Standard 1

Describe artifact that was used as the example for the standard

This activity was for a class of second grade students doing age-appropriate, hands on learning with their new HFWs (high frequency words). Students learn 10 new words every week through their phonics instruction. Usually students will just read aloud these words and do a worksheet activity that the teacher made to go along with the words. I wanted to give students a chance to work on their fine motor skills. I gave each student a little bag filled with colorful beads and a large construction paper to put the beads on so that they would not fall off the desks as easy. I clipped all of the HFWs onto the board and called on a student to give me one of the words. I would repeat the word to the class and ask the students to spell the word aloud chorally. The students then took the beads and created the letters to spelltheir new HFWs. When all students finished spelling out their word I asked them to chroally tell me the word and spell it. We then erased our desks and I called on another student to give us a different word. We did this until they had formed every word. We completed this activity across two days.

Give a rationale on why this activity is appropriate

This hands on activity is appropriate as it allowed my mentor and I to recognize and understand the varying individual learners development. With the past two years of having school virtually, students have not gotten the appropriate amount of time to work on any fine motor skills. This year would be the first time in classroom they will have been able to work on these skills. This activity was developmentally appropriate for them to practice on as most of their fine motor skills were not fully developed.