Teaching and Learning Internship Assignments

Teaching and Learning Internship Assignments

Samantha Wipf
Northern State University

Teaching and Learning Internship Assignments

Table of Contents
Cover Page..Page 1
Table of Contents... Page 2
Assignment 1...Page 3
Assignment 2...Page 6
Assignment 3.Page 10
Assignment 4.Page 17
Assignment 5.Page 22

Teaching and Learning Internship Assignments

Assignment 1
Teachers are Responsible for Managing and Monitoring Student Learning
1. Standards Common Core Math
a. 4.OA.1.2.3. Use the four operations with whole numbers to solve problems.
i. 3.OA.8.9. Solve problems involving the four operations, and identify
and explain patterns in arithmetic.
ii. 5.OA.1.2. - Write and interpret numerical expressions.
b. 4.MD.1.2.3. Solve problems involving measurement and conversion of
measurements from a larger unit to a smaller unit.
i. 3.MD.1.2. - Solve problems involving measurement and estimation of
intervals of time, liquid volumes, and masses of objects.
ii. 5.MD.1. - Convert like measurement units within a given measurement
system.
2. My district uses the Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Math Expressions curriculum. This
curriculum is broken up into units. There are several units that develop operations and
algebraic thinking for fourth grade including: unit 1 place value and multi-digit addition
and subtraction, unit 2 multiplication with whole numbers, unit 3 division with whole
numbers, and unit 4 equations and word problems. There is only one unit that develops
measurement skills for fourth grade which is unit 5 measurement.

There is a strong alignment between the common core state standards and the curriculum
used in our district, especially for the operations and algebraic thinking section. There is
a clear connection between the standards for the grade level below and above. Third

Teaching and Learning Internship Assignments

grade is obviously getting them ready for what they will need to be able to do in fourth
grade. Fourth grade is obviously getting them ready for what they will need to be able to
do in fifth grade. It is important for students to be able to solve problems using the four
operations before they can write and interpret numerical expressions in fifth grade.

The alignment between grade levels is not as seamless for the measurement and data
section. Fourth grade is the first grade level that has to convert units of measurement.
However, solving problems involving measurement in third grade will help get them
ready for converting in fourth grade. The students must be familiar with measurement in
order to be ready to convert. Fourth grade standards flow smoothly into fifth grades; fifth
grade just has more advanced work.
3. An additional approach that would benefit student learning when creating lesson plans is
to not just follow the lessons in the book blindly. Many lessons that the book says should
take one day should take two or more days in order for the students to truly master.
However, there are some lessons that can be taught and mastered, with continued
practice, in one day. It is important to know your students and be able to make
adjustments to your lesson plans as you go.

An additional approach that would benefit student learning when giving assessments
would be to give a pre test and a post test and compare the results to calculate a gain
score. At the beginning of a unit students should be given a pre test in order to determine
what they already know. It is important for the teacher to be aware of the students
current knowledge on a subject. If there is a concept they have already mastered the

Teaching and Learning Internship Assignments

teacher can then review that information and move on so they have more time to spend
on concepts the students have not already mastered. When students are given a post test
after the unit is taught the teacher can determine the effectiveness of the unit. There
should be a significant student gain score if the unit was effective.

Table 1: Student Pre-Test Scores for Measurement and Data Unit

Student
s
student 1
student 2
student 4
student 5
student 6
student 7
student 8
student 9
student 10
student 12
student 13
student 14
student 15
student 16
student 17
student 18
student 20
student 21
student 22
student 23
student 24

Pre-assessment
Score

Points Possible

% Score

5
5
11
3
10
8
4
7
3
11
5
8
4
7
5
6
10
3
6
5
1

22
22
22
22
22
22
22
22
22
22
22
22
22
22
22
22
22
22
22
22
22

23%
23%
50%
14%
45%
36%
18%
32%
14%
50%
23%
36%
18%
32%
23%
27%
45%
14%
27%
23%
5%

Source:
Fuson, Karen C. Math Expressions Common Core. Orlando: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2010.

Teaching and Learning Internship Assignments

Assignment 2
Teachers are Committed to Students and Their Learning
1. Based on my students NWEA scores I will put them in ability groups to meet their
individual learning needs twice a week for a math intervention group. During math
intervention groups I will work on specific skills that students are lacking that they will
need to be proficient with in order to master this unit. My district uses the NWEA test
three times a year in order to measure student growth. For the second test students in
fourth grade should score 208.7. I put my students in order from lowest score to highest
score, based on the measurement and data section of their results. Then I grouped them
based on their scores with other students of similar math abilities, so I can focus on
helping them with the skills they need in order to improve their measurement and data
knowledge.

My three students in the lowest scoring group (red) will receive the most intensive
intervention. These students will receive intervention in basic mathematic skills
including: reading measurements with a ruler, reading data on a graph, multiplying,
dividing, adding and subtracting, and adding and subtracting with fractions. My students
in the next lowest scoring group (purple) will also receive intense intervention. These
students will receive intervention in areas including: reading measurements with a ruler,
reading data on a graph, adding and subtracting with fractions, understanding word
problems. My six students whose scores are hovering right around expectations for
fourth grade (blue) will receive interventions in adding and subtracting with fractions and
understanding word problems. My seven students who have exceeded fourth grade

Teaching and Learning Internship Assignments

expectations (green) will receive an enrichment education during intervention times.

These students will work on measurement and data projects that are based in real world
situations.
Table 2: Student Winter NWEA Math Scores.
Student
Student 17
Student 10
Student 5
Student 24
Student 15
Student 13
Student 1
Student 6
Student 21
Student 7
Student 14
Student 2
Student 18
Student 9
Student 22
Student 12
Student 23
Student 16
Student 4
Student 20

Score
193
195
197
200
201
203
204
207
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
215
215
216
218
218

2. The Math Expression curriculum has eight lessons in unit 5: measurement and data. The
eight lessons are: measure length (metric system), metric measures of liquid volume and
mass, units of time, customary measures of length, customary measures of weight and
liquid volume, perimeter and area of rectangles, solve measurement problems, and focus
on mathematical practices.

Teaching and Learning Internship Assignments

Since I have so many students that struggle with word problems, I know my students will
have a hard time mastering word problems in relation to elapsed time. In order to help
my students with elapsed time I will break the units of time lesson into at least two
lessons. The first day I will focus on the units of time and introduce elapsed time, the
second day I will focus only on elapsed time. When I focus on elapsed time I will give
every student a mini-hand clock. We will literally work out every problem with the clock
so they can see the time pass in order to answer the question correctly. I will assess my
students by calling them up one by one and giving them an elapsed time word problem
and have them show me on their clock how to solve it. If any students are not able to
correctly solve the problem and show me how they solved it on the clock I will pull those
students into a group during intervention time to help them with this skill.

I will also break the perimeter and area of rectangles lesson into two lessons, one day
for perimeter and one day for area. I will teach a lesson on perimeter the first day by
having students figure out the formula. The next day I will teach a lesson on area by
having students figure out the formula. After both perimeter and area have been taught I
will give students two questions. They will need to independently find the area and
perimeter for both given rectangles. If the students are able to solve both problems I will
know they have mastered this skill. If any students cannot solve both problems I will pull
them into a math intervention group to help them with this skill.

3. Table 3: Student Pre and Post Assessment Scores Below

Teaching and Learning Internship Assignments

Pre-assessment

Student
student
1
student
2
Student
4
student
5
student
6
student
7
student
8
student
9
student
10
student
12
student
13
student
14
student
15
student
16
student
17
student
18
student
20
student
21
student
22
student
23
student
24

Post-assessment

Score

Points Possible

% Score

Score

Points Possible

% Score

22

23%

20

25

80%

22

23%

16

25

64%

11

22

50%

25

25

100%

22

14%

18

25

72%

10

22

45%

24

25

96%

22

36%

23

25

92%

22

18%

24

25

96%

22

32%

20

25

80%

22

14%

22

25

88%

11

22

50%

24

25

96%

22

23%

22

25

88%

22

36%

21

25

84%

22

18%

23

25

92%

22

32%

23

25

92%

22

23%

14

25

56%

22

27%

19

25

76%

10

22

45%

23

25

92%

22

14%

18

25

72%

22

27%

24

25

96%

22

23%

24

25

96%

22

5%

23

25

92%

Teaching and Learning Internship Assignments

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As a class, my students made huge gains from the beginning to the end of this unit. The
interventions given in small group settings helped to fill in the gaps that most students
were missing at the beginning of the unit. The only students I feel concerned about are
student 2 and student 17. Student 17 does not surprise me, as this student had one of the
lowest scores for her NWEA math score. Student 2 however is a little more surprising.
Although Im thinking there was an alternate variable influencing student 2 on the day of
the post test, since this student has ADHD, I need to take responsibility as the teacher. If
I were to teach this unit again to these students I would provide individual tutoring for
student 17. Another thing I should have done differently for student 2 could have been to
allow him to take his post-test the next day, since I knew he was having an off day. These
two methods of redesign would hopefully have improved the outcome for students 2 and
17.
Source:
Fuson, Karen C. Math Expressions Common Core. Orlando: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2010.

Assignment 3
Teachers Know the Subjects they Teach and How to Teach those Subjects to Students
Lesson 1:
The first lesson in the measurement and data unit is measure length using the metric system.
Because I know many of my students are unfamiliar with the metric system, I will create an
enhanced lesson to introduce them to the metric system. Since I know many of my students have
very little background knowledge about the metric system I will give them the background
knowledge they need before trying to build on it.

Teaching and Learning Internship Assignments

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Standards:
Common Core Math 4.MD.A.1
Know relative sizes of measurement units within one system of units including km, m, cm; kg, g;
lb, oz.; l, ml; hr, min, sec. Within a single system of measurement, express measurements in a
larger unit in terms of a smaller unit. Record measurement equivalents in a two-column table.
Common Core Math 4.MD.A.2
Use the four operations to solve word problems involving distances, intervals of time, liquid
volumes, masses of objects, and money, including problems involving simple fractions or
decimals, and problems that require expressing measurements given in a larger unit in terms of a
smaller unit. Represent measurement quantities using diagrams such as number line diagrams
that feature a measurement scale.
Objective:
By the end of this lesson, students will be able to convert from any metric unit of distance to
another.
Introduction:
I will begin the lesson by explaining that there is another form of measurement that is not
typically used in the United States called the metric system. I will explain that this is the form of
measurement used in most countries and that it is what is typically used for science experiments.
Lesson:
I will have enough meter sticks for each group of students, about 4 students in a group. I will
remind students how to measure accurately and give them a chance to practice. Then each group
will be given a list of objects to measure. They will be required to measure some things in
meters and others in centimeters. After students have had time to complete their measurement

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activity, I will bring the class in for discussion. I will ask students for their measurements and
put them on the board. I will then ask students if anyone sees a connection between the meters
and centimeters. If needed, I will guide students to the concept of there being 100 centimeters in
a meter. I will then put a chart on the board describing the connection between all of the metric
units of distance. We will then discuss that each unit smaller is 10Xs smaller than the one
before it, and each unit bigger is 10Xs bigger than the one before it. We will practice converting
between the different units.
Conclusion:
I will end the lesson by reminding students about the ease of multiplying by 10 in order to
convert between units of measurement in the metric system, and tell them that tomorrow we will
learn about the units of measurement used in the metric system to measure mass.
Reflection:
I know this lesson was successful because the next day it was extremely easy for my students to
make the connection between metric units of distance (meters etc.) to metric units of mass
(grams etc.). My students saw the same prefixes and realized they mean the same thing, its just
what you are measuring that changes. Therefore my students were able to use inquiry, with my
guidance, in order to build their knowledge, which according to Lazonder and Wiskerke-Drost
(2014) is an essential aspect of student learning. One barrier I did have was that students wanted
to relate these units of measurement to inches, feet, yards, and miles. I had to explain several
times that it is a completely different system of measurement. When I teach this lesson again, I
will be sure to explain right away the difference between the metric system and the customary
system.
Lesson 2:

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A lesson in the measurement and data unit is Units of Time. Because I know many of my
students struggle with telling time on an analog clock, I decided to create a lesson that will build
on their background knowledge of telling time, so they will be ready to solve elapsed time
problems. It is important for teachers to close any gaps in students background knowledge
before teaching a concept that builds on it.
Standards:
Common Core Math 4.MD.A.1
Know relative sizes of measurement units within one system of units including km, m, cm; kg, g;
lb, oz.; l, ml; hr, min, sec. Within a single system of measurement, express measurements in a
larger unit in terms of a smaller unit. Record measurement equivalents in a two-column table.
Common Core Math 4.MD.A.2
Use the four operations to solve word problems involving distances, intervals of time, liquid
volumes, masses of objects, and money, including problems involving simple fractions or
decimals, and problems that require expressing measurements given in a larger unit in terms of a
smaller unit. Represent measurement quantities using diagrams such as number line diagrams
that feature a measurement scale.
Objective:
By the end of this lesson, students will be able to tell time on an analog clock to the minute.
Introduction:
I will begin the lesson by explaining to students the importance of telling time. I will tell them a
story about a time someone was late for a meeting because they couldnt tell time.
Lesson:

Teaching and Learning Internship Assignments

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I will create a smartboard presentation in which students will be shown different times and they
will have to state the correct time. First, I will model how to tell time to the nearest hour.
Students will then be given a chance to practice with a partner, and then practice on their own.
Second, I will model how to tell time to the nearest half-hour. Students will then be given a
chance to practice with a partner, and then practice on their own. Third, I will model how to tell
time to the nearest quarter hour. Students will then be given a chance to practice with a partner,
and then practice on their own. Fourth, I will model how to tell time to the nearest 5 minute.
Students will be given the chance to practice with a partner and then practice on their own. Last,
I will model how to tell time to the nearest minute. Students will then be given a chance to
practice with a partner, and then practice on their own. I will make sure to address that the hour
hand will be closer to the next hour when the minute hand is past the half hour mark.
Conclusion:
I will again remind students of the importance of being able to tell time and then give them a
clock to practice telling time to the nearest minute with a partner.
Reflection:
This lesson was successful because by the end of the lesson all my students were able to
accurately state the time to the nearest minute whenever they were asked. Although being able
to tell time is not a fourth grade standard it is essential for them to have mastered in order for
them to solve elapsed time problems, which is a standard. I know this lesson prepared my
students for the units of time lesson in the book because I didnt have to go back and re-teach
time to any students in order for them to be successful with that lesson. In this lesson I used
hands-on practice combined with direct instruction, which according to Naeimi and Chow Voon
Foo (2015) is proven to be an effective teaching strategy. One limitation or barrier I did

Teaching and Learning Internship Assignments

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encounter when teaching this lesson was in regards to my ESL students. I have a student who is
first year in the country, and she had very limited schooling in her own language. This student
struggled with the concept of hypothetical time, since I had to keep changing the clock to give
them more practice. If I were to teach this lesson to her again I would have another student who
speaks the same language explain what we were doing to her before we began the lesson.
Lesson 3:
Another lesson in the measurement and data unit is perimeter and area of rectangles. Because
these two concepts are easy to confuse and mix up I will teach these two lessons separately
rather than together and then spend a day relating the two concepts so they make the connection.
It is important for teachers to foresee misconceptions or confusion that might arise so I will try to
address this confusion by teaching them separately first.
Standard:

Common Core Math 4.MD.A.3

Apply the area and perimeter formulas for rectangles in real world and mathematical
problems.
Objective:
By the end of this lesson, students will be able to find the area of a rectangle.
Introduction:
I will introduce the lesson by having some students stand in a rectangle of 4 by 6 students. I will
then ask them how many students we could fit inside their rectangle. If needed, I will show them
that we could fill up all the rows and columns to get 24 students.
Lesson:

Teaching and Learning Internship Assignments

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I will draw a model of the rectangle we created on the board and ask students if they can think of
a way they could have used math to figure out how many people would fit rather than actually
putting the people in the rows and columns. Hopefully, they will see the connection of 4 times 6
is 24 and come up with the formula A=L*W on their own, if not I will guide them to it. I will
then model finding area using the formula. Then students will be given a chance to find area
using the formula on their own.
Conclusion:
I will end the lesson by reminding students that area is found by multiplying length times width,
and that it tells us how much area or space a shape takes up. Then I will tell them that tomorrow
we will learn how to use math to find out the distance around an object.
Reflection:
I know this lesson was successful because my students were able to find area on their own by the
end of the lesson. They also told me this lesson was fun and they like this kind of math. During
this lesson I was able to rely on both the social learning theory and the constructivism theory,
which according to Juvova, Chudy, Neumeister, Plischke, and Kvintova, (2015) and Hickey
(2014) are important aspects of student learning. One limitation or barrier that did come up was
they thought they could fit more students inside the rectangle. I had to explain that we are just
trying to fill up each row and column, not pack in as many as possible. After explaining this to
them they understood, but next time I teach this I will make sure to explain that before asking
them how many people we can fit in their rectangle in order to avoid confusion.
Sources:
Fuson, Karen C. Math Expressions Common Core. Orlando: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2010.

Teaching and Learning Internship Assignments

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Hickey, G. (2014). The Importance of Learning Philosophies on Technology Selection in

Education. Journal of Learning Design, 7(3), 16-22.
Juvova, A., Chudy, S., Neumeister, P., Plischke, J., & Kvintova, J. (2015). Reflection of
Constructivist Theories in Current Educational Practice. Universal Journal of Education
Research, 3(5), 345-349.
Lazonder, A. W., & Wiskerke-Drost, S. (2015). Advancing Scientific Reasoning in Upper
Elementary Classrooms: Direct Instruction Versus Task Structuring. Journal of
Science Education and Technology, 24(1), 69-77.
Naeimi, M., & Chow Voon Foo, T. (2015). Vocabulary Acquisition through Direct and Indirect
Learning Strategies. English Language Teaching, 8(10), 142-151.

Assignment 4
Teachers Think Systematically About Their Practice and Learn from Experience
We all know about the pendulum swing in education. Because of the
pendulum swing it is sometimes difficult for teachers to get on board with a new philosophy
about education. However, there is becoming more and more reliable research about education
that we can look to in order to decide what to get on board with and what to leave behind. Two
learning theories I have come to accept in my teaching practice are the constructivist theory and
the social theory.
According to Hickey (2014) the social aspect of learning is extremely important.
Students are social creatures and as teachers we can tap into that to reinforce learning. Talking
about their learning helps them to think about it on a deeper level and gives them the opportunity
to learn from each others experiences. The social learning theory has dramatically impacted the

Teaching and Learning Internship Assignments

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field of education. Teachers used to not acknowledge the importance of students talking about
their learning. Two of the biggest ways education has changed since the social learning theory
has become accepted are an increase in group work and less time lecturing with more discussions
during lessons. A specific example of how I use the social learning theory in my classroom is by
the way I have my classroom set-up. I always have students arranged in groups so they can
easily discuss an idea during a lesson or work with other students on a project or assignment.
Another way I use the social learning theory in my classroom is through the think, pair, share
method. When using the think, pair, share method students are given time to think about a
concept, then they talk with a partner pair, then the pairs are asked to share their discussions
with the group. This method allows students to think for themselves about their learning, but
also gives them the chance to discuss with a classmate and hear other peers ideas.
According to Juvova, Chudy, Neumeister, Plischke, and Kvintova, (2015) the
constructivist learning theory is based off of Piagets ideas about cognitive development.
Students must build off of what they already know and have experienced to develop their new
learning and ideas about how the world works. Although the idea of constructivism has been
around for quite some time, it didnt really take off in the field of education until more recently.
This learning theory has most obviously impacted the subject areas of science and math within
the field of education. There has been a push for inquiry based science and math. This push has
asked teachers to re-think the way they are teaching these two subjects. When adhering to the
constructivist theory of learning teachers create an environment in which their students can
construct their own learning about both science and math concepts. One way this theory has
impacted my own teaching practice is that I am not scared to let students develop their own
learning. Quite often students need guidance so they dont develop misconceptions about the

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concept, but if they discover it for themselves they are much more likely to remember it in the
future. Another way this theory has impacted my own teaching practice is that I take the time for
students to do hands-on activities. It is tempting to just lecture and read through a unit because it
seems I would get through more content in a shorter amount of time. However, I have found
students learn the content better when given the chance to discover it for themselves with
guidance.
One instructional model commonly used among teachers is direct instruction.
Direct instruction is the more traditional method for teaching. According to a study by Naeimi
and Chow Voon Foo (2015) vocabulary is most effectively taught using a direct instruction
model. Direct instruction definitely has its place in education. One way direct instruction has
impacted the field of education is because it is one of the most commonly used methods of
instruction. Another way direct instruction has influenced the field of education is though
research. There have been many research studies comparing direct instruction to other methods,
in order to determine the most effective method of teaching. Many educational experts have
developed modified versions of direct instruction. Direct instruction has had a huge influence on
my teaching practice. I use some form of direct instruction every day in the classroom,
especially when teaching reading strategies.
Another instructional model is inquiry learning. Inquiry learning is when the
students discover the learning for themselves. According to a study by Lazonder and WiskerkeDrost (2014) guided inquiry is more effective than unguided inquiry. This means that it is still
important for the teacher to play an active role in the students learning. We should not just give
our students an inquiry project with complete free reign. The teacher must guide the students to
the correct concepts in order to prevent misconceptions from forming. Inquiry learning is

Teaching and Learning Internship Assignments

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definitely a method getting a lot of attention from educators lately. Inquiry learning has been
suggested for use in all subjects, but there has been a huge push for it in science and math. One
way I have used this method in my classroom is by giving my students fraction bars and
allowing them to come up with as many ways to make one whole as they can on their own. I
follow their inquiry with direct instruction to make sure every student came to the correct
conclusion.
As teachers we are always looking for ways to motivate our students. Typically,
we fall to extrinsic motivation because its one of the few things in regards to motivation that we
seem to have control over. However, According to Schaffner, Schiefele, and Ulferts (2013) the
answer we are all looking for is to completely remove extrinsic rewards in order increase our
students intrinsic motivation. Their study examined the relationship between students amounts
of reading and if intrinsic motivation or extrinsic motivation was used. The results of the study
determined that students who had only extrinsic motivation for reading did not read as much as
those who had only intrinsic motivation. Also, according to Gillard, Gillard, and Pratt (2015) the
best way to increase students intrinsic motivation is to completely remove extrinsic rewards
from the situation. One way the ideas of extrinsic and intrinsic motivation has had an influence
on the field of education is by an increase in the use of motivational strategies. Most schools and
classrooms have extrinsic rewards for behavior and reading. Another way the ideas of extrinsic
and intrinsic motivation has impacted the field of education is by an increase in motivation
research. Everyone is looking for answers about how we can motivate our students, many
educational experts are conducting research projects on the topic. A way intrinsic motivation has
influenced my teaching practice is that I allow my students to make their own reading choices.

Teaching and Learning Internship Assignments

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When students are allowed to choose what they want to read, I believe it increases their intrinsic
motivation to finish the book because they are interested in it.
According to a study by Allison (1992), students understand and remember what
they learn better when confronted with cognitive dissonance. Cognitive dissonance is when
students are given true information that conflicts with something they have believed to be true in
the past. Especially in science, many fourth graders are confronted with cognitive dissonance
every day. One way I use it in my own teaching practice is by telling my students a fact at the
beginning of a lesson that I know is commonly misunderstood by their age group. I have found
when I do this they pay better attention to the lesson and therefore remember what I teach them
during that lesson. Cognitive dissonance has impacted the field of education because it changes
the way students learn. When students are confronted with cognitive dissonance they begin to
think in depth about the topic and when they resolve that dissonance they have a deeper
understanding of the concept. Another way cognitive dissonance has impacted the field of
education is that many teachers encounter cognitive dissonance at some point during their
teaching profession. Especially during a major shift in the commonly believed best practice in
education teachers will feel cognitive dissonance and have to determine which belief is actually
correct. Hopefully, when a teacher encounters cognitive dissonance they dig deep into the
research on that topic in order to resolve their dissonance.
Sources:
Allison, S. T. (1992). Promoting Systematic Information Processing in the Classroom. Teaching
of Psychology, 19(4), 234-236

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Gillard, S., Gillard, S., & Pratt, D. (2015). A Pedagological Study of Intrinsic Motivation in the
Classroom Through Autonomy, Mastery, and Purpose. Contemporary Issues In
Education Research, 8(1), 1-6.
Hickey, G. (2014). The Importance of Learning Philosophies on Technology Selection in
Education. Journal of Learning Design, 7(3), 16-22.
Juvova, A., Chudy, S., Neumeister, P., Plischke, J., & Kvintova, J. (2015). Reflection of
Constructivist Theories in Current Educational Practice. Universal Journal of
Education Research, 3(5), 345-349.
Lazonder, A. W., & Wiskerke-Drost, S. (2015). Advancing Scientific Reasoning in Upper
Elementary Classrooms: Direct Instruction Versus Task Structuring. Journal of
Science Education and Technology, 24(1), 69-77.
Naeimi, M., & Chow Voon Foo, T. (2015). Vocabulary Acquisition through Direct and Indirect
Learning Strategies. English Language Teaching, 8(10), 142-151.
Schaffner, E., Schiefele, U., & Ulferts, H. (2013). Reading Amount as a Mediator of the Effects
of Intrinsic and Extrinsic Reading Motivation on Reading Comprehension.
Reading Research Quarterly, 48(4), 369-385.

Assignment 5
Teachers are Members of Learning Communities
For a needs assessment I gave each of my students an oral fluency assessment to
determine if they are as fluent as they should be by the spring of their fourth grade school year.
Each student was asked to read the same passage for one minute and I counted their words per
minute (wpm). They were assessed three times and I used the median score. The norm for the

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23

spring of fourth grade 75th percentile is 143, 50th percentile 118, and the 25th percentile 92. There
were 2/21 students in my class that were in the 75th percentile or above. There were 4/21
students in my class that were between the 50th and 74th percentile. There were 15/21 students in
my class that were in the 49th percentile or lower. I did not assess first year in the country ESL
students or students who receive SPED services for reading.
I also sent home a one question survey to their parents asking Do you feel your
child has had enough experiences working with the elderly in our community? with a yes or
no option. I had one survey not returned. Only about 30 percent of the parents I surveyed
responded yes, almost 70 percent responded no.
Table 4: Below are the results from the Oral Fluency Assessment
Student 1
Student 4
Student 5
Student 6
Student 7
Student 9
Student 10
Student 11
Student 12
Student 13
Student 14
Student 15
Student 16
Student 17
Student 18
Student 19
Student 20
Student 21
Student 22
Student 23
Student 24

114
101
81
134
108
107
118
76
89
132
108
94
150
89
117
97
97
126
155
105
49

Table 5: Below are the results from the parent survey I sent home. The question was Do you
feel your child has had enough experiences working with the elderly in our community?

Teaching and Learning Internship Assignments

Yes
7

24
No
16

After completing the needs assessment described above I came to the conclusion
that my students need more opportunities to practice their oral reading skills and more
opportunities to work with the elderly in our community. I decided to have my students check
out a book from the school library and spend two days practicing reading it. After they had time
to practice reading the book we walked to Sunquest Health Care, a nursing home in our
community, and they read their books to the residents.
The project was a huge success! My students enjoyed interacting with the elderly.
Many students sat and talked with the resident they read to for a while after they were done
reading to them. It was great to see them interacting with the elderly in our community with
confidence. According to Fair and Delaplane (2015), intergenerational learning helps students to
synthesize what they learn on a deeper level. I also know we had an impact on the residents and
the nursing home because they submitted it to the local newspaper. My students were so excited
to see our class in the newspaper, we still have the article hanging out our classroom.
One limitation from this project was that it was only a onetime event. If I were to
implement this again I would set it up so we could visit once a quarter so the students would
have the opportunity to build a relationship with the residents. Ideally each student would have
the same resident they read to each time. Another limitation was that it was only my class that
was involved. Because of the results from my needs assessments I would be surprised if this
project met a need that only my class has. I am assuming this is a need for all fourth grade
classrooms. If I have the opportunity to do this again I would invite other classes to participate
in the project as well. It would still work best for each class to attend the nursing home

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25

separately due to logistics, but it would be great if all the classrooms could also attend and
participate in this project.
Sources:
Hasbrouck, J. E., & Tindal, G. (1992). Curriculum-Based Oral Reading Fluency Norms for
Students in Grade 2 Through 5.Teaching Exceptional Children, 24, 42.
Fair, C. D., & Delaplane, E. (2015, January). "It Is Good to Spend Time with Older Adults. You
Can Teach Them, They Can Teach You": Second Grade Students Reflect on
Intergenerational Service Learning. Early Childhood Education Journal, 43(1),
19-26.
Scholastic. (2016). Oral Fluency Assessment Calculator for Grades 3-5. In Teachers.