I completed my internship at the Crescents school in a grade 2/3 classroom during the 2022/2023 school year. My experience here has increased my confidence in my ability to be a classroom teacher. With the guidance of my cooperating teacher, I was able to grow and succeed as a teacher.
Math
Addition and Subtraction
Students reviewed basic addition and subtraction strategies focusing on one-digit and two-digit equations. Working through the different strategies we can use to obtain the answer. Students participated in different math centers which include (M.O.M.O (math on my own), work with the teacher, math games, and hands-on learning activities). I also created ketchup, mayo and mustard figures for math for catch-up days.
Patterns
Students reviewed patterns and the types of patterns they have seen in years prior (increasing, decreasing, repeating patterns). There was a primary focus on number patterns and skip counting throughout the unit, then a focus on picture patterns and comparing patterns. Students took part in various math centers and horizontal learning experiences.
English
Reading
Fall books
The students listened to some fall stories to follow the theme of the season, with these falls books students complete comprehension activities.
Amelia Bedelia
Read a number of Amelia Bedelia books and focused on different skills for comprehension of each story. Students did some comprehension questions that promoted them to deepen their understanding of each story. In addition to comprehension, students took part in a book bracket to uncover the classroom’s favourite Amelia Bedelia book from the unit.
Writing
descriptive writing
Students practices adding details into their writing to provide the reader with a visual in their head about what they are writing about. Students practice using describing words by focusing on what certain things smell like, look like, feel like and taste like. During this unit, students wrote small passages, poems and character descriptions.
letter writing
Students practiced how to write a letter focusing on friendly letters. The unit started by introducing students to letters and the parts of a letter. Each morning I would write a letter to the class and have the students label the letter. To ensure understanding of parts of a letter students learned a song that goes with the Addams Family theme song. Students wrote four letters, one to their classmates, one to a Crayon colour (replying to the book The Day the Crayons Quit), a letter to the principal, and a letter to our chairs because they quit on us.
Word Work
long u sounds (cvce u_e)
Investigating words with long U sounds focusing on CVCE words and learning how to spell them. Students were given different worksheets, activities, and games that focused on long U-sound words.
long e sound (cvce e_e)
Investigating words with long E sounds focusing on CVCE words and learning how to spell them. Students were given different worksheets, activities, and games that focused on long E-sound words. This was a more difficult mini unit because there are few long E-sound CVCE words. On the first day, the students were asked to think of long E-sound words many of these words were EE or EA words.
Homophones
Students looked at homophones focusing on the sounds of the words and how they are used in sentences rather than how to spell each word. Students played a variety of games to enhance their comprehension and understanding of words in a sentence. Students also created a hunt for homophones poster that students got to write the homophones they hear and see throughout each day. This was an engaging way for students to investigate homophones during the unit.
Health
diversity
Students learned about what makes each person unique and different. Investigating how each of them is unique and special but also some ways they may be the same as other classmates. They also looked at the diversity within their community, There was also a discussion on why it’s important to have diversity and how we benefit from having diversity in our community.
Respect
Students learned about respect with investigations into what respect looks like. Throughout the unit, we looked at respect for ourselves, respect for others, respect for things, and respect for nature/environment. Students explored respects through a variety of strategies, through books, videos, imagination, roleplay, writing and drawing.
Science
Structures
Students learned about structures, looking at different types of structures and how structures are built. This unit consisted of learning structure vocabulary and hands-on building experiments. Students built bridges, buildings and chairs during the unit and were tasked with using different materials each time. When building chairs students were paired with Kindergarten buddies and had to make a chair that could hold a person.
Social Studies
My Community
This unit was shared between myself and my cooperating teacher. She began looking at their school and classroom activity and I began with their community and neighbourhood. Students investigated different buildings in their community and the people who work in those buildings, discussing the importance of these buildings and workers. They looked at community helpers and interdependence in the community.
cultural diversity
Throughout the four months at the Crescents school, I had my students learn about different holidays and celebrations around the world. Students were given a passport and as various holidays came about Students would be given a lesson and learn important facts and traditions that accompany these holidays. The ones we investigate are Diwali, Halloween, Remembrance Day, Hannukkah, Christmas in Canada, and Christmas in Australia.
Physical Education
locomotor movements
Students played a variety of games that had a primary focus on locomotor movements. These movements included running, skipping, hopping, walking, et. During the unit students also took part in an indigenous game called Corraling the Buffalo; this game was played by young children to learn how to hunt and corral buffalos. All the games played connected to practicing locomotor movements.