LESSON SELF-REFLECTION

Lucy Calkins’ lesson today was focused on having students understand that it is easier to
remember items once it is organized. We began the lesson by playing a memory game by
giving students five seconds to see how many items they were able to remember from the
picture. We then tried to put these items into categories to see if it helped us to remember
more! The idea was to have students realize that authors of nonfiction texts will use
subheadings to help organize the text so we know what each chunk of words will be
about but sometimes they don’t! If there are no subheadings, we need to rely on pop out
sentences to help us understand what that chunk of words will be or is about! The lesson
on 11/11 was done to help students be able to recognize a pop out sentence in an example
text and thefore be able to use this learning when reading nonfiction texts of their own!

What went as you had planned/went well?

Although there were some things I would have done differently, there was a lot that went
well!

The memory game that was introduced at the beginning of the lesson was a fun way to
engage students and to have them think, how does categorizing items help us to
remember more? I think the students were able to see how putting items in a category
made it easier to remember more.

Students were able to follow along with the reading about octopuses and be able to sit
alongside their partner to determine the pop out sentences in this text.

Students did a nice job gathering together and participated in the turn and talks to ensure
student engagement.

In addition to our mini lesson, my classroom management skills were demonstrated.

Students were able to understand their independent task as they went back to their seat to
practice using the pop out sentence as their main detial or box and then to find supporting
details or bullets. I was sure to say the directions verbally to students, ask if there were
any questions, and put an example on the board for students to refer back to.

Students were able to work independently while I worked with students in a small group
setting.

I provided an energentic and friendly classroom environment and I was sure to have
closure to the lesson. I asked for students to share examples of pop out sentences that
they found in their own book. I took the student’s book and read their pop out sentence
aloud to the class.
What did not go as planned?
Unfortunately, my technology did not go as planned today and some students did not
have the required supplies in their bookbin. Because of that, there was miss instruction
time and it caused me to not perform to my best ability.

What would you do differently the next time you teach this lesson?
There are a few things that I would do differently the next time I teach this lesson. First, I
would ensure that I have my back up plan ready to go, along with my teacher’s manual,
in case of a technology concern. For example, having the print out of the pictures clipped
to the teachers manual and ready to go (if the computer did not work) so there is no
disruption in instruction.

I would also do my I do, We do, You do a little different. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to
project the article on the screen, but I was able to pass out the article to students and have
them read along with me. We read and worked together to determine the pop out
sentences. We talked through the first pop out sentence and bullets before students went
back to their seats. If I were to teach this lesson again, I might demonstrate the first box
and bullets while the students were gathered and talking and responding to what the first
pop out sentence was. I would think out loud and add some details. I would then ask
students to go back to their seats and to take out their reading notebook and pencil. Once
there I would have the students talk to their neighbor and find the next pop out sentence.
I would then write that on the board in my box and ask students to do the same in their
notebooks. I would have students, along with their partner, help to determine the first
bullet. I would then write one example on the board. I would ask for one more example
for my next bullet. I would instruct students to do the same work independently for the
next paragraph before they continue reading their own nonfiction text.

I also learned that the example articles in our Lucy Calkins’ guide can be foud
electronically in a full book or article format along with pictures, etc. I have now been
using these types of examples for my minlessons! I think it is helpful to see the way the
words are organized in a book format along with headings, subheadings, pictures, etc.

For day 3 of teaching nonfiction texts using Lucy Calkins’ Units of Study for the first
time, I think it went well! Through more experience and coaching, I am excited to
discover the best teach her units of study.

Thank you for your time!

Dina