Observation Journal Entry #5

Another cold and windy morning saw us outside jump roping. The nice thing about it, is that it warms us all up. No need to complain about the cold anymore. However, my shoulders with the repetitive strain injury are killing me. I am not liking this AT ALL. I wonder if they will get used to it, or if it will continue to be a royal pain the shoulders.

At the start of Morning Lesson, Ms. R introduced the paragraph note taking form for the second paragraph, the topic is geography. Three required questions on the form are:
1. What does the landscape of the state look like?
2. What are the major water features, cities and natural areas?
3. What is the climate? How does the weather affect the people of this state?
Ms. R also left an open space for a 4th question or other ideas for interesting tidbits the children find in their research. The students are given state books borrowed from the library and encouraged to go through the Table of Contents to find the section of the book that will help them answer those questions. Ms. R also encouraged children to write fragments (my words not hers) in the provided notes section.  She told the children that just notes, a couple of words are enough, that full sentences not needed. Sentences could be developed later from their notes. The form also included a space for a summary/final sentence for the paragraph, and space for 2 vocabulary words.

Next up, the story. SHOW TIME, no pressure (ack!).

During our first meeting Ms. R asked me to prepare a 15-20 minute story of Tecumseh. Now I have to admit, I was a bit dismayed about this...I had read a quick kids version of the story in preparation for this block, but other than that, I did not know ANYTHING  about this person's biography. So I had to do quite a bit of studying up. Telling a History story to a roomful of Fifth Graders is quite a bit more daunting that telling a Fairy Tale to a bunch of First Graders Oh dear. See, if you mess up the Fairy Tale...you can just keep going and work with the mistake. Make a mistake about telling History? Can't fix that without looking like a dope. But without a challenge, there's no room for growth. But overall I think it went fine.

I spent the week looking over different books, wikipedia articles, and various websites to find out information. And then spent the weekend writing notes and refining them. The biggest problem was figuring out what to tell them! Tecumseh had such a BIG life, it was difficult to figure out what to focus on, and what to gloss over just enough to give the children a flavor of the historical situation. I didn't veer too far off my ideas of what I wanted to say. I had a cheat sheet in my pocket that had the various treaties and the dates on them so I could remember to get them in proper order. Ms. R said to go ahead and use the board to mark these down. It's okay to go from notes in 5th grade instead of memorizing everything. But I had three pictures in my head of what I wanted the children to know, and I think I managed to do that. Only a couple of brain farts when trying to think of the proper descriptive words I wanted (as I didn't write a script), but I managed to keep moving, remember where I was, give the images I wanted to pass on, and bring my own enthusiasm about this person. In the end, I felt sorry for him. He tried so hard to unite the various tribes of the Native Americans, but they couldn't stop fighting amongst each other to fight together. I don't think they would have managed to keep their own lands safe, I think it would have made the US Army work for it a bit harder. God IS on the side with the most artillery factories...

So, scary, but good. I'm glad its over until the next story!

Observation Journal Entry #6

Tuesday.

More jump roping. OUCH. Several children decided to goof off while twirling the ropes with me and one chose to actively not listen. I so wanted to bonk this child one, but I didn't think it was a good idea. So, instead I walked over, looked him in the eye and said "You are hurting me by not working with me. Please do your part" But no. He didn't want to cooperate, so Ms. R called him over to her jump rope and another student took over. I thanked my new partner for stepping up.

Seat work. Several times a week, Ms. R leaves a half page worksheet for the class to work on while she is greeting everyone into the classroom.  Today's sheets are phonics sheets and focus on one sound per page. 3-5 minutes.

I made a massive flub today. I forgot to bring in one of Tecumseh's speeches to read to the children, like Ms. R asked me. I managed to pull out one of the shorter ones that show''s off his clever use of language, but I totally blew it. I COMPLETELY forgot she asked me to do that. I felt awful. She said "No worries." We all forget to do things.

The work focus today is a continuation from yesterday. The children received their note taking sheets that they completed yesterday back from Ms. R. and she instructed them to start the draft of their first paragraph. I focused my time by helping a student do this. This child is....um....slow to get started, and gets distracted easily, but isn't disruptive about it. The problem is that no work gets done! He's very bright and articulate though, he seems capable of the work, just not in a classroom setting. I helped him transform his notes into a draft like I had with his introductory paragraph last week. As we'd talk about how to transform the notes into full sentences, I'd make suggestions, he'd consider what I said, and then come up with his preferred statement, which I wrote down for him. We were able to get through the entire draft by the end of the work time. In addition, by that point he came up with his fourth question and answer (which were blank on the notetaking sheet) on his own and we got worked into the paragraph nicely.

We heard the story of John Henry today, a factual story, rather than fable. This was new to me. Previously I've only been familiar with the fable that I've told Second Graders. Yea for new stuff!  I'm teaching them several verses of the song later in the week (Did you know Johnny Cash recorded one? I didn't!) . I started drawing a picture today of John Henry. I've got it sketched out, and am starting to fill in, but I need more chalk colors than the ones available. I'll be bringing a few pieces of chalk from my collection at home. I've got a good start on the picture...but I think it still looks pretty sad. I just keep telling myself. I am learning to draw. I am drawing better each time I do so. Thankfully, though, the children don't laugh at my efforts.

It is supposed to rain tomorrow. I've offered to bring in a train themed game for the children to play. Since John Henry is about train track system building, it made sense to me to bring in a game that helps point out just what a pain it was for all these men to build it for real. I love playing games and especially enjoy inflicting new ones that I adore onto new people.

I am also currently memorizing the John Henry song, and Harriet Tubman poem I saw another fifth grade class memorize in a video.

Start of sketch of John Henry



And the first fill in.