Lessons+Taught

During our time in Millstone River School, we were required to teach a minimum of two lessons. My partner, Megan, and I taught two lessons together. Our first lesson was about idioms. We taught the students what idioms were using examples and by reading a short picture book. The second lesson we taught was on poetry. We had the students write a poem based on the poem "Knoxville, Tennessee" by Nikki Giovanni.

Although Megan and I only taught two formal lessons, each day we were in Mrs. Hyer's fourth grade class we went over the D.O.L and word of the day with students in the morning. After lunch, we went over the students' minute math and problem of the day with them. Being allowed to take part in the students' day, everyday we were there was a wonderful experience. It made me more comfortable in front of the class and taught me how to think on my feet better.

Another informal lesson Megan and I taught was about being unique. There is no formal lesson plan for this lesson. Megan and I discussed with the students what it meant to us to be unique and how everyone is unique, even if they are a twin. We then had the students create snowflakes from paper. They were instructed to cut the snowflake however they would like and if they had time, they could decorate it. Below are pictures of some of the snowflakes the students created.

This is the script we used: · “Boys and girls, can anyone tell me what it means to be unique?” · “Unique is being yourself and who you are. o No one is like you. o You are unique by the clothes that you wear, the way you wear your hair, external or internal features, or any other characteristics. · “Boys and girls, look around the room. How are you unique compared to the person across the table from you or the person next to you?” o Expand upon it. · “Now, look at these two snowflakes. Can you see anything that is similar to them? Anything different? · “Great, our snowflakes are different which makes them unique.” · “Just like snowflakes, you and your partner are not the same. Everyone has something different about themselves whether it is an internal or external feature.” · “Boys and girls, we are going to make a snowflake which shows that we are unique.” · Lead into how to make snowflakes.

Below are pictures of students' snowflakes they created:

On our last day in Mrs. Hyer's class, she had a workshop to attend in the afternoon and we had to work with a substitute. Mrs. Hyer left the substitute's plans for Megan and I and asked us if we would be comfortable teaching the class. We agreed and were responsible for the class from 12 PM - 2:30 PM. The first lesson Megan taught was math. The beginning of the lesson went well. However, during the second half, the students did not fully understand the comparing fractions. It was at that point that I helped Megan explain to the students what had to be done and how they accomplished it.

After math was social studies, a dreaded topic of mine. Our class switched with Mrs. Mulloy-Rasheed's which was also nerve-wracking. I read the students a book called //Katie's Trunk//. During the read aloud I stopped to make predictions, ask questions, and point out figurative and sensory imagery. The students were very engaged. Once the read aloud was over, I read the students' text book with them leaving out various words for them to fill in. We then had a discussion on the Articles of Confederation and why it was a weak and unsuccessful document. The students were not as engaged as I would have liked them to be but I was not exactly sure what questions to ask and also the information I was expected to teach.

There was an evacuation drill and then Megan read from //The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane.// Megan did a wonderful job keeping the students engaged by asking questions and asking the students to make predictions.

All in all, I feel that our afternoon of teaching went well. In the beginning our class was chatty and felt like they could get away with anything but they soon realized that Megan and I were in control and were serious about teaching them. The students behaved well and were receptive to our teaching.