Rationale for 5th Grade Literacy Lesson

Alverno Advanced Education Ability: Diagnosis Relates observed

behavior to relevant frameworks in order to determine and implement
learning prescriptions.
Wisconsin Standards for Educator Development and Licensure:
Standard 6 The teacher uses knowledge of effective verbal, nonverbal, and
media communication techniques to foster active inquiry, collaboration, and
supportive interaction in the classroom.
This lesson was created for a 5th grade literacy class at ALBA School. ALBA a teacher led
bi-lingual charter school in the Milwaukee Public School District. The primary language of many
of the students households is Spanish. There are 15 students in this literacy group in an unequal
arrangement of 2 girls and 13 boys and none qualifying for special education services for
language arts. Students were initially grouped based on MAPs scores. In the week preceding this
lesson, students were regrouped according to performance within the initial groups. This new
group of students is comprised of thirteen 5th grade and two 4th grade students that are reading at
a 5th grade level. Behavior (talking out and over others) is an issue with several students in this
group. One member of this group is involved in check in/check out as part of a PBIS program.
The story mapping lesson was developed to support students comprehension of the story
The Keeping Room by Anna Myers. This lesson was taught as students were nearing the
completion of the story. Up to this point, students had expressed limited understanding of the
story and its characters. When they wrote letters to the main character, they were unable to use
textual evidence of their thinking. The purpose of the story map summary was to compel
students to go back to the text to find passages to support their ideas of what was occurring in the
book. Through careful classroom observation and close cooperation with the supervising teacher,
I came to learn that these students needed a way to solidify their ideas with visual support since
their primary language was not English. Do to my diagnosis of the students and environment; I
created a lesson with visual components for learning.
The video supports my understanding of the Wisconsin teacher standard six that teachers
communicate well. I use clear instructions for students that are supported by visuals to be clear
about my expectations for work. I also am able to use non-verbal communication such as finger
to lips to remind them that they should be quiet, eye contact with students who were speaking,
and a smile to encourage students. These non-verbal signals help keep students focused and on
task.