Audubon Teaching Journal

Feeling very comfortable in the classroom and relationship with our MT.  Firmed up the observed lesson arrangements with our field instructor. Cleaned the 6 tanks of crawfish.  This batch has not died like the previous two have.  Cause for great celebration as the students during the science lesson got to handle the live critters along with some nasty looking beetles for a compare and contrast observations.  Lovely Leia needs to get over her fear of handling these little pinching fellas, as our MT pointed out.  We know she can do it.  We will see when we have to clean their tanks again.

• Introduction of pumpkin related activity sheet, that include parts of pumpkins, name the pumpkin, story telling, life cycle, and math.
• Read aloud was pumpkin related
• Mystery Reader today with parents signing up to come into the classroom to do the read aloud.
• MT does a weekly newsletter she emails and send home to two students that do not have computers at home.
• Social Studies - Wonders of America lesson.  Worked with two students on Yosemite National Park with there comprehension of non-fiction story, and question answering in complete sentences.
• Family Traditions lesson where students select an annual family tradition , and do a cluster map of details about the tradition.   Most selecting Christmas, or Thanksgiving.  Students to take home and talk with parents about specifics and new ideas.
• Class will adopt an Orca from one one of the local pods.  Class will vote tomorrow on which one they want to adopt.  This is done though the Whaling Museum at Friday Harbor.  Cost is $75.
• Math leveling tests today.  Students do practice tests until they feel they are ready for the real test. When they take a real test they are only allowed to get one wrong to be considered successful, out of some 40 problems.  Most student in this class do just the addition, and subtraction problem sheets as division, and multiplication have not been introduced yet.
• Worked again with two pull out students, and the literacy teacher.  Comprehension, and reading proficiency are evaluated for one student. The other student I test using a timed reading that measures the amount of reading accomplished, and number of reading mistakes made along with comprehension questions.