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NCTE Standard #4:      Students adjust their use of spoken, written, and visual language (i.e. conventions, style, vocabulary) to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences and for different purposes.   

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NCTE Standard #4:      Students adjust their use of spoken, written, and visual language (i.e. conventions, style, vocabulary) to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences and for different purposes.   

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At Sharpsville, the 2nd grade class is introduced to new vocabulary and spelling words every Monday. They spend the entire week practicing spelling words, using them in context, applying vocabulary words in context, and are exposed to their vocabulary through different forms of writing and text. By the end of the week, students are able to use their new vocabulary and spelling words to communicate effectively. Through writer's workshops and Look Back and Writes, the students write for multiple different purposes, and the vocabulary and conventions they are exposed to during class grows their abilities as writers. The photo above shows an example of a Word Wall that is in my cooperating teacher's classroom. Every week, she posts their new spelling words onto their word wall for them to observe everyday. The reading teacher also has a word wall in her room, containing the grade's vocabulary words from throughout the year. These are excellent tools to help students remember to use language effectively to communicate with others.

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NCTE Standard #5:      Students employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing process elements appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of different purposes. 

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NCTE Standard #5:      Students employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing process elements appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of different purposes. 

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Artifact #1: Letter-Style Opinion Writing

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Artifact #1: Letter-Style Opinion Writing

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During my time at Sharpsville, I was able to observe a Writer's Workshop in action. Pictured above is an example of a different writing piece that the students have completed previously. This example shows students using a letter format to write to their favorite crayon, expressing why they love that color so much. The Writer's Workshop that I was able to observe was a research writing piece. The hallway also contained different writing pieces that all of the students have completed throughout the school year. It is obvious that the students at Sharpsville are exposed to a wide variety of writing styles. I was able to observe how students grew as writers, through prewriting, drafting, and editing stages of Workshop. The students are applying their knowledge of proper writing conventions and vocabulary to form writing pieces that serve different purposes and for different audiences. The students will also be given rubrics that they will use to self-evaluate before submitting their final copies.

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NCTE Standard #7: Students conduct research on issues and interests by generalizing ideas and questions, and by posing problems. They gather, evaluate, and synthesize data from a variety of different sources (e.g. print and non-print texts, artifacts, people) to communicate their discoveries in ways that suit their purpose and audience. 

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NCTE Standard #7: Students conduct research on issues and interests by generalizing ideas and questions, and by posing problems. They gather, evaluate, and synthesize data from a variety of different sources (e.g. print and non-print texts, artifacts, people) to communicate their discoveries in ways that suit their purpose and audience. 

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Artifact: Animal Research Report Grading Rubric for 2nd Grade Writer's Workshop

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Artifact: Animal Research Report Grading Rubric for 2nd Grade Writer's Workshop

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While at practicum, I was lucky enough to be able to observe a Writer's Workshop in its (almost) entirety. The writing piece was a 5-paragraph research response on an animal of their choice. Before the students began the prewriting stage, they were given a few days to research animals on PebbleGo and think about their favorite animal that they would like to research. When the students began the prewriting stage, they completed graphic organizers with facts about their animal of choice, that they would later use to formulate their papers. The students spent day working through the Writer's Workshop and will create final copies of informative papers for their audience, using proper spelling and conventions. The students utilized technology for research on their papers. The artifact I included is the grading rubric that students will use to self-evaluate, and the teacher will later use to evaluate the final copies. The rubric identifies the ability to collaborate in research and writing projects.

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NCTE Standard #8:      Students use a variety of technological and information resources (e.g. libraries, databases, computer networks, videos) to gather and synthesize information and to create and communicate knowledge.

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NCTE Standard #8:      Students use a variety of technological and information resources (e.g. libraries, databases, computer networks, videos) to gather and synthesize information and to create and communicate knowledge.

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Artifact: 2nd Grade Student Using Technology to Perform Research During Writer's Workshop

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Artifact: 2nd Grade Student Using Technology to Perform Research During Writer's Workshop

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The 2nd grade class has Chrome Books for every student, so the children are exposed to technology all the time during school. Students used their computers to conduct their research for their informative Writer's Workshop pieces. During the entire writing process, students used their computers and the virtual website PebbleGo to find information about different animals. They were able to use the information they found online to complete graphic organizers, and later formulate their final drafts.

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NCTE Standard #11: Students participate as knowledgeable, reflective, creative, and critical members of a variety of literacy communities. 

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NCTE Standard #11: Students participate as knowledgeable, reflective, creative, and critical members of a variety of literacy communities. 

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Artifact: 2nd Grade Student Reading Aloud Favorite Book to Class

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Artifact: 2nd Grade Student Reading Aloud Favorite Book to Class

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In my homeroom classroom, there is a new "Star Student" every week. For that week, the students get to spend time every morning during morning meeting learning new things about a peer. One of my favorite days was getting to watch the students read-aloud one of their favorite books for the class. Not only does a child have the opportunity to share about their interests and what they enjoy reading at home with their class, they are given the opportunity to practice their reading and language skills. Students are learning to read confidently and fluently and are encouraged to share their thoughts and ideas others.

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NCTE Standard #12: Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g. for learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information).

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NCTE Standard #12: Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g. for learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information).

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Establish mathematics goals to focus learning.

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Establish mathematics goals to focus learning.

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During my time at Sharpsville, I was able to conduct a short lesson on measuring to help students prepare for a test. The goal of my lesson was to have students work properly with rulers to identify lengths using inches and centimeters, as well as comparing different lengths and units of measurement. My students were able to successfully complete both portions of the lesson plan correctly. I established clear goals and objectives throughout the lesson as well as clear instruction. The students were able to utilize their rulers to solve problems and find lengths of different objects. They were able to discover ways to round when measuring and identified which units of measurement fit best for different objects.

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Implement tasks that promote reasoning and problem solving.

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Implement tasks that promote reasoning and problem solving.

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Artifact: Number Strand Routine Used During Math Buddies to Solve Addition in Multiple Ways

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Artifact: Number Strand Routine Used During Math Buddies to Solve Addition in Multiple Ways

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During Math Buddies, we focused every session around solving math a variety of different ways. Our students needed additional support with adding/subtracting two-digit numbers. In particular, we created Number Strand Routines every week that we would work on with our students. We included number sentences such as 74+18, 34+26, 56+30, and more. We were able to discuss multiple ways to add numbers together, such as making 10s, deconstructing numbers, using ten frames, and more. When solving number sentences, we encouraged our students to solve the questions however worked best for them. One student tended to write numbers vertically and solve, while the other student found using a number line easier. These tasks allowed the students to think critically about numbers and how they can break apart numbers to create wholes.

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Build procedural fluency from conceptual understanding.

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Build procedural fluency from conceptual understanding.

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In my Sharpsville 2nd grade class, every week they prepared for Army Math, which was their teachers way of tracking student progress with addition and subtraction facts. A goal that my cooperating teacher set was to make sure students become more fluent in their addition/subtraction facts. Every week the students study flash cards and practice addition and subtraction facts. They are then given 6 minutes to complete as many problems as they can. As I observed students working, I saw how students were developing fluency and how engaged students were during this activity, they looked forward to Army Math and got excited when they could "rank up".. In my future classroom, while I won't choose to use a timed speed quiz for assessment of fluency, I can use forms of repetitive teaching to help students become fluent with their math skills. A goal of teaching math is to ensure students can fluently solve addition and subtraction, however, I don't want to measure a student's ability to do so quickly. I want to make sure my students are able to become fluent with mathematics, but ensure they they don't feel pressured to solve problems quickly. I can do so by ensuring my students understand the processes of how they are reaching solutions, rather than solely focusing on finding a solution. As a teacher, I want to find creative activities, such as Army Math, that my students are engaged with, while also being able to solve math in ways that work for them to build solid fluency.

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Support productive struggle in learning mathematics. 

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Support productive struggle in learning mathematics. 

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Artifact: Example of Addition Using a Number Line - Math Buddies

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Artifact: Example of Addition Using a Number Line - Math Buddies

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During my experience with math buddies, I worked with two students that were both at different math levels. Working with a student that understood content better versus a student that needed some additional support allowed me to observe students productively struggling, but doing so in positive ways that led to solutions. In particular, we focused on addition and subtraction during each session, since this seemed to be an area for improvement. We noticed that one student struggled with skip counting, which affected their addition/subtraction facts as well as ability to count coins. My partner and I provided numerous ways to help our student become more fluent with addition/subtraction. Pictured above is an example of a number line we created to help our students understand using number lines for adding/subtracting, but also showed how number lines can help with skip counting. We allowed students to have waiting time when solving problems, and we encouraged them to work out their number sentences on their whiteboards in a way that worked best for them. After our math buddy sessions, we were able to see how these different ways to solve math helped our students become better doers of mathematics.

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Artifact #1: Example of Student Writing During Free-Time

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Artifact #1: Example of Student Writing During Free-Time

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NCTE Standard #1:      Students read a wide range of print and non-print texts to build an understanding of texts, of themselves, and of the cultures of the United States and the world; to acquire new information; to respond to the needs and demands of society and the workplace; and for personal fulfillment. Among these texts are fiction and nonfiction, classic and contemporary works. 

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NCTE Standard #1:      Students read a wide range of print and non-print texts to build an understanding of texts, of themselves, and of the cultures of the United States and the world; to acquire new information; to respond to the needs and demands of society and the workplace; and for personal fulfillment. Among these texts are fiction and nonfiction, classic and contemporary works. 

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Artifact: Sharpsville 2nd Grade Classroom Library

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Artifact: Sharpsville 2nd Grade Classroom Library

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In my 2nd grade classroom at Sharpsville, the students had a wide range of literature to select from. From fiction, non-fiction, fantasy, realistic fiction, poetry, diversity, historical, and more. Every morning, part of the students morning routine is to complete their morning work. Once they finish morning work, they have the opportunity to "Book Shop" and shop for new books that they keep in their literacy bags. They bring their literacy bags with them to all of their rotations during the day so they always have books, and are encouraged to read during any free time they have. I saw many students reading independently throughout the day and got to watch students book shop during the day. Many of the books I remember reading during my own childhood, such as Dr. Seuss and Dork Diaries. The classroom library is organized with bins by reading level, labeled A-Z. The teachers use the student's DRAs throughout the school year to determine their reading level, students are encouraged to select books from their best fit "letter", but may select any books they wish to read that day. During class, in the article "Big Ideas Behind Daily 5" by Gail Boushey, I read about the importance of providing students books to read that are best fit for them and that they can read with strong accuracy. I was able to see how the teacher utilized the DRAs from earlier in the year to determine a best fit "level" for the students.

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NCTE Standard #2:      Students read a wide range of literature from many periods in many genres to build an understanding of the many dimensions (e.g., philosophical, ethical, aesthetic) of human experience.

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NCTE Standard #2:      Students read a wide range of literature from many periods in many genres to build an understanding of the many dimensions (e.g., philosophical, ethical, aesthetic) of human experience.

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Artifact: Article to Support Literature From Different Periods of Time

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Artifact: Article to Support Literature From Different Periods of Time

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ERIC Identifier: Publication Date: Author:
Source:

Learning History through Children's Literature. ERIC Digest.

Teaching history using children's literature, both fiction and non-fiction, is an old idea enjoying new vitality in the elementary and middle school curriculum. This Digest discusses (1) the revival of interest in teaching history through children's literature, (2) research-based guidelines for teachers of history and children's literature, and (3) an innovative method of teaching history using children's literature.

REVIVAL OF INTEREST IN TEACHING HISTORY THROUGH CHILDREN'S LITERATURE.

Using literature to teach history is not a recent educational innovation. Stories illustrating the triumphs of individuals embodying civic virtue and good character were at the curricular core of nineteenth-century common schools. Narratives provided children with an understanding of American history and government as well as the attributes that individual citizens needed to maintain the Republic. Spelling and reading books were primary means of this kind of cultural transmission. Generations of American children defined themselves individually and communally through stories and amalgams of fiction and fact in the McGuffy readers and similar textbooks used almost universally in schools during the last century.

An indicator of increasing interest among educators in using literature to teach history is the large number of scholarly and popular articles published in the past ten years advocating this teaching method. A number of factors account for this resurgence, such as the high quality and number of fiction and non-fiction publications written for children in the past twenty years; activities of prominent historians and educators to re-establish history's primacy in the social studies curriculum; advocacy of the whole language teaching method; concern that children have an inadequate historical understanding of the cultural characteristics that hold the Republic together; recognition that many students need to develop tolerance of individuals unlike themselves; and attention to the long-standing problems of students' lack of interest in basic school subjects (Epstein 1993; Krey 1998).

RESEARCH-BASED GUIDELINES FOR TEACHERS OF HISTORY AND CHILDREN'S LITERATURE IN THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

The research on teaching history with literature is much more abundant than it was a decade ago (Levstik & Barton 1997). Researchers have documented the appropriateness of teaching history in elementary and middle school, and their conclusions suggest that certain elements are integral to effective instruction in history and literature (Downey & Levstik 1991; Levstik & Barton 1997; Levstik & Pappas 1990).

For instance, one of the most-repeated claims of history education advocates is that historical narrative is more interesting and comprehensible to students than the expository writing of social studies textbooks. Levstik (1986), VanSledright (1995), and VanSledright & Kelly (1996) conducted naturalistic studies of elementary school students as they studied history through the use of multiple texts, including children's trade books. These researchers concluded that students' interest in the subject matter and their ability to learn and retain information increased significantly when their history instruction included literature. Moreover, VanSledright & Kelley (1996) reported that, given a choice, students in the fifth grade classroom they observed were more likely to read works of fiction and non-fiction than standard textbooks.

It is also important to note that without teacher mediation to direct their reading of multiple sources of information, students failed to understand the nature of historical sources and historical writing. They tended to mistakenly judge the quality of information in a text by the text's length (VanSledright & Kelly 1996). Furthermore, without guidance from the teacher, students were unlikely to discern the relative quality or value of different sources of information. Rather, they tended to view various sources indiscriminately, as if they all were equally useful, reliable, and valid. Fifth grade students are capable of deep historical understanding, but only if carefully guided by a teacher (Levstik 1986).

Teachers can enhance children's historical understanding by using instructional strategies that place a particular event or time period within the context of a broader framework of time. Levstik & Pappas (1990) concluded that the context in which an historical event is presented and discussed may be crucial in determining whether or not children become engaged in the study of history. VanSledright & Brophy (1995) concurred that students' learning of history is greatly enhanced when teachers help them to connect events within the contexts of particular times and places. While mathematical and scientific phenomena have concrete referents in one's world experiences, historical events become meaningful only through temporal and spatial links to other events. Effective teachers, therefore, enable their students to better understand particular historical events within a contextual framework of other interrelated events.

THE HISTORY FAIR: AN INNOVATIVE METHOD OF TEACHING HISTORY USING CHILDREN'S LITERATURE.

A teaching method which involves children's literature and is consistent with research findings on the history education of elementary school students is the "history fair." A seven-week unit created by a fifth grade teacher to teach research skills, the history fair illustrates the connection between historical fiction and non-fiction and challenges students to demonstrate their learning in a public forum as they become experts on topics that interest them (Nelson & Nelson 1994).

To develop student expertise, the teacher emphasizes historical fiction throughout the school year. Books which the teacher can discuss with students to stimulate their interest are available in the classroom. The class reads aloud historical fiction such as JAYHAWKER by Patricia Beatty and MY BROTHER SAM IS DEAD by the Colliers. As the year proceeds, children present book talks and offer recommendations about the quality of the literature. This general approach to teaching history through children's literature establishes a classroom context within which to conduct the seven-week unit on the history fair.

At the beginning of the history fair unit, children choose historical fiction books that interest them. A time line is placed on the wall. As the children study history through literature, they add events and dates to the time line to gain perspective on the relationships between those events. The children read books during the first two weeks of the unit and then write reports on what they learn about a particular period in history.

During the next three weeks of the history fair, students research an event or time period treated in the historical fiction books they have chosen. Children then gather materials to find pertinent information about the time periods they are studying. Non-fiction books, COBBLESTONE MAGAZINE, and the Internet are possible sources, but there must be a balance between types of sources used. Students are also encouraged to interview people who may have lived during the time period, if it is recent enough; for example, the Vietnam War, World War II, or the Great Depression. When they finish their research, students meet with the teacher. This critically important component of the unit allows the teacher to help students comprehend main ideas, remedy misconceptions, and offer suggestions about additional information they need to finish their inquiries. After their conferences with the teacher, students write final drafts of their research reports. During the final two weeks of the unit, students refine their reports and prepare displays.

Prior to the fair, students present their projects to classmates using their displays as guides. On the day of the history fair, the children's projects are arranged on tables in chronological order according to the time period pertaining to each project. Students and teachers view the fair during the day; parents and other family members visit in the evening. Using their displays as guides, the children talk about what they have learned.

One of the most rewarding aspects of the history fair is that children of all levels of ability can succeed and learn something important to them about a topic in history. They learn how to find information through many different sources, and they learn that when reading historical fiction, they can go beyond the story and dig deeper into the history behind that story. References and ERIC Resources.

The following list of resources includes references used to prepare this Digest. The items followed by an ED number are available in microfiche and/or paper copies from the ERIC Document Reproduction Service (EDRS). For information about prices, contact EDRS, 7420 Fullerton Road, Suite 110, Springfield, Virginia 22153-2852; telephone numbers are (703) 440-1400 and (800) 443-3742. Entries followed by an EJ number, annotated monthly in CURRENT INDEX TO JOURNALS IN EDUCATION (CIJE), are not available through EDRS. However, they can be located in the journal section of most larger libraries by using the bibliographic information provided, requested through Interlibrary Loan, or ordered from commercial reprint services.

Downey, Matthew T., and Linda Levstik. "Teaching and Learning History." In James P. Shaver, Ed., HANDBOOK OF RESEARCH ON SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHING AND LEARNING. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company, 1991.

Drake, Janet J., and Frederick D. Drake. "Using Children's Literature to Teach About the American Revolution." SOCIAL STUDIES & THE YOUNG LEARNER 3 (November-December 1990): 6-8. EJ 426 403.

Epstein, Terry L. "Why Teach History to the Young?" In Michael O. Tunnell and Richard Ammon, Eds., THE STORY OF OURSELVES: TEACHING HISTORY THROUGH CHILDREN'S LITERATURE. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 1993. ED 391 741.

Krey, Dean M. CHILDREN'S LITERATURE IN SOCIAL STUDIES. Washington, DC: National Council for the Social Studies, 1998.

Levstik, Linda S. "The Relationship Between Historical Response and Narrative in a Sixth Grade Classroom." THEORY AND RESEARCH IN SOCIAL EDUCATION 14 (Winter 1986): 1-19. EJ 332 191.

Levstik, Linda S., and Keith C. Barton. DOING HISTORY: INVESTIGATION WITH CHILDREN IN ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOLS. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 1997. ED 420 572.

Levstik, Linda S., and Christine C. Pappas. "New Directions for Studying Historical Understanding." THEORY AND RESEARCH IN SOCIAL EDUCATION 18 (Fall 1990): 327-343. EJ 426 398.

Nelson, Lynn R., and Trudy A. Nelson. "The History Fair: Multiple Resources and Activities Create Understanding and Enthusiasm." SOCIAL STUDIES & THE YOUNG LEARNER 7 (November-December 1994): 12-17. EJ 496 950.

VanSledright, Bruce A. "How Do Multiple Text Resources Influence Learning to Read American History in Fifth Grade?" NRRC NEWS: A NEWSLETTER OF THE NATIONAL READING RESEARCH CENTER (September 1995): 4-5. ED 385 832.

VanSledright, Bruce A., and Christine A. Kelly. "Reading American History: How Do Multiple Text Sources Influence Historical Learning in Fifth Grade?" READING RESEARCH REPORT 68 (1996). ED 400 525.

VanSledright, Bruce A., and Jere Brophy. STORYTELLING, IMAGINATION, AND FANCIFUL ELABORATION IN CHILDREN'S HISTORICAL RECONSTRUCTIONS. East Lansing, Michigan: Center for the Learning and Teaching of Elementary Subjects, 1991. ED 337 407. ------

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Learning History through Children's Literature. ERIC Digest.

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ERIC Identifier: Publication Date: Author: Source: Teaching history using children's literature, both fiction and non-fiction, is an old idea enjoying new vitality in the elementary and middle school curriculum. This Digest discusses (1) the revival of interest in teaching history through children's literature, (2) research-based guidelines for teachers of history and children's literature, and (3) an innovative method of teaching history using children's literature.

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While at Sharpsville, I did not have the opportunity to observe students interacting with literature from different periods of time. Including both diverse literature and literature from different time periods are essential to building students knowledge about the world and people around them. While researching for my IRA this semester, I came across the article linked above by Lynn and Trudy Nelson. In the article, "Learning History Through Children's Literature", the authors discussed how children can learn about history through literature, but fiction and non-fiction. Children should be introduced to literature about different periods of time because it gives them a sense of power, to see people like them making differences. They learn about times when their ancestors and other family members were alive. Including literature about different periods of time is essential in my future classroom. I can incorporate this form of literacy through Reader's Workshops and guided reading instruction. Doing so would also incorporate multiple disciplines for the students.

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NCTE Standard #3:      Students apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate texts. They draw on their prior experience, their interactions with other readers and writers, their knowledge of word meaning and of other texts, their word identification strategies, and their understanding of textual features (e.g., sound-letter correspondence, sentence structure, context, graphics).

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NCTE Standard #3:      Students apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate texts. They draw on their prior experience, their interactions with other readers and writers, their knowledge of word meaning and of other texts, their word identification strategies, and their understanding of textual features (e.g., sound-letter correspondence, sentence structure, context, graphics).

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Artifact: Power Hour Session That Practices Text Comprehension/Evaluation and Word Recognition

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Artifact: Power Hour Session That Practices Text Comprehension/Evaluation and Word Recognition

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Artifact #2: Book Students Read Together During Power Hour

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Artifact #2: Book Students Read Together During Power Hour

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After morning meeting, the second grade class spends 30 minutes for "Power Hour" which is where students have a half hour to get extra support in areas for growth. My homeroom teacher teaches additional reading support for students during Power Hour. I was able to observe my cooperating teacher using a program called Shooting Stars that specializes in word formation, sounds, and meaning. The teacher uses a variety of index cards containing word endings, vowel/consonant combinations, whole words, fake words, and more, to support reading development. The students learn new word meanings and sounds, which benefits them for future reading. The students also read stories aloud during Power Hour as a group and discussed comprehension questions during/after the reading. The skills practiced during Power Hour help the student develop fluent reading skills that benefit them during whole-class read-alouds, and encourage proper reading skills.

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NCTE Standard #9:      Students develop an understanding of and respect for diversity in language use, patterns, and dialects across cultures, ethnic groups, geographic regions, and social roles.

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NCTE Standard #9:      Students develop an understanding of and respect for diversity in language use, patterns, and dialects across cultures, ethnic groups, geographic regions, and social roles.

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Artifact: "Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns" Used For A Global Read-In This Semester

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Artifact: "Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns" Used For A Global Read-In This Semester

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During my practicum in Sharpsville, I was unable to observe children interacting with diverse, multicultural literature. As a teacher, I plan to incorporate diversity into my student's literature. Teaching and reading about different cultures introduces children to the differences among people around the world. I plan to incorporate diversity into my classroom library and dedicate read-alouds to diverse books. In the article, "Where are the People of Color in Children's Books?" by Walter Meyers, he identifies that most children's books don't include characters of color, so many students are not being exposed to literature that reflects their life. As part of my balanced reading program in the future, I will ensure that I include global read-ins and diverse read-alouds, as well as supplying diverse literature, for my students. Attached is an example of a global read-in that I completed this semester. Global read-ins such as these will introduce diverse literature to young children.

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NCTE Standard #8: Assessment should involve multiple perspectives and sources of data.

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NCTE Standard #8: Assessment should involve multiple perspectives and sources of data.

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Artifact: Example of Reading Assessment in 2nd Grade- Look Back and Write

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Artifact: Example of Reading Assessment in 2nd Grade- Look Back and Write

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A form of comprehension assessment used in the 2nd grade curriculum are Look Back and Writes. After students are introduced to a new story, they read the same story in multiple different ways before the teacher begins assessment. Before a Look Back and Write, the teacher always holds a group discussion to discuss the story and begin talking about what their writing prompt will be. The teacher utilizes this discussion to gain observation of student's thoughts/ideas. The students then complete a Look Back and Write prompt, which gives them practice for the PSSA. The teacher uses the student's responses to assess student comprehension of stories. This semester, we learned about Comprehension at the Core in our Harvey readings, and learned about how we need to focus on comprehension and it's importance for a developing reader. I plan to incorporate comprehension assessment throughout Reader's Workshops so I can ensure that my students are becoming stronger readers.

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ILA Standard #8:    Assessment should involve multiple perspectives and sources of data. 

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ILA Standard #8:    Assessment should involve multiple perspectives and sources of data. 

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Artifact: DRA Assessment--See Phonics and Comprehension Mini-Lessons

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Artifact: DRA Assessment--See Phonics and Comprehension Mini-Lessons

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As previously mentioned, during Power Hour, students get extra help with language support and phonological awareness. One activity that the teacher utilizes are flashcards with different words and sounds. She uses observation to assess a child's ability to read and speak. During this semester, I completed a DRA assignment where I created a lesson with different forms of assessment that focus on phonics. The lesson assessed on a students ability to blend together suffixes with words while reading, but also their ability to create words with new suffixes. This mini-lesson assesses in multiple ways and assesses different aspects of a child's knowledge, such as word formation and recognition. This is similar to the skills practiced during Power Hour in the morning. This semester, we explored the article "Reclaiming Literacy Instruction" by Poonam Arya, and they discussed how important phonics is for literacy comprehension, which I did not know prior. I should ensure that I include phonics and phonological awareness in the classroom so students are best able to understand and comprehend what they are reading.

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NCTE Standard #11: Families must be involved as active, essential participants in the assessment (and literacy learning) process.

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NCTE Standard #11: Families must be involved as active, essential participants in the assessment (and literacy learning) process.

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Artifact: Family Newsletter Sent Home Every Week. See "Language Arts" for Literacy.

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Artifact: Family Newsletter Sent Home Every Week. See "Language Arts" for Literacy.

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Every week, the 2nd grade teachers send home newsletters to families to keep them up-to-date on their child's education. This semester, I read the article "Genres at Home and at School: Bridging the Known to the New" by Nell Duke, which informed be about the importance of involving families in their child's education, especially their literacy development. Newsletters and family send-outs are excellent ways to stay connected with families and identify what a child will be learning/reading in school. By using newsletters and family surveys, teachers can encourage reading and literacy development outside of the classroom. Pictured above is an example of the 2nd Grade Newsletter that my teacher sends out every week. Parents are informed of stories children are reading, genres they are exploring that week, author explorations, and more.

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Artifact #2: Example of Student Writing During Free-Time

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Artifact #2: Example of Student Writing During Free-Time

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While at Sharpsville, I enjoyed spending extra time getting to know my students when I could. The students loved spending recess time with me, and a lot of the students would read, draw, and make cards during free time/indoor recess. The children loved to write, and all wrote me so many thoughtful cards during my time in their classroom, such as those pictured above. Students all wrote for enjoyment and many other reasons, such as those mentioned throughout the rest of the portfolio.