There was an Old Lady who swallowed a Fly
Name: Brooke Slack
Estimated Time: 40 minutes
Content Area(s): Core, Language Arts & Math
Grade level(s): 1st
Number of students: 20
Prof. Level: Intermediate
Stage 1-Desired Results
Established Goals: Core and Language arts
Core Standard 1:Students will develop a sense of self
Objective 1: Describe and practice responsible behaviors for health and safety
Lang. Arts Standard 8: Students write daily to communicate effectively for a variety of purposes and audiences.
Math Standard 1: Students will acquire number sense and perform simple operations with whole numbers.
Language Objectives: Students will be able to verbally tell which order the Old Lady swallowed what she did.
Students will be able to write their reasoning on why they think the Old Lady swallowed the fly in the first place.
Students will be able to listen to me read and comprehend the text.
Understanding
Students will develop a sense of self and practice
responsible behaviors for health and safety.
Students will also be able to communicate
effectively for a variety of purposes through their
writing by using the organization trait.
Essential Questions/Higher Order Thinking
 How does studying responsible behaviors
now help students in years to come?

Why is it important when we write to focus
on the 6 traits of writing, and in this lesson
mostly organization?
Stage 2-Assessment Evidence
Objectives
Students will be able to:
1. Develop a sense of self
and the importance of
health and safety.
Learning Analysis
Pre-Assessment of Prior
Knowledge

No ELL students
1. As a class students will
organize the sequence of
events from the book.

1 Legally blind student
(with an aid), 1 student
with autism, 1 student
with cerebral palsy (not
always present in the
classroom)
2. Write a short paragraph
of why they think the Old
Lady swallowed the fly in
the first place.
2. Differentiate between
foods that are healthy or
unhealthy for our
bodies.
3. Apply what they learn in
this lesson to their
everyday lives.
4.
Compose why they think
the Old Lady swallowed
the fly and follow the
organization trait.
Procedures
Assessments
Formative and Summative

Ability Levels: There are
high students, middle
students, and low
students. There is quite
a variety of ability levels.

Students are aware of
group work procedures.

Students enjoy making
class books out of their
writing assignments.
Stage 3-Learning Plan
Time
Materials
Resources
3. Participation and
following of class rules
and procedures.
4. I will be assessing
through out the whole
lesson whether it is by
observation,
participation.
5. The writing prompt.
Differentiation
(i.e., student diversity)
1. This is not the first lesson from this
topic. We have previously covered the
sequences, and other items from the
book.
Book
5 min
Book
2. Go over key vocabulary with the
students: swallowed, sequence,
healthy, unhealthy, and responsible.
3. Take a book walk of “There was an Old
Lady who swallowed a fly” by Simms
Taback
5 min
None
Doing hands on projects
motivates students.
Picture Sorts
None
Students will be allotted
adequate wait time
depending on the
questions and ability
levels.
Writing prompt
paper
Special needs students
will be allotted more
time to finish up the
project at another time.
5 min
10 min
4. Read the book as a class.
5. Discuss why the Old Lady swallowed
the living things in the order that she
did. What did she eat first? Next?
Last?
6. We will sort the animal cards that the
Old Lady swallowed in sequence on
the board. (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th…)
7. Ask the students why they thought
she swallowed the fly in the first
place. Brainstorm some ideas
together.
8. Discuss the writing prompt, and put
the students to work. Remind
students to organize their ideas
before they write them.
9. Create a class book with the writing
prompts and read them aloud to the
class.
10. Before the lesson try to link to the
students background. Ask the
students if they have eaten anything
that was unusual or weird to others.
Do you know what it is like to be in 1st
place, or in 3rd place? Think about our
last math lesson. Do you remember
when we ordered kids in the class
from 1st to last?
As we are covering key
vocabulary I will allow
students to work with
partners or an aide if
they need key concepts
clarified.
5 min
10 min
Many visuals
and hands on
materials
Students are seated in
mixed ability levels.
We will work as a whole
group, with partners,
and individually.
If there were ESL
students in my
classroom I would make
sure that I had enough
visuals, and possibly a
few vocabulary words
that have been
translated.
I will use a slow rate of
speech, make sure to
enunciate my words,
and use directions that
will be easy for the
students in my class to
understand.
I will model the writing
prompt for the students.
11. For interaction and discussion
between teacher/student and among
students we will be sharing our ideas
of the Old Lady swallowed the fly
with their shoulder partners then
share with the class and teacher. We
will also be working as a class to put
the items in the order that she ate
them.
The teacher will give
regular feedback during
the lesson and at the
end of the lesson.
12. Reading the book, listening to the
book, talking about the reasoning and
explaining the order, and writing why
they think the Old Lady swallowed
the fly.
13. Make sure throughout the lesson the
key vocabulary is covered. Then,
cover the key vocabulary at the end
of the lesson: swallowed, sequence,
healthy, unhealthy, and responsible.
14. Review the key concepts: Students
will be able to verbally tell which
order the Old Lady swallowed what
she did. Students will be able to write
their reasoning on why they think the
Old Lady swallowed the fly in the first
place. Students will be able to listen
to me read and comprehend the text.
This will be done between the teacher
and the student.
Extensions: This lesson will span over about 3-4 weeks. During the week the students will have the
opportunity to do extension activities. One of the centers that will be set up is part of the food guide
pyramid and the students create grocery lists containing food that would help them practice healthy,
responsible behaviors. There will be math activities, and many more opportunities for the students to
learn about responsible, healthy behaviors.
Plans for involving parents or families: The students could help prepare grocery list from what they
have learned is good for their bodies. They could also help cook meals and learn about serving sizes.
Reflection: