521- Field Observation #5

TC NAME: Melisa Finney

RICA Domain: 1 – Planning, Organizing, and Managing Reading Instruction Based on Ongoing Assessment

RICA Competency: Planning, Organizing, and Managing Reading Instruction

Grade Level: Third Grade

                In Ms. X’s classroom D.E.A.R. (Drop Everything and Read) occurs every day after recess. Before starting D.E.A.R. Ms. X encourages students about reading. She reminds her students that if they need help with the reading, they should raise their hand and she will come by to help. The classroom is silent. Students are spread throughout the classroom, on the floor, under their desk or on a bean bag reading. Ms. X has a wide selection of books available for her students. Students will utilize books from Ms. X’s library if they’ve finished reading their book(s) from the school library. For some students Ms. X provides a graphic organizer to help students take notes. As the students read Ms. X walks around the classroom to ensure that students are on track. D.E.A.R. lasted for 25 minutes.

                Throughout the year students will be presenting book reports. Ms. X’s class just completed their first book presentation for the year. The students selected from the following genre: Animal, Biography, Sports, Mystery, Travel, Fantasy, Non-Fiction, and Adventure. The activities vary for each genre.   For example, student A read Ferdinand the Bull, By: Munro Leaf. Student A’s activity is a “book box”. Student A  illustrated their favorite part of the book, provide ten words in an envelope, and wrote a summary that is glued on the back of the book box. Each student will have their chance to present their project to the class.  This year long Book Share activity is a great reading project because students reflect on important characters, the plot, the theme, the setting, the moral, and the mood.  Also, book share helps acquaint readers with the book.

Instructional Setting:

              The instructional setting includes the student’s book, project supplies such as: crayons, glue, scissors, construction paper, shoebox, and a pencil.