us. (Arts Education: Student’s created art that was inspired by simple machines)

Curricular Competencies:

  • Exchange ideas and perspectives to build shared understanding (ELA: students worked in groups to create their simple machines)
  • Use writing and design processes to plan, develop, and create texts for a variety of purposes and audiences (ELA: Students worked on design process by first creating a blueprint, a rough copy of the write up and then the final types version)
  • Co-operatively design projects (science)
  • Transfer and apply learning to new situations (Science: Students applied what they knew about simple machines to create a water park)
  • Intentionally select artistic elements, processes, materials, tools, techniques, and environments to express meaning in their work (Arts Education)

Content:

  • writing process (ELA: students worked on planning before they started writing)
  • properties of simple machines and their force effects (science)
  • processes, materials, technologies, tools and techniques to support creative works (Arts Education)

Reflection:

What I learned from this teacher is that you can fit so much curriculum into one assignment! My concern with implementing something like this into my class would be how much time you need to put aside for one project but by writing all these curriculum connections I realize how much students can learn from these large creative assignments. I also saw how being engaged allowed the students to share so much information with me when I asked them about their project. Students really do learn so much more when they are excited about the material. My goal as a teacher is to find ways to include student passion and excitement into my students learning. I have seen first hand how much students benefit from this careful planning and creativity!!!

Chapter 9: The One Book That Changes Everything

March 22, 2024 / / 0 Comments
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I was first introduced to the Hunger Games series by my grade 6 homeroom, science, technology and math teacher. Every day during lunch hour he would play the audio book for the class while we ate our lunch. The class LOVED the book and was always so excited to listen to what came next.

What I think was so special about this experience is that I was not reading the book alone. I had my peers in the class to talk to about what was happening, what we think will happen next and which characters we love. I was a very shy student in middle school so having a topic that I could connect with my peers over was really big for my social skills. When talking about the book I was more excited then nervous and I began to come out of my shell and make new friends.

The nice thing about this book is that after we listened to the first one I just had to finish the series. (Something I am 100% sure was my teachers plan. He seemed to have been sneaky enough to “trick” me and others in the class into reading.)

After the class finished the first book I remember begging my mom to take me to the library so I could read the secound book. Less then a week later I was ready for the third book. This was my first time being truly excited to get the next book in the series and the start of my crazy binge reading!

A Good Book Sticks With You:

This summer I picked up the prequel of this series to read for nostalgia. The reading level was very easy and the content a little dark and gorier then I normally choose but when I read the book I remembered the connection I had to the rest of the series and I really enjoyed reading it. I think any book you can make an emotional connection with is so important and such great motivation to keep reading! This book is the reason I will work so hard to make reading an experience for my students rather then just a chore. I plan to do this by decorating my classroom to match the theme of the book. Dressing up as characters and cross connecting with drama so students can step into a role!

The Significance of Finding that One Book:

When a student finds there one book that changes everything they change their entire perspective of reading. As a teacher if we can help a student make a connection with a good book we are teaching them the required curriculum.

*** These curriculum links come from the grade 6 English language Arts BC curriculum, the idea however can be shared among all readers

Big Ideas:

  • Language and text can be a source of creativity and joy. (Reading is FUN! Students should be given support and time to find books that make reading fun for them!)

Curricular Competencies:

  • Recognize and appreciate how different features, forms, and genres of texts reflect various purposes, audiences, and messages (By expressing why they love a book students are appreciating the message and purpose behind the books they enjoy.)

Content:

  • reading strategies (the more we love the book, the more we read, the more we learn.)

Chapter 8: Assessment and Reporting

March 22, 2024 / / 0 Comments
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Running Records:

A running record is a pre made observation sheet that a teacher uses to assess a students reading process. When observing student reading using a running record a teacher is listening to the student read and is watching to count errors, self correction and accuracy rates.

Photo taken from The Literacy Garden Blog- Check out her blog!!!

” The best information [from running records] came from analyzing the different reading behaviors of the student.  The recording form let me notice which reading strategies they were using. I documented what a child did when they came across a word they were unsure of. I circled if they blew through punctuation marks. I wrote notes about if they read fluently or were choppy. Did they read with expression or sound like a robot?” (Alison- The Literacy Garden Blog)

Samples:

This is a sample of how a teacher suggests to mark your running record.

This picture was taken from Pinterest and is credited to Carla Fedeler

I like that Carla included codes for reading process as well as for student errors. Tracking when a student is self-correcting, re reading sentences and problem solving will help you know which strategies your student likes to use to learn to read. This is great information to collect so you can support those strategies and begin to teach them new ones if needed.

This is an example of what a completed running record may look like.

This photo is taken from Pinterest and is credited to Alison- Writing lessons.

In this sample the students were given a short passage to read. Every check represents a word read correctly. Simple codes are used to mark student errors so the teacher knows exactly when and how the student made a mistake in the passage and how the student tried to work through the blockage.

Why a Running Record?

A running record is a great assessment strategy because it gives students one on one time with the teacher. This is a great way for a teacher to get to know their students. A running record also provides simple and clear records of student growth. A teacher can show these records to a parent to demonstrate how reading errors are reducing over time. A running record is a great tool to use to decide what your students are ready to learn next, or if additional support may be required for striving students.

Grade 3 BC Curriculum Connections:

Content:

  • reading strategies (When a teacher is observing the students using a running record the teacher is observing which reading strategies the student uses. From this information a teacher can then teach new strategies to ensure students have a chance to try multiple strategies to see what works for them!)

Curricular Competencies:

  • read fluently at grade level (A running record tracks if students are meeting this competency and more importantly the growth the student is making within this competency)
  • Use developmentally appropriate reading, listening, and viewing strategies to make meaning (students are demonstrating this competency in a running record and the teacher is able to track the strategies the student is using)

When To Use A Running Record?:

A running record requires one on one time with a student. A great way to make this time is to do literacy stations! Students can rotate through different stations they can run independently and the teacher can have a running record station where students work one on one with the teacher.

How I would use A Running Record:

My goal would be to get at least 3 records per student by the end of the year. I think it is really important to use this tool to track growth as well as current reading abilities and decoding strategies. I would have a literacy stations week to implement this tool. The week prior I would explain all the stations so students understand exactly what is expected of them prior to literacy station week. I would put students in groups of 5, this would require approximately 5 stations depending on class size. The teacher station will be a read to self station. Students will read to themselves and I will pull out 1 student per day per group to do a running record. By the end of the week all 5 students from every group will have been assessed. Some ideas I have for other stations are:

Photo from MissGiraffesClass on Pinterest
Photo from The Measured Mom on Pinterest
  • spin a word
  • Four in a Row
  • buddy reading stations
  • word matching game (print out a list of words on individual cue cards, students will flip over two cards, if the words match they get to keep the cards otherwise they flip them back over and their partner gets a turn)

I would be most likely to use running records with the entire class in grades 1-4. I may use running records on a case by case bases if a student required extra reading support in grade 5-8, a great example I could think of for this is a new ESL student who may not have learned about reading strategies and may be at a lower reading level because English is not the language they learned to read in.

Student Reporting Policy:

Frequency:

“Under the K-12 Student Reporting Policy, students in all grades, from Kindergarten to Grade 12, will receive a minimum of five communications on student learning throughout the school year – four Learning Updates throughout the year and one Summary of Learning at the end of the year.” (BC K-12 Student reporting policy) pg. 50

I believe it is important to give parents communication throughout the year because it ensures there are no surprises. Parents should be in enough contact with the teacher that they have a general understanding of how their student is doing in school. Reporting 5 times throughout the year also celebrates growth. If parents only received a final report card they may not be able to see how much their student has progressed throughout the year.

Proficiency Scale:

(Page 27) The proficiency scale is used in BC from grades K-9 to report student learning in all subject areas. I appreciate that the each level on the scale has specific terms for suggested use in reporting. By having standard terms it assures everyone is on the same page and using consistent language.

Emerging language:

  • Is beginning to… • Is working to be able to… • Needs to… • Moving forward, the goal is to…

Developing language:

  • Is almost able to… • Is working on… • Continues to… • Moving forward, needs to continue to…

Proficient Language:

  • Is able to… • Can… • Is ready to move on to… • Moving forward, they could…

Extending Language:

  • Is creatively able to… • In a unique way can… • Can continue to… • Moving forward, their goal will be…

Sample Report Card Comment:

*** Note this report card comment is not for a real student. All names and comments are made up for the example

Martha Jones is Developing in English Language Arts at the end of Term 2 of Grade 3. We have been working on identifying story elements within picture books. Martha has taken a great liking to the Story The Paper Bag Princess. I am amazed by her curiosity and risk taking in class. Martha is working on identifying the conflict of a story. Moving forward, she could draw out the conflict before trying to describe the conflict orally. Martha is creative and can use colour very nicely to connect to a story.

Chapter 7: Literacy Mini Lesson

March 22, 2024 / / 0 Comments
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UFLI is a program introduced by the University of Florida Literacy Institute:

“After more than two years of development and pilot testing, we are excited to introduce you to UFLI Foundations, an explicit and systematic program that teaches students the foundational skills necessary for proficient reading. It follows a carefully developed scope and sequence designed to ensure that students systematically acquire each skill needed and learn to apply each skill with automaticity and confidence. The program is designed to be used for core instruction in the primary grades or for intervention with struggling students in any grade.” (University of Florida Literacy Institute)

UFLI in Action:

UFLI in this grade 1/2 classroom always starts on the carpet. The students are close together and working as a team. The teacher is watching for student participation but no students are put on the spot. If needed later the teacher can do small group work to hear individual student voices. Right now all students are calling out the answers together. A great way to achieve this is to have a cue so students know when to start answering.

In the lesson I was observing the students were working on the vowel sound “a” being a long vowel when the word ends in an “e”.

Sound and Pound then Pound and Sound:

The classroom teacher started with a sound and pound for words appropriate to todays letter sound. This drill works to help students hear the words they are learning. The teacher said the individual letter sounds (sound) and the students responded by saying the word (pound). Then the teacher says the word (pound) and the students say the individual sounds. For example:

First:

Teacher says: “m” “a” “d(e)” Students respond: “made”

Teacher says: “s” “a” “m(e)” Students respond: “same”

Then:

Teacher says: “bake” Students respond: “b” “a” “k(e)”

Teacher says: “cake” Students respond: “c” “a” “k(e)”

Visual Drill:

This next drill allows the students to see the words they are learning.

Each letter sound is connected to a picture:

Students read out the word as a class:

The teacher introduced this concept by using the word mad. Mad has a short vowel “a” sound, however when you add an “e” to the end of mad the new word made “a” has a long vowel sound.

The teacher first verbally explained this concept. Then the students saw the word written on the smart board and heard the difference as they read each word. Then they read out other words with the same pattern. The repetition of reading multiple words out loud began to cement the learning for the students.

Individual Work:

Students were then sent to their desks to practice what they just learned using mini white boards!

Using Sound and Pound students are asked to write out the words they teacher is saying. The teacher says: “late” “l” “a” “t”. Once the students have written the word they are to hold up their white board to show to the teacher.

This is a great way to formatively assess which students understood the lesson and were able to put it into practice. There are no formal grades given out for this desk work, but the teacher is able to take mental notes of which students were not able to keep up. Consistent observing of students gives the teacher a deeper understanding of her students current abilities.

Consistency and Routines:

UFLI is completed every single morning right after the students arrive. The teacher shared with me that she never schedules anything else in the morning so that UFLI is always done at the exact same time. This is when her students are at their very best! UFLI is done in the same order every day so while the content they are working on changes the routine remains the same. The students know exactly what is being asked of them and there are no interruptions to learning due to confusing instructions.

My biggest take away from observing this lesson is the teachers use of her wall space to connect to UFLI. After the students learn a new sound she unveils the letter on her sound wall. This is a great reward for students as they are motivated to uncover the entire wall. The sound wall also works to remind students of what they have already learned and can be referred back to at any time.

BC Curriculum Links:

Core Competency:

  • Communication- Profile 2: I talk and listen to people I know. I can communicate for a purpose. I can understand and share basic information about topics that are important to me, and answer simple, direct questions about my activities and experiences. (Students demonstrate this learning verbally when they share information on the carpet and written when they share information on their white board.)

English Language Arts 2:

Big Ideas:

  • Playing with language helps us discover how language works.

Curricular Competencies:

  • Read fluently at grade level
  • Use sources of information and prior knowledge to make meaning (Students demonstrated this because they were required to remember what they already learned about long and short vowels in order to understand todays lesson)
  • Communicate using sentences and most conventions of Canadian spelling, grammar, and punctuation (Students demonstrated this during individual work time on the white boards when they worked on spelling the words)

Content:

  • word patterns, word families (UFLI teaches students how to read and to recognize patterns in the English language)

Reflection:

I was extremely excited about observing this lesson. Teaching reading to young students is very challenging and something I need to continue to practice. One thing I did to help extend my learning is call out the answers with the students. When I teach reading I am learning to be aware of the ways my mouth moves as I say sounds, so practicing reading words and saying vowel sounds with students is a great way for me to cement my learning. During the white board activity I practiced watching the whole group and taking note of which students may require extra support. I engaged with the students by asking them questions about what they were doing. They have a set routine on how UFLI works I their classroom, by explaining that routine to me the students were working on their communication!

Additional Resources:

UFLI has tons of video’s on YouTube that are worth watching

Anna DiGilio (experienced elementary teacher) posted an useful video entitled Are You Implementing UFLI Foundations this Year?

Seriously just type in “teaching UFLI” into youtube, there are so many videos to learn from! The greatest resource of all is other teachers in the building, that is why I am so grateful to have had an opportunity to observe an amazing teacher implement this program!

Chapter 6: Story Vines

March 21, 2024 / / 0 Comments
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Story Vine:

Story Vine is an activity described in my Textbook “Sometimes Reading is Hard” by Robin Bright. This activity can be found on page 92 of the text. A Story Vine is an art project that teaches students how to retell a story.

“According to Marlene, story vines are based on an old African tradition of
storytelling and can be used to develop language and support reading and writ-
ing across the curriculum. Story vines involve both planning and performance
but are rooted in what students are reading.” (Bright, page 92)

Story Vine is an activity that has been adapted and used across the country by educators! The CBC published an article on teachers creating story vines titled: Winnipeg teachers learn how to weave colourful fabric into stories. The photo below is taken from this article.

Photo by the CBC on Winnipeg teachers creating Story Vines

My Story Vine:

I created a story vine based on the activity in “Sometimes Reading is Hard” by Robin Bright. My Story Vine was created on the book “The Paper BAg Princess” by Robert Munsch and Michael Martchenko. This is how I would teach a story vine in my class.

Step 1: Chose A Story: To create a story vine you are going to need to pick a book with strong images. You may want to teach the students about symbolism prior to this activity.

Step 2: Read the Story: Read the Story aloud to the class. Make sure to go slow and pause throughout the story so students remain engaged. Take the time to carefully look at all the photos. This may be a great time to do a photo analysis prior to beginning the read. To do this print out copies of pictures from the book and have students predict what they think is happening.

Step 3: Retell the Story As a Class: On a White Board summarize the main points of the story as a class.

Step 4: Model a Story Vine to the Class- Decide on pictures/figurines/drawings to represent the story.

Step 5: Model the Story Vine to the Class-Weave the yarn into a braid. As you go braid the artifacts into the story vine in the order they appear in the story.

Step 6: Model the Story Vine to the Class- Retell the Story using your story vine. Make sure to be expressive and enthusiastic when you demonstrate to your students.

Step 7: Have Students create their own Story Vine! First they will pick out their artifacts, then braid their yarn while adding in the artifacts, finally they will retell the story using their story vine! It is important to first demonstrate the activity so students understand what is being asked of them. I found it can be hard to image what the story vine should look like from verbal or written instructions alone.

What I Learned:

  • Take it slow! This does not need to be an activity done in one afternoon. On day one you could do a mini lesson on symbolism so students understand how they can use artifacts to represent a story. Day two you can read the story, do predictions, look at the pictures and summarize the beginning, middle and end. Day 3 you can model the story vine as a class and then Day 4/5 you can give students time to work on their own story Vine. Day 6 you can perform the story vines with retelling!
  • Make sure you have lots of materials! I created my story vine using tissue paper wrapped around the artifacts because I did not have any yarn. It is important to preplan to make sure you have everything the students could need. Maybe ask students to bring artifacts from home, do this after reading the story and modelling a story vine but before they create their own. Otherwise start gathering materials early, use other teachers as resources!
  • Have fun! This activity is creative and hands on. It is a great activity to do with a buddy class so students can work together.

What Students are learning: BC Curriculum Links

*** These links are connected to the grade 4 curriculum but could be adapted to fit younger or older grades

Collaboration: Have students work in small groups or with a buddy class. Students will learn to work together to create a shared story

Content:

  • processes, materials, technologies, tools and techniques to support arts activities (Arts Education) Student can practice using a variety of materials to get the desired results
  • symbolism and metaphor create and represent meaning (Arts Education)
  • literary elements (ELA) Students will explore the characters, setting, plot, conflict and purpose (beginning, middle, end in younger grades)

Curricular Competencies:

  • Create artistic works collaboratively and as an individual using ideas inspired by imagination, inquiry, experimentation, and purposeful play (Arts Education)
  • Interpret and communicate ideas using symbolism to express meaning through the arts (Arts Education)
  • Use oral storytelling processes (ELA) Students will retell the story

Big Ideas:

Texts can be understood from different perspectives (ELA) Students will all retell the same story. Since all students are unique each retelling will be unique as well.

The Paper Bag Princess:

The paper bag Princess was a great story to use for this activity because it followed a clear sequence of events. The story is easy to follow, has beautiful images in the book to use to inspire students and has a lovely message.

The message: I like that the book defies the expected gender norms for the time it was written. It shows the importance of mental strength when physically outmatched and it teaches children that what is inside your heart is what matters.

Chapter 5: AI Tools for Literacy

March 21, 2024 / / 0 Comments
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Magic School is a Free AI tool designed for teachers, with the option of paying for a premium service. Check it out below:

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Magic School Design:

I like magic school because it is simple to use. Everything on the site is related to teaching with the intention of elevating my career path. The less time teachers are spending on tasks like scrolling for lesson ideas, the more time the teacher can spend adapting a lesson to fit their students unique needs. I find the site flows and is fairly straightforward to find what you need.

The side panel splits the site into AI tools, chatbot for additional support and history of your work created with magic school.
The top panel sorts all the tools into categories based on the teachers needs from the AI.
At the top of the site you can star your favorite tools for easy access.

Magic Tools- Text Leveler:

I would use this feature to create reading samples for my students on specific topics. I would start with a resource I want to teach and have the AI modify the text for any of my students who I believe would struggle with the original text. This is a great way to add supports or challenges to students while ensuring a classroom community of students all learning together.

The text leveler is an AI tool used to modify any text for different grade levels.

Benefits: all your students reading the same material within their reading abilities.

Caution: texts need to still be careful read through and edited for grammar, appropriate terms and appropriate levels for reading. This is not an easy copy and paste reading sample. You must still do the work to ensure it fits your students needs.

Magic Tools: Unit Generator:

I would use this tool as a starting off point on a new unit. It may give me ideas I would like to try in my classroom and make suggestions about the order of which I should teach my content. This will not be used to write any of the unit plans I end up teaching.

This AI tool is used to create a unit plan. You enter your grade, length and topics and it will create a unit plan.

Benefits: Gives you lots of ideas quickly with less scrolling

Cautions: This is NOT a final product. The AI tool does not know your students and your environment.

Magic Tool: Exemplar and Non-Exemplar

I would use this tool to create examples for my students for lessons I have not taught before. Students like to be able to see the end results when you describe an assignment. Typically I would ask my prior students if I could show some of their work but teachers are constantly evolving and changing their teaching and wont always have past work to show.

This AI tool is used to create responses to assignment questions.

Benefits: This is a huge time saver. The teacher does not need to write all the responses themself.

Students can see multiple writing styles, not just their teachers.

Caution: Always edit and read any work before sharing it with your students.

Chapter 4: Literacy Mini Lesson

March 19, 2024 / / 0 Comments
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The grade 6 class that I observed for in-situ had library for first block. The beginning of the block they worked on a lesson with the librarian and then the students got some time to exchange their books and read. One of the big advantages I noticed from this set up is the students get a chance to learn from multiple teaching styles. While I was in the class the students were learning about comic books!

Creating a Comic Book:

Goal: The end goal is for the students to create their own comic strips. By having the students watch videos and take notes the students focus on particular pieces of their comic strip. This can be used for assessment and to make sure students fully understand what is being asked of them. This is a unit that took place over a couple months because of the limited time they had with the librarian. I only got to watch a few weeks of planning and note taking.

BC Curriculum:

Core Competency: Creative Thinking. “I generate new ideas as I pursue my interests. I deliberately learn a lot about something by doing research, talking to others, or practicing, so that I can generate new ideas about it.” Students were being guided in research to generate ideas on the comic they will be creating.

Big Ideas: Questioning what we hear, read, and view contributes to our ability to be educated and engaged citizens. Students worked on this big idea because they had to question which parts of the videos were important and decide what should be included in their notes.

Curricular Competencies: Access information and ideas for diverse purposes and from a variety of sources and evaluate their relevance, accuracy, and reliability Students worked on this when they watched the video and took notes. Students knew their purpose and were given the source and needed to decide what was relevant.

Synthesize ideas from a variety of sources to build understanding. Students worked on this when they watched videos to build understanding on creating a comic.

Content: Text Features. Students focused on the specific ways text is displayed in a comic strip.

Literary Elements. Once students start creating their comic they will focus on building characters, setting and narration.

Activate and Engage:

The students started the lesson by watching Dave McDonald Art on youtube. Each day they watched a few 5ish minute videos from the series Kids Make Comics.

The benefits of using a youtube video are:

  • The person presenting is an expert in this topic
  • Students are very familiar with this media and it feels like a treat to them

*** remember to ALWAYS pre watch any video before playing it in front of your students

Explore and Discover:

While the students watched the video they were asked to take notes on the topics from the youtube video.

The notes were taken in the same style as the comic book to get students familiar with the formatting.

All the notes were stored in a nice booklet set up by the teacher so all student work was in one place.

Throughout the video the teacher paused to ensure students had time and could discuss the notes. This made sure all students got the information.

Topics:

Dave Mcdonald Art- Kids Make Comics covered a large range of topics related to creating a comic book. It is up to the teacher to decide which videos fit into the curriculum they are trying to teach. Here is a list of topics offered:

  • Simple Shapes make Super Characters
  • Inking your comics
  • making comic panels
  • Where do ideas come from
  • Making word balloons
  • Fridge door comics
  • making big bold lettering

Organize and Integrate:

The lesson ended by having the students practice making a comic. This comic will not be used for a summative grade, however the teacher can see if the students are putting their notes into practice!

This activity can be adapted by having more or less details put into the pictures. Some ways to do this could be:

  • Have all the pictures filled in and students write word bubbles
  • Have pictures be a connect the dotes activity so the students can practice drawing comic pictures with some support

The End Result:

I did not get to observe this class long enough for them to finish the project, these are samples from previous years. The theme of this years comic was humor.

Reflection:

I love watching other teachers teach. I learn so much from being in the moment and observing their lesson. One challenge I find from this environment is these are not my students and I never know how much intervention is appropriate. Something I can do to help this is connect with the teacher before the students arrive. I can ask them “How can I support you while in your classroom?” and “Are there any behaviors I need to be aware of?” This way the teacher can provide boundaries of what they expect from the visitors in their classroom.

Chapter 3: Using Authentic Sources

March 18, 2024 / / 0 Comments

I am grateful to be learning within the traditional territory of the Ktunaxa Nation. I would like to acknowledge the ancestral preservation of the pristine land I enjoy everyday. The beautiful mountains are a peaceful presence for reflecting and adapting lessons. The lovely forests create engaging environments for outdoor learning and play. I promise to follow the lead of the Indigenous community to maintain this land for future generations.

Roxanne Harde:

Roxanne is the author of the article Putting First Nations Texts at the Center which focuses on finding appropriate Indigenous resources. She free-lanced as a library consultant for the Little Red River School, north of Prince Albert. Roxanne and her team worked to go through the library and get rid of books that were not considered authentic. She shared a bit about her process:

“Think of it this way: when a story is written about a white child, the child is seen as an individual, so the Native child as an individuated subject became the basis of my criteria for the collection. Therefore, I discarded those stories about the Native child that used that child to stereotype, moralize, generalize, and objectify—to write about a nation, a people, instead of about a child.”

Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop:

Rudine published a groundbreaking essay “mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors” in 1990. She was a decorated scholar, college professor, and author and pioneered the concept. This concept was influential for creating vital experiences for children of ALL backgrounds in reading. I will use this idea when I am creating a classroom library to ensure all of my students can find books where they are represented. In order to achieve this goal it is vital that I know my students and make connections with their families to learn about their history. I will also need to be constantly updating my library and willing to follow the advice of the most current research. Check out the concept below:

A Sample of my Library:

Following the research of Roxanne Harde’s criteria for an authentic source that sees the child as an individual and Dr. Rudine Sims Bischop’s theory on children’s vital experiences in reading I have put together a sample of a handful of books I will be including in my library to ensure I have authentic sources for my Indigenous children to relate to.

“Sometimes I feel like a Fox” introduces the reader to 12 totem animals and their associated meaning in Anishinaabe tradition. Each page introduces a new animal in short, two sentence poems detailing the unique characteristics of that animal.

This book is created by Canadian and Indigenous author Danielle Daniel and is an authentic source representing the Anishinaabe community.

Kyukyit is a book written completely in the Indigenous language Ktunaxa. This book is about a young girl who is greeting different animals local to the Kootenay area.

This book is Created by the Ktunaxa Nation and represents the community local to the Kootenay area.

This is the story of a young Ojibwe girl who has been taught by her elder grandmother that water is sacred.  When the girl learned of a prophecy that the “black snake” will destroy her lands and her water she is prepared to fight back to protect those that cannot protect themselves.

This book is created by Carole Lindestorm, an Indigenous woman who is a part of and represents the Ojibwe community.

“How Raven Stole the Sun” is an origin story from the Tlingit community of how a once pure white raven became black as coal while releasing the light that has been held captive.

This book is written based on the oral stories passed down by the Tlingit community and is written by a Tlingit woman named Maria Williams and Illustrated by Felix Vigil.

If you would like to find more local Indigenous resources check out the article 14 inspiring children’s books from Indigenous writers shared by the CBC.

BC Curriculum Connections:

**** connections are made to the grade 5 English Language Arts Curriculum, similar connections can be made at both older and younger grade levels

Big Ideas:

  • Texts can be understood from different perspectives. (by using texts from people of all backgrounds you are teaching your students that everyone has a unique perspective and every voice matters)

Curricular Competencies:

Content:

  • perspective/point of view

Chapter 2: Classroom Setup

March 10, 2024 / / 0 Comments
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This week was week 1 of my first in-situ experience in EDCI 402. I was invited to observe and participate in a grade 6 classroom at the local elementary school. I really enjoyed how every piece of this teachers classroom was carefully considered and used to enhance the students learning.

The Classroom Library

The classroom teacher organized her books using large plastic bins labeled with homemade tags and sorted by genre. The bins were placed on the bottom 2 levels of her shelving around the front and right side of her classroom. The classroom teacher was kind enough to share the pros and cautions of her set up with me:

Pros

  • Students can find books similar to the last book they enjoyed by searching a specific genre
  • Everyone knows where the books go, this prevents books from ending up everywhere
  • The library had a large variety of types and levels of reading so everyone could find books they enjoy.

Cautions

  • Books will end up unsorted quickly if not maintained. The teacher addressed this by making “librarian” a classroom job

Paragraphing:

There is a series of poster’s on one wall of the classroom that teaches students paragraphing. This poster can be used to teach students to form a united paragraph.

BC Curriculum Links: Grade 6 ELA

Content:

  • Paragraphing: developing paragraphs that are characterized by unity, development, and coherence
  • Text features: how text and visuals are displayed

Curricular Competencies:

  • Use writing and design processes to plan, develop, and create engaging and meaningful literary and informational texts for a variety of purposes and audiences
  • Select and use appropriate features, forms, and genres according to audience, purpose, and message

Writing Process:

There is a series of posters on another wall in the classroom that teach writing process. This poster can be used to teach the writing process and teach students how to edit and revise.

BC Curriculum Links: Grade 6 ELA

Content:

Curricular Competencies:

  • Use writing and design processes to plan, develop, and create engaging and meaningful literary and informational texts for a variety of purposes and audiences
  • Assess and refine texts to improve their clarity, effectiveness, and impact according to purpose, audience, and message
  • Use an increasing repertoire of conventions of Canadian spelling, grammar, and punctuation

Word Wall:

This classroom had a ice cream word all of words to use to strengthen student writing. The word on the bottom was a simple word and then each ice cream scoop was a word from the thesaurus that students could use instead. Take a look:

BC Curriculum Links: Grade 6 ELA

Content:

  • language varieties: regional dialects and varieties of English, standard Canadian English versus American English, formal versus informal registers, and situational varieties
  • sentence structure and grammar: varied sentence structure, pronoun use, subject-verb agreement, use of transitional words, awareness of run-on sentences and sentence fragments

Curricular Competencies:

  • Assess and refine texts to improve their clarity, effectiveness, and impact according to purpose, audience, and message

Brainstorming Time:

Something I noticed the classroom teacher did to promote literacy is brainstorm as a class prior to asking students to create work. For this example the students were working on writing a persuasive ad to sell a product they created.

Benefits:

  • The white board can easily be erased and added to as students increase their vocabulary
  • Students will produce higher quality work because the teacher took the time to get the ball rolling on student work
  • Students will be more willing to risk using new words if the teacher introduces the word
  • The students feel ownership over this work because they created it with the teacher

My Classroom: Grades 1-4

When I have my own classroom something I really want to include is a space for the students to read that is not their desk. I believe a change in scenery can be very beneficial in promoting reading.

Photo from Simply Kinder on Pinterest

I would want to include lots of pillows that students could sit on. Using portable pillows allows students to move to a setting they choose. This choice allows students some autonomy over their own learning.

I would implement the pillows with a procedure that says 1 student per pillow. Pillows are used only for independent reading time. Pillows can be moved anywhere in the classroom but they need to be put back.

Having a special material only for reading time will add excitement and student choice.

Chapter 1: Reading Interest Survey

March 3, 2024 / / 0 Comments
Photo Sourced from Canada Commons

The Reading Interest Survey comes from the textbook Sometimes Reading is Hard by Robin Bright. This textbook is available through Canada Commons. The Survey can be found on page 155 and can be adapted for any grade level. The purpose of the survey is to find out what interests YOUR students to keep them MOTIVATED and ENGAGED in reading!

GET TO KNOW ME BY MY READING INTEREST SURVEY:

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I really enjoy reading because it allows me to experience lifestyles different then my own. I am a binge reader, once I start a book I want to keep reading until the end. When I was younger I would stay up way past my bedtime because I just had to know how the story ended.

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I like to read fiction books. My favorite genres to read are fantasy and mystery books. I enjoy books that have a bit of magic.

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I like to play soccer, go on hikes, swim in Mineral Lake in the Summer and do archery.

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J.K Rowling

Robert Munsch

Carole Lindstrom

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Drop: An Adventure Through the Water Cycle by Emily Kate Moon. I used this book to teach a science lesson and I noticed it really engaged some of the students who may not normally follow along in the lesson!

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During the winter holiday I went snowshoeing with my partner and I read the Harry Potter series for the first time.

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My absolute favorite topic to learn about is Canadian history. I find it truly fascinating to learn about all the inspiring people who shaped the modern world.

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I would love to read a book about sirens.

How To Use The Reading Survey in Your Classroom:

Adaptions: The survey I answered involved lots of writing. Students in younger grades would struggle to complete the survey using full sentences. Instead have the students draw their answers. You could also discuss what books the student has read and print out photos of the books. Then students could cut and paste the pictures into their survey to show you books they have previously enjoyed.

Benefits: Completing this survey at the beginning of the year is an excellent way to get to know your students. Once you have an idea about the types of books a student enjoys you can help your students to find more books they will love. This will encourage more reading from your students.

Extensions: Once the students have completed their survey you could have them share with the rest of the class. This would help your students to find kids with similar interests to their own.

Curriculum Links: This is a sample of how I would link this activity to the BC Curriculum for grade 4. This activity allows you to get to know your students, but it also helps your students to get to know their own reading style.

Core Competency: “Positive Personal and Cultural Identity”

Photo sourced from the bc curriculum website

Profile 3: “I can identify my individual characteristics and explain what interests me. “

Big Ideas: “Language and text can be a source of creativity and joy.” This activity focuses on helping students identify the stories that they enjoyed and the genres that give them the most joy to read.

Curricular Competencies: “Use personal experience and knowledge to connect to text and deepen understanding of self, community, and world”

Content: “metacognitive strategies” Students reflect on past activities and reading that they have enjoyed.

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