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Classroom Factors
Physical Features:
Lakeview Elementary School is an older, yet vibrant school, consisting of only five long
hallways in the shape of a square. The faculty and staff at Lakeview are all friendly and helpful.
The school doors remain locked at all times to ensure the safety of students and faculty. Each
classroom is labeled by large hanging apples with names of teachers, grade level, and room
numbers for easy direction. Mrs. Koones classroom has two entrances, both which are used
equally depending on where the class is going or coming from. The classroom itself is filled
with the students work from top to bottom. Mrs. Koone is a fan of anchor charts so those are a
big part of the classroom dcor as well. All charts, posters, and pictures are relevant to the
students academic and developmental needs. Each month Mrs. Koone will change the theme of
the room and relate the theme to literacy stations. For example: Januarys theme was winter
therefore the classroom was decorated with winter poems, pictures, and students winter work
from their stations. The floor is tile and the only piece of carpet is the main carpet the class sits
on for whole group instruction. The desks are in six different groups with three to four desks per
group. There are two sets of cubbies that house the students book bags and other accessories.
The classroom has a student restroom located within it along with a small sink and water
fountain available to the students at all times. Beside the small sink is a slightly larger one for
the adults in the room. There are four computers in the back of the class, three of which are used
for stations and one for Mrs. Koones work. Ten work stations are dispersed around the class and
placed in areas of best convenience. Each work station is divided up by either tables, chairs, or
shelving intended to alleviate chaos and clutter. A guided reading table is located in the corner of
the class away from main movement and noise. Extra materials and other classroom essentials
are housed within large cabinets and shelving pushed up against the walls. Outside of the
classroom, there are two walls filled with more of the students artwork displayed on bulletin
boards or hanging from strings. Aside from the classroom I am in, the whole school has students
work on display. This makes for an inviting environment and educational setting throughout.
Availability of technology, equipment, and resources:
Within the classroom, there are three computers for student use. These computers are
accessed during literacy work stations. A SmartBoard is located at the front of the class where
whole group instruction is given. The SmartBoard is used for morning work, math work, and is
a part of the technology and games work station. Mrs. Koone uses an iPad periodically
throughout the day to keep track of dojo points and to make note of other situations involving
student behavior. The iPad is not for student use. Each group of desks has plastic shelves beside
them that are filled with multiple resources and materials for student needs. Composition
notebooks, glue, scissors, markers, crayons, magnetic lettering, and other smaller materials can
all be found within these shelves but only used when instructed to. The classroom library is also
available at all times for student needs. The library is filled with age appropriate books
categorized by genre, reading levels, and content. The anchor charts that are posted around the
room are also there for when students need assistance with spelling, locating vowels, writing
endings, and describing other things for their work. Located within specific cabinets, Mrs.
Koone keeps student materials stocked up for when they are needed. These materials range from
extra erasers, to notebooks, to pencils, stamps, highlighters and more. The other first grade
teachers come to our room for books and tapes for lessons. They rotate materials throughout the

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classrooms and share things on a daily basis. If something cannot be found within our
classroom, a student is welcome to go across the hall and borrow whatever is needed from a
fellow teacher.
Parental Involvement:
Every day a behavior sheet is sent home in the students homework folders. These
behavior sheets are to be signed and returned each day. Written on these sheets is the students
behavior for the given day as well as any notes Mrs. Koone writes for the parents. These notes
can include reminders, notices, behavior issues, homework issues, and other things related to the
students day. Phone calls are periodically made to parents when needed. Mrs. Koone will send
home newsletters once a month explaining to the parents what the children are learning at the
time and important dates for the month. When needed, conferences are set up with parents to
discuss the development of their child.
Rules and routines:
The students follow a set of rules inside of the classroom as well as when they are in the
hallways, lunchroom, library, and other locations. In the class, the students are expected to be
respectful to others space and belongings, use inside voices, keep their desks clean, clean up
their surroundings after leaving an area, and keep the bathroom clean after using. They must
sign in before using the bathroom. This ensures the bathroom stays clean due to previous issues
of students not being respectful of the bathroom area. When washing their hands after using the
bathroom they can only get one squirt of soap and one paper towel to dry hands. In the hallways,
the students are to walk in a straight line with their hands by their sides so they dont touch
others work on display. We start our day by eating breakfast and watching the morning news
show. The class then comes together on the carpet for whole group instruction involving poetry,
reading, date and weather, and other morning messages. They then return to desks for math.
After math, they usually do a writing assignment while Mrs. Koone prepares for guided reading.
Lunch follows guided reading. The routine for lunch involves the student helper going around
the class with hand sanitizer giving each student one squirt. Choice one line up first, then choice
two and lunch boxes last. While in the lunchroom, they have ten minutes of silence designated
for eating time and then they are allowed to talk once the student helper removes the red cups
from the table. Boys sit on one side of the table and girls on the other. When they return from
lunch, Mrs. Koone finishes guided reading while the rest of the class completes work stations. If
students finish work stations early, they are to read a book from the class library. Each day the
class has designated related arts they attend such as PE, library, music, art, and computer. Rules
for activities and related arts depend on the instructor for the class. After related arts, they return
to class and finish any incomplete work before going to recess. If students have misbehaved all
day or have a lot of work to complete from centers or homework, they will not go to recess.
Shortly after is time for dismissal and each student is dismissed according to means of
transportation or after-school programs.
Grouping patterns:
Students are arranged on the carpet and at their desks according to how they behave, pay
attention, and work with others. Students who have trouble behaving sit at the front of the carpet
closest to the teacher. They are placed beside students who will not act up with them. The desks

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are arranged in groups of three and four. Each group has at least one challenging child paired
with a well-behaved child and a higher developed child paired with a child who needs more help.
The arrangement allows for a better learning environment and equal opportunity for all students
to learn and be engaged. Students who need to be watched more frequently are placed at the
front of the desks closest to where the teacher stands. For work stations, students are also paired
with others according to how they work together. If the teacher notices that a group is not
getting their work done, she will move them accordingly. The same is done with desk
arrangement and spots on the carpet. Guided reading groups are based upon the students
individual reading levels. If there is only one student at a reading level that doesnt fall within
any other groups, they will go to another class and join a group another teacher has for that
reading level. Adjustments can always be made if and when the teacher feels it is necessary.
Scheduling:
8:00-8:40 Songs, poems, IRA, shared reading, big book
8:40-9:30 Math
9:30-10:15 Writers workshop
10:15-11:20 Guided reading/work stations
11:35-12:00 Lunch
12:05-12:35 Guided reading/work stations
12:40-1:30 Related Arts
1:35-2:25 Social Science *recess at 2:05-2:25
2:30 Pack up
2:40 Dismissal
Classroom arrangement:
*See the last page for a view of the classroom arrangement.
Student Characteristics and Demographics
Mrs. Koones First Grade Class
Lakeview Elementary Spring 2015

Age

Description
Number of
students:

Female
10

Male
13

Total
23

Six years old

Seven years old
Eight years old

3
6
1

2
8
3

5
14
4

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Race/Ethnicity

Special Services

Caucasian
African
American
Latino/Hispanic
Asian

4
5

5
7

9
12

0
1

1
0

1
1

Speech
ESOL
Resource
Reading
Intervention
IEP
Other: OT

0
1
0
1

1
0
1
1

1
1
1
2

0
0

1
1

1
1

RTI Tier Levels

Tier I
2
2
4
Tier II
1
3
4
Tier III
0
1
1
The DRA reading levels range from A- to 18+. Though the reading levels are very
diverse, most all students are on the same level for math. There are two repeaters in the class,
both are boys. There are two students facing possible retention for next year, both also boys.
There is one autistic child in the class who is on a series of medications to help him stay focused.
Eight of the students come from traditional homes with both parents. Ten of the
students live with only the mother and four live with mother and step-father. One child lives at
the Connie Maxwell Childrens Home. The students enjoy a variety of recreations including
soccer, football, dance, and gymnastics.
One student has an allergy to shell fish and seafood.
Instructional Implications
According to the demographics of my class, I would need to teach my lessons in small
groups with the exception of a few whole class lessons. The learning abilities and developmental
levels are so diverse in my class; it can be challenging to teach whole class lessons. Some
students perform better when things are orally given to them while other students prefer to be left
alone to complete assignments. The reading levels are also so diverse that teaching anything
involving reading would be nearly impossible. I would need to have different reading levels
within the lesson in order to meet the needs of each student. The best time to give whole group
instruction would be when introducing new content or for morning message work and directions
for upcoming assignments and work stations. During work stations is when I would help
individual students with certain skills and content such as sight words, math problems, and
spelling. When giving lessons from the SmartBoard, students work better at their desks
especially when it involves math manipulatives. The autistic student in the class is very sensitive
to sound therefore I will not prepare lessons that involve loud noises. Several of the students
have very short attention spans and are medicated for that purpose so it would be beneficial for
them as learners to prepare lessons that are interesting to their needs and will keep them engaged.

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Classroom Arrangement

Smart Board

Creation
Station

Teachers Desk

S
H

Learning Carpet

Cart for work

L
F

Cubbies
Work
Station

Group
1

Group
4

Group
2

Group
5

Group
3

Group
6

Cubbies
GR Table

Counter with three computers

Work
Station

Work
Statio
n