2nd Grade- Reader's Workshop

I taught my unit on two different units combined. The first week was the tail end of our visualization unit and the second week was the introduction to nonfiction texts. The three lessons that I turned in dealt with having students compare fiction and nonfiction books about the same animal. I modeled how I wanted my students to do this and they were able to work with buddies. My lower students definitely struggled with it, even though they got the opportunity to work with a partner. Most of my students were able to do the activity and tell me what they noticed between the two books. They were also able to put into words what the differences between fiction and nonfiction are. I noticed that the lesson was more about differences than I intended and not enough about similarities, even though that was one of my goals. Throughout the unit I can revisit the topic of what similarities they notice between fiction and nonfiction books. My ELL students and Special Ed students were the students who really struggled. One of them, I could barely read his handwriting. He was able to tell me the main parts of a fiction or nonfiction book but was unable to compare the two books and write down in the chart. For these students, I plan on pulling them back in a small group and reviewing with them what the objective of the lesson was, and possibly doing the activity together with them. I realized that I should have done that from the very beginning, but I thought that because they were able to work with a partner that they would be getting additional help. If I were to teach this lesson again, I would pull my lower students back in a group and I would also model even more than I already did. Not all of my students struggled, but I think I could have given more explicit instructions on what to do. This was definitely a learning experience for me; my students, for the most part, achieved what I wanted them to, I just have to work on having my low students in mind when I plan my lessons.