Block I Experience

Block I ExperienceBlock I ExperienceAmanda GrayAmanda Gray

December 15, 2003December 15, 2003Photo AssessmentPhoto Assessment

Social Studies and Language Arts Lessons Social Studies and Language Arts Lessons

Amanda GrayAmanda Gray My Block I Experience was with Mrs. Spencer’s 5My Block I Experience was with Mrs. Spencer’s 5thth

and 6and 6thth Grade class at Rutherford Elementary Grade class at Rutherford Elementary School.School.

My ThemeMy Theme

The 5The 5thth and 6 and 6thth grade house at Rutherford was grade house at Rutherford was studying ancient cultures, and Ancient Egypt studying ancient cultures, and Ancient Egypt was one that they would be spending a large was one that they would be spending a large amount of time studying. Mrs. Spencer amount of time studying. Mrs. Spencer suggested that I teach my lessons covering suggested that I teach my lessons covering parts of Modern Egypt to supplement what she parts of Modern Egypt to supplement what she would be teaching. I decided for my social would be teaching. I decided for my social studies lessons to focus on the Aswan Dam and studies lessons to focus on the Aswan Dam and how it affects Egypt today. For my language arts how it affects Egypt today. For my language arts lessons, they made travel brochures on Modern lessons, they made travel brochures on Modern Egypt.Egypt.

Materials for Social StudiesMaterials for Social Studies

For my first social For my first social studies lesson, the studies lesson, the students made river students made river systems and put in a systems and put in a dam to see the effects dam to see the effects of a dam on a river. of a dam on a river. They used foil, They used foil, cardboard, pans, cardboard, pans, cups, bowls, and clay cups, bowls, and clay to construct their to construct their rivers.rivers.

Social Studies Lesson 1Social Studies Lesson 1

I broke the students up into five groups of I broke the students up into five groups of six students. I gave them their materials, six students. I gave them their materials, directions, and their direction sheets and directions, and their direction sheets and told them to start making their river. They told them to start making their river. They had to first build a river and get it flowing, had to first build a river and get it flowing, and then I gave them a lump of clay for a and then I gave them a lump of clay for a dam. There was water flowing dam. There was water flowing everywhere, but they were very creative everywhere, but they were very creative and cooperative. They LOVED it! and cooperative. They LOVED it!

Direction SheetDirection Sheet

Students buildingStudents building

The students worked very well together to design a river and dam system.

Student CommentsStudent Comments

““Oh cool, Ms. Gray! Our dam is making Oh cool, Ms. Gray! Our dam is making our river overflow!”our river overflow!”

““Our dam stopped ALL of our water!”Our dam stopped ALL of our water!” One of the boys asked me on the One of the boys asked me on the

following day, “Ms. Gray, are we going to following day, “Ms. Gray, are we going to do another cool experiment in your class do another cool experiment in your class today?”today?”

My ThoughtsMy Thoughts

I was very pleased with how my first lesson I was very pleased with how my first lesson went. The students were so excited, and I really went. The students were so excited, and I really believe that they were able to construct their believe that they were able to construct their knowledge so that it was meaningful for them. knowledge so that it was meaningful for them. They were so interested in how the dam works They were so interested in how the dam works and why people put them in, that they were sad and why people put them in, that they were sad to see the lesson end. Mrs. Spencer told me that to see the lesson end. Mrs. Spencer told me that she really liked the lesson and had even tried to she really liked the lesson and had even tried to make a set-up like this herself but couldn’t come make a set-up like this herself but couldn’t come up with such great ideas for materials. I was so up with such great ideas for materials. I was so relieved to have my very first lesson go so well.relieved to have my very first lesson go so well.


For my second For my second day of social day of social studies, the studies, the students students researched on researched on the internet for the internet for the pros and the pros and cons of the cons of the Aswan Dam. I Aswan Dam. I gave them some gave them some websites to look websites to look at, and they at, and they found and listed found and listed the pros and the pros and cons on their cons on their worksheets.worksheets.

Sample WorksheetSample Worksheet

Lesson 2 ContinuedLesson 2 Continued After the students found some pros and cons, we After the students found some pros and cons, we

came back together to discuss what they found. As a came back together to discuss what they found. As a group, they came up with about an equal number of group, they came up with about an equal number of pros and cons, so we talked about weighing decisions pros and cons, so we talked about weighing decisions and how they would have to sacrifice some things to and how they would have to sacrifice some things to benefit others.benefit others.


““I found way more cons than pros!”I found way more cons than pros!” ““They should not have built the Aswan They should not have built the Aswan

Dam because look at all the bad things Dam because look at all the bad things that happened.”that happened.”

““Well, I found way more pros than cons, so Well, I found way more pros than cons, so I think it was good that they built it.”I think it was good that they built it.”

My thoughtsMy thoughts

I was so excited to hear them discussing I was so excited to hear them discussing what they found out on the internet. Their what they found out on the internet. Their comments were the perfect set-up for what comments were the perfect set-up for what they would be doing in my next lesson. they would be doing in my next lesson. Once again, the students were quite Once again, the students were quite attentive and willing to listen. They all attentive and willing to listen. They all wanted to tell everything that they found wanted to tell everything that they found out about the Aswan Dam.out about the Aswan Dam.


On the third and final day of my social studies lessons, the students had to decide whether they would have voted for or against the building of the Aswan Dam if they had been on the deciding committee.

Position PaperPosition Paper After they picked a After they picked a

viewpoint, the students viewpoint, the students had to write a paper had to write a paper describing their position describing their position and why they supported and why they supported that decision. Then they that decision. Then they had to pick one of four had to pick one of four other rivers in the world other rivers in the world and say why they would and say why they would or wouldn’t build a or wouldn’t build a similar dam on one of similar dam on one of those rivers.those rivers.

Student CommentsStudent Comments ““Ms. Gray, I don’t have a position on it. I Ms. Gray, I don’t have a position on it. I

can see both the good and bad things, so can see both the good and bad things, so how can I pick?”how can I pick?”

““I wouldn’t have wanted to be on the I wouldn’t have wanted to be on the council that decided. This is a hard council that decided. This is a hard decision.”decision.”

““But they didn’t know all the bad things But they didn’t know all the bad things that would happen when they decided to that would happen when they decided to build it.”build it.”

My ThoughtsMy Thoughts Some of the students weren’t so excited to have to Some of the students weren’t so excited to have to

pick a position and write about it. They kept asking pick a position and write about it. They kept asking me if they really had to write it and whether it would me if they really had to write it and whether it would be graded. I told them that I just wanted to know be graded. I told them that I just wanted to know what they thought about it and that it didn’t matter what they thought about it and that it didn’t matter which side they picked as long as they supported which side they picked as long as they supported their ideas. This lesson went fairly well, but they their ideas. This lesson went fairly well, but they weren’t as eager as in the past two lessons because weren’t as eager as in the past two lessons because they had to do some writing. I don’t think they liked they had to do some writing. I don’t think they liked the pressure of having to decide a big decision, even the pressure of having to decide a big decision, even though it was not a real situation. Some of their though it was not a real situation. Some of their papers were very good and insightful. I enjoyed papers were very good and insightful. I enjoyed reading them.reading them.

Language Arts MaterialsLanguage Arts Materials I provided the students with published travel I provided the students with published travel

brochures, their graphic organizer, checklists, brochures, their graphic organizer, checklists, extra activities, and examples of my work.extra activities, and examples of my work.

Some Examples of BrochuresSome Examples of Brochures

I brought in about 25 travel brochures for the students to look at so they could get ideas for how they would need to make their brochures.

Language Arts Lesson 1Language Arts Lesson 1

On the first day of On the first day of my language arts my language arts lessons, the lessons, the students looked at students looked at travel brochures to travel brochures to find persuasive find persuasive words and words and adjectives.adjectives.

Lesson 1 ContinuedLesson 1 Continued The students found many adjectives and persuasive The students found many adjectives and persuasive

phrases and were all very eager to read what they found phrases and were all very eager to read what they found out loud to the class.out loud to the class.

Lesson 1 ContinuedLesson 1 Continued

Then I taught Then I taught them what them what superlatives superlatives were and had were and had them find those them find those in the in the brochures.brochures.


The next thing we did The next thing we did was brainstorm was brainstorm anything they could anything they could think of about Egypt, think of about Egypt, so they had some so they had some ideas to begin looking ideas to begin looking for. for.

I then gave them time I then gave them time to begin researching to begin researching on the internet for on the internet for things to put in their things to put in their brochures.brochures.

Working hardWorking hard

Student CommentsStudent Comments ““Ms. Gray, I have been on lots of Ms. Gray, I have been on lots of

vacations, and we went to a travel agent vacations, and we went to a travel agent before we picked where we were going, before we picked where we were going, and she had brochures like these.”and she had brochures like these.”

““Can I read mine? I found some really Can I read mine? I found some really good adjectives.”good adjectives.”

““My aunt has been to Egypt, so I bet she My aunt has been to Egypt, so I bet she knows all about it. Maybe I can even get knows all about it. Maybe I can even get some pictures from her.”some pictures from her.”


Once again, I was very excited after my Once again, I was very excited after my lesson. The students were very eager to lesson. The students were very eager to listen to me, and they were so excited to listen to me, and they were so excited to get started on making their own brochures. get started on making their own brochures. I think the lesson went quite well, but it I think the lesson went quite well, but it would have been beneficial to have a few would have been beneficial to have a few more brochures for them to look at so that more brochures for them to look at so that they wouldn’t have to share.they wouldn’t have to share.


On the second day we On the second day we went over their graphic went over their graphic organizers and talked organizers and talked about how far they should about how far they should be on their information. be on their information. Then we talked about Then we talked about what audience to write what audience to write their brochures to, how to their brochures to, how to make a lay-out plan, and make a lay-out plan, and how to begin drafting.how to begin drafting.


The second day was a The second day was a mostly a work day and mostly a work day and the students used it the students used it well. They worked very well. They worked very hard at their lay-out hard at their lay-out plans and rough drafts.plans and rough drafts.

Lesson 2 ConclusionLesson 2 Conclusion We concluded We concluded

Day 2 by going Day 2 by going over our over our procedural procedural checklist so checklist so that they knew that they knew what they what they needed to needed to have have completed for completed for my next my next lesson.lesson.

Graphic OrganizerGraphic Organizer

Lay-out Plan ExampleLay-out Plan Example

Draft ExampleDraft Example


““For our lay-out plan, do we have to write For our lay-out plan, do we have to write everything on it?”everything on it?”

““You will never guess how much stuff I You will never guess how much stuff I was able to find out about Cairo!”was able to find out about Cairo!”

““I definitely want to go to Alexandria I definitely want to go to Alexandria someday. You should see all the sweet someday. You should see all the sweet pictures on the internet!”pictures on the internet!”


I thought the day went very well. The I thought the day went very well. The students were very quiet and diligent. It students were very quiet and diligent. It was a bit hard because they were in a lot was a bit hard because they were in a lot of different places because some didn’t of different places because some didn’t bring it home for homework, a few had bring it home for homework, a few had been absent, and some kids missed parts been absent, and some kids missed parts of my lesson for band or speech. After of my lesson for band or speech. After getting them all caught up, it was a breeze getting them all caught up, it was a breeze because they all had things to get done.because they all had things to get done.


On my last On my last language language arts lesson, arts lesson, we went over we went over their revising their revising and editing and editing checklist, checklist, and the and the students students helped me helped me make make changes to changes to my rough my rough draft.draft.

Lesson 3 ContinuedLesson 3 Continued Then we compared Then we compared

two published two published brochures to show brochures to show them how using them how using pictures and color pictures and color makes a brochure makes a brochure more exciting and more exciting and convincing.convincing.

I then gave the students work time to continue writing and start on their revising and editing with a partner.


When the When the students finished students finished with their with their revising and revising and editing, then editing, then they brought it to they brought it to me to for the me to for the final check. final check.


Overall, I was quite pleased with how my Overall, I was quite pleased with how my language arts lessons went. I think the language arts lessons went. I think the students enjoyed making the brochures, students enjoyed making the brochures, and I really loved looking at their final and I really loved looking at their final products. I would have liked to have given products. I would have liked to have given them more class time to work on their them more class time to work on their publishing, but they were able to bring publishing, but they were able to bring them home and make some very them home and make some very impressive products.impressive products.


““How many pictures do we have to have?” How many pictures do we have to have?” ““Can we get pictures off the internet?”Can we get pictures off the internet?” ““Jackie checked mine, so I’m ready for my Jackie checked mine, so I’m ready for my

final check.”final check.” ““Ms. Gray, look at all the cool pictures I Ms. Gray, look at all the cool pictures I

found of the Sphinx, the Great Pyramid, found of the Sphinx, the Great Pyramid, and the Aswan Dam!”and the Aswan Dam!”

High Quality Travel BrochureHigh Quality Travel Brochure

High Quality Brochure AssessmentHigh Quality Brochure Assessment

Low Quality Travel BrochureLow Quality Travel Brochure

Low Quality Brochure AssessmentLow Quality Brochure Assessment

Extra ActivitiesExtra Activities

I kept the students so busy that they didn’t I kept the students so busy that they didn’t even need to use the extra activities. even need to use the extra activities. However, some of the students brought However, some of the students brought them home and did them anyway.them home and did them anyway.

Experience Like None OtherExperience Like None Other

I thoroughly enjoyed my pre-student I thoroughly enjoyed my pre-student teaching experience at Rutherford. I teaching experience at Rutherford. I absolutely loved my time with the 5absolutely loved my time with the 5thth and and 66thth graders and was sorry to see the time graders and was sorry to see the time end. I was quite pleased with how well my end. I was quite pleased with how well my lessons went. The students in my class lessons went. The students in my class were completely wonderful, and I will were completely wonderful, and I will definitely miss them. After this experience, definitely miss them. After this experience, I truly believe that 5I truly believe that 5thth and 6 and 6thth grade is the grade is the grade I want to teach in the future.grade I want to teach in the future.

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Block I Experience