Field 2

What: This week we taught two social studies lesson were we integrated the arts. One, drama, did not go well at all. The second one music, went very well. The students also performed at the UVU Veterans day program.

So What: Our first lesson was on the settlement of Jamestown. We did a jig saw lesson using the book My Jamestown. We started off by dividing the class into six groups of four and assigning each group a part of the book to read together and decided the most important parts. Then each person in the groups was given a number between one and six. All the ones got together, all the twos got together and so on. Each group member was to tell the rest of the group about their part of the book so that they would all know the whole store. Then we divide the six groups in half. The ones were suppose to be the interviewers and the twos were suppose to be any character from the book they wanted. The interviewers were suppose to ask questions and the others were suppose to answer as if they were from the book. The students hated it and there were even some tears. I think we gave them to much material to read and the groups should have staid smaller. Instead of four groups of six, we should have kept it at six groups of four. We also should have better demonstrated the interviewing section of the lesson.

Our next lesson was on the Mayflower voyage. We did the same lesson that we did in our arts integration class a few weeks ago but with the new lesson plan that we e-mailed you. We got back from UVU so late that we only had time to do the anticipation guide and book the first day. On the second day we reviewed the book and learned the song. This class loves to sing. They really got into and I over heard on student singing the song later that day.

As I said earlier the students sang for the UVU veterans day program. They got a standing ovation on the last song. They did such a good job that UVU has invited the fifth grade to come back every year and perform. They used the music and actions from the Hope of America program.

Now What: We learned a lot from our first two lessons. I know that arts integration works. I am curious to see how they do on the end of unit quiz we are going to be giving next week. I have a feeling that they will do best on the questions that have to do with the subjects were we used drama and music. I need to find out more about the Hope of America program. My partner Krystal says she did it when she was in High school but I have never heard of it before and I have had two children of my own go through the fifth grade. There is still so much to learn. Isn't that great.