This week I really got a taste of what I will be doing for the rest of my time in the classroom. It is crazy though! I am not even doing everything, yet I feel like I never have a down minute during the day and there is constantly something to be doing. One of the hardest things about planning this week involved reading groups, computer lab, and science unit. I have to start teaching our next science unit, the solar system, after spring break. While I am thankful that my cooperating teacher gave me a binder of past materials and sample schedule of the activities she has done during this unit, it is still slightly overwhelming to think I have to plan every single part of it. Similarly, I also have to plan activities for the students to do during Computer Lab during my full takeover time. Reading groups is another challenge. As of before break, out of my six groups, I have one that is doing a novel study, which will last longer than one more meeting time. For the other five groups, I had to think ahead and gather materials in order to prepare for the week we get back from break. It’s just a lot to think that during one subject, depending on whom I meet with, I can be engaged in six different activities, etc. This speaks to the importance in differentiation in order to best meet the needs of the students. It is not like I am choosing to do this because I have nothing else to do, but because it is catered to the needs of the students. For example, my top two groups are doing novel studies with books beyond third grade level, The Westing Game and The View From Saturday because they need to be challenged.