My observations so Far...

In regards to the writing workshop I am getting a little discouraged in the class that I observe in.  The first two weeks I was there my teacher did writers workshop almost every day and the students loved it.  Since then however the students have been doing more center work than anything else and worksheets which to me are boring, although I understand they might be neccesary.  The last time I saw them write was for Read Accross America Week where they watched the movie Horton Hears a Who and made a a story using sequences.  Besides that writers workshop time has been cut.  I however got the oppertunity to fo one of my focus lessons on character development with my students.  The students overall loved the lesson and coming up with characters.  Some started writing a story about their characters, others just left it there. I am hoping int the future they will want to incorpoarte their characters in their previous writing, and wish I had longer in the class to encourage them to do this!

Chapter 12

Ray talked a lot about units in this chapter.  I think they are a great way to tie in student's interests to school and incorporate multiple subjects.  In my week field experience I did a unit on animals since the kids in my first grade class love them.  Thankfully it was also a standard.  For the unit I incorporated plenty of books, language arts, art and math.  The students had olenty of oppertunities to be imaginative while still learning.  They created a home for a pet, made bird feeders to hang up at the school, learned about the basic needs of animals, and got the chance to see why certain animals have the adaptations they do.  They also did a two day writing workshop of an animal of their choice and practiced their informational writing and commas in a series, which they have been talking about.

The unit went great!