We grew a Beanstalk!

On my final professional practice as a trainee teacher, I decided to enhance the classroom in many different ways in order to help the children in their learning and to show what we had been learning. As our topic was plants, I decided to create an activity where the children would retell the story of ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’ to display in our reading corner.

The activity was an extension activity which I planned for the children to complete during an afternoon session. Each of the children would be given a freeze frame image from the story  which I had read earlier that day and a green leaf where they would retell that particular part of the story for our beanstalk.

The children found it enjoyable to write about the story which they had heard earlier in the day, and thought it was a good addition to the reading corn which we had in the classroom.

The beanstalk was later used in a mathematics lesson towards the end of term where footprints were placed on the floor coming from the beanstalk, where the Giant wrote the class a letter asking them to complete the mission. The children were engrossed in the activity and intrigued as to how the Giant could have got down. It was a real focal point in our classroom.

Here is the lesson plan which I created for the afternoon when this activity took place:

25.02.2016 Topic lesson plan

How it meets the standards:

• TS1: Part A of standard 1 was met in this piece of evidence because I had to make sure it was safe and not hazardous in our learning environment. However, because it was put into our reading corner the children loved it and enjoyed reading the story they had written as a class.
• TS2: For this display to be put up, the children had to complete high quality writing based on the story which they had heard. It meets sub section A because I had to ensure all of the children made good progress in their writing and that they were working to improve their work in order for it to be put up on display in the classroom area.
• TS3: I feel that this piece of evidence shows that I have been working towards part A and B of standard 3 because I had to understand that the children would be able to complete an activity like the one which I set and that it would be worth their time. Also I had to ensure that all children would be capable of completing this activity with minimal support, and that they could talk about what they had written.
• TS4: All of the children were engaged with the writing activity which they completed in order for this display to be possible, and loved reading their story over the following weeks when the beanstalk was put up. Because of this, I feel this shows I am working towards part B of this standard. Also, the activity was part of the provision which was available around our classroom and encouraged the children to read in the reading area which shows that I am also working towards part E.
• TS8: I feel that I have continuously been working towards part C of this standard throughout my final professional practice. It can be seen in my planning attached that I have thought about the support staff which I had available to me in the classroom and I thought about how they could be deployed effectively to ensure all children were working to their best ability.