Cinco de Mayo!

In the most diverse city in the world, students learn to balance personal and familial beliefs with an understanding and appreciation of the beliefs and celebrations of others.  This was a Cinco de Mayo party organized by some parents and myself.  Students ate black bean tostadas, arroz con leche and drank ponche.  Emily and Miguel wore traditional Mexican clothing and explained the significance of the holiday by adding researched details to their personal experience.  Finally, children took turns trying to crack open the pinata until it burst and they rushed for candy.

This is the formal evaluation I received for the lesson on Katie's Kitten:

Katie's Kitten Lesson Plan

A sample lesson plan:

Name: Cassandra Dawn  Lesson/Unit:  Literacy Workshop  Grade Level:  3^rd

Friday, December 16, 2011  9 a.m.    3-411

Time: 30 mintues   Standards: 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.7

Type of Activity: Shared Reading:  Katie’s Kitten by Robin Bernard

Materials:  big book, post-it’s, wipe board, wipe board marker, Making Predicitons sheet (me)

sharpened pencil with eraser (students)

Lesson Goals:

Students will make predictions about Katie’s Kitten.

Students will revisit their predictions about Katie’s Kitten.

Students will gauge the accuracy of their predictions about Katie’s Kitten to the events in the story.

Lesson Objectives:

Students will make predictions about Katie’s Kitten by merging background knowledge and context clues.

Students will revisit their predictions about Katie’s Kitten by rereading their own predictions.

Students will gauge the accuracy of their predictions about Katie’s Kitten to the events in the story, by comparing and contrasting their predictions with events that actually occurred in the text.

Vocabulary:   kitchen, sofa, fish tank, coat stand, basement, attic, junk, trunk, chest of drawers, beneath, spread

Instruction:

Warm-Up: 

Students will review the book features.

Introduction:

What is the name of this book?  (title)

What do you see?

What do you think the book will be about? (using context clues)

 “By”; Who is Mirra Ginsburg? (author) What does the author do? (write the words)

Pictures by Byron Barton.  What do we call the person who draws the pictures? (illustrator)

Shared Reading:

Today we are going to use what we know from our life, our background knowledge, and the clues from the pictures and the text, context clues, to make predictions, smart guesses, about what will happen in the story.

What do you know about kittens?  (activating prior knowledge)

What do you see in the picture? (use the picture strategy)

Let’s read the words.  Follow along as I read. (point as you read strategy)

What do the words tell us?  (The kitten is missing.  It’s time for bed.  The kitten was playing.)

I want you to put together what you see in the picture (gesture), with what you know from the words (point at the words) and what you know about kittens.

Now, what do you think will happen?  (Will they find the kitten?  Where?)

Use the making a prediction worksheet to write a prediction.

Stems:  I think they (will/will not) find the kitten.

I think they will find the kitten __________ (where?).

*Check in with prediction:  Where are they looking?  Did they find the kitten yet?

Connect vocabulary to picture clues.  (vocabulary building)

Follow-Up Activity:  Revisiting the predictions.

Today, we used what we know from our life, our background knowledge, and the clues from the pictures and the text, context clues, to make predictions, smart guesses, about what will happen in the story.

Now, let’s see if our predictions were correct by comparing them to what actually happened in the story….

Did Katie find her kitten?  (yes)

Let’s reread our predictions.  If you said yes, she would find her kitten, your prediction was correct.  So, let’s write that.  Whether you were correct or not does not matter; what matters is that you are using all these clues with what you know and thinking about the story.

Stem:  I said Katie (would/would not) find her kitten, so my prediction was (correct, incorrect).

Where did Katie find her kitten? (under the bed, asleep)

Let’s reread that part of our prediction.  If you said she would find her kitten under the bed, your prediction was correct.  So, let’s write that.

Stem:  I said Katie (would/would not) find her kitten __________, so my part of prediction was (correct, incorrect).

Now, I’m going to show you something.  (Return to page 2).  Do you see any clues that they might find her under the bed.  (locate the word “bed”)

Closure:  Think about your prediction.  Whether your prediction was correct or not, what did you use to make your prediction? (picture clues, text, what I know about kittens, what I know about houses…)

Today used what we know (our background knowledge), clues from the pictures and clues from the text (context clues) to make predictions, about what will happen in the story.

Extension:  Make a prediction about their independent reading book and revisit it to see if they were correct.

Science Exploration and Play in Prospect Park

Students spent the day observing plants and animals in Prospect Park.  This was followed by a picnic and free play time.  It was an ideal day because students had the chance to have a hands-on-learning opportunity coupled with fresh air, exercise and community building.

Math Anchor Charts

Quality anchor charts are critical to the success of all students.  They provide a necessary visual point of reference which eventually embeds in the memory of the child.
Here is:

• a number line for counting and number sense
• a number grid color coded for even and odd numbers
• a poster showing the various types of graphs (what they do and require)
• math vocabulary support and 
• a chart the children compiled articulating their reasoning for selecting an operation to solve a particular word problem.

Cooperative Learning

The ability to work together, to communicate and solve problems, is a life skill that is critically important to personal and professional success.  I balance cooperative projects, with pair and individual work.

Student Feedback

This is why I love my work.

Writing Goals

My primary area of expertise is writing.  In order for students to grow, it is important that we as educators provide students with specific goals to improve.  Though I initially give students these goals, as we engage in more discussions about the art, students gain a vocabulary and critical eye that enables them to make well-thought out suggestions to peers and be self-reflective.

Math Test Reflection

After each math chapter test, I evaluate the overall performance of the class.  Analyzing patterns of missed questions enables me to focus on reteaching specific skills the class may not have mastered, as in this case: customary units of capacity.  This class was about 50% beginner and intermediate ESL and that area is particularly vocabulary heavy so it makes sense that this would be a challenge.  Creating these charts also helps me create small skill groups such as one for time and counting money.

Reading Growth, page 2

Students went up an average of 5.5 levels over the year, many reading above grade level.  The most remarkable growth was an increase of 15 levels by a newcomer ESL student.

Reading Growth, page 1

The Tracking Sheet dates each child's growth in reading using the F & P System.  On the far left shows the number of levels each child grew over the course of the 2010-2011 school year.

Letter of Appreciation from Principal

This is a letter of appreciation from my current principal articulating some of the ways in which I contributed to the school that year-student reading growth, providing professional development for colleagues and writing curriculum.