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Growing up, I have always loved writing. I feel that it is an amazing way of expressing viewpoints, ideas and allowing ways to be creative. That is why I hope to incorporate it into my classroom once I start teaching the future.

In my future classrooms, I want to incorporate a writing program that makes students feel comfortable and enjoy their time while creating. For the main focus, I want students to write in their notebooks. This is so they can keep all of their works in one place. Some of the projects might not even have to be turned in, because I believe it adds extra pressure. If it does need to be, the projects will be transferred to another form, like on a google doc. This is so they do not have to give me their full writers notebook, so they are comfortable sharing with me what they created. The prompts I will give them can be for creative or informative purposes. But I also will allow them to express their feelings if need be.

Each day I will start the class with a writing prompt. They will have about fifteen minutes to complete it. Just to get their minds flowing. Like I said before, if it needs to be turned in, they will develop further on what they wrote on a google doc. Then eventually it will be graded eventually. I will also write with them each day. I feel that this can help our relationships grow better if I share what I wrote. Maybe allowing them to be more confident in their work.

When working with other subjects outside of language arts, I might do the same thing. Especially with history, I can ask questions relating to topics from the past or even current events. I also can incorporate fictional writing as well, such as diary entries from a certain time period in history.

Students also can discuss their writing with others if they feel like it. I also want to do peer editing and writing, but I want the students to feel comfortable. Hence why I might pair them up with people they are close to or feel like they can relate to each other the most.

No matter what subject I am teaching, I feel like I will be assessing the students in the same way. I will look at the normal factors such as grammar, punctuation and format. But I do not want that to be the main focus. What I will look at is if they understood the prompt and wrote about it in a way that the reader can understand.

The reason I think this way about so many topics throughout all subjects with writing is because of my own experiences I had growing up in school. Sure, I loved writing. But when it came down to sharing or letting other people read my work, it was nerve wracking. I do not ever want my students to feel unconfident in what they are creating, so I will try my best to make this class work for them in the best ways possible.

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Curriculum Planning Across Grade Levels 

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Curriculum Planning Across Grade Levels 

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https://docs.google.com/document/d/11OPhJT50kPY3QaDU7PjCQpCGhh7zRiSJdfH8MRqynQk/edit

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“Write in the Middle” Notes

Making Writing Meaningful:

In order to write, you have to be excited and relate to what you are writing about

A major concern is having students find motivation to write

Middle level students need real reasons to communicate

Realizing it is powerful to write

Creating a classroom environment were students voices are heard is the most important thing

Using current events is classrooms can allow students to talk about their own opinions and let them speak to each other more than the would otherwise

Talking about current events with your students can give them more of an appreciation of learning from you but also it will help them understand certain topics that they haven’t before

Students either asking questions or sharing opinions shows their place on how they feel about certain topics

Sometimes students might surprise you on what they are interested in

Students of the middle school age feel isolated, being stuck in between a child and an adult.

Read alouds do not end at a certain age

Asking questions always is an easier option to start a discussion

There are many forms of persuasion

Moving to different sides of rooms can show where students stand on opinions and it allows for a great discussion

Music helps students engage in learning and thinking

Respecting them as readers will allow you to get to know them as people and begin to respect them as writers

Personal experiences allows for a stronger opinion when related to persuasive

Support and audience is extremely important

A solution is always needed

As a teacher it is a responsibility to help students connect to their writing

Allowing students to write about themselves makes them feel more interested in writing

Writers notebooks are an effective tool

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https://docs.google.com/document/d/141FoFpupYlYCPeNndaTJPDpOMDuMpjtmXq5eTameA6k/edit

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Integrated Lesson Plan for Language Arts and Social Studies 

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Integrated Lesson Plan for Language Arts and Social Studies 

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Game Card Template: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1J-QoZXipoN0zIooIyyCdSITOSK1bwkc8tSBwMpj47y0/edit

Powerpoint: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1-_VqlfRxeeaSfi9vqULv3HgornJYUwOh97dtLK78DTs/edit

Context: For the past few weeks, I have been student teaching at Fairfield Creekside. Which is a very suburban area of Ohio. I am in a 6th Grade Social Studies classroom, with 5 periods throughout the day. That is why I want to create a lesson plan that keeps them engaged, but also goes with our time limit.

Curriculum: For their upcoming unit, students are looking into Latitude and Longitude. Before we begin diving deeper into those topics found in Geography, we have to learn the many terms that follow. My host teacher provided me with seven terms that I will teach the students and allowed me anyway to do so. Ms. Seiter always makes sure to keep the students engaged and lets them work together. It seems that when they do, it helps them complete their work, plus they are enjoying their time because they are talking to their friends. I wanted to make sure to incorporate this into my lesson. Another factor I wanted to incorporate was Language Arts. I believe that learning vocabulary no matter what subject you are in, has to do with English. What I hope to accomplish is that the students will properly learn how to write definitions in complete sentences, and speak to one another about finding the correct information. Which is a key factor in practicing the subject of Language Arts.

Lesson

Source: 6th Grade Social Studies Student Book: Regions and People of the Eastern Hemisphere (Chapter 3) by Carole Marsh

Ohio Standard #1 (SS): Latitude and longitude can be used to identify absolute location.

Ohio Standard #2 (ELA): Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening.

Student Objective/Goal: Students will be able to identify latitude and longitude, but also their uses. Along with many other vocabulary words as well.

Student Objective/Goal #2: Students will be able to communicate with each other and use the elimination process to find the correct definitions for vocabulary words. Lastly, they will write each definition in correct format, using complete sentences and needed punctuation.

Pre-Assessment: It will be informal and I will just ask basic questions to get them started to learn the information. Plus, if I do this at the beginning of the lesson, it will engage the students with what we are beginning to do. The questions I will ask will sound like, “does anyone know what the equator is?” These types of questions will allow me to know what the students might know already and if they don’t, they will start wondering about the information.

Procedure:

Students will be set into table groups and will be given game cards. These game cards will contain the vocabulary words and their definitions. Those game cards will be mixed up and placed on the center of the table. The students will have 10 minutes to correctly match the vocabulary word with the definition with their group members. This allows the students to speak with each other on the definitions. It allows them to hear other opinions on what they believe is the right answer. When finding the answers to vocabulary words they can also use the elimination process, to make finding out the information a little bit easier.

After the timer goes off we will begin the second part of the lesson. This part will be in a PowerPoint form. Each having the vocabulary word, plus a definition, along with multiple wrong answers. We will go over the vocabulary words as a class this way to check their answers. The groups who get the vocabulary words right, will place those cards to the side. Whichever table group gets the most correct, will win a prize. When going over the information as a class this allows the students to be engaged. It also lets the students know what is the right and wrong answer, because it kind of tests them in multiple choice form. Another factor they will use when going over their matches is the use of the elimination process that can be used while testing.

Once the PowerPoint has been completed and the students know the correct vocabulary words, the last slide will provide all of the correct information. Having the vocabulary words with the correct definitions next to them. In order for the students to get a proficient grade on their sheet, each definition is expected to have complete sentences. If needed I will provide an example of a complete sentence with correct punctuation. Plus, this lesson teaches them how to write those definitions and how to communicate with others to find out the correct answers. Then if we have time as a class we will play a Blooket or Gimkit over those specific vocabulary words. That is how the students will know the lesson has ended.

Materials:

Game Cards with words and definitions

PowerPoint

Vocabulary Sheet

Pencil

Computer

Blooket or Gimkit Account

Assessment: After the students learn more about these topics, at the end of the unit there will be an assessment. With these vocabulary words, I want the students to do something more than just a multiple choice quiz to show their understanding. The students will be given a paper with the definitions on them and next to them will be a blank space. They will have to draw a picture on how they remember that word and a definition in a complete sentence. This will show me how much the students know and if anything else needs to be gone over.

References

Marsh, Carole. 6th Grade Social Studies. Gallopade International, 2008.

Ohio’s Learning Standards English Language Arts, education.ohio.gov/getattachment/Topics/Learning-in-Ohio/English-Language-Art/English-Language-Arts-Standards/ELA-Learning-Standards-2017.pdf.aspx?lang=en-US. Accessed 2 Oct. 2023.

“Ohio’s Learning Standards.” Ohio Department of Education, education.ohio.gov/Topics/Learning-in-Ohio/OLS-Graphic-Sections/Learning-Standards. Accessed 29 Sept. 2023.

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Growing up, I always had issues with English Language Arts. I loved to write, but what I dreaded was the reading part. Anytime I was forced to read a book, I ended up skimming it. If I got the chance to read a book I liked, I was not as fast with reading as the other students were. It took me longer to finish books and my teachers always made me feel bad for it. Now as an adult, this past year I have really gotten into reading. I believe this is because I have more freedom with what I read and how long I read it for. If I was given a little bit more freedom with books back when I was still in school, I would have enjoyed the subject more and have done better.

No matter what grade I was in, there was always independent reading time for English classes. But what seemed to end too early for my liking was read alouds. I enjoyed those as a kid and I felt that it connected the students with the teachers more. Plus, I always ended up comprehending the information better if it was being read to me as well. When I read on my own it was a bit of a struggle, and as I have said before, I tended to take my time.

That is why when I start teaching no matter what grade I am focusing on, I will implement read alouds and independent reading. Reading alouds, in my personal opinion, is relaxing. Students can be struggling with issues outside of school no one may know about and they might just want to have a part of the day where they can sit down and relax. Having a time where someone sits and reads to them, can allow for that to happen.

Independent reading can be a fun and relaxing time as well. It just matters how the teacher decides to go about that matter. Some might implement tracking students' reading. Meaning keeping a list of books, how much time it took them to read and what genre. This just reduces the freedom students want in the classroom. Making what is supposed to be a relaxing time, a stressful time. That is why in my classroom, besides books students may be required to read, they will be able to read what they want. There also will be no tracking of reading because it just creates a negative mindset for students, thinking that they either have read too little or too much.

My past experiences do affect how I think as a future educator. It makes me realize that I wasn’t the only student who felt that way about reading because after having discussions in our class, many other people also struggled with the same issues too. Understanding that students are all different and may not like that the subject you are teaching, is effective teaching. Allowing for students to have options creates people who want to make their own choices and be independent. This is also another part of effective teaching.

At the end of the day, students want to be seen and heard. They want to be shown that they are cared for and not looked down upon. If students are able to make their own choices and are not tracked each time they do something, the more they will enjoy the subject. The more they will feel comfortable in the classroom. The more they will enjoy having you as an educator.

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In my sophomore year of high school my teacher wanted to do a unit focusing on gun violence in America. In order to proceed with our learning we had to pick a book focusing on gun violence. Then afterwards we had to write an argumentative essay on if people were born inherently evil or if they grew that way over time. The book I chose was, A Mothers Reckoning by Susan Klebold. She is the mother of one of the Columbine shooters. So did many other students and we had book club group and we spoke about it once a week or so. The sheer fear I experienced from reading that book and the whole unit is something I never experience before until then. It just made me realize how dangerous the world is and you are safe no where, including a place that is supposed to be safe, like a school. But after a while I started to realize that I cannot live in fear because of that. The whole unit just made me learn about something I never really experienced and how to handle it in certain situations.

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Content/Activities in High School (that I remember)

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Content/Activities in High School (that I remember)

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- Essay Writing
- Reading short stories and having discussions about them
- Gun Violence and mass shooting unit
- Fahrenheit 451
- To Kill A Mockingbird
- Acting out scenes in front of the class
- Seminars

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Content/Activities in Middle School (that I remember) 

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Content/Activities in Middle School (that I remember) 

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- Essay Writing
- Writing comedy and performing your stand up to the class
- Reading
- Seminars

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While in middle school the teachers always put us in table groups for language arts. We were rarely ever in rows or by ourselves. Then when we switched units we switched table groups. This I liked because I was able to work with different people within my class and learn their perspectives. When high school started, that changed. We still had the desks with the same organization but we didn’t switch at all. So I was working with the same people the whole year, which made me bored sometimes, because I like hearing new viewpoints.

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As I was learning language arts when in middle and high school, I felt that there wasn’t that much of a difference between the two. We mainly did the same tasks but it just got harder once we went from middle school to high school. The curriculum was always structured and organized properly. We had about a new unit every couple weeks or month. Each involving new tools to learn when reading and writing. Yet, there was at least one unit with a book we had to read. We either had to choose a book based on a theme or we all had to read the same book. At the end of the unit, we usually did the same thing each time. We wrote an analysis on the book. In my personal opinion, since we kept doing the same thing year after year, I eventually grew to dislike English. I felt that it was mundane and overdone. If we tried to switch it up a bit in that subject, maybe kids will enjoy it more, because I know I am not the only one who dealt with this issue.