WEEK 6

WHAT
This week absolutely flew by for me. My cooperating teacher was at a conference on Thursday and Friday, so there was suppose to be a substitute for both days. He was there on Thursday, but on Friday the principal came into the room and asked me if he could borrow the substitute for the day to put in another class. Of course I said yes and I experienced my very first day in the classroom, all day, by myself. It was so much fun!
Friday was the last day of my science unit that I put together on soil. I got to make my own test for the unit. I pulled together all the information that I covered on this unit for the students and made a test. Not all the students have finished the test because we ran out of time on Friday, because we had a mountain man come talk to us. Of the tests that I have graded so far though, the students have done fairly well and it's quite exciting for me.

SO WHAT
Since my science unit is done with, I will now start reteaching it! The 4th grade in the school that I am at does a rotation schedule when it comes to science. You teach a unit for three weeks, and then you switch classes and get to teach another class the same thing all over again. I've heard that this can get boring but for this unit I am actually excited. I'm excited because I will get to learn more about the subject and perfect my unit.
I'm also excited to see how my tests turn out from my class for another reason. This reason is because then I will get to evaluate and see where I didn't teach as well during my unit. Then come the next few weeks I will get to fix what I didn't teach as well and clarify it for the other two 4th grade classes.

NOW WHAT
I also get to start a new social studies unit this upcoming week, and it is on pioneers. I'm feeling excited and nervous for this unit. My cooperating teacher told me the other day that most her information about pioneers is in her head. So I am going to have to research a lot so that I can provide good lessons for the students.
In math this week I am going to start teaching about adding and subtrating fractions with unlike denominators. My cooperating teacher has told me that in past years students usually struggle with this concept and that it takes lots and lots of practice for them to catch on. I have really had to sit down and define how I am going to teach this topic clearly for the students. I'll let you know next week how it goes!