Dear Sean,

            I am officially declaring Winter Quarter 2017 the toughest, yet most rewarding of my student career!  I had to dig deep this quarter to accomplish all of my goals and the two I am most proud of is completing a 19 credit hour class load, and having the opportunity to teach kids in a real classroom!  I think this quarter provided me with a glimpse of what the workload will be like as a teacher, and I am feeling more confident in my role as a teacher.  I appreciate the emphasis on being reflective and, I would like to share a few things that I have learned as I participated in English 493 that further developed my classroom philosophy.

            I think the most important lesson I learned this quarter is that even though I plan to be a History teacher, I have a responsibility to encourage my students to read and become proficient readers.  Allowing students to choose what they read is a critical component of sparking their interest in reading.  I need to be able to provide my students with some good choices and I have already started compiling a good list, thanks to our book talk activity.  The book talk activity also helped me formulate a process for sizing up a text to determine if it is something I should use in my classroom by considering its appropriateness, audience, lesson potential, and possible obstacles.

            My research this quarter has also made me realize the complexity of the reading process and that there really is more to it than opening a book and reading it.  Frontloading is a necessary strategy to help students engage with a text and it improves their understanding and comprehension as they read so, this is why I decided to construct a pre-reading activity for my mini-lesson.  I believe good pre-reading activities helps students understand the purpose for reading a text and provides them with a specific lens or focus to view the text, which helps them construct meaning.  The min-lesson also helped me be thoughtful about considering the amount of time an activity actually takes in a classroom.

            The three-week literature unit plan was daunting and in the beginning, I was not sure I could do it!  Well, I showed myself that I am capable of creating curriculum.  I think the most overwhelming aspect of this assignment was the amount of research I conducted (which made it difficult to decide the focus of the unit…..so many great choices!!!) and making sure I could justify the choices I made to ensure my students would be getting something of value.  I know that time in a classroom is precious and I want to use it wisely and efficiently.  The most important thing I learned from this process is that I can do it, and with time and practice, it will get easier.

            Sean, you provided us with some fantastic resources for theories and concepts and I thank you for building my personal resource library.  I had already determined prior to this class that I would incorporate quite a few cooperative learning activities in my classroom and I am grateful for the article “Discussion as a Way of Teaching,” because it provided so many different ideas on how I can incorporate collaborative discussions into classroom activities.

            Kelly Gallagher’s Readicide was also impactful.  I do not want to be guilty of committing readicide in my classroom.  I want my students to love reading, but I know many of my students will struggle with reading.  I know it is important for my students to learn reading strategies, but I also need to provide them with opportunities to get lost in books as well. I know students are not going to love everything they are required to read, but it is my job to help them realize the value in the texts I ask them to read.

            Even though I plan to be a History teacher, it is also my responsibility to teach reading too! In my classroom, I intend to help my students increase their proficiency in reading and build their comprehension by modeling reading strategies like reading closely and using essential questions.  I am a lifelong learner, and I want my students to develop that attitude as well. As I participated in this class, my focus kept shifting back to my future students and the importance of knowing them.  Building good relationships with students (and their parents) is the foundation for an engaging and warm classroom atmosphere.  Knowing my students means I know how they learn and that knowledge will help me know which instructional methods to employ for their benefit. 

Sean, thanks for a great quarter and thanks for modeling the skills of an effective teacher for me!  Hope you get to enjoy the slopes during spring break!

Shawna Nowels

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

I love Sherman Alexie!  My first exposure to Alexie’s writing was in a poetry class and I immediately fell in love.  I love how his writing conveys his attitude, spirit, intelligence, compassion, humor and honesty and even though he comes from a completely different background, he is able to connect with his readers.  I would definitely utilize The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian in my classroom.  The writing and language in the book is plain and is easy to understand, the story is very engaging, and because of this, I think students would actually enjoy reading it.  I think I would use this book more as a pleasure read than anything else and I would not assign formal written assignments, so my students can just enjoy it.  I believe students, especially middle school students, would connect with the book because of the identity theme.  Junior is just trying to figure out who he is and where he fits in, something all adolescents wrestle with as they grow up.  I think kids can also identify with Junior’s home life.  Even though his family experiences adversity and his father is an alcoholic, he realizes that his family cares about him and they are actively involved in his life.  Nobody has the perfect family life and I really appreciate Junior’s willingness to focus on the positive aspects of his home life and his ability to forgive his family members for their shortcomings and failures.  He demonstrates a resilient attitude while facing life’s struggles and I think that is a very important lesson for kids to learn.  Kids will also identify with the friendship theme in the story.  Junior and Rowdy’s friendship is tumultuous, but in the end, they are able to make amends and continue their friendship.  Kids need to realize that people can disagree with each other, be upset with each other, and still be friends.  Maintaining the bonds of friendship is difficult but worth it.  I really enjoyed reading this book and I know my students will too!

1. Teacher Candidate	Shawna Nowels	Date Taught	3/13/2017
2. Subject	History
3. Lesson Title/Focus	Night Unit Pre-reading Activity: Gallery Walk	5. Length of Lesson	20 minutes
4. Grade Level	9th

6. Academic & Content Standards (Common Core/National)	EARL 4.3.1 Analyzes and interprets historical materials from a variety of perspectives in world history (1450-present). CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.9-10.1 Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions with diverse partners on grades 9-10 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
7. Learning Objective(s)	Learning Objective:  Given the gallery walk, students will critically analyze a single image from the gallery by answering questions from the hand-out through small group collaborative discussions to construct a caption for the image and share it with the whole class. Small group collaborative discussions will formatively assess CCSS.SL.9-10.1 by allowing students to be actively engaged participants in group discussions by sharing ideas, rationale and background knowledge and building on others’ ideas by listening to their partner’s ideas, rational and background knowledge about the image from the gallery walk. Writing a caption for an image from the Holocaust formatively assesses EARL 4.3.1 by allowing students the opportunity to analyze and interpret historical materials from a variety of perspectives in world history. DOK3
8. Academic Language demands (vocabulary, function, syntax, discourse)	Language Functions: critically analyze; actively engage in collaborative discussion; connect background knowledge; write captions for pictures; construct captions. Language Demand: To introduce the topic of the Holocaust and Elie Wiesel’s novel Night. Students will be asked to reflect on their prior knowledge and progress towards achieving the learning objectives, participate in discussion, construct words and phrases to describe pictures. Vocabulary: Holocaust Syntax: Students will use their background knowledge to analyze images, share their background knowledge during class small group collaborative discussion, and to construct words and phrases to describe the images. Discourse: Students will work collaboratively, discuss as a small group, and share their captions with the whole group.

9. Assessment

Formative:  Night Pre-reading Activity: Gallery Walk Hand-out Analyze images by answering questions from the hand-out through small group collaborative discussion.  Small group collaborative discussion will formatively assess CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.9-10.1 by allowing students to be actively engaged participants in group discussions with diverse partners by sharing ideas, rationale and background knowledge and building on others’ ideas by listening to their partner’s ideas, rational and background knowledge about the image from the gallery walk. Students will be expected to be active and engaged participants in group discussions by sharing prior knowledge and listening to other group members share their prior knowledge about issues and topics related to the Holocaust.  Students will record their ideas and analysis on the hand-out. Formative:  Constructing words or phrases that describe images in the gallery walk. Constructing words and phrases to describe images formatively assesses EARL 4.3.1. by allowing students the opportunity to analyze and interpret historical materials from a variety of perspectives in world history.  Groups will share their constructed caption for an image with the whole class.

10. Lesson Connections

This lesson opens a unit on the novel Night by Elie Wiesel.  This lesson is a pre-reading activity that will require students to draw upon and share their prior knowledge of the Holocaust.  The activity enables students to begin building connections with their prior knowledge of the Holocaust to the text. In the next lesson, students continue pre-reading activities by learning about Elie Wiesel, the author of Night.  Students will be asked to make predictions about the novel’s tone, plot and themes based on the pre-reading activities. Research: ·         Wei-Fang and Chung-Pie’s (2011) research shows that collaboration helps students activate prior knowledge, which leads to increased reading comprehension. Both students and teachers see the benefits of using class wide discussion as a pre-reading activity. ·         Resnick & Nelson-Le Gall (1999) contend that collaboration strengthens student understanding and promotes social intelligence, which helps students solve problems through discussion, goal setting and questioning.

11. Instructional Strategies/Learning Tasks to Support Learning
Learning Tasks and Strategies Sequenced Instruction
Teacher’s Role                   Introduction (5 minutes):    ·         I will greet students and remind them they are 9th graders. ·         I will have students read the learning objective and re-state it. ·         I will introduce the Night Unit and ask the students if they are familiar with the text or author. ·         I will give students the instructions for participating in the gallery walk and ask if they have any questions. After answering questions, I will instruct students to line up for the gallery walk. Learning Activity (5 minutes): ·         Students will look at each image during the gallery walk and return to their seats ·         Students will write a few words to describe their impressions from the images in the gallery walk. ·           Small Group Activity/Discussion (10 minutes); ·         After students view the gallery, I will instruct them to return to their tables and work with their tablemates (4 students at each table.)  I will give each group copies of the photos and instruct them to create words or phrases to describe each photo and write the descriptions slips of papers that I will provide. I will model the activity by leading the class through the activity for one of the photos. ·         I will engage with each group to assess prior knowledge and progress in the activity and to ensure that students are engaged in the activity.  I will be available to answer questions. Whole Group Discussion (15 Minutes); ·         I will ask each group to share the descriptions they created for each of the pictures.  I will ask the group to compare the different descriptions and the ideas and perceptions behind their unique descriptions. Concluding Activity (10 minutes): ·         I will read excerpts from the preface of Night, as a brief introduction to the novel. ·         I will ask the students to make predictions about the story based on the day’s activities and the preface text from the novel on an exit slip. ·         I will instruct students to prepare themselves and the classroom for departure. ·         I will ask students to hand me their exit slips as they leave the classroom.	Students’ Role ·         Students will enter the classroom, take out their History notebooks and write responses to the guiding questions on the white board. ·         Students will listen to the directions and will ask for clarification if needed. ·         Students will get up and move around the room to view each photograph.  ·         When students have viewed each photograph, they will return to their seats. ·         Students will listen to instructions for participating in the small group activity/discussion.  The will ask questions for clarification.  ·         Students will work with the tablemates to discuss each photograph and construct a description or phrase for each one. ·         Students will be respectful to their classmates by allowing each member to speak. ·         Each group will share the descriptions they constructed for each photograph by placing them under each photograph on the wall. ·         Groups will explain the ideas behind each description. ·         Students will listen as the teacher introduces them to the novel Night, by listening to the teacher read excerpts from the preface. ·         Students will listen to the instructions for the exit slip. ·         Students will use a piece of paper to write two predictions about the story in Night. ·         Students will tidy their tables and surrounding area to prepare to exit the classroom. ·         Once students have been dismissed, they will hand their exit slip to the teacher as they leave the classroom.
Student Voice to Gather ·         Students will share prior knowledge of the Holocaust by writing responses to the guiding questions in the entry task in their History notebook.  History notebooks will be collected weekly by the teacher. ·         Students will share prior knowledge of the Holocaust by constructing words and phrases to describe the photographs in the picture walk activity.  ·         Students will share their prior knowledge of the Holocaust with their classmates in small group and whole group discussions. ·         Students will make predictions about the story in the novel Night on exit slips.

12. Differentiated Instruction

·         Students will have the opportunity to share their prior knowledge of the Holocaust. ·         Students with mobility issues will be given their own set of photographs to view at their table. ·         Students who do not thrive in large group activities will have an opportunity to have their voice heard by writing responses to guided questions and participating in smaller groups. ·         Students will use non-print text to make connections to their prior knowledge of the Holocaust. ·         This lesson utilizes small and whole group discussions which helps students build their knowledge of facts and comprehension of the Holocaust.

13. Resources and Materials

Resnick, L. & Nelson-LeGall, S. (1999). Socializing intelligence. In L. Smith, J Dockrell, & P.               Tomlinson (Eds), Piaget, Vygotsky, and Beyond. London:  Routledge. Wei-Fan, C., Chung-Pei, C. (2011). Effect of Varied Types of Collaborative Learning Strategies On              Young Children:  An Experimental Study. International Journal Of Instructional Media, 38(4),               351-358. Photographs from the website: http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/the-holocaust/pictures/holocaust-concentration-camps/main-entrance-gate-at-auschwitz I will need to provide guiding questions, slips of papers for photograph descriptions, tape and photographs for picture walk. Students will need pen/pencil, History notebook, and slip of paper for exit slip.

14. Management and Safety Issues

I must cultivate a classroom atmosphere where students feels safe and supported to ensure participation in group activities and discussions.  During discussions, students should show respect for each participant.  Bullying and/or inappropriate remarks will not be tolerated. Students with mobility issues will be allowed to stay at their table or they will be provided with assistance.

15. Parent & Community Connections

Weekly learning objectives, assignments and due dates will be posted on the classroom website. Later in this unit  Mrs. X, a Holocaust survivor will come to the classroom to share her personal story and her experiences in the Holocaust.

The Graphic Cannon

Confession time……I hate graphic novels!  My own children were the first to introduce me to the graphic novel concept when they brought home the Captain Underpants and Diary of a Wimpy Kid series.  I will admit that I was as bit of a snob about these particular book selections and at first I wondered what my kids were really getting out of these books.  They likened the books to the Calvin and Hobbes comic books I had previously encouraged them to read (I wanted my children to be exposed to Calvin’s imagination and vocabulary) and so I relented and let them carry on with their graphic novels.  I figured it was more important that they were #1 reading and #2 enjoying what they were reading.  So, as I looked at the Graphic Canon selections, I tried to keep an open mind.

                One of the first things I noticed is that every piece has an introduction that gives some background information about the author, the original text, and the artist that created the graphics for the text.  This provides students with some background knowledge of the text, which can increase their comprehension.  Each graphic novel consists of a pictorial description with parts of the text included within the picture.  I felt that some pieces were more successful than others at portraying the stories.  I really had a difficult time reading Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.  It was really difficult to read the text incorporated into the pictures, but I felt that the pictures conveyed the message of the text.  I really loved the graphic novel version of The Great Gatsby because the pictures really captured the tone of the novel and the essence of the 1920s. 

                I could see utilizing graphic novels in my classroom because students seem to enjoy the format and I want them to be engaged readers.  I also think graphic novels would be beneficial for ELL students and resistive readers because the format can help them build comprehension.  Graphic novels could also help students build comprehension with difficult texts.  I’m still not a huge fan of graphic novels, but I see the benefits to incorporating them into my curriculum.

Complete Tales and Poems, By Edgar Allan Poe

            I’ll state the obvious, people don’t read Poe to be uplifted.  Simply put, Poe’s works are dark and disturbing.  He explores the dark, and troubled side of humanity in his stories and poems.  As I read through the selected short stories, I felt repulsion and I really did not want to continue reading. (I guess you need to be in the “right” mood for Poe, but I am not sure what kind of mood that is!)  In the few selected stories and poems, I was exposed to incest, animal cruelty, murder, and death by being buried alive, YIKES!  You cannot describe Poe’s work as light reading.  At least one of the poems gave me some reprieve!  “An Evening Star” felt a little romantic and whimsical. (One of these things is not like the other!)  This shows that Poe can be versatile.

            So by my introduction, I’m sure you can tell that I am not a big fan and I do not like Poe’s work.  As a future Social Studies teacher, I do not think I would incorporate any of Poe’s work into my curriculum.  However, if I had the opportunity to teach ELA, I would consider using some of Poe’s work, in particular his poetry, because of the feeling and emotions he provokes through his writing. I think poetry must reach a reader by allowing them to comprehend the text through emotion, which is Poe’s strong suit.  If I were to use his short stories, and that’s a BIG IF, I would definitely share his work with older students.  Kids might be intrigued by Poe’s macabre stories, or they might have nightmares! 

   I promise to keep an open-mind as my peers present their mini-lessons on Poe and perhaps they will inspire me to look past all of the gruesome literary details to find its value in a classroom.

                                                    

Ernest Hemingway in Paris, 1928

(The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, Boston)

TEXT INTRO: 

1    In 1918, Ernest Hemingway joined the Italian Red Cross as an ambulance driver during World War I.  On July 8, 1918 he was struck by a trench motor shell on the frontlines and was sent to a hospital in Milan.  There is speculation that Hemingway developed a romantic relationship with Red Cross nurse, Agnes von Kurowsky, and many believe this is the inspiration for Hemingway’s 1929 novel, A Farewell to Arms.

The novel begins with Lieutenant Frederic Henry, an American serving as an ambulance driver in the Italian Army, considering plans to tour Italy during the winter lull of World War I.  After Frederic returns from his trip he encounters a British nurse’s aide, Catherine Barkley.  Catherine is emotionally unavailable for a romantic relationship because her fiancé has perished as another casualty of the war, however she engages with Frederic through fun and flirtatious banter.  Later, Frederic is wounded and is sent to Milan for surgery and recuperation.  He is delighted to discover that Catherine has been transferred to the hospital and she is assigned to tend to him.  Overtime, their playful relationship develops into a deep and meaningful love affair.  Eventually Frederic’s wound heals and he is granted three weeks leave and at this time Catherine reveals that she is carrying his baby.  Before Frederic can take his leave, he develops jaundice and is forced to spend his leave time convalescing. 

After making a full recovery, Frederic returns to the war front.  At this time, the Italians are struggling in the war and they cannot contain their frontline.  The Germans finally breakthrough causing the Italian forces and civilians into a hasty retreat.  Frederic leads the other ambulance drivers in the evacuation. The sheer number of people makes the retreat slow and laborious and eventually Frederic decides to try using backroads as a faster route.  The ambulances get bogged down in the muddy roads and they decide to proceed on foot.  Troubles arise within the group and Frederic rejoins the army’s retreat, but he is confronted with the horrors of war caused by chaos and confusion and decides to desert by jumping into a river and swimming away.  He returns to Milan by concealing himself on a train.

He reunites with Catherine in the town of Stresa and they escape safely to Switzerland.  They winter in the town of Montreux and settle into a comfortable domestic life.  Later in the spring they decide to move to Lausanne to be closer to the hospital for the delivery of their baby.  The novel closes after the birth of the baby.

Rationale for Choice: 

2.      I chose the book for a couple of reasons, first because it is my favorite book of all time. Second, because I believe students need to experience Hemingway’s minimalistic writing style.  The book is listed in the Common Core State Standards Appendix B as a text exemplar.  The book is listed under the Grade 11-CCR under the stories heading.  The book would be most appropriate for older secondary students due to adult content dealing with war and sexuality. 

Lesson Ideas: 

3.      My first lesson idea would center around collaborative discussions focusing on the Catherine Barkley character to foster discussions about gender roles. (Social Studies or ELA)

My second lesson idea would be to utilize the historical and biographical background to help students make connections to events during World War I. (Social Studies)

My third lesson idea would to use the parts of the novel for close reading exercises which exposes students to Hemingway’s minimalistic writing style. (ELA)

Obstacles: 

4.      This book has been used in schools for a long time, (I was first introduced to this book over 25 years ago in an English/Novel class) so I think usage of the book in secondary classrooms is common and accepted.  Parents and administrators might find some of the adult sexual themes to be unacceptable for some students.  Students might not find the book engaging because they are unaccustomed to Hemingway’s minimalistic writing style and struggling readers might have a difficult time engaging with the book due to content.              

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoI9OgVxDNE

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