Project - Week 7

Editor's Notes

• #4: During Week 2, I worked with a 4th grade, male student named B.W. Currently, he is reading on an independent level of B and his small group instruction is on level C. B.W. lives with both parents, however, both parents are out of town frequently due to their work.
• #5: In order to determine the specific needs of B.W., I used five different assessments. These assessments included: DIBELS Word Use Fluency, Metalinguistic Interview, Initial Consonant Sounds Test, Reutzel-Cooter Audiotiry Discrimination Test, and a Reading Interest Inventory.
• #6: From my analysis of these assessments, I determined that B.W. had the skills necessary to be considered a beginning reader. His struggle comes from his interest and motivation. On the Reading Interest Inventory
• #7: These findings led me to see the importance of selecting the right books for our classroom read aloud. In order to continue to engage B.W., I also need to focus on ways to build his self image. One way to do this is by teaching him and other like him how to select the correct book for them. By selecting the correct book, positive expectations can be set and met.
• #9: For week 3, I worked with a female student referred to, here, as A.T. She is considered to be part of our school’s lowest socioeconomic status groups. Her mother lost custody when she was very young. Therefore, her parents stepped in and received full custody. A.T.’s mother is back in the picture and is actively involved this school year. A.T. has a younger brother that her mother has always had full custody of. A.T.’s grandmother is a school bus driver for our school district and her grandfather is one of the managers at our local Wal-Mart. Even with all of these obstacles, A.T. has a true love for school and learning.
• #10: To determine the needs of A.T., I used the following assessments: Flynt/Cooter Reading Attitude Survey for Elementary Grades, Classroom-Modified Reading Strategy Use Scale, a Running Record, and a Maze Test.
• #11: From these assessments, I was able to confirm A.T.’s positive reading attitude that I have seen in the classroom. However, A.T. has no help or support at home. These results also revealed that she does not like the school texts that are used and does not like to be called on to read from them, or any text, aloud in class. When reading in a small group or individually, A.T. is inconsistent when choosing the appropriate comprehension strategy and also has a lack of sight word vocabulary.
• #12: Therefore, I determined that my main focus with A.T. would be vocabulary development. I decided to use the word wall as my research based strategy. Through the word wall, A.T. would be provided with a visual to help her build recognition of sight vocabulary words. These same words would be part of a word wall activity that A.T. would engage in daily as well as her spelling words each wekk.
• #14: In order to bring all of my results together for B.W. and A.T., I decided to write a unit around animals and their life cycles. The four texts that fit with this unit are: Mr. Popper’s Penguins (narrative text), Amazing Whales (informational text), The caterpillar and the Polliwog (digital), and A Tadpole Grows Up (digital).
• #15: To address the vocabulary needs to A.T., high frequency sight words from each texts would be included on the word wall. Any context specific words would be addressed using the Frayer model. One positive aspect of the digital texts involved the computer automatically highlighting key vocabulary. For B.W., he loves to learn about animals. Therefore, the books selected for this unit meet his interest needs and should be a motivator.
• #16: The unit can address all standards. However, the focus standards were on decoding and context clues.
• #17: Once each text was selected, I analyzed what type of text each one was. Mr. Popper’s Penguins is a narrative text that has a combination of picture and words to tell the story. Amazing Whales is the same, but is considered an informational text. The Caterpillar and the Polliwog’s story was told using pictures and words in a narrative format. A Tadpole Grows Up is told with an equal number of pictures and words, but in an informational format.
• #18: Looking at the specific difficulties, Mr. Popper’s Penguins appeared to be the most difficult. The first difficulty is that it is classified as a 4.9 grade level text. It also has several vocabulary words that needed to be explicitly taught and is a significantly longer chapter book, which could deter some interest. With Amazing Whales, the content vocabulary will need to be previewed before exploring the text with the students. The digital texts have no identified difficulties for the students. These texts are visually presented, vocabulary is highlighted, and the students have the option of having the book read aloud.
• #19: To tie in writing, the students could watch the movie based on Mr. Popper’s Penguins and write a comparison essay showing the similarities and differences between the movie and text. Also, the digital texts are fiction and nonfiction. The students can compare and contrast the text structures of the two types of books. Word wall writing activities can also be tied into the unit.
• #20: During week 5, I implemented a lesson in order to meet the needs of B.W. (my emergent literacy learner).
• #21: The lesson(s) that involved the use of the digital texts, were used in the form of guided reading. During the first day of the lesson, I spent most of the time providing instruction. We began by previewing both of the texts making sure to note any differences and/or similarities. The lesson then led to a discussion of specific content vocabulary and sight words. Once we reviewed the comprehension strategy, I asked the students to whisper read the fiction text. To wrap up the lesson, I showed the students the corresponding video on Scholastic Book Flix. This allowed for the students to verify and clarify their understanding.
• #22: On Day 2, the students demonstrated their understanding of the content vocabulary that we discussed by providing an example and explanation of each word’s meaning. During this time, sight words were also reviewed, but in the context of the book. The students participated in a discussion of how this nonfiction text appeared different from the fiction text that we read the day before. Again, the students whisper read the nonfiction text. When all students were finished, we viewed the nonfiction text video on Scholastic Book Flix.
• #23: To begin the writing process, the students took what they remembered from their discussions and the texts and created a Double Bubble Thinking map. This graphic organizer showed the differences between the fiction and nonfiction texts. The students could include text structure differences and similarities as well as content.
• #24: The students were asked to create a piece of writing titled A Polliwog Grows Up. The requirements were that their story must be fiction, but include facts learned from the nonfiction text. The students could reference their thinking map and the text.
• #25: During this lesson the students were focused and engaged. However, the students were more engaged with the nonfiction text and video. It has been proven that students enjoy interacting with nonfiction texts more than fiction. I noticed that the students picked up on content vocabulary quickly and they read sight words in context that they normally missed in isolation.
• #26: Even though the digital texts were on a lower reading level, I still need to find a text on a lower level. However, the video proved to be beneficial because it helped to clarify the students’ understanding of the text.
• #27: Taking these findings in mind, my next unit will be built around the 4th grade standards of ecosystems. I will also reevaluate sight words to see if there was any improvements since reviewing these words in context. Once the students have a firmer grasp of their sight words, these words need to become their spelling words. This will hopefully move the students from being an early writer to a developing writer.
• #28: During week 6, I implemented a close read lesson with my beginning literacy learner, A.T., and a small group of students.
• #29: The goal was for students to examine Amazing Whales. During the first read, the students read the text without any help. They were asked to use thinking marks to indicate new and/or unfamiliar words. After each student had the chance to read the text, I went through and read the text aloud. Using context clues, the students and I worked together to define new vocabulary words. We reviewed any words the students had identified, but also focused on warm-blooded, pod, and krill. Sight words were also reviewed in context since the students did so well the week before.
• #30: With the second read, the students had to re-read the text. A fluent reader read the text aloud again once everyone had a chance to read the text independently. After reading the text, the students completed a word sort activity in which they had to sort a list of animals into two different categories based on the information that they had learned from the text (mammals and not mammals).
• #31: With the third, and final read, the students re-read the text and then I read the text aloud again. I then proceeded to read the comprehension questions aloud to the students. The students had to go back and use highlighting tape to highlight the answers in the text. The questions then had to be answered using the text evidence that was highlighted in the text.
• #32: Then, the students were given the poem, Baby Beluga. The same procedure for a close read was followed. However, the differences were: Vocabulary: yonder, snug, wild, and spout A B-M-E chart was completed instead of a word sort.
• #33: To bring the two close reads to a close, the students wrote a comparison essay that compared and contrasted to two close read stories. This activity was completed as guided writing. The students wrote the essay with me near them so that I could provide them with the assistance that they needed.
• #34: By embedding the sight words in the text, the students continued to increase their knowledge base. The use of context clues was a struggle for students to begin with. However, they gained the knowledge of how to use the context clues and slowly began to use them without prompting.
• #35: The use of the Frayer model with content vocabulary words allowed the students to see examples and non-examples for each word. Next time, I plan on focusing on individualized sight words instead of a general list of sight words.
• #36: I plan to continue to support the students with their work with context clues. This skill needs to become automatic when working with a new text. I also plan to change my instruction of sight words. These words need to be reviewed and practiced in context instead of in isolation.