Field Experience Summary

I completed 5 field experience hours for REOL 536.

During the field experience task, I was able to accomplish:

§  DE assessment analysis with third grade teacher

§  After school tutoring

§  Observing and assisting a classroom teacher (Lit circle)

In analyzing the Discovery Education test data, I was able to strengthen and enhance my abilities to assess and communicate learning results as per Kentucky Teacher Standard 5.

These field experience hours were beneficial to me in other ways as well. For example, I was able to work in small group settings with students for after-school tutoring. This enabled me the ability to meet the needs of the individual students by targeting specific goals.

Finally, I was able to collaborate with a co-teacher during a literature circle. This was my first experience with a lit circle and I learned a lot from the students such as how they express themselves in that type of activity.

I view this course requirement as a valuable learning experience.

My Life in Dog Years

Paulsen, G. (1999). My life in dog years. New York: Bantum Doubleday.

Who has known the love of a dog? A dog is one’s truest friend and loyal companion, as is evidenced in this book.  Paulsen has written, “They are wonderful and, I think, mandatory for decent human life.” And I must say that I agree. This work is a compilation of stories that are biographical/memoir in nature. This wonderful page-turner is dedication to the canine. Within the pages, a theme unfolds of exceptional friendship. 

The sequence of the book is presented in chapters. Each one is dedicated to certain beloved friends in the author’s life. The writing style is simple, yet expressive and the author writes in a conversational tone. I felt as though I was settling down with a cup of coffee while listening to these stories in person. The thought of brave Dirk gives me new respect for these wonderful creatures. The book details the impact these pets have had on the man and experiences he has had with them during his life. My favorite pet from the book is Ike, an unforgettable tale about loyalty.

During reading, I used the Mark the Bold/Talk the Bold bookmarks and they worked out perfectly for this book!! I shared this book in my classroom as a read -aloud to my students, because they are aware of and share my great love for dogs. As previously stated, the chapters are named after a specific canine (in bold letters). So, I noted the page number of the bold word/names. Then I was able to go back to the specific name/page for the classroom discussion. We had a fantastic dialogue about these furry characters!!

As a classroom curriculum connection: I would ask students to choose a dog from the book and write a narrative from the dog’s perspective.

**This blog is dedicated to my most loyal companion, Mason (Mason Bear). Mason is my three year old Yorkie. He is small, at four pounds, yet he exhibits an enormous amount of love and loyalty. He has been with me through every step of this process. I mean, literally, right beside me.  He has watched the screen during every class chat and blog. He sat with me through every weekend of homework, wiki submissions, and all of it. He has looked up at me wearily, at times, as I have looked down at him wearily. However, he never thought of leaving my side. He has walked on my syllabus, licked my notes, and sat on countless books. He is, at this moment, curled up against me and sleeping. So, to Mason bear, we did it!

Simpson Books Read

Kimberly Simpson Reading Log

Genre / Titles read

             I.      Non-fiction/Informational

1)      My Life in Dog Year.

2)      Go Ask Alice

3)      A Child Called “It”.

           

          II.      Poetry

1)      What My Mother Doesn’t Know

2)      Roald Dahl’s Revolting Rhymes

3)      Affrilachia

4)      Witness

5)      If the Shoe Fits

       III.      Modern Fantasy         

1)      Babe the Gallant Pig

2)      Hunger Games

3)      Catching Fire

4)      A Wrinkle in Time

       IV.      Historical Fiction       

1)      Al Capone Does My Shirts

2)      Sarah Plain and Tall

3)      Little House in The Big Woods

4)      Pink and Say

5)      Bud, not Buddy

6)      The River Between Us

7)      Borrowed Children

          V.      Multicultural/Traditional

1)      The Faithful Friend

2)      If You Come Softly

3)      Jack Tales

4)      The Skin I’m In        

       VI.      Realistic Fiction

1)      Laugh Until you Cry 

2)      Hatchet

3)      Holes

4)      Walk Two Moons

5)      Flat Broke

    VII.      Picture Books

1)      Knots on a Counting Rope

2)      The True Story of The Three Little Pigs!

3)      The Sweetest Fig

4)      Just a Dream

5)      The Polar Express

6)      Faithful Elephants

Wiki Checklist

____ Social Studies

__1__ Science

__1_ Math

____ Music

__1_ Art

__1_ Reading/Language Arts

____ Physical Education

____ Other

Sarah, Plain and Tall

MacLachlan, P. (2001). Sarah, plain and tall. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.

Historical fiction is realistic fiction set in a time far enough from the present to be considered the past. Although the story is imaginary, it is within the realm of possibility.

This Newbery Medal winning book, of the historical fiction genre, is set in the late 19^th century and has an authentic and primitive feel. In Sarah, Plain and Tall the story is written in the first person/narrated by the little girl, Anna.

The setting is authentic for the time period as the family lives on a prairie. This creates an integral setting for the story. However, an alternate setting, or backdrop setting, is also integrated into the story as Sarah describes her home in Maine. This creates a compare and contrast event between the two settings or environments.

The theme of the story is of family. What makes a family? Sometimes there is sadness and conflict in families; however, there is always respect and love.

Booktalk:

Listen to this passage: “Did Mama sing every day?” Caleb asks his sister Anna. “Every-single-day,” she answers. “Papa sang, too.”

Do you know someone who has lost someone special in their life? This is something that is difficult for everyone in the family. I read a book titled Sarah, Plain and Tall and this book reminds me of the Little House books that I adored as a child. This is a historical fiction story that children can identify with as the main characters in the story are children. I became a part of this family who has lost their mother. The family consists of Papa, Anna, and Caleb. The family of three live alone on the plains now.  Mama died shortly after giving birth to Caleb. I wonder how difficult or frustrating it might be for Caleb, as he cannot remember mama. This has been very difficult for their family, living and moving on without Mama.  Papa has done a fine job of caring for them, but the children miss Mama terribly, still. Caleb has no memories of her and he only knows her through the stories that the family shares, where he is told of her sweetness and of her beautiful singing. It is hard for a male figure to raise a family alone and tend to the daily chores and work. So, one day Papa announces that he is looking for a wife. He has placed an advertisement in the newspaper, just as another man had done. How do you think the children would feel about a new mama? Would it be uncomfortable to have a strange woman in the house? Papa received a response from a lady named Sarah, from Maine. Sarah is willing to come for a visit! The children start to wonder…will she like the house, the family, the Plains. They began writing Sarah to become acquainted before her visit. In one of their correspondences the children wanted Papa to ask her if she sings. Later Sarah replied, “Tell them I sing.”

I used the Marking Time bookmarks as I read this book. On page 6, I noted the flashback of when Anna remembers Caleb’s birth. She stated, “It took three whole days for me to love him.”

Self-to-text connection: How is your environment different from that of Anna and Caleb?  How do they accomplish daily chores in a manner that is in contrast to how we do chores in the present time?

Classroom curriculum activity: Would you like a brother for a day? Do you need a sister for a slumber party? Someone to help you clean your room? Write a draft advertisement for a newspaper; transfer the information into a computer software program for an advertisement (to incorporate technology).

Hatchet

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

What is realistic fiction? Realistic fiction is a story of events that could really happen to people or animals. I think this book also falls into the category of situational realism, as the events of the story could happen given the situation (the crash).

Hatchet is a Newbery Honor book and is of the realistic fiction genre. The plot here is of adventure and survival. Brian, the protagonist, will have to rely on will and ingenuity to survive. The conflict is predominantly of person versus nature type. However, Brian also deals with emotional turmoil in an alternative family scenario. This type of conflict is classified as a problem novel approach.

Hatchet depicts a thirteen year old boy faced with tremendous adversity. The events are very realistic and the reactions of Brian are true to the characteristics of a vulnerable, yet, brave young boy.

Brian is just a normal kid of 13 years old. However, his life has recently gone from normal to terrible as his parents have just divorced. He is bitter about the changes in his family, and toward his mother. He knows her secret! Now that his father has moved away, Brian must travel to spend the summer with him. He boards a small plane alone for his trip and even gets a chance to act as co-pilot! During the flight, something happens that changes Brian forever. He is forced to learn about survival, being positive, and awareness (in the moment).

Real-life/text-to-self-connection: Have you ever been faced with adversity? How did you handle it? Did you draw strength from someone or something in your life? Who or what?

Classroom purpose: Compare and contrast Hatchet with Robinson Crusoe with a Venn diagram.

Affrilachia

Walker, F. X. (2000). Affrilachia. Lexington: Old Cove Press.

What is poetry? The concentrated expression of ideas and feelings through precise and imaginative words carefully selected for their sonorous and rhythmical effects.

This book of poetry is written by Frank X Walker, who is a native to Danville, Kentucky. He has contributed to journals and anthologies but this is his first book; ten years of life, living, and work.   The title of the book is used by Walker to show that the subjects are African-Americans living in rural Appalachia.

Walker writes a personal, poetic narrative (tells a story) about what it means to be a young, black male in America. With deep feeling, his poetry visits Hazard, Kentucky, Harlan County, Kentucky (my birthplace), West Virginia, and all places Appalachia. The poems ‘take you there.’ The element of poetry Walker uses is meaning; there is a mood conveyed through his words.  His poems leave you feeling sad, angry, happy, and with determination and hope.

My text-to self- connection is that my heritage is Appalachian. Also, aptly timed, the mention of the UK Wildcats in Death by Basketball instilled a sense of pride in me. Finally, on a very personal level, the Hummingbird poem has great significance to someone in my family.

Big questions: How does the author show meaning in his poetry? How is this different from other poetry? If you could write a poem about a region, or people, who would you choose?

This book could be used in a compare and contrast activity during a poetry unit or as a resource for Black History Month.

if you come softly

            Woodson, J. (2010). if you come softly. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons.

               

         

This multi-cultural novel is a tale of relationships. The main relationship focus is on an inter-racial love between Jeremiah, who is a fifteen year old African-American, and a young girl, Ellie, who is Jewish. The two are students at Percy Academy and bump into each other one day, literally. Ellie is smitten immediately, as is Jeremiah; each one of them finding themselves thinking of the other all the time. Ellie confides in her sister that she is interested in someone and that he is black. She picks up this vibe that makes her uncomfortable. Her sister seems weird afterwards. Ellie remembers something her mother said, “All people have suffered. So why should any of us feel like we’re better or less than another?” But Ellie wonders why no black people ever came for dinner or played golf with daddy. Jeremiah and Ellie soon fall in love. In the beginning, they keep their relationship a secret from their parents as they fear it would be viewed as unacceptable. Then, Jeremiah decided to have his mother meet Ellie. He then feels ready to meet her family and risk the rain.

The writing is simplistic in style yet, contains very complex subject matter such as stereotyping, an extra-marital affair, and lesbianism. Wonderfully accomplished balance is the writing as the racial and prejudice issues are handled in a comfortable manner in regard to the reader, yet, displays profound powerfulness.

The big question or take-away from this book is, If there is love, what else matters? Who among us has experienced prejudice? How did it feel?

This book would be great to use as a tie in to a (sixth grade and up) unit on Romeo and Juliet.