Top Test-Taking Tips for Elementary Students

For Kindergarten through 6th Grade

Welcome Back!

Welcome to a new school year! I hope everyone had a fun and safe summer break! I would like to take the opportunity to introduce myself to my new followers and also a warm hello to all my existing ones!

About Me!

Hello! My name is Hailey Palella and I am a student at Governors State University. I am currently enrolled in the early childhood education program. I graduated from Joliet Junior College in May of 2021, and I received my associates degree in early childhood education and I am continuing my education in order to receive my bachelor’s degree this May 2023. I cannot be more excited to see what is in store for me!

Currently, I work at a daycare called Living Waters Children’s Center in Manhattan. I have been there for three years; I am so grateful that I was given the opportunity to work at a daycare and to get a feel of what it is like to work with children. I love my job, which excites me even more for the future! I cannot wait to have a classroom of my own. I currently work with the twos, threes, and fours. I love being able to interact and form relationships with children of different ages and be able to distinguish how different the age groups are. In the future, I hope to become a kindergarten teacher! In terms of my personal life, I love spending time with my family, especially my grandparents. In the next couple of weeks, I will be moving into my first apartment with my boyfriend of seven years. I am very excited!

I look forward to an exciting year to learn new things. I am grateful for each learning opportunity. The more experience that I have in the classroom, the more opportunities I have to become the best educator that I want to be.

Have a great year! 🙂

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Week #14: Goodbyes are Always Hard

Date: December 8th, 2022

By: Hailey Palella

I’m Not Good At Goodbyes

I cannot believe today was my last day in the classroom. Time has flown by so fast since the first day I met my MT and the students. I cannot believe I am already typing this blog post! I felt like yesterday I was entering the school and the classroom for the first time. I cannot believe our time is already up and that I taught my last lesson last week. Last weeks lesson did not go as planned, but I went with the flow and now I have taught five lessons to the 1st graders! I forgot to mention in last weeks post that I read the story called, “The Gingerbread Cowboy” written Janet Squires. The students loved this story! I have never read this book and I loved it. I will have to keep it in mind as I get closer to having my own classroom.

Since my last day was today, I thought it would be special of me to read a story that I wrote when I was in kindergarten. The story is called “Rainbow” and I made this book myself. I thought that since I read a story to the students each week, it would be a great opportunity to read a story that I wrote as a young student. The students loved it. I was so excited to read it to them. After I read my story to the students, I asked them if they had any questions about me that they wanted to know since it is my last day. The students were so excited to ask me questions, however I only called on three students because I did not want to waste too much time. I loved answering some of the students’ questions, some of them were upset that I did not call on them, but I told them that I would answer their questions if we had time later today. Besides that, today was a normal Thursday!

As I mentioned, today was another great day inside the classroom and I am very happy that I was placed at this school and in this classroom. I will take all of the feedback and suggestions that I have gotten over the course of the fifteen weeks from my MT and both of my professors (teaching and lesson plan feedback) into student teaching. During student teaching, I hope to work on my number one struggle during this field experience which was differentiation in the classrooms and making accommodations. I hope to improve on both of these because they are important and crucial to student learning. I was very sad to say goodbye to the students day, my MT told them that it was my last day and each student hugged me at least five times today. I am going to miss them very much. After I read my book to the students then my MT did phonics and then we moved into social studies. My MT said that the students had a surprise for me. I was shocked when she said that, but also really excited at the same time. I am thankful to have a MT like mine, she is so thoughtful, caring, and kind. The surprise that the students made was “Advice for Ms. Palella.” Each student got an organizer that says, “My advice for you in your first year of teaching…” and then the students had to write things that I make sure that I do and things that I don’t do during my first year of teaching, it was so sweet and their advice was so sweet and thoughtful. I have included some pictures of some of the students’ advice for me as I continue my education career!

Since today was my last day and because Christmas is right around the corner, I brought the students a small goodie bag! I brought each student one and made two extra for my MTs kids! The students were so excited when I passed them out. Before I handed them out though, I explained to the students that I want them to put the goodie bag straight into their backpacks and not take them out until they get home. I told the students not to open the goodie bag on the bus either, I told them that I would be sad if they got it taken away. I hope the students enjoy their goodie bag!

Until Next Time!

“All of our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.” -Walt Disney

posted on December 8th, 2022 at 5:21pm

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Week #13: “The Candy Cane Experiment”

Date: December 1st, 2022

By: Hailey Palella

Last Lesson Day: Science~ Making Predictions

I cannot believe that it is December already. It felt like November was yesterday!! When I first walked into the classroom, I asked the students how their Thanksgiving was. The students mentioned that it was good and that they ate a lot of food. I told them that I did too and that my favorite thing to eat on Thanksgiving is ham! Most of the students that I talked too agreed, there were a few students who said, green bean casserole was their favorite, and I said YUUCCCK and the students laughed.

Today was my last lesson day! Today I taught the students Science! My topic for this lesson was forming and making predictions! During Guided Practice, the students will made predictions on what liquid they think will make the candy cane dissolve the most. Students used the Candy Cane Prediction Organizer and drew what they think their candy cane will look like in each of the five different liquids, what the student drew is what their prediction is. After the experiment, the students referred back to their Candy Cane Prediction Organizer and compare and contrasted their drawings to the results of the experiment and decide whether or not their prediction was close to the results or not. Students will never be penalized for making wrong predictions because a prediction is a guess that is based on a students’ prior knowledge and life experiences.

Making predictions does not only happen during reading, but it can also happen in science. For this experiment, students made predictions based off what they know about candy canes and the different liquids that have been chosen, students used their experiences with these liquids to determine which liquid will dissolve the candy cane the most and why. Students drew their predictions before conducting the experiment, which allowed them to visually see their thinking. Students conducted the experiment and found out the result for each of the liquids. Students referred back to their predictions to see whether their predictions were close to the results or not.

Objectives for this Lesson:

Primary Objective(s):

  1. Create predictions by illustrating the reaction of the materials during the experiment with a rating of 5 out of 5.

Supporting Objective(s):

  1. Investigate the reaction by using the listed materials to conduct an experiment.
  2. Explain what predictions are in a complete sentence.

For this lesson I created two anchor charts to introduce predictions to the class and how to make a predication using a prediction sentence starter. Here are images of both anchor charts! (however, these are sketches, I made the actual anchor chart the day of my lesson (today) because I don’t have access to anchor chart paper unless I am at the school!)

Lesson Outline!

  • AS: introduction to predictions (what is a prediction?), discussion of how to make a prediction/prediction sentence starters (I think…)
  • DI: making predictions based off images, turn and talk prediction scenarios
  • GP: have students make predictions on what will happen when a candy cane is placed in each of the cups; students will draw their predictions on the organizer
  • IP: students will conduct the experiment in their table groups (with teachers’ prompt)
  • C: analyze and discuss results of the experiment, discuss the different types of liquids and the effect of the different liquids on the candy canes, refer back to students’ original predications and discuss what liquid dissolved the candy cane the most and why
These are the Candy Cane prediction organizers that each student got and made their predictions before the experiment and record the results at the end of the experiment.

My Example

Student Examples

The primary focus of this lesson was to introduce and review making predictions and how we make predictions in science. In the beginning of the lesson, the students were reminded/introduced to prediction sentence starters and before doing the experiment, students had plenty of practice with making predictions during Direct Instruction. During Direct Instruction, the students were provided with an image and the students had to predict what happened in the image; the great thing about predictions is that no answer is right or wrong until proven! Students also did a quick turn and talk activity preparing them for the experiment and allowing more practice before making their predictions about what liquid will make the candy cane dissolve the most and why. Students have learned how to make predictions while reading a story before this lesson, however this is a science lesson and students predicted what happens before they begin an experiment. Students used their prior knowledge to help them formulate their predictions. Once students had their predictions, then the students used the Candy Cane Prediction Organizer to draw and show their thinking. The students revisited the organizer once the experiment concluded, analyzed the results, and looked back at their predictions.

December 8th, 2022

This will be the last day in the classroom! I am so sad but also very happy. This field experience was great and I am so thankful for a wonderful mentor teacher that helped me throughout this whole process. I am going to be really sad the last day that I walk out of the school because I love this school and the students! The students and my mentor teacher were the best part of this whole experience. My MT really showed me what “Loving What You Do” really looks like. I aspire to be the educator that she is and I told her I would come visit her and the students at the end of the year, and after student teaching is over. I am so thankful for this experience because now I can take what I learned and apply it to student teaching!

Making Every Last Minute Count!

I look forward to my last week in the classroom!

Classroom Door
Inside the Classroom

Till Next Week! 🙂

posted on December 1st, 2022 at 6:35pm

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Week 12- 2 Weeks Left! :(

Date: November 17th, 2022

by: Hailey Palella

4th Lesson! Math

I taught math today! Math has always been a struggle from me. I think it is because I had such horrible math teachers and they were never helpful. The only math teacher that I ever had that was good was when I was a student at Joliet Junior College! I never want to be those terrible math teachers. I went into the lesson being nervous but I always am! I just have very high expectations for myself and I want to keep doing my best! I am going to be honest but usually during this time in the semester I begin to slip and get so unmotivated and tired of doing a lot of work (burnt out), I am going to try my best not to do that this year! Anyways, I thought I was really prepared to teach math today and I had enough practice to feel confident teaching. As always, I tried my best and that is all I can do!

Here is the outline of the math lesson that I taught today:

  • AS: Brief Introduction to Lesson- “I Can” Statement
  • DI: Fluency Practice- Rewrite Expressions as 10+ sentences, 5-Group Flash, Teen Number Bonds
  • GP: Concept Development, Application Problem
  • IP: Exit Ticket
  • C: Student Debrief- Review (debrief questions regarding problem set)

Here are some of my lesson materials that I used to teach this lesson!

Link to Eureka Math Slides: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1zONwJCKIRQ97iglbU2heJqzXADSVCqnfE-b9LJQu8Ns/edit?usp=sharing

Here are some of the slides!

Application Problem
Teen Number Bonds

During all of my lessons, I always try my best to incorporate all of the things that I want to before running out of time. This lesson was different because I was able to teach longer which was nice. The students start their day with math every Thursday, so it was nice to start my lesson at 9:15am and end around 10:30am because we did not have to stop and switch or do anything throughout besides a bathroom break. I was originally going to start teaching at 9:30am but my MT said to change it because she said she starts math earlier, which was fine because it gave me more time to teach and make sure I got all of the content in.

This week was the last week before Thanksgiving! The students are really excited to have a break for Thanksgiving and I am sure the teachers are too! I am also excited to have a little break and have sometime to get things done for my courses. There are so many things to be thankful for, so I am going to write three things that I am thankful in this post as Thanksgiving approaches, my family, my field placement now and student teaching placement, and my job/ my daycare babies. Since Thanksgiving is around the corner, I read a book to the students called, “The FireFighters Thanksgiving” written by Maribeth Boelts and illustrated by Terry Widener. It was such a good book and the students loved it!

“The FireFighters Thanksgiving” written by Maribeth Boelts

I am very excited for student teaching and I am going to implement all of the things that I have learned from this field placement when I got to student teach. My MT right now is the definition of loving what you do. I look at her everyday with awe of how well she manages her classroom/students, and how well she teaches, especially math, she’s amazing at it. I hope to become a teacher like my MT some day and I am really going to miss her when our time ends. The students in the classroom have asked me to come back for the end of the year and I told them I would stop by. One student asked me, “So you are not going to be in the year book?” and I told her, “No, I am not a real teacher yet, just learning to become one.” and she said, “Can you come back and see us?” and I said, “Of course.”

I look forward to my last lesson which will be science, which is my favorite subject!! I asked my MT what my topic is going to be for science so I can get a head start on my lesson plan during the break. The theme/topic that I will be teaching for science is candy canes and predictions! I am very excited to teach science as I mentioned because it is my favorite subject when I was in school. Science is so fun, interesting, and most importantly hands-on which is something that students’ need throughout the school day!

I am very pleased with how my lesson went today. I know that every lesson will not be perfect in the field, student teaching, and once I get a job in teaching, however at the end of the day I want to be the best teacher that I can be. I hope to keep improving and become the best person and educator that I can be for these kids, they deserve it!!

Here is a picture of one of the students’ exit tickets, this student received mastery on the rubric that I created! This makes me happy.

I look forward to my science lesson and having the week off for Thanksgiving! Gobble Gobble!

posted on Thursday, November 17th at 6:41pm

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Week 11! Ahhhh!

Date: November 10th, 2022

By: Hailey Palella

Always Be Kind and Help Those Who Need It!

Don’t be a bully!

Today was another great day! I was very excited to come and spend another day in the classroom. Today was really exciting because at 9:30am we got to go to an assembly! I have not been to an assembly in a long time! This assembly was about bullying, which is really good and important for the students to attend to. The students had a blast at the assembly because the guest speaker was so nice and brought in puppets in order to illustrate and explain bullying to the students and show the ways that students can help themselves and others when they are in a situation were they or someone else is being bullied. The assembly was great and age appropriate for the students! This assembly was necessary and a very important and serious conversation to have.

NO BULLYING

As always, I read another story to the students. This story went along with the theme of Veterans Day. The story was called “Hero Mom” written by Melinda Hardin and illustrated by Bryan Langdo. In this book, readers learn about the kinds of jobs that many women do. One mom builds buildings, one mom works with animals to find missing people, one mom works in airplanes to help them fly, one mom works on trucks, and one mom works on tanks to help them roll. The moms in the book are superheroes. They may not leap over tall buildings, and they may not have super-human speed. They do all kinds of things to help create a safer world. These superheroes are moms. Military moms. Hero moms. Hero Mom is a combination of children’s perspectives on what their military moms do while serving our country. This story was a great story to read to the students because some students who have family in the military would be able to relate to the kids in the book, which is really cool and sentimental.

“Hero Mom” written by Melinda Hardin and illustrated by Bryan Langdo.

This week the students have been preparing for their Veterans Day assembly which is tomorrow, I wish I could attend because some of the students get to read the letter that they wrote to the Veterans at the assembly tomorrow, which is going to be so sweet and wholesome. The students who are reading their letters tomorrow get to read it to the Veteran in their family, who will be in attendance at the assembly tomorrow, which is very sweet and wholesome.

Last week all of the students wrote a letter to the Veterans regardless if they have a family member who has served or not. Tomorrow the letters will be passed out to the Veterans. The teacher who put all of the Veterans Day assembly did a great job!

Next week, I teach Math! I am very nervous and I plan to practice a lot this weekend and the days leading up to my lesson.

Here is my Math Lesson Outline:

  • AS: Brief Introduction to Lesson- “I Can” Statement
  • DI: Fluency Practice- Rewrite Expressions as 10+ sentences, 5-Group Flash, Teen Number Bonds
  • GP: Concept Development, Application Problem
  • IP: Exit Ticket
  • C: Student Debrief- Review (debrief questions regarding problem set)
I Can Statement
Application Problem

I am very excited for another week in the classroom next week. I have two lessons left; Math and Science! Woohoo!

posted on November 10th, 2022 at 7:53pm

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Week 10: Lesson Day! Story Structure and Dialogue: Visualization

“A Cupcake Party” written by David McPhail

Date: November 3rd, 2022

By: Hailey Palella

I cannot believe it is November already! I am almost more than half way done with this semester and I cannot wait for student teaching! Today I taught my third lesson out of five, over half way done! (Week of October 31st). I taught reading today. The focus of this week is story structure and dialogue. Before my lesson today, the students were already exposed to the story for this week, “A Cupcake Party” written by David McPhail. The students were also learned about quotations before I taught my lesson. To introduce the lesson, I referred back to what my MT mentioned that the students learned about this week and that was dialogue, we discussed what dialogue was and I gave them a clue because they forgot. The clue that I gave the students was drawing quotation marks on the white board and that little cue switched a light in their brain.

I thought this lesson plan was the easiest so far to complete, I am not sure why. I am thinking the reason is because I am getting more and more confident as I write them, which I think is great.

As always, I was very excited to teach today. I was prepared and had everything ready to go before hand. I made sure that the technology worked and also assured that I had a back up. It is very important to have a back up plan just incase technology fails, because it does and it will.

Here is the outline of the lesson that I taught today:

  • AS: Introduce Visualization (five senses), provide examples of five senses- (ask students for examples of what they feel/touch/taste/see/smell/visualize when they are at the movie theater- SB activity)
  • DI: Discuss visualizing parts of a story, review and read the story, “A Cupcake Party” written and illustrated by David McPhail (TTW point out specific parts in story that students can visualize, TTW pause and have students visualize parts in the story and then have students explain what they are visualizing); model visualizing strategy.
  • GP: Brief, turn and talk activity- visualization of a playground in the summertime (google slide with image)
  • IP: Complete premade graphic organizer with six boxes (five senses- what can I hear/see/smell/touch/taste/visualize in the story from the story)
  • C: Review visualization with students (TTW ask for some examples), prepare students for phonics

Overall, I thought the lesson went well. As I mentioned before, I always think that there can be room for improvements. For my next lesson, I hope to improve on facilitating instruction, differentiation, and engage students in more problem solving and critical thinking. I hope to do all of these things for my last lesson, which is science. My next lesson (November 17th) is math and I am not too sure how I would be able to do much differentiation with such a scripted curriculum. I still have time to think about it.

I am very nervous to teach math, as I mentioned in my last post, knowing this I need to practice a lot before I teach.

I look forward to week 11!

Lesson Materials:

  • “A Cupcake Party” book cover
  • Graphic Organizer- Visualize It!

posted on: November 3rd, 2022 at 5:29pm

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Week 9: The Week Before Halloween!

Date: October 26th, 2022

by: Hailey Palella

9 Weeks Down!

I cannot believe it is already week 9! Last week, I taught reading and phonics. As I mentioned in my last post, I thought it went really well, the only thing that was a struggle for me was the word chains! However, it is a new week today and I was so thrilled to be in the classroom and back with my MT.

Today was like any other day in the classroom, students start off with their morning journal. I usually get the students’ working on it right away when they enter the classroom. As the students walk in and get settled I will usually say, “Good Morning, I am happy to see you all. Today is thoughtful Thursday and my MT will have a question with a sentence starter for the students to begin their morning journals on. This weeks question was, “Why are flamingos pink?” The sentence starter for the students was, “Flamingos are pink because…”. The students do a phenomenal job of answering the question and drawing their pictures. These kids are really good at drawing, I am very jealous! I think starting off with the morning journal is great because it is a slow start to the day before all of the content. Next, my MT will do a brief morning meeting, take attendance, lunch counts, etc. Then, Math instruction begins. Today I paid a lot of attention to Math because I will be teaching it the week of November 17th; a few short weeks :)! I took some notes on my MT’s classroom management strategies and how she teaches Math so I can mimic that in a few weeks.

With that being said, I think Math is the subject I am most worried to teach, I thought Phonics was but I think Math will be. The reason I am saying that is because I hated Math as a kid and I think those insecurities are coming out and that is not a good sign, however I need to stay positive. Thinking back to Field Experience 2, I taught addition to the students and it went really well. I am hoping for that same outcome for this lesson!

On a side note it was my MT’s birthday yesterday October 26th, so I brought her a little gift today! 🙂

Next week, I will be teaching again, I am teaching reading and the target skill is story structure and dialogue; more specially visualization.

I look forward to another great week! 🙂

Here is my LP outline at this time:

  • AS: Introduce Visualization (five senses), provide examples of five senses- (ask students for examples of what they feel/touch/taste/see/smell/visualize when they are at the movie theater- SB activity)
  • DI: Discuss visualizing parts of a story, review and read the story, “A Cupcake Party” written and illustrated by David McPhail (TTW point out specific parts in story that students can visualize, TTW pause and have students visualize parts in the story and then have students explain what they are visualizing)
  • GP: Brief turn and talk activity; visualization of a playground in the summertime
  • IP: Complete premade graphic organizer with six boxes (five senses- what can I hear/see/smell/touch/taste/visualize in the story from the story)
  • C: Review visualization with students (TTW ask for some examples), prepare students for phonics

Here is the story that I will be reading and reviewing next week; “A Cupcake Party” written and illustrated by David McPhail!

Here is the story that I read to the students today! They loved it!

posted on: October 27th, 2022 at 6:41pm

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Week 8- Lesson Day: Reading and Phonics

Date: October 20th, 2022

by: Hailey Palella

2nd Lesson Day

Today I taught my second lesson! As same as the first lesson; going in I was very excited and prepared. I practiced my lesson multiple times for teaching it and I was very pleased with the result of my lesson plan and materials. The assessment checklist, not so much. I am not sure why but I had a harder time assessing students during this lesson, I think it was because I was not evaluating a final product.

Although, creating a lesson plan, gathering materials, and designing an assessment checklist is hard and time consuming. I am glad to be one step closer to student teaching! After this one, I teach three more times and then I move onto student teaching which is very exciting!

Although, I was excited to teach my lesson. I was a bit overwhelmed this time doing my lesson plan. I am not sure why, I think its because I had a lot of big assignments due this week. However, I made it through!

below is my lesson plan outline:

AS: Read the story, “The Legend of Spookly the Square Pumpkin” written by Joe Troiano (ask students questions before reading, during, and after reading about sequencing- what has happened so far, what do you think will happen next?)

DI: Briefly review what sequencing is, what characters are, and what the setting means, discuss time words (first, next, then, last)

GP: Use a premade graphic organizer with boxes to write the characters, setting and sequence of the story (beginning, middle, and end), scribe students’ answers on the SB (WG), then have students turn and talk and have them practice retelling the story to a partner- including the parts of the story that we just discussed.

DI: Use Phonics Curriculum PowerPoint- phonological awareness warm up, fluency (high-frequency words)

IP: Student Workbook- pg.55 (fluency, word chains, passage reading) (provide workbook answers throughout the lesson)

C: Review Phonics, begin transition for social studies

Here are some of the materials that I will be using in my lesson:

Although, teaching today was challenging, I am ready to move on and improve! I tried my best and that is all that matters.! 🙂

I look forward to another week in the classroom! My next lesson is also reading and phonics and I need to start thinking of ideas now!

Onto the next! 🙂

posted at 5:42pm -Thursday, October 20th, 2022

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Week 7- “T-1 Week” Lesson 2

Date: October 13th, 2022

by: Hailey Palella

Week 7 Already????

I cannot believe it is already week 7. Last week was my first teaching day and I thought it went very well and I am very pleased of how it went. As I discussed with my professor, not everything in a lesson will go perfectly and that is okay! I also learned it is okay to deviate from my lesson plan! I think because I have been taught the lesson plan layout and have been told to be very specific with the details in my lesson plans that I forget the reality of teaching which is not always reading from the lesson plan and that it is okay to add in things that are not in the lesson plan in and during my teaching.

This week I am focusing on my Reading and Phonics lesson. I am more nervous about teaching phonics because I am terrible at it myself. I think, “How am I going to teach students something I am not confident in myself?” However, I know that phonics instruction will not go away and that I need to start becoming more comfortable with it before I am in a classroom by myself. I really like when my MT teaches phonics, she is such a natural at it. Every day I am in awe of how amazing, kind, sweet, helpful, and supportive my MT is. I cannot say this enough, I am truly grateful that I got placed with my MT, I have learned so much from her in the past 7 weeks and I cannot wait to continue to learn! She is truly the best person I have ever met and is the true definition of loving what you do, she was made to teach!

As I mentioned, I will be teaching reading and phonics on October 20th and I am very excited but also nervous at the same time. I have a brief lesson plan outline right now and this week I will be finishing my first draft lesson plan for my literacy lesson.

Here is my brief outline of my lesson thus far:

  • AS: Read the story, “Spookly the Square Pumpkin” written by Joe Troiano (ask students questions before reading, during, and after reading about sequencing- what has happened so far, what do you think will happen next?)
  • DI: Briefly review what sequencing is, what characters are, and what the setting means, discuss time words
  • GP: Use a premade graphic organizer with boxes to write the characters, setting and sequence of the story (beginning, middle, and end), scribe students’ answers on the SB (WG), have students turn and talk and have them practice retelling the story to a partner- including the parts of the story that we just discussed
  • DI: Use Phonics Curriculum PowerPoint- phonological awareness warm up, fluency (high-frequency words)
  • IP: Student Workbook- pg.55 (fluency, word chains, passage reading)
  • C: Provide Workbook Answers- Transition- (clean up, prepare students for social studies)

I am very excited to teach Reading and Phonics this week! 🙂

This weeks theme was nocturnal animals, so today I read the story, “Littlebat’s Halloween Story” written by Joe Troiano.

Another thing that I started this week was my newsletter! I am very pleased with it! Here is a sneak peek of it!

posted at 5:04pm on Thursday October 13th, 2022

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Week 6- “Lesson Day: Fire Safety Tips”

Date: October 6th, 2022

by: Hailey Palella

1st Lesson Day!

Today I taught my first lesson! Going in I was very excited and prepared. I practiced my lesson multiple times for teaching it and I was very pleased with the result of my lesson plan, materials, and assessment checklist. Although, creating a lesson plan, gathering materials, and designing an assessment checklist is hard and time consuming. I am glad to be one step closer to student teaching! After this one, I teach four more times and then I move onto student teaching which is very exciting!

below is my lesson plan outline:

Introduction:  First, I will be reviewing what the students learned the day before/discuss fire safety (review), then I am going to pose the question, “what causes fires” to students and show them examples of what causes fires. I have made a premade PowerPoint showing five causes of fires which include, candles, lightning, cooking-stove, gasoline, and barbecue pit. I will show the PowerPoint to the students after calling on a few of them to answer the question.

Direct Instruction: Next, I will be using the scenario cards that my MT provided me! I am very thankful for that!! 😊 I am going to try to do 3-5 cards. I am going to do 1 whole group and then do 2 or 3 and have the students turn and talk, and 1 person per group share.

Guided Practice: Next, I am going to have the students brainstorm fire safety tips (anchor chart paper) and introduce vocabulary (premade document) I plan to add to it, if they students give vocab words that are not on there. Then, I will implement a quick interactive google slide on stop, drop, and roll (which is one of the vocabulary terms I have listed on the document) and then afterwards we will go back and underline important vocabulary terms, foreshadowing independent practice.

Independent Practice: During IP, the students will work on a fire safety tip worksheet and refer back to vocabulary list (underlined words)

Conclusion: Lastly, I will have students state what they are going to do to make sure fires do not happen in their homes- students will report back next week and tell me what they did.

This is the outline that I followed during my lesson! It went pretty well! I was nervous that it was going to be too much for the students. I am glad that everything went as I planned, however I know that not everything will be always go that way!

Below are some of the materials that I used during my lesson! I am really thankful that my MT provided me with the “what if” scenario cards and the fire safety tip worksheet. Both of these very super important in my lesson and I am so glad she gave me those suggestions!

Student Worksheet
Teacher Example

P.S. I also read this story to the students during reading (before phonics and my lesson). The students love it!

I look forward to another great week! Now, I will be focusing on my literacy/phonics lesson plan!

posted at 4:50pm- Thursday, October 6th, 2022

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Week 5- “T-1 Week”

Date: September 29th, 2022

by: Hailey Palella

Fifth Thursday!

I cannot believe that it is already the fifth week being inside my MT’s classroom. Thus far, it has been a blast and I have really gotten to know each student better each week. Next week, I will teach my first lesson and I am pretty excited about that. For me, lessons plans are always so hard to write but as of now, I am taking it day by day and I know that I will do everything in my power to be prepared for Thursday.

Today went very well as I expected it to. I have really seen some of the students come out of their shells with me. When I first started in the classroom, a lot of them were shy towards me and then there were others that we not. The ones that were shy in the beginning are not anymore, wish I am happy to see.

In the classroom, the schedule stays consistent every time that I am in there, which is good for not only the students but myself because I know exactly what we will be doing that day. In a previous blog post, I posted my MT’s schedule; that schedule is only on Thursdays but stays that same way every Thursday.

I am very excited to do my lesson next week on fire safety and my outline of my lesson looks pretty good, so I am pleased with that. I talked more with my MT about my lessons and the outline today. My MT is the most helpful person I have meet in my life. She is truly one of a kind.

In the classroom today, I read another story to students. My MT asks me to do a read aloud with the class each Thursday to get more comfortable in the classroom. Each read aloud thus far have went really well and the students are good listeners during the story. The book that I read today was, “When Autumn Falls” written by Kelli Nidey. This story introduced fall/autumn to the students, showing them the differences between the seasons. I have never read this book before and I really enjoyed it. Throughout the story, I asked more questions than the previous read aloud and I was really pleased with the responses that I got from the students. Below is an image of the book I read today.

A couple weeks ago, I mentioned in my blog post that I was taking notes of some of my MT’s classroom management strategies and certain things that she does in the classroom, so that when I have to do my lesson, then I can use the same language as her, so the students do not get confused. Today, I took more specific notes on how my MT taught Math because I a few short weeks I will have to teach Math as well. I took a picture of one of the word problems that the students and my MT went over today. Below is the picture. When I get closer to my Math lesson, I will keep this image in mind, so I remember how my MT modeled during her instruction.

Below are additional pictures that I took today!

I took this picture for me to remember different ideas that I can do during my lesson.
My MT read this story earlier in the week and had the students do a character booklet today.

Really good book!! My MT quickly read through it again today in order for students to remember the characters in the story.

Today was wonderful as always and I am excited to teach my lesson next week!

posted at 5:07pm- Thursday, September 29th, 2022

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