Field Experience Reflection

I completed 5 hours in classrooms ranging from 3rd grade to 5th grade.


I split my time evenly between math and reading lessons but to focus on readin,g my school system is really pushing for small group learning (literature circles) and I went and observe a 5th grade reading teacher perform literature circles in a two hour block. I really saw some designing and great planning of a lesson plan (teacher standard 2) and saw how much prep work literature circles take. The teacher I observed worked very well with classroom management as well (standard 4). 


I was able to grasp little things like making sure students choose their own readings because this will keep them engaged. Being prepared, creating questions, and group talks are essentials in creating a good, positive learning literature circle. Also, it is okay if not every "group" is reading the same novel. Each separate team can choose a book of their own.

Wiki Checklist

Wiki Checklist

__ 1 __ Social Studies

__ 1 __ Science

__ 1 __ Math

______ Music

______ Art

__ 2 __ Reading/Language Arts

______ Physical Education

______ Other

Final Reading Log

Genre / Titles

Those not written as a reflection are in BOLD (31 total)

             I.      Non-fiction/Informational (1 reflection required on blog)    

1)      A Child Called “It” (reflection) Pelzer, Dave

2)      Knowing Your Civil Rights, Ditchfield, Christin *

3)      My Life in Dog Years, Paulsen, Gary

          II.      Poetry (1 reflection required on blog)

1)      What My Mother Doesn’t Know (reflection) Sones, Sonya

2)      The Road Not Taken Frost, Robert

3)      American Poetry, Hollander, John *

       III.      Modern Fantasy (1 reflection required on blog)        

1)      Babe the Gallant Pig (reflection) King-Smith, Dick; Rayner, Mary

2)      The Hunger Games (reflection) Collins, Suzanne

3)      Catching Fire Collins, Suzanne

4)      MockingJay Collins, Suzanne

5)      The Cricket in Times Square, Selden, George

       IV.      Historical Fiction (1 reflection required on blog –can be a picture book)     

1)      Al Capone Does My Shirts (reflection) Gennifer Choldenko

2)      Number The Stars, Lowry, Lois

3)      Shades of Gray, Reeder, Carolyn

          V.      Multicultural/Traditional (2 reflections required on blog – one can be a picture book)

1)      Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters. An African Tale (reflection) Steptoe, John

2)      Zeely,  Hamilton, Virginia

3)      Talking Walls, Knight, Margy Burns *

4)      Turquoise Boy. A Navajo Legend, Cohlene, Terri *

       VI.      Realistic Fiction (1 reflection required on blog)

1)      Laugh Until you Cry  (reflection) Nixon, Joan Lowery

2)      Hatchet (reflection) Paulsen, Gary

3)      Brian’s Winter Paulsen, Gary

4)      The River Paulsen, Gary

5)      Brian’s Return, Paulsen, Gary

6)      Brian’s Hunt, Paulsen, Gary

7)      Maniac Magee, Spinelli, Jerry

8)      Stone Fox, Gardiner, John Reynolds

9)      No Talking! Clements, Andrew

    VII.      Picture Books (6 reflections required on blog)

1)      Knots on a Counting Rope (reflection) Martin, Bill

2)      The Adventures of Hugo Cabret (reflection) Selznick, Brian

3)      The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs. By A. Wolf (reflection) Scieszka, John

4)      Where the Wild Things Are (reflection) Sendak, Maurice

5)      The Polar Express (reflection) Allsburg, Chris Van

6)      The Garden of Adbul Gasazi (reflection) Allsburg, Chris Van

7)      The Pain and The Great One, Blume, Judy

8)      There’s Something In My Attic, Mayer, Mercer

9)      Snowball Fight, Fallon, Jimmy

10)   Today I Feel Silly & Other Moods That Make My Day, Curtis, Jamie Lee

11)   Jumanji, Allsburg, Chris Van

12)   The Giving Tree, Silverstein, Shel

13)   Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, Viorst, Judith

14)   Corduroy, Freeman, Don

15)   Oh, the Places You’ll Go! Dr. Seuss **

16)   The Lorax, Dr. Seuss **

17)   The Cat in the Hat, Dr. Seuss **

18)   Bartholomew and the Oobleck, Dr. Seuss **

19)   How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Dr. Seuss **

*  Picture book for that genre

** Read during Dr. Seuss week at school

Non-Fiction Reflection 1

Pelzer, D. (1995). A child called "it:" An abused child's journey from victim to victor. Deerfield Beach, FL: Health Communications


What an absolute heart-wrenching book! Dave Pelzer's informational book series about his account of his childhood is not for the weak at heart. This book contains Pelzer's account of the abuse, physical and emotional, that he endured under his alcoholic mother. 


Pelzer's story provides vivid detail in such a way that the reader wants fight for him. For instance, as Pelzer relives stories about only receiving food, scraps, that even the dog refused, the reader just wants to take the child home and take care of him themselves. Pelzer discusses having to eat his own vomit or being forced to swallow ammonia and clorox. As a reader, you begin to feel so strongly for Dave that you almost agree with him when he begins to wish his mother would just kill him. 


It is Pelzer's own will to survive that makes the reader begin rooting for him.You celebrate in Pelzer's accomplishments with him throughout the book. For example, when he prevents his mother from burning him on the stove or he is able to sneak into the freezer and get a full frozen dinner. You become so involved with little Dave Pelzer that, dispute the brutality, you contain to read, hoping and praying that a rescue is only a page away.


Pelzer went on to write a sequel called "The Lost Boy" which picks up with Dave in foster care.

Historical Fiction Reflection 1

Reeder, C. (1989). Shades of gray. New York, NY. Macmillan.


Have you ever lost a loved-one? A grandmother? Well, meet Will Page. A 12-year old boy who has lost everyone he loved during the Civil War. Due to a pre-arrangement set by Will's mother, Will is shipped to some relatives Virginia, which he has never met instead of getting to stay with Doc Martin, an old family friend. Relatives, whom Will discovers on the way to meet them refused to fight for the Confederacy.


Will arrives in his new home and so starts the unspoken battle between his Uncle and he. Will must not only deal with an uncle he views as a coward but he also has to deal with new cousins and a group of three guys who have chosen to bully the new kid. As Will tries to prove his worth on the war-ravished farm things seem to be working themselves out. Until Will receives a letter from Doc Martin that will force him into the toughest decision he has ever had to make. A decision that was supposed to be easy suddenly has Will backed into a corner and the only way out is to hurt someone he cares about. 


What will Will do?

Realistic Fiction Reflection 1

Paulsen, G. (1987). Hatchet. New York, NY: Bradbury Press.

One of my favorite authors of all-time, Gary Paulsen, wrote Hatchet in 1987 and it became a three-time Newbery Honor winner. This adventure and survival realistic fiction novel is about a young boy named Brian Robeson who is simply trying to handle the divorce between his mom and dad. While on his way to visit his dad in the Canadian Wilderness, his plane crashes and Brian is left stranded in the wilderness with nothing but a hatchet. The story tells of Brian's attempt at survival in the wilderness and as winter draws closer, Brian begins to accept the realization of never being found. 

Realistic fiction is defined by "stories that could indeed happen to people and animals; it is within the realm of possibility." Hatchet successfully fulfills every component discussed by Marshall: (1) Factual Realism: Brian could be one of the thousands of teenagers who is torn between divorcing parents that occur in the United States daily. The book also takes place in a real setting, Canadian Wilderness. (2) Situational Realism is fulfilled by the plane crash, which happens more than we would like in America, and with the survival of a passenger who must live within the elements. (3) Emotional Realism is seen through the heartbreaking and triumphant actions of Brian. (4) Social Realism is provided by seeing the technology used by both Brian and his rescuers. As well as the occupations represented by many adults.

Paulsen has written a whole series devoted to Brian Robeson.

Poetry Reflection 1

Larios, J. Yellow elephant. A bright bestiary. (2006). United States. Harcourt Books


This is a wonderful single illustrated poem book written in a picture book format. The author, Larios and illustrator, Julie Paschkis work together to create small poems with a picture on the opposite page to go along with it. Larios's uses words in each poem to help create an image for the reader. For instance, in "Red Donkey,"Larios uses the term to red to create a mean, frustrated, and tired donkey. Students can relate the color red to anger because they have seen this representation their entire lives.


In a different poem, entitled "White Owl," Larios uses the term "who" to show that the owl is asking questions about the things he sees during winter but this question is also referring to the "hoo" sound an owl makes.


This collection of poetry received the Horn Book Honor Award.