Final Post

Hey guys! Last blog post! This has been a great class. I was amazed there could still be something to learn about language arts after all of the ELA classes that we have already taken. But there was! This class has taught me a lot and reinforced some ideas that I had learned about in the past. The scope and sequence was a great exercise. I had done one in the past but with no where near the same amount of detail. This scope and sequence method is something I could actually see myself using to plan out my year. I was probably a bit more detailed than I needed to be, but that doesn't hurt anything! 

Another thing I really enjoyed this session was all of the additional information that Dr. Steffes provided. Things such as the ways to check for understanding are now in a three-hole punch binder. And of course, I got some really great information from you guys while you shared your lessons. It was nice to have quite a few others sharing plans for third grade. I enjoyed hearing units applicable to the grade I will be student teaching in. 

One session left before the real fun begins! Good luck to you all! 

https://www.pinterest.com/explore/good-luck-exam/?lp=true  

Book List

The Man Who Walked Between the Towers by Mordicai Gerstein

In 1974, French aerialist Philippe Petit threw a tightrope between the two towers of the World Trade Center and spent an hour walking, dancing, and performing high-wire tricks a quarter mile in the sky. This picture book captures the poetry and magic of the event with a poetry of its own: lyrical words and lovely paintings that present the detail, daring, and--in two dramatic foldout spreads-- the vertiginous drama of Petit's feat.

Photo and description from https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007P5OX92/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1 

The Great Kapok Tree by Lynne Cherry

A man beginning to cut down a great kapok tree falls asleep at its roots. While he dreams, the animals that depend on the tree beg him to reconsider.

Photo and description from https://www.amazon.com/dp/0152026142/ref=rdr_ext_tmb

Two Bad Ants by Chris Van Allsburg

The three-time Caldecott medalist tells the tale of two ants who decide to leave the safety of the others to venture into a danger-laden kitchen.

Photo and description from https://www.amazon.com/Two-Bad-Ants-Chris-Allsburg/dp/0395486688/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1497039801&sr=1-1&keywords=two+bad+ants

Henry and Mudge in the Sparkle Days by Cynthia Rylant

Henry and his dog Mudge experience the sparkly joys of winter in this fifth Ready-to-Read book of their adventures.
Henry and his 180-pound dog Mudge are best friends forever. And they're ready for a snowy winter!

Photo and description from https://www.amazon.com/Henry-Mudge-Sparkle-Cynthia-Rylant/dp/0689810199/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1497040004&sr=1-1&keywords=henry+and+mudge+in+the+sparkle+days

Henry and Mudge in Puddle Trouble by Cynthia Rylant

Henry and his dog Mudge venture out into the wet and happy world of spring in this second Ready-to-Read book of their adventures.
Henry and his 180-pound dog Mudge are best friends forever. And when spring arrives, they're ready for some puddle trouble!

Photo and description from https://www.amazon.com/Henry-Puddle-Trouble-Cynthia-Rylant/dp/0689810032/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1497040202&sr=1-1&keywords=henry+and+mudge+in+puddle+trouble

Henry and Mudge Get the Cold Shivers by Cynthia Rylant

In this seventh book in the Henry and Mudge series, first Henry has a cold, and then Mudge gets sick, too. What can Henry do to help Mudge feel better?

Photo and description from https://www.amazon.com/Henry-Mudge-Get-Cold-Shivers-ebook/dp/B006IUQV5E/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1497040386&sr=1-1&keywords=henry+and+mudge+get+the+cold+shivers

Goldilocks and The Three Bears by Robert Southey 

Once upon a time, there lived a pretty little girl named Goldilocks. She had rosy cheeks, big blue eyes and curly golden hair. She used to go to the forest to meet her friends. Her friends were lively birds and animals. She kept on talking with them about different things.

The birds told her stories about faraway lands.
One day, early in the morning, she went to the forest to meet her friends. The animals and the birds were busy. She looked for Chinky—the sparrow but she was busy in collecting seeds for her chinks. Woody, the woodpecker was also busy looking for insects.
When she was roaming around the forest, she saw a beautiful little house in the forest. What happened to Goldilocks? Did she go inside the house?
This 16-page richly illustrated book is a part of our Classic tales collection, which consists of stimulating and enthralling stories for children.

Photo and description from https://www.amazon.com/Goldilocks-Three-Bears-Fully-Illustrated-ebook/dp/B01GHCPBGM/ref=sr_1_6?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1497040527&sr=1-6&keywords=Goldilocks+and+The+Three+Bears+by+Robert+Southey

photo from https://www.amazon.com/Boy-Who-Cried-Wolf/dp/B00430CUHE/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1497040776&sr=1-2&keywords=the+boy+who+cried+wolf+by+b.g.+hennessy

The Boy Who Cried Wolf by B.G. Hennessy 

"Nothing ever happens here," the shepherd thinks. But the bored boy knows what would be exciting: He cries that a wolf is after his sheep, and the town's people come running. How often can that trick work, though?

B.G. Hennessy's retelling of this timeless fable is infused with fanciful whimsy through Boris Kulikov's hilarious and ingenious illustrations. This tale is sure to leave readers grinning sheepishly.

Description from http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/582820.The_Boy_Who_Cried_Wolf

Julius, the Baby of the World by Kevin Henkes 

The riotously funny Lilly, last seen in Chester's Way (Greenwillow), thinks her new baby brother, Julius, is disgusting -- if he was a number, he would be zero. But when Cousin Garland dares to criticize Julius, Lilly bullies her into loudly admiring Julius as the baby of the world.Lilly knows her baby brother is nothing but dreadful -- until she claims him for her own.

Photo and description from https://www.amazon.com/Julius-Baby-World-Kevin-Henkes/dp/0688143881/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1497041103&sr=1-1&keywords=julius+the+baby+of+the+world

The Secrets of Animal Flight by Nic Bishop 

More than three quarters of all land animals fly, from butterflies and birds to beetles and bats. Some birds can stay airborne for hours with only an occasional flap of their wings, flies can hover and perform split-second turns, while bats can execute their precise maneuvers in total darkness. How do they do it? Find out the secrets of animal flight - the principles that keep fliers as different as ladybugs and eagles aloft. And discover some puzzles that scientists haven't yet been able to solve - nature's mysteries of flight.

Photo and description from https://www.amazon.com/Secrets-Animal-Flight-Nic-Bishop/dp/0395778484/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1497041447&sr=1-1&keywords=the+secrets+of+animal+flight

I hope that all of your lesson plans went well! Did you have any big challenges? 

Lesson Planning

Like many of you, I am nearing the end of classes before student teaching. This means that I have had quite a few classes requiring the construction of a unit plan or lesson plans. I have found that they have gotten easier for me to write over time but that it also depends on what subject I am writing for. I have been gearing the lesson plans for my last few classes toward third grade because that is the grade level I will be student teaching. I am hoping I will be able to use some of these in the classroom! 
I seem to be most creative with my planning when I am making science lessons - this could be because it is my favorite subject. Do you have a subject that is easier to write plans for? Honestly, I have been struggling a bit making these language arts lessons exciting! My unit is teaching strategies to increase reading comprehension and, while there are plenty of strategies, it is harder than I thought to find something hands-on for it. 
My late summer class (and last class before student teaching!) will require math lesson plans and I am a bit nervous about those. Math has never been my strong subject and kids these days are learning much more than I remember learning. So I imagine I will be learning along with the students. 
It's important to remember that it is not what we want students to do, but what we want them to learn! 

http://www.teachertrap.com/2015/04/lesson-planning.html/