Mood and Atmosphere - Observation

This week I had the opportunity to observe my mentor teacher Robyn model a lesson.  The focus was on introducing mood and atmosphere using writing frames. She carried this lesson out with my target reading group. Robyn's deliberate acts of teaching provided great insight for me in regards to how I can effectively explore the mood and atmosphere of a story using structured writing frames. (Robyn is referred to as T or RA in my notes.)

T introduced the concepts of mood and atmosphere by providing clear definitions, ensuring that all students had a solid understanding of the terms.  She then prompted students to think of their favourite story and examples of mood and atmosphere within it.  To help the students grasp the concept of mood, T used the analogy of Red Riding Hood.  Students discussed Red's mood when she carried baskets of muffins and when she encountered the wolf.  By connecting a story the students were familiar with, T made the students realise that the author skill-fully conveyed the character's mood without explicitly stating it.  T encouraged the students to think beyond the explicit text and consider the more subtle cues that shape the mood.

T provided a writing frame and guided students through describing the mood and atmosphere using an image.  Students experimented with words and phrases, sharing their ideas and collaboratively building vocabulary.  The writing frame helped students focus on inferring and visualising details without relying on the picture alone.

T read aloud the collective writing, making adjustments based on students' suggestions.  She emphasised expressive reading to convey the desired mood and atmosphere.  Students actively listened and evaluated the created mood, leading to discussions and reflections on their interpretations.

Robyn's intentional teaching strategies fostered student engagement and comprehension in exploring mood and atmosphere. By using an image, writing frames, collaborative discussions, and quick reflections, students were able to analyse the text independently, inferring and visualising the intended mood and atmosphere. This approach empowered students to develop their descriptive writing skills and deepen their overall understanding of literature.  I am excited to implement these strategies with my own reading group.

Key takeaways : 

• Instead of overwhelming students with a list of words to memorise, Robyn encouraged students to discover new vocabulary through context and discussion.
• I most enjoyed how vocabulary development was integrated into the lesson using images and examples to reinforce word meanings.
• Students were encouraged to take risks in their writing, and were told not to worry about spelling which in turn placed even more emphasis on creative expression.
• By "gifting" vocabulary to the students, they were encouraged to explore more vocabulary using Word Hippo.

Ngā mihi Robyn for your lesson and your time.

Here is one of my student's blog posts from after the session (shared with permission.)