This week while interning...

Just thought I would share a few updates from my internship.

As you may or may not know, I am currently completing my Level II internship this semester.  On Tuesdays and Wednesdays I work in a third grade classroom.  I absolutely love it.

First off, let me share my favorite conversation that took place this week.

Little girl in my class: *raises hand* "Is there reception in space?"
Me: "Reception?"
Girl: "Yeah, like for your cell phone.  Can astronauts use them in space?"  Haha.  It was hilarious.

I have been teaching science since my second week of interning.  My teacher told me about two weeks ago that I was ready to teach more, so I am now teaching reading as well.  I also meet with a small group of four students for guided reading.  I love that I am allowed to teach more often.  I really feel that I am growing as a teacher.  I love to know that I am helping my students to learn new things!

For the past two weeks or so I have been teaching a science unit on the outer space focusing on the Sun and stars.  For one assignment I had my students write five facts about the Sun on a paper place and then decorate.  Here are a few of their beautiful Suns. :)

They are great, aren't they?  I was so proud of their work.  My cooperating teacher did as well.  If you can't tell, she hung them all up and displayed them in the classroom.

This week a little girl in my class gave me this picture:

She then told me, "You can give it to your husband and pretend that you drew it if you want to." Haha.  Like I said before, my class is adorable.

Well, now you know what has been going on at school lately.  Next week I am continuing to teach science and reading.  I can't wait to see what kind of adventures that third grade has in store for me. :)

P.S. You can now follow me via Bloglovin.  Check out the link on the right sidebar.  So you can now follow me via Google Friend Connect, Bloglovin, or email.  Follow away! :)

Just a few updates

Okay, so I know I have totally been MIA.  It has been a very long week and a half.  As you may or may not remember, the weekend before last I was sick/visited the hospital.  I kind of laid around all weekend and spent the rest of the week trying to catch up.  Then I went out of the town for this past weekend, and have spent the first part of this week trying to catch up.  Needless to say, I am ready for a break!

Anyways, I thought I would give you guys a brief rundown of the highlights of the past week and a half.  Last Tuesday, I taught my very first science lesson on physical and chemical changes of matter.  For those of you needing a refresher... a physical change usually changes the look or feel of the matter (i.e. cutting a carrot), where a chemical change occurs when a new substance is created (i.e. the carrot getting moldy).  Yes, I needed a refresher too!  I started my lesson by giving out sticky notes and asking the students to crumple them up, demonstrating a physical change.  Then I showed them a plastic baggie containing ash (aka burned paper).  Surprisingly, they all thought that was super cool.  I guess 3rd graders are easy to please.  I then showed them a PowerPoint presentation that I made with various examples of physical and chemical changes on them.  It turned out really well and they acted like it was a game.  Thankfully, it all went well.  I taught science again on Wednesday, but it was more of a practice activity than something fun.  I am truly loving my internship!  There are some awesome students in my class, and of course... kids say the darndest things. :)

This week I taught science again.  Yesterday, I introduced our space unit where we begin learning about the sun.  We did a little experiment, or investigation, where we found out what happened when comparing a cup of water left in the sun and a cup of water left in the shade.  Spoiler alert: the temperature of the water in the cup in the sun will be higher than the one in the shade.  Today was a little more fun.  For me anyways.  We went over the vocabulary needed to learn about the sun and made some cool little flip charts to help us remember the terms and definitions.

Today, I also started a 365 Project (you can check out my project right here).  Basically the goal is to take one photo a day for a year.  I may post some of my photos here as well.  Don't worry, I wont post one here daily (I'm sure that would be obnoxious).  Wanting a new hobby?  Want to work on your photography skills?  Want a reason to log onto the internet every day?  Start a 365 Project of your own!  If you do, please leave me the link here so I can check it out.  If you follow me, let me know here and I'll follow you too!  I would love to see all of your photos. :)

Last but not least, if you enjoy reading my blog, please click the "Join this Site" button on the right side of the page, or if you don't have an account (they are free!) you can subscribe to my blog via email (also on the right side of the page).  I would love to gain some more followers. :)

I guess that is all for now.  I think I'm going to go to bed early tonight.  Waking up early for interning is killing me!  My motto is: If the sun isn't up, I shouldn't be either!

Until next time! xoxo

Third Grade... Take Two

For those of you who may not know, I am currently attending a university in Florida and my major is elementary education.  This week I had the exciting experience of beginning my second internship (of three).  For my first internship, I worked in a first grade classroom, and this semester I am working in a third grade classroom.  I was very nervous at first.  After all, I haven't been in a third grade classroom since I was in third grade.  I had many questions as I entered the classroom on my first day.  These questions included: (1) How big will the kids be?  (please, please, please let them still be cute and little!) (2) Will they like me? (3) Will they think my Hello Kitty ID holder and folders will be dorky, or is that still cool in third grade? (4) What kind of math are they doing? (please, please, please let it be something I remember how to do so I don't look stupid!)  Thankfully, all of my questions were soon answered and I wasn't disappointed!  I also found out that I will already be teaching Science next week which will be super exciting!

I am truly honored that I get to work with such an amazing class this semester.  I know that I have so much to learn, but I have a feeling that I am going to grow a lot.  I can't wait to see where this semester takes me!

Although I know completely that teaching is the career path for me, I didn't always feel this way.  Until my Sophomore year of college I wanted to work with animals.  But then one day I began wondering if my major (at that point it was Marine Biology) was right for me.  After thinking and praying about it for some time, I felt as though I was being called to teaching.  As I thought about teaching more and more, it seemed like the perfect fit for me.  I had always loved children, but for some reason, until that time I had never considered working with them.  I finally decided that teaching was where I was meant to be, and I changed my major.  I haven't looked back since.  There are times when I feel like I want to work with animals again, but then I remember that I can teach my students about them and educate them on how to help our environment.

Most importantly, I hope to teach my future students that learning can be fun.  I didn't always enjoy school.  In fact, some years I absolutely hated it (fourth grade was one of those years due to my horrible math teacher... but that's another story).  I want my students to know that learning is worth the time and effort.  It isn't a bad thing.  It is a truly wonderful thing.  The same goes for reading.  So many children (and adults) that I know loathe reading.  It makes me so sad because I think that reading is amazing.  How else can you go on a free trip to another time and place without having to leave your couch???

I could go on and on, but I think I will end my story here.  I am sure that I will be writing more about education and learning in the near future, especially as I continue to work in my internship.

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The Worst Book Ever Written

As you may know, my major is elementary education.  Because of this, many of my professors read books to us in class that we can use later in our classrooms.  Today one of my professors read this book:

The book is Faithful Elephants: A True Story of Animals, People, and War by Yukio Tsuchiya.

Summary:  During World War II, Japanese officials decided that all of the "dangerous" animals at the Uneo Zoo in Tokyo, Japan needed to be killed.  Their reasoning was that if the zoo were to be bombed and the cages were ruined, the animals would not injure the people of Tokyo.  After killing many of the more dangerous animals, it was time to kill the three performing elephants at the zoo.  The elephants would not eat poisoned food, and their hides were too tough to puncture with needles, so they were starved to death.  It was a long and brutal death and although the zookeepers did not agree, they went along with it.  This book was based on a true story.

About halfway through reading the book, most of my classmates either had tears in their eyes or looks of disgust upon their faces.  Our professor recommended that we only read this books to fifth graders and above, and that the book could be used to show the other side of war.  Personally, I could never, ever, read this book to children.  I feel that it could possibly be used in upper levels (middle to high school) in a World War II unit, but even then, I probably couldn't read it.  The language of the book is horribly descriptive and the illustrations are even more vivid.

What upset me most of all was that my professor mentioned that she read the book to a classroom of students after many of their parents had been deployed in the Gulf War.  The purpose was to show them that negative effects of war.  I was shocked.  How could that be an appropriate use for this book???  When used in that context, it makes military men and women look like cruel elephant killers.  Is that the message we should give children about their parents?  Especially while their parents are deployed.  I understand that we should view both sides of every conflict, but I do not think that it was an appropriate time or place for it.  I also know that many people do not agree with wars, and you are entitled to your opinion.  However, I feel that my professor chose an inappropriate time and place to read this book.

What do you think?  Have you read the book?  Do you think my professor picked a good time to read the book?  Do you think that all books can be read at any time, or do you think that certain books should only be read at certain times?