Lesson Plans:
The Glass Castle Mini-Unit: Co-Teach
*This unit was finished in collaboration with my practicum partner, Tressa TeKolste. We co-taught the novel The Glass Castle in our ninth grade class and adapted this mini-unit for a class presentation.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime:
CuriousCalendar, AnticipationGuide, Journal, DailyLessons, FinalProjectDirections, FinalProjectChecklist
*I have now taught The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime to three different classes after reading it in my Adolescent Literature class. Throughout, I have adapted the daily lesson plans to the level of my current classroom. I always offer bookmarks while reading a text as a class in order to keep students on pace with the reading that is expected of them. I also begin my novel units with anticipation guides and like students to keep a journal as they read to assess comprehension when they read outside of class. Finally, I end this unit with a puzzle piece that represents our learning about autism, while tying in character analysis between their research and the text.
Of Mice and Men:
Journal, FinalEssay, MockTrial
*I ended up teaching the entirety of Of Mice and Men to my sophomores in a little over a week last term. We read most of the book in class while each student kept a journal, and then focused on our final project activities. They completed the paper as a final that revolved around one of our essential questions; I designed this mock trial activity, but unfortunately ran out of time to actually use it with my class. Still, I believe it is an engaging activity that would work well in teaching students character analysis by having them take on a role.
Choice Book Projects:
FictionChoiceBookProjectDirections, FictionChoiceBookRubric, FictionChoiceBookExample
NonfictionChoiceBookJournal, NonfictionChoiceBookProjectDirections
*Sophomores are expected to study elements of both fiction and nonfiction throughout the year. In accordance with the work we did with stories and novels in class, I created a way to encourage student reading outside of class, create opportunity to practice literary elements, and allow students some choice in their education process. I had students pick one book each term to read outside of class that culminated with a final project.
Poetry Mini-Unit: Co-TeachProject
*This is a unit created with two of my colleagues in a Methods class last year. Fortunately, I was able to use some of these plans, such as the “Echo” activity, successfully in the AP class I worked with at Southwest.
Short Story Unit: FinalHighSchoolUnit
*Again, this unit is a result of a collaboration in a Methods class. I have used elements of this unit, including activities relating to “The Lottery” and “The Yellow Wallpaper,” in my English 10 class.
Ethnography Research:
This ethnography research was completed throughout the fall of 2013 with my practicum partner, Tressa TeKolste. We chose to focus on the question of how teachers can adjust to non-negotiable environmental factors in the classroom, such as class size and room ventilation systems.
Bridging the Gaps 