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Gemma Mangino

Professor Gray

0ctober 04, 2017

ECE 251-3001

Environment Observation

Environment Observation

1. School: Sandra Thompson Elementary School

2. Telephone: (702)-799-3430

3. Teacher: Evelyn Stewart

4. Age/grade level: Age 7/ 2nd grade

5. Number of children: 24 students

6. Centers: Reading center held five students, writing center held ten students, math center

held four students, audio learning center (Smart A.N.T.S) held four students.

7. Arrangement of Physical space

❖ Centers are clearly defined: Some centers, the audio learning, and reading centers

were clearly defined by obvious materials placed within the centers, such as books,

and laptops. The other centers, the math and writing centers, were not clearly defined

or labeled in any way, however, the students knew where each center was easily

located within the room.

❖ Dead Space: Not present.

❖ Space for Privacy: The space for privacy was very limited. The students working on

writing were limited to the individual spaces of their desks if they desired privacy.
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The majority of the students were grouped together but worked independently if they

chose to work on their own.

❖ Space for Gross Motor Play: Not present.

❖ Space of each center: Each center was spaced out evenly, however, it was a little

tight due to the small size of the classroom. Regardless the students were able to work

comfortably in their environment.

❖ Visual Boundaries: The visual boundaries were limited to each center. The reading

center was easy to locate because of the books, the audio center was obvious due to

the laptop location, although the math and writing centers were not easily spotted

until each child was assigned a location.

❖ Laminated name tags: The only laminated area was the reading center.

❖ Noise level: The noise level was tolerable for a small classroom. Students worked

quietly amongst each other or individually.

❖ Clear pathways: There were no easily accessible pathways because students were

given the chance to work at their desks or on the floor for their writing center.

8. Learning Materials, Equipment and Furniture

❖ Gross Motor Equipment: There was no gross motor equipment. However, there was

fine motor equipment, such as laptops and writing materials.

❖ Chairs: There was a chair for each student for each center and desk. Also, there were

additional chairs to the side for extra usage if necessary.

❖ Desks: Majority of the desks were grouped in fives and some in four. They were all

arranged to face the teacher's desk or whiteboard.

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❖ Laptops: Laptops were placed accordingly at the audio learning center, and each

student in that center was assigned a computer.

❖ Easel: The easel was placed in the reading center where some students worked with

the teacher going over vocabulary.

❖ Writing materials: The students had their own writing materials at their desk or has

a worksheet for a specific writing assignment for that center.

❖ Books: Books were placed in the reading center, and placed in the front of the room

under the whiteboard.

❖ Worksheets: The worksheets for the writing center appeared to be given to the

students prior to starting centers.

❖ Math blocks: There were various blocks in the math center with different colors, and

sizes to them. They were stored in a storage bin near the assigned center.

❖ Plastic Coins: There were coins in the math center that were stored separately from

the math blocks.

❖ Familiar materials: There were only a few similar materials, such as a computer that

most students use at home. And there were certain books the students seemed to be

familiar with.

9. Storage of Materials and Equipment

❖ Storage Bins: Storage bins were clearly placed for each center and stored in open

space for the students to access on their own.

❖ Shelving: The shelving for books were placed neatly with books on them for students

to easily grab them.

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❖ Book casing: The bookcases had more books in them than the shelving did and

appeared to be in order by genre.

❖ Personal Storage: Each student had their own hook near the door for their personal

belongings. On top of the hooks was a shelving unit that had their personal

mailboxes. Each student also had their personal storage in their desks.

❖ Easy Access to materials: Each center had materials that were easily accessible for

the students to utilize on their own without needing help from their teacher.

❖ The consistency of Stored Materials: The consistency of the material was very

accurate. Students knew that when they were given a five-minute transition time they

had to put the materials they were using back where they were originally stored.

❖ Safety: The centers are deemed as safe. However, due to an unclear pathway, it is no

considered very safe for students to move around in if necessary.

10. Other Elements of Physical Environment

❖ Adequate Ventilation and Natural Lighting Present: There was adequate

ventilation present in the room. However, there was no natural lighting present. There

were windows available, but each one was closed and the blinds were shut preventing

natural lighting into the room.

❖ Colorful objects: The only colorful objects at a center were the math blocks at the

math center. The classroom was decorated with colorful learning posters and student

artwork.

❖ Correct size and shape of furniture: The furniture was the correct sizing for the

students to comfortably work in.

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11. Diversity: The way the teacher represented diversity within her classroom was

displaying student’s artwork on a bulletin board. Each student had artwork up explaining

personal activities they like to do at home.

12. (a.) Classroom in Action: Students were assigned to different centers along the walls of

the classroom by groups for twenty minutes. Each student worked either individually or

in partnerships depending on their assigned center. They were given the opportunity to

work at their desk or on the floor. Each student used this time to work on their activities

and engage in quite a conversation with their peers. They used the materials each center

provided. After the twenty minutes was over the teacher gave a five minute clean up a

warning. Students then proceeded to clean up their area, put materials away, and then

waited for the next center rotation.

13. (b.) Evaluation: The children were given enough time to complete their tasks efficiently

and interact with their peers. For example, a pair of students worked together with their

vocabulary assignment at the writing center and interacted with one another by asking

each other questions and helping each other with the words they had to write down.

Another interactive example was during their reading center students read the same book

together and talked about the book together. The students were given the opportunity to

work where they wanted in their center. For example, they could work at their desks or

on the floor near their center. The transition time was timed well because it gave them

enough time to put their items away and wait for further instructions.

14. Rating: 4

15. Strengths and Weaknesses: The strengths found in this classroom were the materials

given in each center, for example, a number of books they could choose to read from.
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However, a weakness in this area would be the lack of variety of centers the students had

to choose from, considering there was a maximum of four centers. Another strength was

the social interaction the students were allowed while working. Also, the group sizes

were appropriate for each center size. However, a weakness was that the writing group

was the largest center due to the lack of how many centers there were total. Another

weakness was the option to actually choose where the students wanted to go, the teacher

assigned each group to a certain center.

16. Improvements: The teacher could provide more stimulating centers that are more

creative, for example, an art center. Also, she could space out her students more evenly

among each center instead of assigning ten students to the writing center. She could also

label more clearly where each center is with name tags. I also believe that she should

allow her students to choose where they want to work that day instead of automatically

assigning where they go.