Common Core and Literature: Assignment 2

file:///Users/clarisarodrigues/Documents/307%20take%202.m4a (Copy and paste the link into a new page) 

I felt that this was a very interesting assignment that brought me out of my comfort zone. I thought that both of the articles I read were very interesting and hearing myself speak after helped me pinpoint some target areas for improvement when speaking. The one I posted is my second try at recording myself but I feel like I could have done it 100 different times and not have been completely satisfied with it. This was very interesting and different and I liked having the opportunity to venture out and try something different. I found it difficult to speak what I was thinking while I was trying to read at the same time. I think this is where many of my errors in speaking came from.

CCSS Activity One

I really enjoyed this activity because it helped me see how the standards are scaffolding up to meet the anchor standard. It helped me see the transition and changes from each grade. I liked that I had to think about how to put it into my own words because that helps me think about it and understand it better.

Anchor Standard:	Grade 1: RL.1.3	Grade 2: RL.2.3	Grade 3: RL.3.3
Analyze how and why individuals, events, and ideas develop and interact over the course of a text.	Describe characters, settings, and major events in a story, using key details.	Describe how characters in a story respond to major events and challenges.	Describe characters in a story (e.g. their traits, motivations, or feelings) and explain how their actions contribute to the sequence of events.
Shifts Between Grade Levels:	In first grade they are describing the main characters, settings and events taken place in a story. They need to describe each of them with support of the details in the book.	In second grade they transition into looking at how the characters are responding to the events instead of just identifying them. In second grade they are also looking at challenges the characters might be facing in the book.	In third grade they are being to examine the characters more critically. They are looking into how the characters are feeling and what motivates the character’s actions. They are looking at how the character’s actions are effecting the story.
How It Can Be Taught Across Instructional Levels:	In first grade I think this can be done by reading picture books to the class and talking in detail about the characters and settings of the book as a class. I would ask the class questions such as ‘what happened in the book that makes you think that?’ I think that this can be taught by reading and looking at the pictures of the books with the class.	In second grade I can see the shift into slightly more critical thinking skills when looking at characters. This can be taught a number of different ways. This can be taught by having students break into book groups and have them discuss the major events in the story as well as the characters’ actions when these events occur. Another way to teach this would be to read a book as a class and have a class discussion on the characters’ actions when major events take place.	In third grade there is a larger push to emphasize critical thinking skills. This shift would be best taught in small reading groups. Kids can be separated into different book groups and they can answer questions and have discussions about how the characters are changing and why. They could make predictions on how they think the character’s actions will affect the story’s ending.

Final Writing Process Post

Poetry:

I have always loved reading and writing poetry. My interest with it began in the 8th grade where my teacher had us analyze so many different types of writing, one of which was poetry. I explored many different famous poets such as Edgar Allen Poe, Robert Frost, Shel Silverstein, and many more. I really enjoyed trying to interpret the messages they were sending through their poems.

Throughout 8th grade until about mid junior year I was constantly writing poems about many different challenges I was facing over the years and I kept them in a folder hidden in my closet. When I moved, I found it and I threw most of them away and I wish I hadn't done that.

I had never thought much about teaching poetry to any one else until I took this course. After reading the article about the foolproof methods of teaching poetry I can see that teaching poetry is no easy task. It seems that teaching poetry requires a certain level of appreciation of the genre in order to express our ideas and share a 'great' poem and write our own to share with our students. Looking back, I think my teacher didn't really enjoy poetry but he still gave us the opportunity to explore it.

My Writing Process: Teacher Revision

Since I was in grade school my favorite person to revise with was always the teacher. I always felt that if the teacher was the one making corrections and giving feedback then that is what I really had to work on because they knew what they were talking about the most.

Now that I'm in college I continue to feel this way for many reasons. I always think that if the professor reads over your work before you submit it and make the changes they suggest you're almost guaranteed a good grade. I think putting in the extra effort to have them look over your writing goes a long way.

I also think that in college, getting a professor's opinion, feedback and suggestions on my writing will help me further to think about the changes I have to make and improve the quality of my writing. I try to incorporate former feedback that I have received on older papers into any new papers I am currently working on to ensure I am always improving and building on my writing.

Finally, I feel like meeting with a professor regarding a paper for the class helps me as a student because then I get a better understanding on what the professor is expecting from us. Sometimes the rubrics given are vague and I don't always know what they want from their short description.

Writing Process: Peer Revising

Throughout the process of writing my informational text I wrote about how writing is difficult for me at times. This was evident through my paper after peer editing.

I think it is important to have other people read my writing, especially if it is an important paper or topic being written about. I get embarrassed and self-conscious when other people read my writing because I know I'm not a great writer so when I hear that peer editing is going to happen I start to get nervous.

When I handed my rough draft to my peers it was a very very rough draft, I had only gotten about half way done, so when I got it back there were lots of comments made on my computer. The first half of writing it took me a long time and it was a struggle to find the words to express what I wanted to say.

After reading the comments my peers wrote I was able to go back and add to my paper and it was easier to make the changes and improve in all the necessary areas. I also found that it was easier to finish the paper because I was able to incorporate the comments my peers made into the second half of my paper.

I think a second opinion is always great when doing formal writing and it is important to teacher our students how to peer edit and receive constructive feedback from others.

I found this picture when reading about peer editing and I thought it was a good thing to share with our classrooms in the future.

What and Why I Read

Reading is fundamental to the world we live in today. In the 1800s people could get away with not knowing how to read but today we read where ever we go. We read signs and billboards on the highway, we read facebook posts and text messages, we read textbooks and novels, words surround us everywhere we go.

I read for so many different reasons. The first are the obvious reasons like emails and texts from people. I read text books and article for school to get information and gain knowledge on a subject.

My favorite reason to read is to read for pleasure, I love reading realistic fiction novels. I love reading stories I can relate to and get lost in. When I really love a book I can read for hours and get lost in. When I read a good book I feel like I'm a part of it. I love a book that can make me laugh, cry, get my heart rate up because of the suspense. It opens our minds to new ideas and broadens our horizons.

We read to learn, whether it's from reading about other people's experiences, or reading to learn about the world around us or even if it's for an assignment given to us by a teacher.

It is important as future teachers that we work towards making sure our students know the importance of knowing how read.