Emily's Response to the 12 Questions:

1. Describe your target area for guided lead teaching.
Unit 1: Comprehension Skill -> Cause and Effect. Comprehension Strategy -> Background Knowledge
Unit 2: Comprehension Skill -> Draw Conclusions. Comprehension Strategy -> Story Structure

2. Approximately how much time per day is allotted for your instruction in this area?
Mondays        Tuesdays        Wednesdays        Thursdays         Fridays
45min- 1 hour      35 min            30 min           30 min          30 min

3. Which Common Core State Standard(s) will you work toward?

Comprehension
    ▪    Cause and Effect -> CCSS Literature 1: Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.
    ▪    Background Knowledge -> CCSS Literature 1: Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.
    ▪    Story Structure-> CCSS Literature 3: Describe in depth a character, setting or event in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text (e.g. a character's thoughts, words or actions).

      Vocabulary
    •    Affixes, Prefixes, and Suffixes -> CCSS Language 4.a. Use Context (e.g. definitions, examples, or restatements in text) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase
    •    Word Structure -> CCSS Lanugage 4.b. Use common, grade appropriate Greek and Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meaning of a word (e.g. telegraph, photograph, autograph).
    •    Unknown Words -> CCSS Language 4. Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 4 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.
    •    Dictionary/Glossary ->CCSS Language 4.c. Consult reference materials (e.g. dictionaries, glossaries, thesauruses), both print and digital, to find the pronunciation and determine or clarify the precise meaning of key words and phrases.

       Fluency
    •    CCSS Foundational Skills 4.b. Read grade level prose and poetry orally with accuracy, appropriate rate and expression.

  
4. How will teaching in this target area provide opportunities for students to learn important content and/or skills that relate to their lives?  In what ways does this learning include learning literacy, learning about literacy, and/or learning through literacy?
Reading Comprehension is extremely important for students. It connects everything together, and is the ultimate goal for students when reading. With the skills I will be focusing on and strategies it helps build their comprehension level and also is very helpful and useful in all aspects of their life. When I teach and emphasize on "background knowledge" this is handy in all subjects not just reading, but also in writing, even math and science.

5. What types of classroom talk take place within this target area? To what extent is the talk teacher-led, student-led, or focused on higher-level thinking? What norms for interaction would you like to build within your classroom as you teach in this target area (e.g., see ideas in Chapter 6 of Strategies that Work, the Berne & Clark 2008 article, or draw from some of the readings done in TE 402 on classroom talk)?
In our classroom we focus deeply on "Accountable Talk" which include statements such as "I agree with.." "I have a different opinion..". Accountable talk can result in rich teacher-student discussion but also student-student discussions that supports the development of student's reasoning and supports their abilities to express their reasoning. Throughout each unit (1 Week) students will participate in teacher-led discussions and also student-led. The students will work as a whole group, be broken down into small groups (tables), partners and also individual work. I want to continue our classroom norms to be focused around accountable talk throughout my lessons.

6. Which ‘core practice’ do you want to work on developing/improving as you teach in this target area (refer to document “Resources for Developing Core Practices”)? How will focusing on this core practice contribute to your own professional learning?
I really want my students to focus on determining importance in text as well as activating and connection background knowledge. Comprehension is vital and high when students create a connection to the text. By focusing on these core practices will also contribute to my own professional learning because I can see what strategies work towards these skills and see how students respond and their thinking behind the strategies. This will all be helpful for future years of teaching.

7. What resources within the community, neighborhood, school district, school or classroom do you have to work with in this target area?
I have the curriculum the district provides (Reading Street), as well as the classroom library, school library as well. I can also draw the background knowledge in other subjects such as in Writing the students have a unit from the Grand Rapids Art Museum (which they were introduced to the GRAM in third grade with a mini lesson and a visit to the museum) therefore the GR Art Museum might also be a resource. My MT also likes to use outside internet sources from Youtube to Brain Pop.

8. What additional resources do you need to obtain?
Just find the internet sources that I might want to use in my lessons (youtube videos that are appropriate  as well as different activities/worksheets from Brain pop).

9. How will you pre-assess your students in your target area?
The friday afternoon the week before I can give out a quick Cause and Effect Sheet and see their thinking about the topic on a story given to them. I can also do an informal assessment through interviews with the class on what they know about the topic.

10. What else will you need to find out about all students in your class to help you develop lesson plans for your Guided Lead Teaching?
I will look at their MAP testing scores for Reading and Language Usage, as well as their weekly Reading street tests. I will also look in their CUM files and look for an IEPs for reading. This will all be useful information and helpful when deciding groups and when developing lesson plans.

11. What else do you need/want to learn about the ‘core practice’ to support your planning and teaching?
I am going to make sure I re-read all the chapters in the Strategies that Work book to refresh  my knowledge as well as pick up any strategies that help teach these core practices.

12. What concerns, if any, do you have about planning and teaching your unit?
I really just want to make sure that I am fully Prepared and have everything planned out for every day that I am teaching. I don't want to just throw something together on the spot with little planning (unless a lesson flops and I need to quick improvise that is different).