The document describes Melissa Killian's field experience teaching 3rd grade at Woodbury Grammar School, including strategies she used to teach content like Jigsaw reading, GRASP activities, and concept maps. It also provides surveys assessing the effectiveness of different classroom techniques and types of writing assignments across the curriculum.

1. MELISSA KILLIAN
CUED 6800
Field Experience

2. WO O D BU RY G R A M M A R S C H O O L
 Cannon County, Tennessee
 School Population: 496 students (K-8)
 3rd Grade Population: 46 students
 Subjects Taught: Reading/Language Arts and Social Studies
• This is the first year my co-teacher and I have decided to specialize in
two areas. I am able to focus more on planning and am able to know
all of the third graders instead of just those in my class. Recently we
have gone back to teaching both Social Studies and Science to our
homerooms.
 School Web Address: http://www.ccstn.net/wgs/site/default.asp

3. R E P O RT C A R D I N F O R M AT I O N 2 0 1 0
 Achievement:
• Math-D
• Reading/Language-D
• Social Studies-D
• Science-D
 Academic Growth (Value Added):
• Math-C
• Reading/Language-D
• Social Studies-B
• Science-D

4. CONTENT STRATEGIES
 Jig-Saw Read with Wordle (Technology Integration)
• The first activity that I had my students do was a Jig-Saw read. In our
Social Studies text, the whole first unit has to do with cultures and
ways we experience them. One lesson is about different cultural
holidays. I had students break into groups and had each group read a
section. Students picked important words from the section. The
students then typed the important words into Wordle.net. Using their
Wordle, students discussed their holiday with the whole class.
• This strategy seemed very effective as far as the students knowing
about the holiday they read about. After the activity, students
understood the information they had read about but did not know
much about the other holidays that were presented. I think it would
have been more effective, if we would have had time to split into
different groups to explain the information.

5. CONTENT STRATEGIES
 Example of student Wordles:

6. CONTENT STRATEGIES
 GRASP Activity with iPad (Technology Integration)
• The next strategy that I taught my students to use was the GRASP
activity. Students read a selection several times, close their books, tell
everything they remember and written it down, and write a summary
from their notes. I did this activity first by having them use their
textbooks to discover information about famous artists/writers, and
then I had students use a set of iPads to look up more information.
• This was the most effective strategy that I have used so far this year.
Students really learned the information after reading, remembering,
summarizing, and writing. At the end of the week, I had students
take an open-notes test over the famous artists/writers from their
text. Many students knew the information so well that they only used
their notes to check information.

7. CONTENT STRATEGIES
 Students’ examples of GRASP Activity:
Example of summaries:
Example of notes:
Example of summary:

8. CONTENT STRATEGIES
 T-Notes/Two Column Notes
• One of the goals we have in 3rd grade is teaching students to take
notes. The next section in our Social Studies book dealt with
geography and several terms that students needed to know. I decided
to have my students take notes using the T-Note/Two Column Note
strategy.
• This strategy worked well with this lesson since it dealt with a
number of terms and ideas that students needed to know. Students
were able to put the terms on one side and any information that went
with the notes on the other. When we reviewed over the information,
students could find the term and any information they needed to
know.

9. CONTENT STRATEGIES
 T-Notes/Two Column Notes:

10. CONTENT STRATEGIES
 KWL
• For the next section in Social Studies, I decided to have the students
complete a KWL. The first time I tried to start, I was getting
information that had nothing to do with the lesson. The next day, I
gave students a list of words from the selection, and they seemed to
do much better selecting information that they knew or wanted to
know.
• This lesson worked well after I adjusted it after the first lesson.
Students were able to understand how to fill out the Know and Want
to Know sections easier. Before we finished for the day with the
lesson, I would have students review over their notes and add to the
What I Learned section.

11. CONTENT STRATEGIES
 KWL Example:

12. CONTENT STRATEGIES
 SQ3R
• The SQ3R was a strategy that I have always wanted to use but could
not quite figure out how to use it with third graders. After searching
the internet, I found a document that I could manipulate to fit my
lesson. It provided steps for the students to complete at each section.
• The SQ3R worked well with my students because it had a step by
step procedure. We completed the activity together so that students
could understand the five steps better. As we finished each day, the
students and I would go through the steps to review information and
how to complete the strategy. After telling my co-teacher about it, she
decided to use it for a science lesson.

13. CONTENT STRATEGIES
 SQ3R Examples (Adapted from version on http://students.ed.uiuc.edu/kjwong/eport )

14. CONTENT STRATEGIES
 Concept Map
• The concept map was an activity I used to help students understand how
regions can be compared and contrasted. I was not sure how to develop a
concept map, so I relied on a map that I found online. After completing
the map with my students, I wished I would have developed my own
concept map from the others so that I could have made some of the
relationships easier to understand.
• I enjoyed using the map because the information was easy to convey on
the chart. Students could look at the main topic and see how everything
was related. The one thing I did not like was the format that I used. I
think that by developing my own map, students would have had more
room and been able to see how the information flowed.

15. CONTENT STRATEGIES
 Concept Map

16. CONTENT STRATEGIES
 Word Sort
• The word sort activity was one I was not sure how to complete with
students. Students had completed word sorts in previous grades with their
spelling words. I used this activity with the ecosystems that we were
discussing in class. Each ecosystem was a heading and students had to
match the descriptions to the words.
• This activity worked well with my students. I started the week’s lesson by
having the students complete the word sort, and we discussed what they
had grouped together. Then we went over the lesson. The day after we
finished the lesson, I had the students complete the word sort themselves
and glue it to a sheet of paper. Students were allowed to use their books
or notes, but most opted not too. Most of the students did very well and
were able to match the different descriptions. Most students only missed a
few because they mixed up information about the desert and grassland
ecosystems.

17. CONTENT STRATEGIES
 Word Sort

18. CONTENT STRATEGIES
 Venn Diagram
• I used the Venn Diagram to help students understand the
relationship between urban, suburban, and rural areas. First, I had the
students write down information as we discussed the three types of
areas. The next day after we had finished, I explained each part as we
went over the Venn Diagram.
• I decided to use a three circle Venn Diagram to compare the three
areas. Students were familiar with the two circle but not the three, so
I made sure to explain each section with them. I think this activity
worked well because we wrote about each region and then looked at
all three sections before writing on our Venn Diagrams. Students
were able to easily compare urban to suburban and suburban to rural,
but they had trouble telling how rural and urban relate.

19. CONTENT STRATEGIES
 Venn Diagram

20. CLASSROOM TECHNIQUES
SURVEY
Lecture Somewhat Effective: It is very effective for me as a teacher, but
students would sometimes zone out or get distracted and may not
always understand the lesson.
Discussion Very Effective: The students were able to see many different
viewpoints instead of only hearing about my viewpoint. Also, it
allowed students to express their ideas and gave them time to talk.
Demonstration Very Effective: Students were able to see what they need to do. They
were also able to see the finished project. Students often have a lot
less questions since they see what they need to do.
Technology Very Effective (both teacher and student use): The students were
often able to think outside of the box and develop new ideas. By
Integration
integrating technology, I now have something that I can use again
each year and with different students.

21. CLASSROOM TECHNIQUES
SURVEY
Guided Somewhat Effective: For math it helps students think quicker with
addition/multiplication problems. For other students it is frustrating, and they
Study-Drill sometimes give up. I have found that students often do not like the repetition
and give up.
Homework Effective: I feel that it is effective for the students who do the work
themselves or with some help at home. I understand that parents feel that they
need to check the work, but some parents often give their child the answer but
do not explain why it is the answer, so I am not able to see what the child is
capable of doing.
Questioning Very effective: When using higher order questioning skills and open ended
questions, I can see how students are analyzing questions to develop answers.
Programmed Somewhat Effective: Several years ago I used Saxon phonics and absolutely
hated it. In years passed, I have used Saxon Math and enjoyed how the lessons
Instruction flowed. I think that as a teacher I have to be really lenient on how it is scripted
and modify the lesson for what the students need.

22. TYPES OF QUESTIONS
SURVEY
Type of Questions Number Level of Question (Literal,
Inferential, or Evaluative)
Assess knowledge √√√√√ Literal
Check for understanding √√√√√√√ Literal, a few Inferential
Help analyze problems √ Evaluative
Lead students to explore values
Promote creative thinking √ Literal
Help evaluate situations √√√ Evaluative
Show how to apply knowledge √ Literal

23. TYPES OF QUESTIONS
SURVEY
 During the survey, my class and I were reviewing over a story we had read
together. I think the questions that I asked fit the instructional purpose, but I think I
could have asked a few higher leveled questions.
 From the survey, I feel like I am a very literal question asker since I do not use
many higher level questions. I also struggle with using questions that would have my
students analyze and explore what we are discussing. Several times when I ask
questions, I try to think of different ways that I can phrase questions to make them
reach a higher level, but I often stay on the lower levels of assessing knowledge and
checking for understanding to try to get the point across to the class. I think I
definitely need to use more higher level questions to allow my students to evaluate
their knowledge.

24. WRITING ACROSS THE
CURRICULUM SURVEY
CURRICULUM SURVEY + or -
√ Summaries of class lectures +
√ Summaries of textbook readings +
√ Summaries of outside reading assignments -
√ Explanation of new concepts +
Descriptions of processes being studied
√ Reactions to material presented in the text or in class -
Applications of ideas presented in class or in the text
Newspaper accounts based on material read
Character sketches of read or fictional characters
√ Diary entries that real or fictional characters might have written -
√ Results of experiments +
Explanation of impact on society of a scientific discover or political action

25. WRITING ACROSS THE
CURRICULUM SURVEY
CURRICULUM SURVEY + or -
Account of the development of an area of technology over a period of time
√ Imaginary letters from one historical or fictional character to another +
Written reactions to the actions of one historical or fictional character
Written explanations about the causes of historical events
Written directions for a game or other activity
Explanation of benefit of an exercise program or healthy diet
√ Written description of an artistic technique -
√ Written reactions to works of art -
Case Studies
Personal journals
√ Other (please describe) Learning Log +

26. W R I T I N G AC RO S S T H E
C U R R I C U LU M P O S I T I V E R E S U LT S
Summaries of In third grade, we are trying to help students develop note taking skills. Most of the time it
involves us talking and writing while the students copy what is written. I like using summaries
Class Lectures of class lectures because as a teacher I get to see what they have learned instead of seeing what
they have copied. Then I can see what I might need to reteach. I think that using lecture
summaries went well because it allowed students to show what they understood or
remembered.
Letters to For a story we read in our basal, I had students write a letter to the main character about what
type of pet she should choose. Many students had ordinary ideas, but many were able to
Characters in develop many reasons why she should choose the pet they picked. I think it was successful
Stories because each student was able to write their opinion and why they had chosen that animal
instead of them being given a specific animal to write about they had freedom to choose.
Summaries of I did a group activity in which students read a section, gave me key ideas, and then we, as a
class, wrote a summary. After we did several together, many students were able to do it by
Class themselves. I am not sure if they would be able to do it without prompting on another subject,
Textbook but when we took an open notes/book test over the historical figures, many students only had
to use their notes to check their work. I think it was successful because I modeled the idea
Reading several times, and then the students were able to help me complete the summaries.

27. W R I T I N G AC RO S S T H E
C U R R I C U LU M N E G AT I V E R E S U LT S
Written For one writing activity, I had students look at two paintings and write their reactions to the
painting. I explained who the artist was and the names of the paintings. I chose two
Reactions to impressionist paintings by Vincent Van Gogh thinking that it would get their creative juices
Works of Art flowing, and they would be able to develop many descriptions of the art. Unfortunately, I
received a lot of responses about how they liked the colors and questions about what the fuzzy
images were. I think it would have gone better if I would have had the students think more
about the paintings before they wrote or gave them more direct pieces of art.
Reactions to After using the reactions to works of art and reactions to materials presented in class, I have
noticed that my students do not have a very good grasp of adjectives and describing. They can
Materials often tell me what they see or what the class did, but they have a very difficult time using
Presented in descriptive words to tell what was presented. I think that the writing activity could have gone
better if I would have presented them with material, written a reaction together as a class, and
Class then after another lesson have then write their own reaction and use prompts from the class
reaction that we wrote.
Summaries of This year I modeled a book report after one the students did last year in second grade. I used
the same format but added to how long the summary of their book had to be. Several of the
Outside students told everything that happened in their book, even the unimportant parts, while others
Reading did not give enough information. I thought students would do well because we have discussed
and made summaries before, but they did not do as well I thought. What surprised me was
that several students did very well when they had to orally present the summary.

28. NCTE STANDARDS REFLECTI ON
Standard Response
3. Students apply a wide range of strategies to In connection to third grade, Tennessee state standards,
comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate this is a very viable standard because it is taught
texts. They draw on their prior experience, their throughout the year. Students need to be exposed to
interactions with other readers and writers, their many different reading opportunities, and they need to be
knowledge of word meaning and of other texts, able to use different strategies to comprehend what they
their word identification strategies, and their are reading. They need to be taught different fix up
understanding of textual features (e.g., sound- strategies that will help them decode words, comprehend
letter correspondence, sentence structure, context, reading, and interpret vocabulary that they are reading.
graphics). My only concern is that in third grade, several students
are still relying on the teacher’s viewpoint, and it is often
difficult to get them to evaluate information for
themselves. Also, a lot of third graders have not learned
to appreciate reading, especially those who struggle, so it
is hard to get them to read for fun.

29. NCTE STANDARDS REFLECTI ON
Standard Response
4. Students adjust their use of spoken, written, This is a standard that I support whole heartedly. It is a
and visual language (e.g., conventions, style, very viable standard that has a possibility of helping
vocabulary) to communicate effectively with a students throughout life. I have students who do not
variety of audiences and for different purposes. understand the difference between home language and
school language, so I often receive the ain’ts and the
double negatives that I know they understand how to
correct. My belief is that students need to understand
that as they get older and are in public more often that
they need to present themselves in a positive light
through how they speak and write. I think teachers need
to promote grammar in how they speak and write
themselves so that students can see it taking place.

30. NCTE STANDARDS REFLECTI ON
Standard Response
5. Students employ a wide range of strategies as This is a standard that I support, but unfortunately do
they write and use different writing process not spend a lot of time expressing it to my students.
elements appropriately to communicate with Students need to understand that writing, just like
different audiences for a variety of purposes. speaking, has a purpose and an audience. They need
to be able to communicate properly with others and
present material in a way that others will understand.
Students often focus on getting the thought across that
they do not think about editing a writing activity to make
sure everyone can understand it.

31. NCTE STANDARDS REFLECTI ON
Standard Response
8. Students use a variety of technological and This is a very valid and viable standard that I support.
information resources (e.g., libraries, databases, With new forms of technology becoming a part of
computer networks, video) to gather and students’ lives, they need to understand how to use
synthesize information and to create and these resources. They need to have research skills and
communicate knowledge. the ability to find information that will help them with
their ability to communicate. They also need to
understand that information can come from several
different areas and not just necessarily from a book or a
computer.

32. NCTE STANDARDS REFLECTI ON
Standard Response
10. Students whose first language is not English I think that this is a standard that needs more support
make use of their first language to develop within school systems. That is why I think it is a valid
competency in the English language arts and to standard that needs to be used, but I am not sure if it is
develop understanding of content across the viable in some areas. Often teachers are so focused on
curriculum. making sure that the student is fluent in speaking
English that the student may not comprehend what
he/she is reading. In a previous class, a teacher
explained that a student may understand a concept in
Science, but they may not have the vocabulary to
support it. I think we, as teachers, need to support
students in any way to help them understand what they
are learning.

33. STANDARDS INFORMATION
 Standard 1: Theoretical Base
• This is a standard that is used throughout the year by teachers and
reading specialists. Teachers can meet this standard by looking at the
specific theories to help understand where a student is in his/her
reading ability or other areas and focus on what the student needs to
bump him/her up instead of starting too high and frustrating the
student.
 Standard 2: Theoretical Base
• This standard is used daily by teachers. Teachers can meet this
standard through the way they teach what needs to be covered, how
they group students throughout the day, and how they support
student learning by modifying their lessons.

34. STANDARDS INFORMATION
 Standard 3: Individual Differences
• Like Standard 2, this standard is used daily. Teachers can meet this
standard through modifying their lessons to meet students’
needs, small group instruction to focus on students’ strengths and
weaknesses, pulling in outside resources to connect with students’
lives, and by studying and covering state standards in different ways.
 Standard 4: Reading Difficulties:
• Teachers use the three previous standards to help students with
reading difficulties. They can meet this standard from the way they
use theories to support student learning, by how they group students
to facilitate learning, and through the way they use different strategies
to meet the individual student’s needs.

35. STANDARDS INFORMATION
 Standard 5: Learning Environment
• Teachers can meet this goal through the variety of books and other
materials they provide in their classroom library. They can also pull in
different content strategies to support what students are learning in other
subjects. Teachers can participate in daily read alouds and provide
parents/caregivers with support to assist them in helping their children
become better readers.
 Standard 6: Word Identification, Vocabulary, and Spelling
• Teachers can meet this goal through teaching phonics skills to students to
help support the development of reading skills. They can also meet this
standard by teaching students several ways to recognize the meaning of
words in context in fiction and nonfiction passages. Teachers can finally
meet this goal through providing students with different patterns to help
facilitate spelling.

36. STANDARDS INFORMATION
 Standard 7: Comprehension
• Teachers can meet this standard by teaching multiple comprehension
strategies to help students understand different genres. Teachers can
provide experiences that develop students’ prior knowledge, content
skills, and metacognition. Teachers can allow students to develop
writing strategies to help convey their thoughts and feelings.
 Standard 8: Study Strategies
• Teachers meet this standard by how they teach students to
comprehend new information, use different forms of resources to
understand material, and to develop their own metacognition.

37. STANDARDS INFORMATION
 Standard 9: Writing
• Teachers can meet this standard through the ways that they relate
reading and writing. They can provide opportunities for students to
develop their writing skills based on what they have read, what they
have studied, and how they are feeling. Teachers can also meet this
goal by teaching the basic writing process to expand students’ writing
abilities.
 Standard 10: Assessment
• Teachers can meet this goal through providing different assessments
to understand students’ strengths and weaknesses. They continually
use data from these assessments to develop a plan for helping each
student become better readers.

38. STANDARDS INFORMATION
 Standard 11: Communicating Information
• Teachers can communicate with different people at the school level
through planning, discussion of assessment results, and developing
curriculum plans. Teachers can communicate with parents/guardians
through newsletters, phone calls, conferences about how their child is
doing, and giving parents advice on how to help their child succeed.
 Standard 12: Curriculum Development
• Teachers can work with others on linking lessons to state and
common core standards. They can develop individual goals for
students by looking at their needs and strengths and by grouping
students across grade and room level to meet their needs. They can
look for materials that can help students and that they know can
work on different levels.

39. STANDARDS INFORMATION
 Standard 13: Professional Development
• Teachers/Specialists can provide assistance through professional
development opportunities by helping teachers in areas that they
need help. They can also keep up-to-date on new techniques through
research and continue their own professional development to help
others develop their own skills.
 Standard 14: Research
• Specialists continue ongoing research through reading professional
articles and completing professional development. They provide
teachers and students with opportunities to develop new techniques
and modify/adapt those areas that may or may not work.

40. STANDARDS INFORMATION
 Standard 15: Supervision of Paraprofessionals
• Teachers help paraprofessionals in planning and providing materials that
they may need. They provide support in allowing paraprofessionals
growth opportunities in the area of reading to help them guide their
teaching. Teachers also provide support by observing the paraprofessional
in their teaching abilities and giving appropriate feedback.
 Standard 16: Professionalism
• Specialists work with others to help develop everyone's reading abilities.
They treat others with respect while collaborating about students’ needs
and the development of reading programs. They are continually
increasing their knowledge and developing an understanding of ways to
help provide other professionals and students with what they need.

41. SMALL GROUP INSTRUCTION
 This year my principal wanted teachers to provide a more
standards focused small group instruction instead of only focusing on
fluency and reading skills. With this practicum, I found myself
focusing on the students’ needs and how to deliver that to the
students. I was able to provide students with chances to improve their
reading skills and also to focus on supporting students on standards
based instruction.

42. PROFESSIONAL
CONFERENCES
 Supervisors from the Central Office asked me to attend a Formative
Instructional Practices (FIP) conference. In this meeting, the presenters
discussed that teachers need to start unpacking the standards (both the
Diploma Project and Common Core) to look at what needs to be covered
and to use the standards along with assessments to help guide instruction.
This conference helped me understand more about the shift to Common
Core Standards and how using them now will help teachers focus more on
what needs to be taught.

43. TIME LOG

44. TIME LOG

45. TIME LOG

46. TIME LOG

47. COPIES OF DOCUMENTS
 Here is a copy of the Field Classroom Survey files:
 Here is a copy of my Time Log:
 NCTE Standards Reflection: