Field Observation Report #2

Rachel Ross 
RICA Domain: 2- Word Analysis
RICA Competency: Phonological and Phonemic Awareness
Grade Level: 1^st Grade
Any Additional Descriptions: Lesson took place during several ELD sessions

Instruction
I observed Ms. Glavis-Funk teaching phonemic awareness. Ms. G had a poster with 2 columns posted on an easel and each column had pictures of various objects. The students sat facing the easel. Ms. G explained new rhyme sounds each day so the students learned to identify rhymes over a couple days. She started each rhyming lesson with a reminder of how to identify rhyming sounds. She pointed to the different picture pairs under each column, reading the words out loud to the class and asking whether or not the 2 words rhymed. One day, students were learning about rhyme sounds ending in the /ag/ sound.  For the first part of the lesson, Ms. G started to read the 2 words out loud, “flag,” and “tag.” As she pointed to each word, she read the words out loud and then had the students read the words out loud with her. She discussed the phonetic sound each word made by explaining how the mouth is shaped when the words are spoken. She then placed 2 pictures (1 of a flag and 1 of a tag) under the “Yes” column on the poster, since the 2 words rhymed.  For the second part of the lesson, Ms. G said pairs of words out loud to the class and the students jumped up and reached their arms up if the 2 words rhymed. If the 2 words did not rhyme, the students were to stay seated. As she stated 2 words that rhymed, the students would jump up and Mrs. G would ask individual students why they jumped.  As she stated 2 words that didn't rhyme, Mrs. G would ask the class why no one jumped.

Instructional Setting 
Mrs. G's lesson supports the learning of phonemic awareness because she was teaching rhyming through the concept of sound identity.  The students learned that certain pairs of words rhymed because the words shared the same ending sound.  Mrs. G was effective in engaging different types of learners.  The first part of the lesson appealed to the visual and auditory learners because they could see the pictures and written words, and watch as Mrs. G placed them into the organized chart.  Mrs. G also said the different words out loud so students could hear the word, identify the ending sound, and determine if the words shared the same ending sound or not.  The second part of the lesson appealed to the kinesthetic learners of the class.  Students were engaged when they had to determine if the words rhymed, and decide if they needed to quickly jump up or stay seated.