What have you noticed
about social studies instruction and assessment in your setting?
- When does it take place? Does it take place? Think critically.
- What does it encompass?
- During social studies instruction, what does your CT do/ say?
- What do students do/ say? How do they respond?
- What are your opinions/ feelings about this?
- How does what you observe about social studies at this site connect with past clinical experiences/ early childhood theories/ and or social studies practices you have been learning about at ISU?
- How does knowing this inform what you will do when teaching and assessing social studies (either this semester, next semester in student teaching, and/or next year)?
In the 3rd grade classroom at Oakland Elementary
that I am placed my CT teaches two classes social studies. At 1:30 my class
goes over to the other 3rd grade classroom for science while the
other comes in for social studies. At 2:00, the classes switch back to their
homeroom for the other subject. It is definitely interesting to see the
differences of the two classes during social studies instruction. The lessons
are scheduled to last 30 minutes. Since I have started clinical, I have really
only had the opportunity so see social studies instruction once because of my
CT being gone one week, ISAT preparation, and ISAT testing.
The one lesson that I had the opportunity to see was about
activists. To introduce the
lesson, my CT talked with the class about the different activist. While talking
about each individual in history when a student would raise their hand, she
would allow them to talk or make a comment because typically the students had
questions or either additional information about the activist. Even if the
students were wrong or not too sure about the information, my CT did not shut
them down instead she would say things like “oh wow, I did not know that”. She
would also thank them for their information or ask them questions about the
information they were presenting. I liked that she also took those
opportunities as a learning experience for herself.
Once she was done giving the students instructions, she gave
the students the option to choose which activist they wanted to study and thank
the students who changed groups because there were either too many people in a
group or not enough. Once the class was split into groups and assigned an
activist to study. Within their groups they were to discuss which job each
person was going to have whether it be the leader, sculptor, recorder, or
reader. The students were to read about their activist, present information to
the rest of the class, and create a sculptor based off of information they
learned to represent their activist. I was unable to see the students present the information, but
I think that it would have been interesting to see.
I personally love
the way my teacher provides the students with an active learning experience
rather than just direct instruction. During read aloud time, I had the
opportunity to read a story about an activist to the class. When I had finished
reading the book to the class, my CT keeps the books on display in the
classroom for the students to be able to look at and also provides them with
additional books regarding the same topic. My CT does a good job with
incorporating and cross-cutting content across the subjects. Cross-cutting
content is something that I have been learning about at ISU.
In my future classroom, I want to be sure to also
incorporate social studies throughout the day an integrate it into other
subjects as well. I also want to provide the students with hands on activities
during my social studies lessons. Today, March 19, I am actually teaching my
social studies lesson to the students about global trade and the affect it has
on our community. Although I am nervous to teach it and about how it will go, I
am excited to be doing an activity that will provide the students with an
active role in their learning as well as creating a visual representation of
the content being learning.
Here is a link that provides you with a video of the
activity I will be performing with the students.
Click on 9. How Does Global Trade Affect Our Community?
Enjoy!!
The way the social studies instruction is done within your class is the exact way my clinical last semester at Trinity Lutheran was. My CT was the social studies teacher of the two 1st grade classes, while the other teacher was the science teacher, so I can definitely connect with you on this unique situation. Do you follow your students to science with the other teacher when the students switch? I initially stayed with my CT’s students, but then after two weeks, I decided it would be beneficial to see how science was taught, even though it was not my CT. It was a good experience, and that allowed me to build a relationship with that teacher as well.
ReplyDeleteWhen you say “It is definitely interesting to see the differences of the two classes during social studies instruction”, do you mean the other teacher’s students act better behaved with your teacher compared to how they act with their own? I can see this possibly being the case! I wonder how your students act in science with the other teacher.
Being in a 3rd grade classroom myself this semester, I can relate with you when you talked about the time the ISATs took up. This is a reason for me too as to why social studies was missed one or two weeks. I have seen social studies be taught once, and I won’t see it again because now that it’s the 4th quarter, my classroom focusses only on science. It’s a little disappointing!
To comment on your CT’s lesson, it sounds like she did a good job. I like that she gave students a choice. I try to do this when I can! I feel like it allows them to feel in control for the moment. The only thing I’m left curious about after reading this is what were some of the activists being learned about in the lesson?
Margaret,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading your blog posting because I am also in a third grade classroom and it is very interesting to see how things are done in different classrooms. I really like the idea of two teachers working together to teach science and social studies! I think that is a really interesting way for the students to get science and social studies instruction and also a chance to work with a different teacher. It would also allow for the teachers to collaborate and share their ideas with each other. The way your cooperating teacher introduces her lessons seems along the same lines as what my cooperating teacher does. I like that your teacher allows the students to make comments or connections without shutting them down. In one instance, a substitute teacher in my classroom told the students that “Now it is time to listen so put your hands down”. I feel like you have to manage your time well enough to allow students to make comments or ask questions but shutting them down completely and telling them to “just listen” is wrong. I like that your teacher allows her students to share and appreciates their input by thanking them or asking them questions themselves. I also like that your teacher assigned jobs for each student in the group. From experience at Cedar Ridge, I have realized that when children work in groups, jobs make things a lot easier. It allows for lessons to run smoother and there are no fights amongst the children about who gets to do what. In my blog, I also stated I want to integrate social studies into other subjects as well. Based on my experiences and what we’ve learned in class this seems to be the most efficient way to incorporate social studies into the curriculum. I really enjoyed reading your blog and thank you for sharing insights into your classroom!
Kristina
Margaret,
ReplyDeleteI agree with Danielle and Kristina that it was enjoyable reading your post this week! You describe your setting very well, and it sounds like there's some great SS teaching going on there. Danielle asked if you have followed your students to science, and I'm wondering the same thing? I'm also wondering more about your mention that the two classes are so different. Thinking about the fact that your CT assigned the jobs for the group work, why do you think she did this? What effect did this have? Have you seen group work without jobs? Do they work the same? These are all critical things for you to consider for your teaching.
:)Kira