Reflections After Each Day of Student Teaching February 16, 2015-April 1, 2015

February 16, 2015:

Students did meet the objective. We worked on authors purpose in reading, addition in
math and talked about the sun in science. Students were able to tell me whether the story
we read was written to inform them about something or to entertain them. The story was
about life in the forest. I wasnt able to access the book online, so I found the story in
their class textbook and used that to help show students the story. In math, students met
the objectives. They were able to add two numbers together. They played a game called
Top It and students did really well following directions and playing in pairs. My student
with special needs couldnt handle having a partner so I played with him during math.
For science, students met the objective. I read a story in scholastic news about the sun
and stars. I created a graphic organizer and each student gave me one thing they learned
about the sun. This lesson went smoothly. We looked at pictures of the sun in space and
how we cant see that when we try to look at the sun.
February 17, 2015:
Students did meet the objective. We worked on building background knowledge in
reading, addition with two digit numbers in math and talked about the sun in science.
Students were able to tell me background information about the forest habitat. The story
was about life in the forest. The Internet was not connecting to the system, so we
discussed our thoughts and I wrote them down on the whiteboard (instead of the
smartboard). In math, students met the objectives. They were able to add two-digit
numbers together. We practiced addition in small groups and students were able to answer
the questions I asked them in whole group instruction. For science, students met the
objective. I reviewed what we know about the sun and students remembered various facts
from the story yesterday. This lesson went smoothly. We focused on the same thing for
the next two days.
February 20, 2015:
Students did meet the objective. We reviewed authors purpose in reading. We talked
about how the story is non-fiction story because it gives us facts about the forest.
Students were able to write in their journals about one animal that lives in the forest.
Students did well with that. They were able to write down three sentences and if they
needed help spelling a word, I helped them sound it out. In math, we reviewed addition
and began a lesson on telling time to the hour. I didnt have the individual clocks for
students but I was still able to use a class clock to teach students an introductory lesson
on telling time. In math, students met the objectives.

February 23, 2015:

Students did meet the objective. We worked on comparing and contrasting in reading,
subtraction in math and talked about the plants in science. Students went over the sight
words and amazing words. We read our leveled books in small groups something or to
entertain them. We listened to a video that talked about how insect community is like a
community of people. Students enjoyed singing along with the song online about insects.
In math, students did not met the objectives. They need more practice with subtraction in
small group and whole group. We will continue to discuss strategies to use when
subtracting two numbers. Students were having trouble counting backwards and using
key words in story problems. For science, students met the objective. I talked with
students about plants and what they need to survive. I played the plant parts song and
students loved it. This lesson went smoothly.
February 24, 2015:
Students did meet the objective. We worked on checking for understanding, subtraction
in math and talked about plants in science. Students were able to work in pairs to ask
each other questions about the story titled, Honey Bees. The story was about how bees
collect nectar to make honey and how each bee has a job to do. I wasnt able to access the
book online, so I found the story in their class textbook and used that to help show
students the story. In math, students met the objectives. We worked in small groups
practicing subtraction story problems. We highlighted the numbers in the problem and
that really helped students see the numbers they were working with. We played the plant
parts song again today and worked on labeling the parts of a plant worksheet. Students
did a great job labeling the five parts.
March 2, 2015:
Students did meet the objective. We worked on sequence in reading, telling time in math
and talked about the plant life cycle in science. Students went over the sight words for
this week. We also discussed how places change over time. I explained to students that
cities and neighborhoods grow as more people move into them. They began making
connections to what they have seen in their community. In math, students met the
objectives. They were able to work with small clocks in small groups. I asked them to
show me certain times to the hour and they were able to do that. A few would get the hour
hand and minute hand mixed up but we did many examples to help reinforce the concept.
For science, students met the objective. I went over the plant life cycle. I drew pictures of
each stage on the whiteboard. Students repeated the words after me. I asked each student
to tell me one thing they learned and many were able to explain one stage of the life
cycle.
March 4, 2015:
Students did meet the objective. We worked on sequencing in reading, telling time in
math, and action verbs in phonics. We read the story A Place to Play. Students were
able to tell me what happened first, in the middle, and at the end of the story. The story
was about life in a community. I wasnt able to access the book online, so I found the
story in their class textbook and used that to help show students the story. In math,
students met the objectives. I gave students a worksheet to identify various times. I

collected the worksheet and most of the students understood this concept. For phonics,
we wrote words down and clapped out the syllables. We identified words with the
VC/CV pattern. Students had trouble at first understanding the syllables and pattern. I
started clapping out the words and that really helped.
March 5, 2015:
Students did meet the objective. We finished discussing sequencing in reading. Students
really understand beginning, middle, and end. They were able to tell me the order of the
events in the story and explain the authors purpose. In math, students met the objective
in telling time. They understand the concept. We began discussing base ten blocks.
Students worked with base ten blocks to identify various numbers. I showed them as a
class and then in small group.
March 10, 2015:
Students did meet the objective. We read the amazing words and sight words for the
week. Students also listened to a video on how we grow and change. We discussed how
they have grown from little babies to 7 year olds. Many students understand this concept.
In math, we continued learning how to represent various numbers using base ten blocks.
We played a game called race to 100. Students rolled a die and continued to add blocks.
They would exchange the unit cubes for a long when they reach ten. In science, we
worked on a worksheet that allowed students to label a picture with the stage in the life
cycle of a plant. Students did really well. They were able to remember at least one part of
the life cycle and after the activity, they were able to explain each stage.
March 12, 2015:
Students did meet the objective. Students reviewed comparing and contrasting in reading.
We read the story Ruby in Her Own Time. Students were able to explain what
happened in the story and compare ruby to themselves. We talked about how Ruby did
things on her own time and many students understood the lesson. Colten even said, The
lesson is that we dont have to be like everyone else, we just have to be ourselves. In
math, we continued to work with base ten blocks. Some students were struggling to
understand the value of each block and long. It took them a while to review place value
and the value of each number. Im going to continue to work with students in small group
for math.
March 17, 2015:
Students did meet the objective. We worked on fact and opinion. Students talked about
what a fact is and what is an opinion. They understood how to tell a fact from an opinion.
We wrote down a few facts and opinions on the white board. In math, we learned about
doubles. Students listened to the doubles rap. They loved it. It helped teach them the
answers to a doubles number problem (1-10).

March 23, 2015:

Students did meet the objective. We reviewed authors purpose. Students talked about
stories where the authors purpose was to inform and stories where the authors purpose
was to entertain. We worked in small groups on what happens in a garden. We discussed
the various fruits and vegetables that are grown in a garden. Students connected what
they know about gardens with the story Frog and Toad Together. We discussed what
Toad did in the story that did not work with his garden and what plants need to grow. In
phonics, students met their goal. We talked about r-controlled ar. I introduced bossy r
as my friend and the kids loved it. We watched an episode of The Electric Company
and students had fun learning about ar. In math, we continued doubles and identifying
doubles. Students did really well with this lesson.
March 30, 2015
Students did meet the objective. We worked on drawing conclusions. Students read their
sight words and amazing words. Then, we read the story, Where Are My Animal
Friends? Students drew conclusions from the pictures and the text. In phonics, students
identified words with er, ir, ur. They practiced spelling the words using magnetic letters in
small groups. In math, students began learning about near doubles. They did not meet the
objectives. They did not understand the concept of near doubles. I realized that calling
them near doubles was confusing to them so I will start calling them, doubles+1 and
see how that works.
March 31, 2015:
Students did meet the objective. We continued working on drawing conclusions. Students
reread the story in pairs and asked each other questions about the story to check for
understanding. They did a great job working in pairs. My special needs student did not
want to work with a partner so I allowed him to work alone with my guidance. In math, I
taught the lesson on near doubles again but instead I called them doubles+1. I wrote out
various doubles on the whiteboard and added 1 to each double and asked students for the
sum. They were able to do that and it was easier for them to understand. They were able
to meet the objectives.
April 1st, 2015:
This was my last day of teaching every subject area. Students met the objectives. In
reading we talked about background knowledge and how it helps us understand how the
seasons change. We discussed the four seasons and what happens to animals when the
seasons change. Students watched a video on bird migration and animals that hibernate.
Students were able to use what they already know to answer verbal comprehension
questions. In math, I gave them a pre-test to see what they know. Some students struggled
with place value and near doubles. It gave me an idea of what to focus on in small
groups. I helped make a list of students that I would see throughout the week and what I
would work on with each group. Hopefully by the time they take the test on Friday they
will be able to get most of the questions correct. In phonics, we talked about words that
end in dge. We made a list of words and read them aloud. Students met the objectives in
phonics. For the rest of the week, I will be working only with a few students throughout
the day.