RICA DOMAIN 1

TC NAME: Melissa Pitcher

RICA Domain: “Planning Reading Instruction based on Assessment”

RICA Competency: Planning Reading Instruction

Grade Level: Kindergarten

Any Additional Descriptors : SEI class

INSTRUCTION:

I observed Ms. F during her Planning Reading Instruction. She does a math lesson first thing in the morning. First she reviews the numbers that they have already learned, in this case 1-3, to get them oriented  and ready to for the lesson. She does a “book walk” on the same book that they have been reading before they move on to the next number. They talk about what numbers they know and the different ways they can write it (with dots, addition problem, symbols, tallys, number itself, what it looks like on a die and  fun drawings). Ms. F then began her presentation on the number four. She puts up a piece of big poster paper on the board so everyone can see it and they talk about the number four. Ms. F  slowly writes the number four as she talks her way through it “start at the top line, go down to the dotted go right , stop. Start at the top line again then draw straight line all the way to the bottom line”, she makes four dots on the number she just wrote  and has the class counts them all together. She asked them to show her how many fingers four is, how they can write it (dots, addition problem, numbers, tallys, pictures and what it looks like on a  die)and they have to explain to her how they came up with their idea on how to write the number. For structured practice, the students are grouped at tables so they can talk about what they just learned with the other students, then she gives each student a work sheet that has four pictures at the top to color, two lines that have the number 4 dotted on it to trace and the last line is blank for them to write their own number four, to me this reminded me of a small version of scaffolding. For guided practice, Ms. F walks around the class and looks at every students work as they work and re-models if necessary, asks questions and gives feedback “make sure you don’t have any  ghost numbers”(meaning  the number didn’t touch the top and/or bottom line).  When they are done writing out their numbers, for independent practice she has them flip over their paper and make groups of four  with any symbol, shape or number they want and circle it so she can come back around and count with them.

INSTRUCTIONAL SETTING:

I learned that Ms. F uses many different types of strategies and supports to teach her lesson: a review in their heads, a book, poster-the many different ways to write the number, addition problem, coloring, writing the number and making groups of four on the back of their paper. This lesson will affect ALL students learning styles.