My Position on the Importance of Reading Instruction and Reading

Dr Seuss said, “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” This simple, yet dramatic, statement not only includes encouragement to read, but also promises a successful future for each individual child. Therefore, it is vital that every teacher encourage reading and teach to each child’s needs so they will be successful in life and to society.
Webster’s Dictionary defines reading as the act of reading. However, this definition is simplistic. According to Reutzel and Cooter (2009), the term reading is currently interpreted far more broadly and encompasses the learning of a complex set of skills and knowledge that allows individuals to understand visual and print based information. One cannot ensure a happy, healthy, and productive life, nor will one be able to fully access their rights as an individual if one does not possess the ability to read. This inability to read or being illiterate is a national health risk, and has disastrous and far extending reach on the lives of its citizens. (Reutzel and Cooter, 2009)
Teachers are on the front line in the battle against illiteracy. Competent teachers of effective reading make all the difference in instruction. Research concluded that about fifteen percent of the variation among children in reading achievement at the end of a school year is attributable to factors that related to the skill and effectiveness of the teacher (Reutzel and Cooter, 2009, p.7). Furthermore, research suggests that the influence that comes from teachers promotes more growth academically than any other factor, including the student’s family, neighborhood, or school, regardless of economic status. The teacher’s knowledge and understanding of effective reading instruction, and possess the characteristic that make the greatest difference in whether or not a child will learn to read successfully. (Reutzel and Cooter, 2009)
The first characteristic that every effective teacher must have is the ability of being excellent classroom managers. Classroom management refers to the ability of a teacher to organize, direct, and supervise the classroom environment so that effective student learning is possible. Furthermore, highly effective teachers know how to adapt instruction to meet the needs of learners with specific needs. (Reutzel and Cooter, 2009) In my classroom, I intend to create a classroom that is centered around the students, and ensure that the students are making connections to and are learning from the text. I will also provide different spaces for multiple use and users, supplying materials, with routines and procedures that follow the schedule and reinforce instruction. Furthermore, my students will learn as a class and in small groups allowing me to assess them while managing the student workload and the classroom environment.
To provide that quality instruction to students, teachers must have routines in the course of the day. According to Morrow (2000), these continually reinforced routines allow students to become independent learners. In my classroom, I will ensure that routines are positively enforced so that students are comfortable in their learning environment. One such routine would be that while I am giving one on one instruction or small group instruction students would be reading quietly or working at an appropriate center. Reading centers positively encourage independent learning and social learning, while allowing the teacher time to work with smaller groups or struggling students. (Morrow, 2000)
I plan to have multiple centers in my classroom, and each center will address the needs of both struggling and advanced students, ensuring that each child gains knowledge further propelling them to success. For example, in my first center I will provide an assortment of children’s literature on multiple levels. I will also include technology in one of my centers, allowing students to work on computer programs designed to specifically targeted areas. In addition to those centers, I will provide opportunities for writing in journals, and group activities.
Before routines and centers are established, I must have rules designed for and produced by the classroom. There should be a minimum of three to five positively stated rules, established on the first day, and these rules will be encouraged through rewards and consequences. During the course of the day, I will point to the posted rules to prevent any further misbehavior.
While posted rules may be enough to discourage misbehavior, there will be times when I must interact with parents or guardians. Parents must be involved in my classroom if the child and myself are to be successful. I can accomplish this goal through email, telephone, conferences, and letters to the child’s home. In addition to letters sent home associated with misbehavior, I must send home positive notes and messages as well. Parents rarely get positive letters and this encourages participation from the parent, and thus forming a good partnership with myself.
“Children that live in poverty come to school with twenty million fewer words than other students, “ stated Ruby Payne. (2002) Therefore, the teacher must become proficient as a highly effective teacher to ensure that these children catch up to the average norm. Highly effective teachers not only understand how oral language effects reading and writing, they also understand that children develop language at different rates. Furthermore, these teachers must adapt reading instruction to meet the needs of this diverse population of students. In my classroom I will incorporate structured times, thus allowing children to read every day, and giving ample opportunity for class and individual discussions to help develop oral language. Furthermore, I intend to give my students a wide variety of books that can accommodate their reading levels. For those students just entering school, my instruction will need to be modified to meet their needs, therefore I intend to model language by doing read alouds and read alongs, with quality children’s literature.
All good readers use a minimum of three cueing systems when making sense of text, and these cues are Meaning, Structure, and Visual. Good readers use the cueing system of meaning in order to make sense of the material by combining background knowledge, the definitions of words, and pictures. If a child makes a mistake the teacher must ask the child if the information read makes sense. Syntax refers to the way readers put words together arranging a proper sentence. Teachers must ask the child if the information read, sound right. Finally, the last cueing system that is vital for every good reader visual. Visual Cueing refers to the way letters represent the sounds present, and at the point of miscue teachers must ask if the text read looks right. The highly effective teacher knows that at the point of miscue it is important to ask these questions allowing the student time to correct themselves. (R eutzel and Cooter, 2009)
While correcting themselves, good readers take action in their heads and decide on a strategy to use when reading and using the cueing system. However, not every child knows about these strategies. Therefore, I intend to teach my children some of the following strategies. I would teach my students to look at the pictures for clues, and for them to think about what would make sense to the content. I would also teach my students to put their fingers under tricky words and with their mouths ready, have them sound out the confusing words. Finally, I plan to teach my students to reread parts that are unknown, and ask them to look for parts of the words that they do know, to help them with the text.
Before the instruction of these aforementioned strategies it is important to assess each child. “Highly effective teachers begin reading instruction by first assessing to find out what the students already know and can do.” (Reutzel and Cooter, p. 11) One assessment that accomplishes this goal is the running record. Running records, developed by Marie Clay, allow one to analyze oral reading errors, by noting everything, through shorthand, the students read correctly and incorrectly. This informal assessment, done on a regular lined paper, documents the miscues read by the student. Furthermore, the running records allow the teacher to note what areas the child is struggling and adapts instruction. (Reutzel and Cooter, 2009)
During the beginning of each school year, I intend to use running records on all of my students. This will allow me to see what mistakes my students are using, and determine what strategies each child uses for word solving. I further plan to continually assess each child once a month if not more depending on the child. This assessment is easy to use and allows me to monitor my students’ progress, or where a child needs more attention.
According to Reutzel and Cooter, highly effective teachers must teach the essential components of reading, using evidence based instructional practices. (2009) Teachers can achieve this by focusing on their curriculum essentials, allowing access to print materials, and through effective instruction. Furthermore, highly effective teachers must model reading and writing for the children. The process of modeling will help emergent readers; an individual who has little or no skills in the task assessed and requires instruction, to learn the skills necessary to succeed. (Reutzel and Cooter, 2009)
As emergent readers begin, they will first need to be taught that there are Concepts of Print. Teachers must first teach these readers that a book has a front and a back, and beginning and end. Then that as a rule, print corresponds to speech, readers read from left to right, and read from the top of the page to the bottom. Furthermore, the reader must understand that print comes in many forms. (Blevins, 2006) As a future teacher, I intend to teach these Concepts of Print by modeling how a book is read, through guided practice, and by using large text so that the students may follow along as I am reading. I plan to assess my students by using a checklist and individually asking students to identify the different parts of the book, as well as where to begin reading, the title, and other established concepts of reading text.
Alphabet Knowledge is another highly critical aspect for emergent readers. As an educator, I intend to teach my students the alphabet by first teaching the names of the letters. In addition to that, I plan to allow my students many opportunities to practice writing letters. Furthermore, I plan to teach my students memory strategies to help children write letters. I can assess my students by implementing the three second rule; which is that if a child does not know the information by that point the student probably does not know it. I also plan on using the Letter Naming Test to assess my students, because without a firm understanding of the alphabet students will fail to become successful readers.
Phonological Awareness is another important factor for the emergent learner to comprehend and is important for speaking and writing correctly. Phonological awareness is defined as a broad term that includes phonemic awareness and can involve things such as syllables, onsets, rimes, words, and rhyming (Armbruster, Lehr, and Osborn, 2008). One idea that I will use is substituting; by substituting letters the students can make new words and build on existing ones. Furthermore, I will incorporate rhyming activities so that the students in the classroom, can hear the sounds, but are creating new words. Finally, I will blend sounds, segment, and delete sounds so the children can build new words to add to their vocabulary. I can assess my students by writing a word on the board and asking them to create new words with similar endings or sounds, either verbally or written.
The third component, that is important to reading success, is Phonemic Awareness. Phonemic awareness is the ability to hear, identify, and manipulate the individual sounds in spoken words (Armbruster, Lehr, and Osborn, 2008). This aspect is important for emergent readers due to the fact that without this knowledge the child would fail to recognize individual sounds and be able to read words and spell correctly. One way I will teach my students is by using Elkonin boxes, this is a manipulative that allows children to separate sounds by using chips to mark each sound. I will teach a majority of this verbally and by modeling for the students. Furthermore, with the use of instructional aides, such as personal dry erase boards, I will ask students to add or delete phonemes to build new words. This last tool will be one way I can assess my students. In addition to that assessment, I can also make corrections consistently during the day to correct errors.
Another component that is important to the emergent reader is Alphabet Principle. The Alphabetic principle is the knowledge that a specific letter or letter combinations represent each of the speech sounds (Reutzel and Cooter, 2009). For students to progress in reading they must understand that the alphabet letters and the sounds they represent, speech is made up of sounds represented by those letters, and that the spelling of those words remain the same no matter where they are seen. I will teach the children in my classroom by introducing two letters at a time, so that the students can contrast the way each letter is written and how the letter sounds. Furthermore, I will have the alphabet around the classroom on the wall, and in other areas so the children can constantly be reminded. With the use of skilled base worksheets, I can assess my students and their progression. (Reutzel and Cooter, 2009)
According to Armbruster, Lehr, and Osborn (2009), phonics is defined as the understanding that there is a predictable relationship between phonemes, the sounds of spoken language, and graphemes, the letters and spellings that represent those sounds. Teaching phonics allows children to learn and use the alphabetic principle, and help them recognize familiar words accurately and automatically. The first thing I will do is to create a word wall in my classroom. On the wall I will place high frequency words and one exemplar word. Each week I will place six new frequency words on the wall, to build the students’ vocabulary and also serve as a reference for the students throughout the year. (Armbruster, Lehr, and Osborn, 2009)
Time must be set aside for proper instruction of phonics. I will begin by setting aside thirty minutes in the day for working with words. During this thirty-minute period I will first begin by introducing the words of the week and explain how each word works. I will segment and sound out the words, so that the children will hear the correct pronunciation. On the second day I will focus my attention on word building. Using magnetic letters and a magnetic board, I will line the letters up at the top and build words with similar patterns, for word manipulation. The third day, we as a class, will work on word sorting, reading, and gluing words into the children’s journals. As a class we will analyze the words and focus on the word in its entirety. On the fourth day, I will work with the children on building and writing high frequency words on personal wipe board and playing word games, to strengthen their accuracy and automaticity. Finally, on the fifth day I will work on word knowledge, I will give the students a test on ten spelling words, five spelling pattern words, five high frequency words, and two dictated sentences for the children. After the assessment, I will go over the test and re-teach if necessary.
Fluency is the ability to read text accurately and quickly according to Armbruster, Lehr, and Osborn (2009). Fluency is important for children due to the bridge it creates between word recognition and comprehension. Furthermore, fluent readers are able to read with expression. In my classroom, I intend to model fluent reading, and allow my children the opportunity and time to practice oral reading. I will also have my students participate in choral reading, reader’s theater, and tape assisted reading. Furthermore, I will have a variety of genres and levels of books allowing children the opportunity to find “just right” books. Finally, in my classroom I will guide children’s reading in small and large group and give them the appropriate feedback. I will be able to assess my students by listening to them read, using timed passages, and using a well defined rubric. (Armbruster, Lehr, and Osborn 2009)
Assessment, according to Reutzel and Cooter (2009), refers to the observations, record keeping, and ongoing performance test that a teacher uses to gather information about each student’s reading progress. The reason I will assess is to inform my teaching, to find out what my students can and cannot do, to communicate student progress, and evaluate my teaching strategies. These assessments further allow the children to gain the knowledge of becoming better readers. (Reutzel and Cooter, 2009)
Teachers are on the frontline in the battle over children’s literacy. We are responsible for following the procedures listed above, to give students the knowledge and power to become successful citizens. Without this knowledge students will fail to meet their full potential, thus causing a greater health risk for students and the country. I intend to give my students the knowledge needed for their success, if not, one must remember that we will not be young forever and these are our future doctors, lawyers, and other individuals that will one day help take care of us.

Bibliography

Armbruster, B.B., Lehr, F., &Osborn, J. (2008). Put reading first: The research building
blocks for teaching children to read (3rd ed.). Jessup, MD: NIFL

Blevins, W. (2006). Phonics from A to Z: A practical guide (2nd ed.). New York:
Scholastic

Morrow, L. (1999). The literacy center: Contexts for reading and writing. York,
Maine: Stenhouse

Payne, Ruby K. (2002). Understanding learning, the how, the why, the what.
Highlands, TX: aha! Process, inc.

Reutzel, R.D. and Cooter, R.B., Jr. (2009). The essentials of teaching children to read:
the teacher makes the difference (2nd ed.). Boston: Pearson

Read Aloud Lesson Plan

I. Subject Content Area:
Reading/ Language Arts/Comprehension
II. Course of Study:
1) Demonstrate reading vocabulary knowledge, including recognition of multiple meaning words.
2) Use a range of strategies, including drawing conclusions such as opinions about characters based on their actions and summarizing passages, to comprehend fifth-grade recreational reading material in a variety of genres.
3) Recognize the use and effect of literacy elements and devices, including setting, character traits, stated purpose, metaphors, and simple symbolism to gain information from various text formats including tables and charts.
4) Use a wide range of strategies and skills, including using text features to gain meaning, summarizing passages, and drawing conclusions, to comprehend fifth-grade informational and functional reading materials.
10) Demonstrate knowledge of grammar and usage concepts, including
subject-verb agreement with a compound subject; present, past, and
future verb tenses; forms of adjectives; forms of nouns; and subject,
object, and possessive pronouns.
III. Concepts:
Vocabulary; specifically the following words, anatomy, convulsion, deformed, hideous, laboratory, miserable, and revenge. Use the Comprehension strategy of Making Predictions.
IV. Behavioral Objectives:
• The student will be able to analyze words and break them down to find meaning of those words in a sentence.
• The student will be able to explain in their own words how the author has stated an intended purpose with his/her use of adjectives.
• The student will be able to make predictions of future text based on previously read paragraphs.
• The student will be able to describe read text to the teacher summarizing previously read paragraphs.
• The students will be able to changes key vocabulary in the text to synonyms.
V. Evaluation:
Teacher will listen to student responses based on questions from the text for accuracy and understanding. The teacher will evaluate student predictions based on prior knowledge of text. Finally, the teacher will listen to created synonyms from students based on the reading, and check for accuracy and understanding.
VI. Materials:
• Copy of the book Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley and adapted by Diana Stewart
• SmartBoard
• Pencils and Paper
• Writing Journal
• Movie of Frankenstein
• Sentence Strips for new vocabulary terms for the Word Wall
• Marker
• Equity Sticks
VII. Teaching/Learning Procedures:
1) Motivation: Due to Halloween approaching, teacher will ask students who like scary stories based on Halloween characters? Explain that today I am going to read the story Frankenstein.
2) Instructional Procedures:
• This will be read over the course of three to four days based on time constraints and scheduling. Teacher will choose appropriate places to stop, based on student discussion and understanding. Based on CT’s choice of selected material.
• Day 1
• Prologue and Chapter 1 and 2
• The teacher will introduce the book Frankenstein, and discuss the front cover.
• The teacher will then flip to the opening page and discuss the author and the adapted author.
• The teacher will ask students what it means for the text to be adapted.
• Students will respond that the book will be changed or altered in some way.
• Teacher will explain that yes the book has been changed and in this case the story has been shortened.
• The teacher will then turn to the first page and show that there is a Prologue and Epilogue.
• The teacher will ask for student responses.
• Students will respond that is something written before the story to explain the upcoming story.
• Teacher will begin reading the Prologue.
• The teacher will stop and ask students to write down their predictions, in their journals, based on the Prologue about the book.
• Teacher will ask students to briefly write what they think will happen in one or two sentences.
• Teacher will ask one student, picked from the equity sticks, to describe their prediction.
• Student responds.
• Teacher will then pick a student to describe Victor Frankenstein.
• Teacher will pick one student to respond.
• Teacher will continue to read, chapter one.
• Teacher will stop at previously marked spots and ask students to respond by describing the feelings of the monster.
• Teacher will allow students to respond.
• Teacher will then point out certain vocabulary (underlined in the text), and ask students to define the words, and come up with their own synonyms.
• Teacher will then ask students if their predictions have come true.
• Students will respond.
• Teacher will then ask students to make new predictions based on the reading.
• Students will write down the new predictions based on the previously read text.
• Teacher will then proceed to the next chapter showing pictures when available.
• Day 2; Chapter 3
• Begin by recapping the previous days reading. Ask students to take out the journals and look at yesterday’s written predictions.
• Ask students if they still feel the same way or if they want to change their predictions.
• Allow students a few minutes to change predictions if necessary or continue to read if no student wants to change.
• Teacher will begin reading the next chapter.
• Teacher will pause half way.
• Teacher will ask students to describe what was just read.
• Students will respond with brief descriptions.
• Teacher will then point out underlined vocabulary.
• Teacher will briefly discuss the vocabulary; it’s definition and context.
• Teacher will continue to read and finish the chapter.
• Teacher will ask students to analyze their predictions and turn and talk with their buddy to see if their predictions came true, and to write new predictions based on today’s reading.
• Teacher will allow ten minutes for talk time.
• Teacher will then ask for a few predictions and have students share by picking out equity sticks.
• Students respond.
• Teacher will then discuss adjectives (previously learned) and ask students to describe the text in their own words using synonyms form the written text.
• Teacher will ask students to make new predictions in their journal.
• Day 3, Chapter 4 and Epilogue
• Teacher will recap the previous days reading.
• Allow students to reread their predictions and give them an opportunity to change/adapt their predictions.
• Teacher will begin reading and pause at previously marked spots and discuss the author’s use of adjectives and the author’s purpose.
• Discuss the idea of mental images, and how the uses of adjectives help create mental images.
• Teacher will continue to read.
• Teacher will stop at the end of chapter 4 and ask students (using equity sticks) to describe what was read in their own words.
• Students will respond.
• Teacher will then show the Epilogue to the students.
• Teacher will briefly discuss the purpose of the Epilogue with the students and ask one for a definition.
• Student responds with a definition of an Epilogue, a closure of a story.
• Teacher will read the Epilogue and finish the story.
• The teacher will then ask students to turn to their buddy and discuss the predictions that they have made.
• Teacher will choose students to respond (using equity sticks) and have them discuss their predictions.
• Teacher will then remind students that tomorrow we are going to watch the movie Frankenstein.
3) Closure: Teacher will ask students to get out their journal, and pick one character from the story and describe what he/she could have done differently that might change the ending of the story. Show the students the movie on the fourth day.
4) Relevance: Students will be told that in writing it is very important to use adjectives to describe what they are discussing. This way the reader can create a mental image, which helps with comprehension. Furthermore, explain that making predictions help when reading a story to allow the reader to maintain focus and comprehend a story easier with an active involvement in the story.
VIII. Supplemental Activities:
• Early Finishers: Whole group, there will be no early finishers.
• Enrichment:
Day 1: Students will expand on their predictions with more detail
Day 2: Students will continue writing in their journals describing characters.
Day 3: Students will finish writing in their journals about different endings if the characters actions had been different.
Remediation: Discuss vocabulary, retelling, and adjectives in small group to assure student understanding.

Personal Reflection:
I enjoyed working with the kids over a period of four days. The children enjoyed the selection the cooperating teacher and I had chosen. I do admit that I can work on my theatrics when reading. I did try to stress the more suspenseful parts of the story, however I need to work on the “voices” and other aspects of reading aloud. I feel that I handled discipline during the reading quite well. I could call the students names in between reading without skipping a line in the story. This kept the children on their toes. Overall, I feel I quite good about this lesson, and the my cooperating teacher went over many different things after my reading that can only help me in the future.

I read this story to the kids for a week, and following that we watched the video. As I read I continually asked questions, and it was very fun hearing the childrens' predictions as we went along. They would constantly change their prediction after each chapter. The picture below is of the cover of the book I read.

Social Studies, Working with Explorers

This past week I had the pleasure of teaching the students about some of our past explorers. I found the best website, that has many activities for children. http://www.crayola.com/crafts/detail/make-your-own-explorers%27-%27movie%27-craft/
This website allowed me to create a lesson plan that allowed the children to create their own movie strips. I had them take an explorer from the ones we were working on. And based on the information they found were allowed to draw pictures of the experiences that these explorers went through. This not only worked on sequencing with the students but allowed them to use this as a study guide as well. The teacher was also so impressed with my lesson, that she had me create a bulletin board of the students work. Here is how it turned out.

Working with Fractions

As we progressed through this semester, we worked with fractions. I have to say this was one of the most interesting topics we have covered so far. I realized that the students learned differently than the way I did, and I found myself re-learning along with them. Here are some of the students working with number lines to solve fraction problems and estimation.





Also we worked with fraction strips, that the children created. This not only allows them to work with fractions visually, but gives them a hands on manipulative.



1. Subject/Content Area: Mathematics/Fractions
2. Alabama Course of Study Correlation: Grade 5:
3.) Solve word problems that involve decimals, fractions, or money
• Converting Fractions and mixed numbers to decimals and percents
3. Concept or Skill: Constructing Fraction Slips in order to find equivalences and the greater numbers.
4. Behavioral Objectives: The Student will be able to
• Build his/her own fraction slips including 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, 12 as fractions.
• Use the fractions slips to find equivalences.
• Determine greater numbers represented by fractions.

5. Evaluation: Walk around the room to see if the students are creating their own fraction slips based on teacher instruction. Can they follow the teacher’s lead and make strips according to teacher instruction? Are any of the students needing help constructing their slips? Ask the students to find equivalences using their fraction slips after the teacher asks for and equivalence. In the closure, students will be able to determine the larger fraction by using their fraction slips and the number line on the board.
6. Materials:
• SmartBoard
• Number line, drawn on board
• Construction Paper, cut into strips in 8 different colors
• Marker
•

7. Teaching and Learning Procedures:
A. Motivation: Ask the students if they think that money can be represented as a fraction and if so how? Relate to students by explaining that a dime is 1/10 of a dollar, a quarter is ¼ of a dollar, and so on.
B. Instructional Procedure:
C. 1)
• Distribute the cut construction paper that has been previously cut into strips, and counted out.
• Choose the first color (red) and have the students write the number 1 on the strip. This will represent the whole number.
• Then have the students chose the next color (blue).
• The teacher will demonstrate how to fold this strip in half to the students.
• Students will respond by folding their paper in half. The students will then write ½ on each side of the strip.
• Teacher will hold up the next color (yellow) and fold this strip in three equal folds.
• Students will follow the teacher’s lead and fold their strip in three equal folds.
• The teacher will number each of the folds 1/3 and have students write 1/3 in the equal thirds spaces
• Take the green strip. Fold it into four equal quarters, and have students’ copy.
• Students will fold their paper equally and number each fold ¼.
• The teacher will then take the purple strip and fold this strip into six equal sections and ask students to copy.
• At different times during these procedure the teacher may need to stop and help individual students prepare their strips.
• Students will write 1/6 into each of the equal sections of the strip.
• The teacher will then choose the next color (white). The teacher will fold this strip into equal sections of eight.
• Students will copy this procedure, and number the equal portions with 1/8.
• Teacher will choose the next color (brown) and have students watch as it is folded into ten different sections.
• Students will copy this procedure and fold their strips accordingly, then label each portion 1/10.
• Finally the teacher will choose the color (orange) and fold it into 12 different yet equal portions.
• The students will copy and then label each equal portion 1/12.
2) Once the strips have been formed the teacher will write the number line on the board.
<0-------------------------------------1>
• Teacher will ask students to look at their strips. Teacher will state that no matter what the fraction is ½ to 50,000/100,000 that those fractions will be in this section of the number line.
• Teacher will then ask students to look at their fraction strips and tell me another fraction that is equal to ½.
• Students will respond 3/6 of 6/12.
• Teacher will then ask for another fraction that is equivalent to 8/12.
• Students will respond ¾.
• Teacher will continue to work with the handcrafted manipulatives comparing the fractions in front of the children.
•
3) Teacher will write a fraction on the number line (3/4).
• Teacher will then ask students if 9/12 is greater than, less than, or equal to ¾.
• Students will use their manipulative to determine that the number given is greater than the number on the board.
• Teacher will then write the fraction ½ on the number line.
• The teacher will ask students to come up with two other fractions that are less than ½.
• Students will respond ¼ , 1/12, 2/8, and so on.
• Teacher will then ask students where they think those numbers should go on the number line.
• Teacher will instruct them to look at the fraction strips and determine where they fit on the number line.
• Teacher will spend five minutes working with placement of fractions on the number line.
Sample Questions to use throughout the lesson:
Is ½ equal to 3/6?
Is 8/12 greater than 3/4?
Who can tell me another number that is equivalent to 1/2?
What is greater on the number line, 1/3 or 2/8?
How are 8/8, 12/12, 3/3, 4/4 alike and how are they different?
Does 10/10 mean that it is greater than 1?

D. Closure: Allow each student to discuss their fraction slips and have them try to stump each other.. Ask if anyone had problems with their fraction strips? Some students may need help reconstructing strips. Discuss, as a class different ways that fractions and money are similar. Share any problems that were brought up during the lesson.
E. Supplemental Activities: As a supplemental activity, I will have the students build other fraction strips to add to their collection, such as a 1/5th strip, 1/7th strip, and a 1/11th strip.
F. Early Finishers: There will be no early finishers, this will be done as a whole group, and early finishers will be asked to work on further strips.
Enrichment: Students will be asked to place fractions on the number line and find the right placement of each. Furthermore, students can begin converting fractions into decimals.
Remediation: Students needing remediation will be asked to come to small group and bring their fraction strips. The teacher will work with them using the manipulatives, folding the strips and showing equivalences.

My Favorite Math lesson this Semester

I would have to say that my favorite math lesson this semester had to be the one in which I was able to teach number puzzles to the students.

1. Subject/Content Area: Mathematics/Multiplication
2. Alabama Course of Study Correlation: Grade 5: 2.) Solve problems involving basic operations on whole numbers, including addition and subtraction of seven-digit numbers, multiplication with two-digit multipliers, and division with two-digit divisors. c) Demonstrating computational fluency with addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division of whole numbers
3. Concept or Skill: Understanding Number Puzzles and Finding Common Factors
4. Behavioral Objectives: The Student will be able to
• Find all the factors of a number.
• Find all the ways to multiply whole numbers for a given product.
• Use properties of even, odd, prime, square numbers and the relationships of numbers to solve problems.
5. Evaluation: Walk around the room to see if the students can find the factors of the numbers given. Can they find all of the factors? Are any of the students missing any of the factors? Observe students while they are working in pairs, creating their own puzzles that each have created. In the closure, students will solve puzzles and factors from numbers and puzzles created by the teacher on the SmartBoard and those created by each other.
6. Materials:
• SmartBoard
• Smart Document Camera or Elmo
• Paper
• Pencils

7. Teaching and Learning Procedures:
A. Motivation: Ask the students if they like solving puzzles. Discuss how there are many different types of puzzles, and that today we are going to be working on Number Puzzles. Ask the students if they can remember all of the prime numbers.
B. Instructional Procedure:
C. 1) Review factors of numbers by writing numbers on the board and asking for volunteers to come up to the SmartBoard and find all of the factors based on previously learned material.
2) Spend about five to ten minutes reviewing factors, prime, even, odd, and squared numbers. The teacher will inform students of the importance of the lesson, and how numbers can be represented different ways. Furthermore, the numbers in the problems can help in everyday life, when dealing with percentages, bills, and interest. Also, there may be a point when some students encounter problems where the student may need to solve in order to get the most logical answer. Teacher may need to review squared numbers and how they are created (multiplying a number by itself, ex 6x6, 3x3, 5x5).
3) Teacher will write a Number Puzzle on the Board, involving factors; such as:
• This is a square number
• This number is less than 100
• This number is even
• This number is a multiple of 4
Solution: 4, 16, 36, and 64
4) Create another example on the board and ask students to solve, ex.
• This number is a prime number
• This number is less than 20
• This number is odd
Solution: 1, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17, 19.
5) Ask the students to pair up, use their neighbor across the table, and ask them to try and create their own puzzle. Give each student about ten minutes to come up with his or her own puzzle, similar to the examples, and have them ask their neighbor to solve. If there are questions the partner should ask his or her neighbor to explain the answer, with feedback from the teacher if necessary.

Sample Questions to use throughout the lesson:
Is that number prime?
Is that number odd?
Is that a factor of (?) number?
Can you find another number that is a factor of (?) number?
Can you explain to your neighbor if there are any other factors in the problem?

D. Closure: Allow each student to discuss their problems that they have created. Ask if anyone had problems with their puzzle? Discuss, as a class different ways there may be to solve individual’s puzzles. Share any problems that were brought up during the partner session.
As a way to motivate the students I would see if they think any of the students from the other classes could answer their riddles, or stump the other classes.
E. Supplemental Activities: As a supplemental activity I will write numbers on the SmartBoard and ask the students to find all of the factors for those particular numbers, and see if there are any other problems that they can come up with to stump the teacher.
F. Early Finishers: These students will be asked to come up with new problems that can be assigned for homework or study guides for the rest of the class.
Enrichment: Students will be asked to solve harder problems that will be found in a center, or an area designed for a math workshop, where students can proceed with extra activities.
Remediation: Students needing remediation will be asked to come to small group and we will solve the problems together, or as a group; asking and answering questions as we go, thus allowing the student to gain a firm grasp on the number puzzle concepts.

Reflection:
I really enjoyed this lesson with the kids. They seemed a little confused in the beginning, and I did struggle in the beginning. The teacher had to step in a couple of times and assist me in explanations. Once I caught on to his line of thinking however, I was able to continue with my lesson with fewer helpful tips from him. Furthermore, the only other part that I will change next time, is that I will have more examples in mind and written on paper. Two of the examples I came up with , off the top of my head, were a little to advanced for the kids, but they did not want to move on to a newer problem, they wanted to finish what we had started. After the lesson was over and the children were working in groups to come up with their own problems, they really enjoyed it. I saw how they enjoyed trying to stump the teacher and their classmates. Finally, when the lesson was almost done, I chose one groups’ work, and had the class try and solve it. There were two problems here; one, the children that did the problem tried to solve it, and two I wish I had more time to pick more students to work their problems on the board as well.

My Philosophy For Teaching Math

As I look back on my own learning experience, I remember how I struggled with math. I found that answering questions written on the paper were very frustrating to figure out. I constantly came home complaining of homework and classwork relating to math. The reason I hated it, one and only one way to find the answer. My philosophy for teaching math is simple; to find many varying ways to teach a concept, with as many hands-on experiences as possible. I believe that math can be taught by different approaches and ideas to reach all learners.